By Paul
We were really lucky with the weather on Saturday; we have all got soft with increased temperatures, and it seemed cold, but the heavy overnight rain had moved on and we actually had some sunshine.
The problem with meeting at two, though, is that darkness falls so quickly and South London's busy streets are no welcoming place for nervous cyclists on a dark Saturday evening. Consideration of the light, and uncertainty that the cafe at the Rookery in Streatham would have room inside, led us to opt for the (not so very) long way round to Merton Abbey Mills.
There were eleven of us, including two returners, Jim and Jackie, and a regular with other club groups but a not-so-regular rider with BBs, Frank. Our traditional route through Mitcham Common, Mitcham Eastfields, Figges Marsh and Colliers Wood has quite a lot of off road but a significant chunk of this, the Beddington Farmlands Nature Reserve and the little corner of Mitcham Common between Beddington Lane Halt and Croydon Road was going to be unrideable for Matthew and Thomas and their articulated Little People Carrier, so Colin used the less scenic route through the Beddington Lane Industrial Estate, crossing the tramway at Therapia Lane.
The roads were pretty busy but we comfortably negotiated the various intersections and minor hazards being hooted only occasionally and had a pleasant tea at Med.
Our homeward trip was through the early dusk and by the time we got to Beddington Park, several riders had peeled off home before we remembered that we should take a photograph.
A pleasant ride in acceptable conditions, and little Thomas apparently insisted upon riding a significant chunk of central Croydon on his tricycle, which gave his parents a welcome lie-in, so tired did it leave him!
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