Saturday 2nd January - Our friends up north

Forecast has switched from a washout to a damp squib for saturday, but i guess it may still end up being a washout; what a promising start to the year.

A WNW wind is forecast, so we'll make a rare foray oop narth.

Destination will depend on the Marti Pellow factor; but possibly Bristol if good and Clevedon if wet wet wet.

Either way, route out will be A370, Congresbury should you wish to latch on.

I'd like to take this opportunity to wish everybody a great 2016 and may you enjoy peace, harmony and success; but once again my reputation forbids....

Glad to see everyone has made a New Year's resolution to ride every ride like it was your last. The stunning turn out of five riders took to the damp air and headed out into the swamp lands of North Somerset.The north, south, east, westerly wind (that's a non-biased BBC for you) was tricky to negotiate but needless to say it seemed to be blowing the opposite way to the direction of travel at all times.

The charge of the bike brigade took the A370 to Congresbury before a cheeky little right-hander delivered us to the bottom of Wrington Hill. After a good huffing and a puffing we all got to the top and ambled down the other side to avoid any mishaps on damp descents (Wayne was with us)! More apathy set in across the moor to Nailsea and then Tickenham when we finally decided to make a ride of it and chugged into Clevedon at around 20-25 mph. Despite the drab conditions the whole event came to life as Martin's bike took a lead role in a Tom and Jerry go ice-skating kind of way and threw him from his bike right outside the cafe window. Luckily for Martin the solid brick wall and wooden bench broke his fall!

Service with a smile was provided within Scarletts before setting off home. Ivan left a nice present in the cafe but clearly didn't realise he had split one of his mud flaps until 50 metres up the road. After a bit of poking and prodding the unwanted rubbing ceased and everything was back in its rightful place. A steady pace was then set through Kingston See More (well you probably could if it wasn't so damp and murky), Yatton and then Congresbury when Steve made the schoolboy error of putting himself on the front with no chance of anyone else taking a turn due to the steady procession of vehicles passing by. Eventually Ivan and Wayne took a turn each before we rounded off our 45 mile ride back in Weston.

OJC: 1
KFC: 3/10
TTCR: 8/10