Unlike the fine cool weather last year it was a murky morning in Stevenage. The light rain timetabled by the Met Office to stop by midday had already ceased. Even though it was mild it didn't take long to cool down during the wait to start.

At the start line the Mayor told us the good news, a cross tail wind to the turn at Saffron Walden, and the bad news, a cross head wind on the way back! With only a few 100 metres gone the first puncture victims were spotted on the side of the road.

Even after a few miles club members in group F had splintered into their own groups. In our group the youth members seemed hell-bent on 60 miles of hill sprints - a dog leash would have come in handy at this point if not to slow them down then at least to get a tow ! 

The first check point at Hare Street was reached without incident - it was still murky and the light rain intermittent. It should be stopping soon anyway....

Maybe it was because the second stage was a bit more exposed but the front of the group broke off and romped off the road with the fathers chasing in their wake. Saffron Walden seems like a nice place but why put the checkpoint at the bottom of the hill and then send the route back up it ? The light rain is still falling...

Stage three - into the cross-headwind and the youngsters realising, perhaps, that they should have kept their powder dry. The road to Great Chishill seems to drag up for miles until the final hill rears up. Seems windier up here - oh look a windmill... Almost downhill to Barley and then the roller coaster blustery road to Barkway. Barkway to Reed is exposed but hedges provide some protection - until the gates that is. The Silver Ball and a chance to grab some water and an Eccles cake. I'll have to complain to the Met Office, the light rain has not stopped..

Stage four and our group of four (Andy and George Bateman, Alex and myself) is coping ok. A puncture just before Sandon stops us for a bit - at least it's the front. Weston seems to take a while to get to but at least it's not far after that. Into the outskirts of Stevenage and the difficult task of navigating through the underpasses - half of the route description for the stage is just that! By this time it's not light rain, just rain - I have mentally composed my letter of complaint - and it's getting murkier. Fairlands Valley and the finish at last. The rides not over yet, we have to get home when the rest of our party arrives.

Famille Trott were the first back (about an hour before our four). Mr Scott managed to drag himself round with the Trotts with the added incentive of a roast lunch awaiting his arrival if early (inside the dog if not). Not sure about the times yet but guessing at 3.5 - 4.0 hours for them, so that would be about 4.5 - 5.0 hours for us. The Street party came in 10 minutes after us with a star ride from 9 year old Will who must have been blown around all over on the way back from the turn. Apparently it was Sarah who was slowing him down near the end - if Will was anything like Alex he'd probably eaten all her energy bars and left nothing for herself. Alex Peake and Andy Street arrived shortly after, their time effected somewhat by a pneumatic incident. Jeremy Chandler-Smith finished after riding around most of Hertfordshire (even the bits he should have missed). Luckily we didn't have to wait too long for my sister-in-law and her husband to arrive so that we could head off into the gloom (well it was dark really) and the not so light rain...

Graeme Anderson