Number 1

Finally kicked off the years riding, nightride and oh what a lovely evening...! Pittling down from the off but Johnnie had already text that the weather report was "mtfu" I was suited and booted and ready for whatever the weather chucked at me, fancied a long ride too give the legs a good workout. Rode struggled up barrow bridge and the mist started, got up onto winterhill and visibility was down to about 6', then I remembered I had my lights on low so upped them and visibility got to about 12' not a massive improvement. Glasses off due them keep steaming up, dropped down hole in the wall, very slippy but my minion ST did a sterling job upfront, lots of driftyness but held on OK, good work. Onto wildeswood, dropped down the first section in my usual kamikaze style despite the low visibility straight into the 2 blind bends, round one, round the next ARGH TREE! right across the trail, slammed on was at maximum braking and still heading for it so closed my (unprotected doh!) eyes and put my head down, managed to stop with my head against some of the outer twigs/branches, lucky escape there. Got to the meet, Si was waiting but no Johnnie, checked my phone "In A&E with son, sorry" hah likely story, looked out of the window and thought sod that more like :-)
Climbing up rivi I realised a long ride was out and Si has been beating himself up at the gym recently so decided on a quick one, up to the pike, down wildes avoiding the tree, dropping into the forest a log viciously attacked Si's front tyre at a shallow angle and he very nearly lost it. I got to the stud farm no sign of Si so turned back, he'd flatted in the woods. Quick change then down to bstard climb, oh joy, up that then I split, Si did ICR and fortunately flatted so he wasn't going flat out when a few seconds later a landrover came round the corner. I limped home down george's lane, and through the golf course, where I stopped at exactly the wrong spot to drop my saddle, sorted that, set off and a few metres ahead was a car, lad in front seat, girl in back both hurriedly dressing themselves, they must have seen me when I stopped to mess with my saddle, if I hadn't stopped I'd have caught them in flagrante fully illuminated by my hopes :-) Battered down to barrow bridge and home to bike wash and lots of food, just one question, where did all my fitness go?