Received four medals at the Northwood Wheelers club dinner; clearly this is the social season, with the club dinner and at least two parties!

378 miles

Mon Dec 1^st 10 miles Club night

Tues Dec 2^nd 17 miles Went over to the Herige Wheelers club room. Rode on the rollers and played table tennis. A nice night.

Fri Dec 5^th The Northwood Wheelers club dinner. I got four medals this year, but had rather too much to drink [someone introduced a sequence of drinks called “traffic lights”: green (Creme de Menthe) followed by amber (yellow Chartreuse) and the red (Cherry Brandy)]. Home at 1.15 a.m. in a very thick fog [This was the start of the infamous 'killer smog' of December 1952 that brought all of London to a virtual standstill, and severely curtailed our cycling activities].

The Northwood Wheelers' club trophies.

Club dinner, December 1952. Receiving awards from Mrs Sharpe.

Sun Dec 14^th 60 miles Went out to the Shanty at Bourne End through Whippendell Woods and the moor. Stayed in "The Anchor" and played darts until time for tea. A nice sunny day, but very cold in the morning.

Sun Dec 21^st 67 miles 30 miles during the week. Today we went out through the lanes beyond Chesham and found a delightful pub – played darts. Warm, sunny and ies. The alarm clock was awarded to the most consistent marshal.

Sat Dec 6^th 35 miles I had a bit of a hang-over this morning [!] but still managed to ride over to Wealdstone in the thickening fog, and then to Alan Stratman's and Brian Huggins's in the afternoon. We went to the cinema in the evening.

Sun Dec 7^th Did not go out today because the fog was so thick.

Mon Dec 8^th 10 miles Club night. Still very foggy but not quite so bad. Had a drink in "The Knot".

Sun Dec 14^th 60 miles Went out to the Shanty at Bourne End through Whippendell Woods and the moor. Stayed in "The Anchor" and played darts until time for tea. A nice sunny day, but very cold in the morning.

Sun Dec 21^st 67 miles 30 miles during the week. Today we went out through the lanes beyond Chesham and found a delightful pub – played darts. Warm, sunny and a very nice day indeed.

Sat Dec 27^th Did 47 miles during the week and 'celebrated' Christmas with the club on Wednesday 24^th. I bought a new wheel from Gordon Prangley's. We all went round to Alan's house in the evening for a party.

Sun Dec 28^th 52 miles Got up rather late after last nights party. Phoned Roger up and went for a ride round London down through Paddington, Piccadilly, Kensington, Whitehall, Fulham, Hammersmith and Shepherd's Bush. Roads were surprisingly quiet. Home for tea and then had a party at my place. A very cold day. Brian Major was rather drunk last night!

Mon Dec 29th 16 miles Up late again after last night's party. Went round to Laurence Plaskett's and then into Eastcote. Met Brian Huggins in Eastcote and had a cup of coffee with him at the Rendezvous. He is off to Padgate [the start of his National Service in the RAF] tomorrow. We went for a short ride through Ruislip and then home for tea. Club night in the evening; had a pint at "The Knot" and took bookings for next Sundays run through the Chilterns.