A cold sleety start to the year; some club runs in quite challenging conditions; 5th Annual General Meeting of the Northwood Wheelers; David remains Touring Secretary; ill with flu at the end of the month.

552 miles

Thurs Jan 1^st 8 miles Went for a ride in the afternoon down through Eastcote, Roxeth, South Harrow, over Harrow Hill and home through Pinner. Very cold and raw; sleet in the morning. Felt quite unfit climbing the hill but spanked along otherwise.

Fri Jan 2^nd 72 miles Went to Eastcote early and then called for Roger Bingham. We then went out to Luton via Watford, St Albans (elevenses) and Harpenden. We had a sandwich lunch about three miles up the Bedford road and then came back through Harpenden. Went down a small lane, through farms and over two fords to the A 5 and then straight across to Leverstock Green, Hemel Hempstead and then home through Watford and the lower road. Cold and damp, but sunny at times.

Sat Jan 3^rd 10 miles Went over to Alan Stratman’s and then up to Gordon’s in the morning. Spent morning in Northwood and over to Roger’s for the evening.

Sun Jan 4^th 52 miles Out with the club by about 9.00 a.m. through Rickmansworth, Mill End and Heronsgate to Chalfont St Giles where we popped into Stacey’s café to book dinners for six at 12.30. We then continued on to Fred’s café (elevenses) with a burn-up in which my new Radsport jacket was sprayed with mud from Alan’s back wheel. After elevenses we climbed Coles Hill and then went through the lanes to Chalfont St Giles for lunch and a beer in ‘Merlin’s Cavern’. Came home through Chalfont St Peter and down the Oxford road. A very nice day. The chain broke on the tandem, but Tom soon mended that!

Mon Jan 5^th 11 miles Cleaned bike and then went to Eastcote in the morning. Went to the Zoo in the afternoon and early evening, and got up to the club at about 8.45 p.m. Took bookings for Sunday’s run to Dunstable and paid for the club dinner photographs. It snowed later.

Tues Jan 6^th Thick snow in the morning; did not get out. Held the committee meeting in the evening [presumably at my house].

Thurs Jan 8^th 20 miles Got out for a ride in the evening through Hatch End, Stanmore, Elstree, Bushey and home via Watford and Northwood. The roads were still very icy after the snow. Cold but a pleasant run.

Sat Jan 10^th 17 miles Did the usual things in the morning and also had a haircut. Met Alan Tunaley at Gordon’s. I went for a ride in the afternoon but only got as far as Ruislip as it started to drizzle. Finally I ended up at Alan Stratman’s and went to see the Huggins’.

Sun Jan 11^th 75 miles The club left Northwood at about 9.30 a.m. (seven out) through Watford and King’s Langley to elevenses at the ‘Triangle’ café in Hemel Hempstead. We then continued on up the Gade valley to Dunstable for dinner at the ‘Down’s Tea Rooms’. After dinner we went up onto the downs (where I had to mend a puncture) and then proceeded to the ‘Shanty’ at Bourne End via the Gaddesdens, Nettleden and Berkhampsted. Home via Watford and the lower road. A very good day; much warmer than of late.

Mon Jan 12^th 10 miles Club night. Took bookings for Sundays run to Bishops Stortford. Played darts and paid my subscriptions for the NCU and track licence to Brian Major.

Thurs Jan 15^th 4 miles Did not go out for a ‘proper’ ride today as it was drizzling, so just went for a short spin through Ruislip.

Sat Jan 17^th 12 miles Went to Pinner for the shopping early and then called for Alan. We went up to Gordon’s where I paid 10/- off my bill – I only have to pay another £2/12/- now, but want a new tubular tyre, a track vest, bottle carrier, rear brake cable and many other small things! When I got home I interchanged the back and front tyres on the Thanet and fitted flint catchers. Brian Major came round last night with my track licence.

Sun Jan 18^th 95 miles Thirteen out today! We left about 9.15 a.m. through Stanmore, up the Barnet by-pass to elevenses at the ‘Marshmoor’ café at Hatfield, and then on to Hertford via Essendon. We continued on through Ware and Much Hadham to Bishop’s Stortford. The tandem had a puncture and then a broken chain [again?], so it turned for home. Roger Bingham also had a ‘flat’. After dinner at the ‘Melting Pot’ café in Bishop’s Stortford we continued down through Harlow and Epping to Woodford for a cuppa, then non-stop round the North Circular for home. A sunny day but quite windy at times. Also quite hard in places. I was reduced to the ‘hunger knock’ by the time I got home, but it was a very nice day with many ‘tear-ups’.

Mon Jan 19^th 10 miles Very foggy today. Went up to the club rooms in the evening but did not take any bookings for next Sunday as it will be the club’s AGM. We will just go out to Fred’s at Amersham for our elevenses.

Tues Jan 20^th 5 miles Went a long way round to Len Chapman’s for a committee meeting. We made final arrangements for the AGM on Sunday.

Thurs Jan 22^nd 30 miles Out for a bit of early training up the A 40 to Beaconsfield. Quite fast tonight, but I had the ‘sags’ in places. Came home from Gerrards Cross to the top of the viaduct at a spanking pace – tucked in behind a lorry! Good fun.

Sat Jan 24^th 15 miles Did the usual things this morning except that I didn’t call for Alan – his mother has the ‘flu. Met the boys at Gordon’s and went for coffee. I bought some handlebar tape and another pair of ‘tyre savers’. In the afternoon I put my gear back on. Went to the pictures in the evening.

Sun Jan 25^th 46 miles Met the club in the morning and we went out to Fred’s at Amersham for elevenses. Burnt it up all the way back and had dinner at home. We held the club’s AGM at ‘The Ship’ in the afternoon; a good meeting.

Fifth Annual General Meeting of the Northwood Wheelers.

New Committee:

Chairman Dick Houston

General Secretary Sheila Johns

Treasurer Alan Stratman

Time Trials Secretary Tom Simpson

Open Events Secretary Colin Turner

Social Secretary Gordon Empson

Touring Secretary myself

Editor Bob Harvey

Womens’ representative Sheila Johns

Junior representative Roger Bingham

Auditors Geoff Madgewick and Jimmy Jack

I sent off my order for a track vest when I got in. The next committee meeting is at Tom’s house on Tuesday week.

Mon Jan 26^th 10 miles Up to the club rooms. I took dinner bookings for next Sunday’s run to Nettlebed.

Tues Jan 27^th 33 miles Out training again up the A 40 to Beaconsfield via Gerrards Cross. There was a head wind all the way out, but a nice run home. I did ‘my nut up’ from the viaduct and along the Western Avenue to Northholt, twiddling in my 62.1" fixed.

Thurs Jan 29^th 17 miles Went out for a ride through Hatch End, Stanmore, Wealdstone, Harrow, over the hill to Roxeth and home via Rayners Lane.

Sat Jan 31^st – Sun Feb 1^st Stayed in bed all day Saturday because of ‘flu. Up on Sunday but did not feel well enough to go out. I have a bad cough and a sore throat, and have been surviving on influenza mixture and aspirins! I should be up and around tomorrow.