No diary entries for the first week owing to the Isle of Man trip; very cold for the club '30'; cold for the club '50'; Northwood Wheelers track cycling; entered to North Bucks '25' (must have been one of the early events organised by the North Bucks Road Club (Robert's club and one which formed in 1953).

773 miles

Sat Apr 10th 25 miles Met the club in Northwood Hills in the morning. In the afternoon I called round for Alan Stratman and we went for a ride. It is wonderful to be back on the bike after a week, but it seems very peculiar! I am riding tomorrow in the club ‘30’. A really warm and fine day today.

Sun Apr 11th 83 miles Got up at 4.45 a.m., out of the house by 5.30 and off number 9 at 6.09. There was a thick white frost and a cold mist. I could not get going, froze – and as I had been off the bike for a week – packed it in. Three others packed it in. Paul Stratman won from Colin Turner with a slow time of 1.23.53, so everybody was affected by the conditions.

We met again at 11.00 o’clock to go out to Aylesbury for dinner. We met the club here and then rode over to Chesham for tea. A very nice, warm and sunny day after the frost and fog had lifted.

Mon Apr 12th 48 miles Removed a squeak from my pedal in the morning and did some odd jobs. In the afternoon I went for a ride around the Chalfonts, Gerrards Cross and through the lanes. Picked up a puncture in Fulmer from a 1" nail! Club night in the evening.

Tues Apr 13th 14 miles Over to Colin Turner’s house at West Hyde in the evening and then for a ride around.

Thurs Apr 15th 33 miles Went over to Wembley in the afternoon (7 miles in 20 minutes) to my sister’s flat. She was out so I came home; only 10 minutes later she phoned to say that she had locked herself out and would I bring over the spare key. So I went over the second time. In the evening I went out for a ride with Roger Bingham (yes, he’s home from the RAF) and finished up at Nell’s café in Northwood where we met Len Chapman (also home from the RAF). A nice day but very windy.

Fri Apr 16th 25 miles Out for a short ride in the morning with Brian, Tony and Roger, meeting Alan at Eastcote station. We went up to Herne Hill to watch the Good Friday meeting. Saw Bunker in the motor paced event, and Dave Handley won the ‘White Hope’ sprint.

Sun Apr 18th 102 miles Got up at 5.15 a.m. and out of the house by 6.00. to ride in the club ‘50’. It was another cold morning and quite windy. I was cold from the thighs down all the way round and, although I did not get the bonk, only managed a 2.27.36. Alan Stratman won the event with 2.20.27, Brian Major a 2.24 and Colin Turner did a 2.26, so everyone was affected by the cold. Came home for dinner.

In the afternoon Roger Bingham and I went for a ride to Maidenhead, then home via Slough. A nice sunny day once it warmed up, but still on the cold side.

Mon Apr 19th 31 miles Cycled over to Slough in the morning to meet the club at the track. Had a ride around the track and we selected the club pursuit team. Came home with Roger; he goes back to camp tonight.

Tues Apr 20th 35 miles In the afternoon I changed my back tyre and cleaned my bike. I then went for a short ride before dinner. I called for Alan Stratman at 7.00 p.m. and we went out training through Watford, Kings Langley, Chipperfield, Sarratt and home through Rickmansworth and Northwood. A nice night but the wind is still cold.

Wed Apr 21st 30 miles Put my Holdsworth together for this evening’s visit to Slough track, and went for a short testing ride around Eastcote, Ruislip, up Ducks hill through Northwood and home through Eastcote. A much warmer afternoon. In the evening I went over to Slough track with Alan to meet the club.

Thurs Apr 22nd 18 miles Over to Colin Turner’s in the afternoon with my entry form for the North Bucks ‘25’ on May 9th. No-one was in so I pushed it, together with a message about Alan Beere’s car, through the letterbox.

Fri Apr 23rd 46 miles Went out training in the evening along the A 40 to High Wycombe and then home via Amersham (climbing the hill on my 72" fixed wheel) and Rickmansworth. A nice night and I kept up a spanking pace. Finished up at Nell’s for a cup of tea, meeting Tony Standing and Alan Beere.

Sat Apr 24th 47 miles Rode over to Herne Hill in the afternoon to see the club’s team in the pursuit. Needless to say, with their fitness, experience, and being drawn against the Marlboro’, they were knocked out. We came home up the Harrow road. Warm but cloudy.

Sun Apr 25th 85 miles Cold with some drizzle in the morning, but warm and sunny later. Went out with the club through Windsor Great park to Sunningdale, Chobham to Woking (lunch) and then on to Ripley, Leatherhead and Chessington to Esher for tea. Came home through Walton and Hayes. A nice day but very windy, especially on the way home.

Mon Apr 26th 14 miles Much warmer and sunnier, but still a rather cold wind. Club night, played snooker and table tennis.

Tues Apr 27th 96 miles I left at about 8.45 a.m. through Rickmansworth, Amersham, Great Missenden and then through the lanes to Princes Risborough to Chinnor for some elevenses. After a snack I continued through Thame and Long Crendon to Brill for a sandwich lunch at the ‘pin’ mill, and a pint in a local pub. I then went on through Oakley to the A 40 and then home via Tetworth, Stokenchurch, High Wycombe and Beaconsfield. Sunny, but a cold wind at times. Committee meeting in the evening.

Fri Apr 30th 27 miles Out training up the A 40 almost to Beaconsfield and then home through the lanes via Jordans, Chalfont St Peter and Rickmansworth. I stopped for a cup of tea at Nell’s and to meet the club. We are going down to the Bath road tomorrow to ride in the High Wycombe C.C. ‘25’.