Five set out from the market square on a bitterly cold day with a fresh Easterly wind. The overnight temperature hadn't dipped low enough for any ice on the road surface, but we made some last minute route changes to avoid the road into Letcombe (still closed by flooding near Brook Barn) and the flooded section of road just East of Stanford. Gradually we warmed up by keeping a good pace which was tough on those sections with a headwind - not a day for relaxed conversation in the peloton. The workers repairing the road at Hatfield let us through the closed section and we were soon heading out of Faringdon with fine views to the North of the sunlit countryside.

Carpenter's Canteen was almost full but fortunately a table was liberated for us just as we placed our orders. Blake's seemed to do a very efficient job of taking and delivering our orders. After a 40 minute thaw out we resumed the ride. Richard peeled off at Baulking for an appointment with an electrician and the remaining four climbed up to Kingston Lisle and back to Wantage via the Springline road.

Good to get out on a bright Winter's day but we're all looking forward to some improvement in the mercury.