It was great idea. And like lot's of great ideas, full of good intention and more than a touch of optimism. We knew New Years Eve would finish well into New Years Day and the thought to get out into the air, ride and clear the head had so many followers that it couldn't fail and well done to Helen, Kaff, Fiona, Wendy and Barry for seeing it through joined by Sarah, Glenn, Roy, Paul K, Martin, JP and new rider Dom.
I was there too but only in an out of body kind of way and the poor bloke who had the front to turn up without a helmet bore the brunt of my hangover. No helmet, no ride, no argument, no sympathy, no, no, I said no, and goodbye! MBRO35, "The social way to ride"!
Due to totally foreseeable circumstances Sze, Madge, Ron, Ollie, James, Simon & Steve did not make it.
Pole Hill first, it had to be, and with regular reminders of chilli, Apple Sourz, Sailor Jerry, Sambuca and Ouzo thrown in, I made it to the top and wished I'd stayed in bed.
The golf course trail was ok and then over Bury Road and alongside West Essex, over the sleeper bridge and then for the next 40 minutes, a muddy swamp. I teased everyone with a quick look at Bradley's, which was wrong, and then it was off High Beech for a much needed loo stop. We headed north and did more or less a repeat of Monday's ride following ENR out to Old Orleans and then returning through Deershelter to ride the W, Stream Logs and V before some more self inflicted madness at The Camber which, and you can ask anybody who was there, is most definitely un-rideable.
Back over ENR to the Ups and Downs and finally back to Bradley's for a stop for tea and cake. Just as we were leaving the drizzle started and then Helen announced she had a flat tyre so assisted by Roy and I, she fixed it (!) and we headed for the debrief at the SH via The Hump, Pat's Path and The Graveyard.
There was a good gathering at the debrief where we we joined by Dawn, Ged, Madge, Dave, Jane, Michael, Howard, James and someone that looked a bit like Sze but sober.
RADS 
