To the Tatsfield Churchyard – and we avoided the rain.

It seemed as if the threat of rain looming above us would eventually deliver and we'd get a soaking. That would have been a disaster for yours truly (when isn't a soaking a disaster?); a disaster because I had yet to transfer my rear mudguard from the old Scrap. The skies were dark and grey throughout our ride to the Tatsfield churchyard, passing the taped off Tatsfield Bus Stop en route. I wonder if they'll ever get around to fixing it?

We had met on the green as usual and rode along the Limpsfield Road, heading south. There were other cyclists around, but not many, and Phil had decided to do a spot of streetside auctioneering and wouldn't be joining us.

Yours truly admiring my new bike at the churchyard...

Dark skies and churchyards seem to embrace one another and for me there was something dismal about our surroundings, but it was warm and that was crucial. While there was a wintry appearance to the world around us, the temperature told a different story, but I needed Andy to remind me of this fact as I was quite content to play the winter card when, in reality, the summer was still very much alive, albeit waning slightly.

We sat and drank tea, but only had three tea bags instead of the usual four. The deal is simple: when Andy and I ride alone there's enough water for two cups each. When Phil joins us there's only enough for one. Thinking that Phil would be joining us, I decided not to bring that fourth tea bag. We made do, of course, and managed two cups each using a discarded bag.

It's easy to get comfortable at the Tatsfield Churchyard – or anywhere to be honest – and I think we both could have sat there for a while indulging the grey skies. We were both confident that we would avoid a soaking. Soon, however, it was time to go and it wasn't long before we found ourselves on Clarks Lane, heading west towards Botley Hill. And then we saw Phil and Steve, although I didn't recognise Steve at first, but Phil was wearing a brightly coloured striped tee-shirt as he raced past us, heading down the hill towards Westerham.

We carried on up the hill, past Beddlestead Lane where Lycra monkeys congregated and when we reached the roundabout we turned right and powered down the 269 towards Warlingham and, ultimately home.

Not long after locking the bike in the garage the rain started. It was a fine rain but it carried on for some time. Fortunately, we missed it.