Club run reports - 3rd February

 Category 6 ride led by Mike East (a bit)

The ride leader bailed after 4 miles - too icy.
The remaining two, Kate and Martin, carried on like Scott and Oates, although with more success. They earned kudos, two points, and some warming food. Not sure about the last achievement though - see below. A George Cross might be in the offing too.
Martin reports:
We got to Codicote, came straight back via Welwyn and Digswell. Couple of icy spots negotiated better than Gemma Collins. Riding on ice!!

Category 5 ride led by Peter Walton

This was supposed to be about 45 miles but the weather put paid to that as I had to choose a safer route, which unfortunately was just a bit longer!
The fives and sixes met at Hertford on a very cold Sunday morning.  Four of us headed east, whilst the other three went somewhere!  To some extent the route chose itself as we kept clear of the lanes, but we journeyed via Ware, Stanstead Abbotts, Much Hadham and up to Stocking Pelham where we branched left towards Brent Pelham and scaled the heights up to Chrishall.  AP left us at Brent Pelham in order to find the Cat 3's.  Up to this point we hadn't come across ice or any other problems.  I'd promised the other two a series of descents from Chrishall to Ickleton but due to ignorance didn't mention that Royston Lane & Grange Road hadn't seen much sun so was a tad icy!  Didn't seem to affect VB as he shot off as though on skis but TdS & myself took it a bit more conservatively as we aren't as lionhearted.
Got to the cafe for a well deserved respite when VB noticed that he'd punctured.  We said that he should fix the wheel in the cafe but in his wisdom he decided to fix it outside.  So TdS & I sat inside and had an extra coffee, only re-emerging when he'd finished.
The return was due south to Newport and then across via Clavering, Furneax Pelham, and Braughing.  VB had headed straight back to Ware from Wadesmill and when the dregs got back to Hertford we'd done over 62 miles. 
Apart from the aforementioned slippy bits coming down off the North Hertfordshire Alps we had no problems.  It was bright but never warm, although if you were wearing the proper clothes it was never too cold.  The additional miles made it a bit more arduous but that was the price to pay in order to fulfil the ride.  Winter miles, summer smiles.

Category 3 ride led by Barry Page

A nervous crew assembled at Allenbury's contemplating ice and frost-bite. Our leader made his customary entrance at 9:29:59 riding a mountain bike and claiming that his collection of road bikes was variously disabled by broken transmission and unsuitable tyres. He further claimed that, handicapped by the weight of his machine and its knobbly tyres, he would be unable to keep up with the rest (despite his comparative youth). He then overtook us all at the top of the first climb, waved goodbye and set off for home. The remaining four pressed on northwards sticking to B roads which seemed to have been gritted. In danger of reaching the café stop at the Silver Ball by about  10:30  they diverted east towards the Pelhams then back west through Little Chishill and Shaftenhoe End - where they met the first serious ice. Having negotiated that they made it safely to Reed where the Silver Ball provided a cheerful, rapid and welcome service.

Alex joined us in the café and together we rejected the route to the west of the A10 and returned to Barkway then straight down the B1368 to Puckeridge. Here Graham cried "enough" and set off on a gentle plod for home. The rest, presumably, made it back safely to Ware.