Well what a month December 2010 has been. Cold, Cold, Cold and more Cold. Not that I'm complaining, I actually quite like the cold weather - certainly much more than the drap, damp, misty stuff outside at the moment.

Surprisingly I have managed a decent amount of riding in the circumstances, something like 140 miles for the month which isn't too bad. Granted, the Wedneday rides have been very disrupted although most weeks a few people have made it out the exception being last night.

Back on the 22nd we had our annual Christmas meal ride. 8 of us left from Nirvana and by the time we left our 1st beer stop (the Stephan Langton) we were up to 10. The conditions were very hard going but we managed ok. At the Kings Head Holmbury we had the whole back bar to ourselves. 24 of us in all which was a great turn out for a very enjoyable evening.

The food was lovely as ever and there was plenty off it, likewise the beer was flowing nicely too and it appeared that everyone was having a good time.

On the 27th I did a ride with George, we went up through Redlands to Coldharbour then made our way down to Westcott and up to Ranmore. From here it was down past Denbies and on to Rykas for a very nice Bacon roll. The trail conditions were leathal with so much frozen snow/ice. Anywhere that had seen a decent amount of traffic weather it be foot, bike or car was very icy and we had to pick careful lines to avoid the worst of it. Still, by the time I went home (on tarmac) another 25 miles was in the bag.

As well as the above I have made several forrays up to Coldharbour, I never got my Christmas day ride in but having got home from work early on Christmas Eve I managed a 15 miler up through Redlands and around Coldharbour and Summer Lightning. The conditions on this afternoon, particularly on Wolvens lane coming up from effing Johns house (Upper Meridien Farm) to the Plough were horrendus and I came off at least 4 times, one of which was a struggle to stand up again off the ice - it was fun thou and a pint in the Plough numbed the aching from the various falls.

One last ride of the year planned for tonight then its off into 2011 and the gradual pull into warm sunny summer days.