It was dark, but there was no rain - just an occasional drizzle-y drop, as I rode up and down the A1088 filling in time before the Bury Bunch arrived, with the Thurston Contingent. Somehow or other, we must have passed my house about three minutes before Lindsay Clayton arrived; some time after the advertised 07:20, but crucial moments before the 07:30 that Lindsay thought she should be there.

There was more to come. I joined the front of the group, and didn't fully take in who was on board. Only later did Peter Heath ask "where's Jonathan?". We discovered later from his e-mail that the poor chap had a real, full-on, "BANGGss-Phssss-Phsssss-Phssssss-Phssssss" puncture., just at the point where the ride turned right to Woolpit 'Nord' and A14. Being a relative newcomer he didn't immediately shout at the top of his voice, the magic word "PUNCHERRR!!!" which (usually) brings the most determined ride to a halt. So that was the end of HIS ride.

We rode into Woolpit and collected Richard 'TomTom' Seggar. 50yds further on, "BANGGss-Phssss-Phsssss-Phssssss-Phssssss" and Andy Davison's rear tyre gasped its last. As Andy tried to work out which of the several cuts in his tyre might be responsible for the puncture, Peter seized the victims spare tube collection and held it up in horror. Despite all this ritual humiliation by friends and sabotage by equipment, Andy was soon back in the saddle, and we headed off towards Onehousewhere he decided finally to throw in the towel as it became obvious that the replacement tube was going down. He was going to go to his mother's house nearby, he said.

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