Saturday in mid-October must mean an audax ride. With a difference this year. Not only do various friends join in (including Ivan "I'm bored with triathlons" and Paul Shelley); but most importantly Richard decides to do his first long distance ride, using my Condor Fratello, now available following the acquisition of my Leggero. Here he is, at the finish after 108 kms, with schoolfriend Robert Sills.

We began at 9.30 about 50 cyclists I'd say at a moderate pace. After 15 kms an impatient group went steaming past at circa 30 kph, including Paul "Thor" Shelley, so he was barely glimpsed again save at lunchtime. I followed a confident group who took a wrong turn and it took me 20 kms to catch up with Richard and Robert, just before lunch.

Our post-prandial paceline of Richard, Robert, Tim and me took in a third Condor bike (a fixed wheel Pista) for a short while and ran ok for five - eight kms, but then differing fitness and pain thresholds took their toll.

The sun came out and we enjoyed the views and slopes of north-west Essex, South Cambridge and North Hertfordshire. No joy was greater than to witness Richard's arrival on the finish line.