Sunday, February 4 – Southport

Late last night a CTC-ite called on me and I promised to join them on the morrow on a clubrun. At 8.40am I was off, accompanied by my friend and we soon reached the rendezvous – the Beehive Inn on Chorley New Road. Here I was first introduced to the President and others, and by 9.30 we numbered eleven. Six of us broke away from the rest – they were going to Ormskirk – and we made an excellent pace to Chorley. Taking a roundabout road, we skirted Leyland, and after a while came to Croston and Rufford. Three of us were riding ahead, and later, seven miles from Southport, we missed the rest. Near the Botanical gardens we waited, having covered 34 miles in just over two hours.

At long last they came up, they had had a tyre burst. After lunch we had three hours outside on the pier etc, returning to the bikes at 4pm. We now made for Scarisbrick, Burscough and on to Newburgh at the foot of Parbold Hill. I was with the fast pack. Stopping at the Red Lion we were met by a party of 19. After a wash and tea, we had a sing song for an hour, departing at 7pm. A walk over Parbold Hill then an easy run to Standish and by devious ways we came to Adlington, Horwich and thus home at 9.30pm. I have had an excellent time today, and I intend becoming a regular rider with the CTC.

68 miles, 10 hours