Started at 2.15 today for the clubrun, meet Beehive Inn, 2.30.  When we started along a narrow, roughly paved lane, about 15 of us followed the leader, grumbling somewhat over the surface of the road.  Soon we came to Chequerbent, and a fine asphalt road led us to Westhoughton and Blackrod.  Now we entered one of the dirtiest, roughest parts of South Lancs, and after touring the collieries came to Aspull.  The scenery brightened when we entered a park, [Haigh Hall], which eventually brought us out near Wigan.  A few more squalid streets, and we were in open country at Wrightington, and heading for Parbold, which was reached a little later.  The long, steep hill negotiated, we came to the Red Lion at Newburgh for tea.  As we started after tea, the rain came down in torrents, and we had to get inside our capes.  We got lost in the bylanes around Burscough, coming to a level crossing which barred our way.  We waited for a quarter of an hour, but it still remained closed, so we stormed the gates.  A little later we found another, and the keeper would not open them, so we had to storm those too.  Yet another was attacked, and it now became obvious that we were crossing and recrossing the same line.

The whole thing became a farce, and I suspect that not a few were not enjoying it.  It was pitch dark, and raining, but we found some amusement in it.  When Rufford was reached, it was 8.30.  Four of us who were ahead lost the others in Croston, so we decided to push on home.   A strong headwind got aggressive, but we did not do so bad, for the road through Euxton to Chorley is easy and quite good.  Then setts to Horwich, and Chorley New Road to Bolton, three of us arriving home at 10.45.  Some of the party got home at 12.30, and others at 2.30am!  A very eventful club run.   64 miles