Being too late for the clubrun this morning, I decided to meet them at tea-time, so with this object in mind, I made a start up Belmont at 1.30.  A howling wind pushed me along, and I soon reached Belmont, forsaking the main road a half mile further on, for the rough moorland road through Tockholes to Darwen.  Half a mile short of Tockholes, my chain, a new one, slipped off, getting fast round the crank and twisting both chainstays, smashed the wheel adjusters and bent the chain wheel.  Here was a nice messup!  I managed to pull the chain stays something like even, with my hands, and made a temporary job of the rest, but the adjusters were hopelessly broken, and I cast them off.  An hour later I restarted, but owing to the lack of adjusters the rear wheel continually slipped.  I now gave Copster Green – the tea place – up, and went to Tockholes churchyard in search of quaint gravestones.  Joining a public footpath from the lower end of the village, I had a two mile walk along a river bed and through fields, emerging in a farmyard.  Up a flight of steps, across more fields, and I found myself in Withnell.  Now I faced the wind, and when dusk came on, so did rain.  I walked most of the 5 miles to Belmont, where Mrs Mitton made me some tea.  I then completed the ride home in a heavy downpour, reaching Bolton at 7.30.

35 miles