Showers, cold and a late start derailed the plan for Grimspound, compounded when a split group led to a rider being knocked off by a careless driver (thankfully minor). We improvised a shorter loop via Spitchwick and Buckland, complete with a lost vacuum flask, and returned through Hembury Woods.

Relentless rain scuppered plans for Stoke Gabriel Weir, but a lush off-road detour in the Westerland valley briefly lifted spirits before a swift retreat. Early on Paul nearly bailed, only to be turned by the spectre of Julie’s wrath.

Heavy rain cut the ride short, with a hardy few venturing only as far as Colston Road before turning back. Notably, Joseph Bellows gave his new Trek 800 an early soaking.

The weather set the tone: a tailwind carried us to an empty Chudleigh Bridge and over to Blackingstone Rock, lunch taken in the lee among the last snow as rainclouds hid the view. The return was a steady, wet headwind, and we skipped the afternoon ride.

Our first Bicycle Workshop at South Dartmoor School was a resounding success: members stripped, cleaned and regreased wheel bearings at their own benches, with guidance and all tools supplied. A brief scare when Martin Luke’s Shimano gears came apart ended well as Ken got it back together on time.

A crisp, sunny winter ride to Blackingstone Rock mixed beauty with risk: icy lanes and a high river shaped our route. A speeding car narrowly missed riders on a frozen bend, and later Tao’s numb hands were revived at the Peartree filling station after his fingerless gloves failed.

The club’s first morning ride from Buckfastleigh unravelled after splits in the group on the climb to Pupers Hill, forcing us to abandon the Avon Dam plan and follow riders drifting towards Cross Furzes. It ended with Joseph Watkins’ puncture and a car rescue.

A stop-start ride to St Augustine’s Priory, from a newspaper photo hold-up and punctures to a sobering near miss with a speeding Ford Escort during a route discussion; lighter relief came from a stray dog teasing heifers before we tackled the climbs and coffee.

After a brief wait in Totnes while Richard H fixed his front derailleur and no one else arrived, the ride to Dartmouth became deliberate hill work for Julian via Dittisham and Old Mill Creek. We returned over Harberton’s 'arrowed' roads, skirting maniacal motorcyclists near Harbertonford.

Another relaxed evening of indoor games at the Southpark centre, with Risk, table tennis, pool and computer games keeping everyone busy. Spirited rallies at the table tennis table and a long-running Risk stand-off gave the night its easy humour.

Cold, drizzly weather did not deter the whole Walker family and others from an enjoyable ride along the Exeter Ship Canal. A freezing pause at Turf Lock cut lunch to fifteen minutes, and later the drag up to Haldon from Clapham tested the slower riders before they pushed on for home.

An Ashprington outing split in two: a small road contingent waited half an hour while the rest took the muddy Sharpham Drive, delayed by stiles, a gate that looked like barbed wire but simply opened, and a broken chain; a swift return followed, and a lost cycle computer was recovered.