On tour

An unexpectedly frosty start.  Elaine was a few minutes late as, having, filled up with petrol, she had teturned home to check that she had locked the door.  We then had to go back there again to check she had turned the gas hob off.   I havent had to do this lately as mrriu is usually home but I at least could understand the anxiety.

Our journey into London was a good one.  Elaine has a hybrid car so be did not have to pay any emissions charges and there was not much traffic.  We drove by some huge houses and saw an amazing door before arriving at Oak Hill park just before 8.   
The run director and another volunteer arrived a little bit later and we offered to help carry equipment from the car before putting up some of it.  The third person we spoke to told us that his parents live in Maldon and that he was at Maldon Prom over Christmas.  An enjoyable co-incidence.
Carol and Ryan arrived just before the start. Carol had celebrated her 60th birthday in the week and brought chocolates.
The course was  three laps, mostly on paths.  It included a hill which was tough for me but I chatted with a couple of walkers and the volunteers were very friendly.
There was a very long wait for breakfast and we had to sit outside.  The breakfast was worth the wait though and we chatted to a man who was a regular at letchworth parkrun and added it to our list if places to visit. 
The journey home was uneventful and I spent a few hours in the garden in the afternoon before serving down with a glass of wine.

I had to blip this picture. I carelessly sent it to Gordon as a clue for our guess where chat.  The sun  meant that he could see the parkrun name on the reverse of the start  sign when he enlarged the image.  Game over.