A pre New York crawl was arranged the week before the trip itself. Despite illness, Richard bravely joined Avril and I in Oxford for a few jars. Avril and I started off on the Friday lunchtime straight after work in the Turf, sitting in the garden with a burger and a couple of pints from their usual excellent selection, then as we neared arrival time headed towards our meeting point. This was chosen to be the rather splendid Grapes, a good solid traditional looking pub with a fine selection of Bath ales and a hearty solids selection. Sadly I think it's turned into something a bit hipster wanky called Beer'd these days. Richard joined us and had a sensible drink, then we moved to the Tolkien riddled Eagle and Child.

We barely sat in this pub and it has never been a favourite of mine because it just seems like a corridor unless you get those nice couple of seats at the front which often means you end up sitting too close to other people. We stood in the more open bit near the bar. These drinks didn't last long, although they were at least decent, and it was over the road to the Lamb and Flag. I have described this on countless occasions and am going to keep it brief here - well priced, nice tasting beer available in pleasant surroundings. Go there unless it is busy.

The bar at the Bodleian had already closed so we paused in the White Horse for one. Absolutely heaving in there but a good choice of half a dozen beers. Off to the Oxford University Club next where I had not been for many a year and never sat outside of since it moved to its new venue about 15 years before. Just after 5pm is pretty much prime time at this place but despite the heaving bar we managed to get our beers and consume them at a table outside, watching other freaks consume their beers. It's a new building and the bar is a bit too light and modern, but they do have a good range of beers available at competitive prices so not all bad.

By this time the bar at St Edmund Hall was open, but it was a shame to see it virtually deserted on a Summer Friday evening. Mind you, this allowed us pick of the seats in the section near the toilets. It hasn't changed at all in there which is nice, and we stayed for two rounds and had cheap beer that could be paid for with cash. Not especially nice beer mind.

I remember less of the next two but apparently we went into quite a busy Bear, but ended up having to stand on the street as there was no room. Final call was the Royal Blenheim to get Richard closer to the station, and we sat inside there. Both establishments do good beer but I'd say the Blenheim edges it in terms of variety.