What a difference a day makes, Saturday was the warmest day so far this year, today has dawned overcast but fairly mild.
My turn at the front and a train assisted to Guildford from Epsom - a new Sunday service this winter from SWT.
Arriving late, I found Ed, Ian, Geoff and new member Rachel already on the platform.
Fare - £4.60 rtn with Network Card.
33 minutes later we disembarked, to be joined by Graham via Surbiton and shortly we were out of the town and on the cycle path to Shalford, Farncombe and the boathouse for 11's (coffee - £1.80).
Bob was already inside and later Terry and Keith turned up boosting numbers to 9 - amongst the best attended TA rides in memory.
Leaving Bob I chose a fairly direct route toward Tuesley, Enton Green and the track going west under the railway to join the A283.
It was by now raining intermittently but not cold.
I decided to "try" the track going beside Thursley lake leaving the majority to brave the A3 rejoining the group outside the Three Horseshoes PH in Thursley village.
It was just a short hop to lunch at Churt only to find no food available, so a local convenience store was raided to satisfy those sans lunch.
14:00 and we're off............... to be halted outside The Woolpack in Elstead so Keith could attend to a puncture...... or two!
Richard D "appeared" having been following but unable to catch us.
As he headed toward Newlands we continued across to Hurtmore and tea at Watts Gallery in Compton.
A fine establishment populated by hungry day trippers, rather than visitors to the gallery itself, celebrating the the life and work of G.F Watts (1817-1904).
Opened on 1st April 1904, two months before his death, it is one of the few purpose-built picture galleries in the UK housing a single professional artist's collection.
It was free entry up until 31st March this year when a £3 charge was imposed. The gallery will close in August 2008 for two years whilst essential conservation work is carried out. On reopening a £5 charge will apply.
The gallery has, controversially, decided to sell two non-core paintings in order to secure long term care of it's collection.
With Keith, Geoff, Terry and Rachel riding home it just left the climb to the A3/A31 junc and the trackway where we paused to enjoy the view in bright sunshine.
A post note to the puncture story:
Since last week, I purchased 5 new Nutrak tubes from cyclesense.co.uk (£10 for 5).
Fitted one Sat am and the tyre stayed inflated all day and all night.
Sun am removed bike from garage (still inflated) rode 100yds to station................... THE TYRE WENT FLAT IMMEDIATELY!
I have posted on bikeradar.com for help, in the meantime I will continue to ascertain what the problem is.
The pic is of Keith's puncture.
My turn at the front and a train assisted to Guildford from Epsom - a new Sunday service this winter from SWT.
Arriving late, I found Ed, Ian, Geoff and new member Rachel already on the platform.
Fare - £4.60 rtn with Network Card.
33 minutes later we disembarked, to be joined by Graham via Surbiton and shortly we were out of the town and on the cycle path to Shalford, Farncombe and the boathouse for 11's (coffee - £1.80).
Bob was already inside and later Terry and Keith turned up boosting numbers to 9 - amongst the best attended TA rides in memory.
Leaving Bob I chose a fairly direct route toward Tuesley, Enton Green and the track going west under the railway to join the A283.
It was by now raining intermittently but not cold.
I decided to "try" the track going beside Thursley lake leaving the majority to brave the A3 rejoining the group outside the Three Horseshoes PH in Thursley village.
It was just a short hop to lunch at Churt only to find no food available, so a local convenience store was raided to satisfy those sans lunch.
14:00 and we're off............... to be halted outside The Woolpack in Elstead so Keith could attend to a puncture...... or two!
Richard D "appeared" having been following but unable to catch us.
As he headed toward Newlands we continued across to Hurtmore and tea at Watts Gallery in Compton.
A fine establishment populated by hungry day trippers, rather than visitors to the gallery itself, celebrating the the life and work of G.F Watts (1817-1904).
Opened on 1st April 1904, two months before his death, it is one of the few purpose-built picture galleries in the UK housing a single professional artist's collection.
It was free entry up until 31st March this year when a £3 charge was imposed. The gallery will close in August 2008 for two years whilst essential conservation work is carried out. On reopening a £5 charge will apply.
The gallery has, controversially, decided to sell two non-core paintings in order to secure long term care of it's collection.
With Keith, Geoff, Terry and Rachel riding home it just left the climb to the A3/A31 junc and the trackway where we paused to enjoy the view in bright sunshine.
A post note to the puncture story:
Since last week, I purchased 5 new Nutrak tubes from cyclesense.co.uk (£10 for 5).
Fitted one Sat am and the tyre stayed inflated all day and all night.
Sun am removed bike from garage (still inflated) rode 100yds to station................... THE TYRE WENT FLAT IMMEDIATELY!
I have posted on bikeradar.com for help, in the meantime I will continue to ascertain what the problem is.
The pic is of Keith's puncture.
PPS: Bike stuff at Aldi from Thursday(1st May). See Dan Joyce's review at bikeradar.com.
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