Sunday 13 July 2008

Taking it easy at Godstone Garden Centre after some hard tea-drinking

Sandwiches - what sandwiches? In the garden of the Leicester Arms Hotel, Penshurst

The Four Riders of the Apocalypse at Puddledock


The Invasion of Chartwell - and taking a cup of National Trust Tea

The day dawned fine and remained so throughout the day. A quartet assembled at N. Cheam ready for the gun – Adam (anticipating winter with a black woollen choker, Peter C, Ti Keith and a virgin leader. After a seemly wait for possible stragglers, we set off along Malden Road and Sandy Lane to pick up the London Loop across Banstead Downs Golf Course. A quick thrash along the A 217 brought us to the Chipstead roundabout where we escaped from the Sunday traffic along Chipstead Lane and then Monkswell Lane for a few ups and downs to Markedge Lane, the A23, Rockshaw Road, Spring Bottom Lane, then down and up to Bletchingly and a quick sprint, initiated by Keith, along the A 25 to the traditional horticultural venue for 11 o’clockses, this time at Godstone Garden Centre.

Here the clan expanded to include Andy, Bob, Colin, Mike (I am a Camera) M, and Ray. The Godstone sun-trap encouraged much chat and banter but little enthusiasm for the next 20 mile foray into Kent. The gathering reluctantly broke up with Andy joining the chain gang and Peter and the others returning home for lunch.

So off it was, soon up Tilburstow Hill, the first of a few little ups and downs to come on the way via Staffhurst, (where we came across some marshals for Croydon Portage organising a charity ride for children with special educational needs), Marlpit, Chiddingstone and Wellers Town to Penshurst. The village boasts one inn, The Leicester Arms Hotel, where we settled at the bottom of the garden and furtively pulled out our…sandwiches! However, Adam seemed to have a Harrod’s hamper more suitable for Glyndebourne than a saddlebag. Is that where he gets his strength from? Could be that chorizo sausage. There must be many miles of security camera footage of highly suspicious lycra-clad figures, lurking behind sheds and outhouses, with who knows what nefarious intent! Who would believe that it was just to eat a surreptitious sandwich? A likely story! A Cyclist’s Lot is not a Happy one!

Before setting off on the next stage to Chartwell, Andy was the Good Samaritan who fished out his tool bag to relieve the travails of a mountain biker whose saddle was clearly causing him much anguish, to the clear delight of his male and female companions. But as we knew what he was going through, it was allen keys out and to the rescue. Then, with a warm glow of having made the world a better place, at least for one poor sufferer, it was off again and down to Penshurst Station, where it was a question of shoulder arms to cross the bridge over the railway track and on to the B2027.

West awhile then North onto an unnamed road to take us across Bough Beech Reservoir, teeming with twitchers (I assume that is why they had those big cameras), and fairly soon, perhaps too soon, to the foot of Toys Hill. This was a new experience for some, as we plumbed the depths of those lowest gears to spin our way lightly up the gently rising Kentish lane, to turn left only half way up, to everybody’s disappointment, to take in the panorama from the Puddledock viewpoint. A short time for a breather, for Keith to straighten up his back wheel forced against the frame, which had met its titanium match in those unyielding sinews and for a photo op. before off again, swooping down Puddledock Lane to meet Mapleton Road and the gentle climb up to Chartwell. Here, Churchillian resolve was as nought to fight back the invading hordes.

Time for some National Trust tea and cake, then the parting of the ways as Andy took the High Road to Westerham and the rest the Low Road to Merstham where each then followed his own homing instincts, to get back after some 74 miles, in time to admire the highlights of the Tour.