Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Jan 1st Ride

The ride will start from Ewell by the Spring Bus stop at 10.00am on Jan 1st to ride to Richmond Park at an easy pace all welcome.

Monday, December 29, 2008

Sunday 28th December 2008


I dragged myself from my sick bed (man flu) and joined Bob and Simon at Hookwood Tesco's but not before falling off on ice after taking a wrong turn to access the pedestrian entrance.
Simon complained of it's lack of ambiance..........it's a supermarket for god's sake! whilst Bob sung it's praises " only 85p for coffee".
Ed was punctual and in tow was Keith,Roger,Jake,Jeff,Adam,John G &Emma.
Just Simon headed north,with Bob promising to meet up with us.
We left via Meath Green,Smallfield,Newchapel to Lingfield for lunch.The Greyhound was ditched in preference to The Gate where four of us settled down to homemade butternut squash soup-£3.50.
At 1.30pm,the publican decided we had to go..........more diners in the waiting.........apparently.
The route home was via Tilburstow Hill and Merstham.No takers at F.F so we were all home well before dusk.
A cold day with a freezing easterly.No mileage totals due to computer malfunction - probably the battery/weather/who knows?

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Sunday 21 December 2008

An octet of C&M hatchlings warbling in the nest at the Abinger Hatch

Sunday 21st December 2008

At present I know not how they came to 11s nor how they got home so for the moment be happy with news of the middle.

Fourteen we were at Sainsbury's Cobham but only nine went on from here. Jake kept us guessing by heading into Cobham town centre and past the Running Mare on Tilt Road. The homes of the Blues and the Merry Fiddlers came next before a right in Fetcham lead up to the Lower Road and through the Bookhams. From Browns Lane a long slog up Beech Avenue delivered us to the top of White Down. Across the A25 it was first left and another grind up to Abinger Common.

The BYOs disappeared into the churchyard where Ed and I discussed what landed there on 03/08/44 (hint : there's a clue in one of the pictures). After a cursory viewing of the motte at Abinger Manor we rejoined in a quiet Abinger Hatch for a round of drinks only before the Spelthorne mafia and I went home up White Down. Just 40 miles on a breezy but otherwise perfect day for cycling.

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Sunday 14 December 2008





The Lucky Duck at Shere was the aptly named venue to welcome these bedraggled cycling waterfowl for a well deserved if inflation busting elevenses






Warming the cockles and drying out the plumage around the inglenook after lunch at Little Park Hatch, Cranleigh








Sunday 14 December 2008

After Saturday's deluge, water had to be the only topic when we arrived in our dribs and drabs in Shere. The main party had come an unusual route finding deep pools in Leatherhead, Sheepleas(!) and Coombe Bottom whilst our Runs Sec had to offroad before Whitedown could be descended. The RSF were in residence with their president more than pleased with a £82K EU bung for Dolgoch hostel. It was not a day for heroics so the directissima to Cranleigh was taken; the leader bringing up the rear for much of the way. The Little Park Hatch was expecting us so settling into the inglenook, we tackled the generous menu and Pride. Keith and Jeff continued on B2126 after Forest Green; the rump tackled the Tanhurst River; for once potholes clearly visible. After a final descent from Coldharbour into Dorking there was the parting of the ways with no takers for tea. All that remained was to prove that waterproof boots ain't when standing in six+ inches of water (Leatherhead cycle path)! And not a drop of rain all day.

For all completists:-

30/11 A308 to Hampton; uncl/B375 to Chertsey; towpath to Staines; A308/A328/uncl to Bishopsgate then Cheapside; B383 to Woodside; B3034/A330 to Little Hatchet; A330/A329 to Ascot; A330/B3020/A30/B386 to Windlesham; uncl to Burrowhill, Addlestone etc ways.

7/12 Only the leader at Cheam so the ride can be summarised as: Church Road, Highlands Road, Headley Road, Clay Lane, Hurst Lane, Hurst Road, Ebbisham Lane.

The day Leatherhead went under..........14/12/08





The pics say it all.
The 1st pic was taken from Thorncroft Drive bridge,L'head across the Mole looking south with cycle path on left.
The 2nd pic is the cycle path along side Dorking Rd from Givons Grove R/B.
The 3rd pic is the junc of Critten Lane & White Down lane where a volvo awaits AA service.I had to climb over 2 gates and cross a field to take this photo.Some may remember a fallen tree in the same location a few years ago.
The 4th pic is the L'head Leisure Centre R/B.