Monday, February 01, 2010

31 January 2010

Annual Lunch at Horton Golf Club

Snow and ice on Walton Pond



A date to remember - last day for tax returns and the annual gathering of the Cheam & Morden clan. Numbers swelled at the assembly point of Leatherhead Wetherspoons, before grouping outside for the ride to Horton GC. Is that Garden Centre or Golf Club?

The roads this year were clear of snow, though snow did fall on the descent to Leatherhead. After 150 yards, the group was split by traffic lights and never fully recovered. The MTBers soon got a head start by cycling up the steps to cross the M25, to reunite with the on-road cohort led by Steve. Then side roads, lanes and cycle paths to the outskirts of Epsom, where the elastic stretched again and more than one way led to Horton. Was that a reproachful glint I noticed in Pete's eye?

With some already in the warm, the Derby Suite soon filled. The bloodstock present ranged from thoroughbred to clapped out hack like me! Rarely do you see so many C&M together in one place. Then the start gate lifted and all set to to lunch and conversation, enjoyed by one and all. A vote of thanks was given to Steve for organising the event. We should also not forget the year-long effort put in by Andy as Runs Sec.to organise the weekly rides, without which there would be no Cheam & Morden! Thanks too to Andy's little band of helpers, who support him as ride leaders!

Well fed and watered, the group then prepared to go their separate ways, some lingering for the display of photos of past rides and snowy scenes, put up by Simon. Then home for an early shower, the distance inconsequential and the calorie statistics revealing an alarming excess of input over output. But then, it is just once a year, isn't it?

Jeff

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