Sunday, 13 May 2012

Hookwood - Maplehurst - Tanhurst Farm

On Sunday morning freak weather revealed a bright yellow orb in a blue sky. This frightened the natives who were reluctant to venture out. However, Ed was relaxing by the pond at Walton on the Hill and watching the wildfowl mating, or trying to. Three riders (Dave, Ed and Matt) made it undaunted to the pond, before heading downhill towards the temple of the sun god Tesco at Hookwood. On the way we lost one and found one. When Terry arrived we were just four in number for elevenses. On the way out we lost Matt, who succumbed to temptation and went back in to examine the vfm of Tesco cycle helmets. Thus it was four musketeers who shot off south heading via Charlwood, Ifield, Colgate, Pen Ponds and Lower Beeding to our lunch time target of the White Horse in Maplehurst.

On an earlier visit I had been the solitary customer, but this time the bar was fairly busy, with East Surrey and Croydon CTC having settled in before us. After a sandwich and a locally brewed cider for Terry, we resumed our circuit, still in fitful sunshine, via Copsale and Horsham to an unplanned tea-stop at Tanhurst Farm. Here we were joined by our Chairman Colin, surprised to see us as we were programmed to be at Brockham. After a leisurely tea, we struck a leisurely cadence to find our way to the gas works at Pixham and the parting of our ways, with 60 miles untouched by a single raindrop.

Jeff