Dorney Court – White
Waltham – Great Cockrow
Our leader
Dave had summoned his men and women for all seasons to meet at Hampton Court
Palace. The season smiled and the sun shone as the company processed, following
the course of the Thames, towards Windsor and past the playing fields of Eton,
to a leisurely refreshment stop at Dorney Court. Some then returned to their
manors while the loyal band sped on apace, perhaps too much apace, as we
arrived in advance of ourselves and therefore meandered gently around the
lanes, before succumbing to the honeyed temptations of the Beehive at White
Waltham.
 |
| Camera shy Don |
We dined
comfortably in the garden until the leader’s trumpet called us to remount and
head back, skirting Windsor by Virginia Water, to savour tea and cake to the sounds
of a miniature Puffing Billy at Great Cockrow. Numbers then discretely dwindled
and a final foursome parted company at Addlestone, in anticipation of an early
homecoming.
However, such was not to be for me, as at
Byfleet the gear shifter seized. It did not take long to diagnose a severed
cable nipple. It took a little longer to secure the broken cable most elegantly to the frame
and longer still to limp home in much too low a gear but still manageable for
the hills ahead. Within sight of home, it dawned upon me that I could have used
the larger chain ring as well as the small; but home at least, with 80 miles on
the clock and in the legs. Finding and removing the errant nipple would have to
await another day.
Our grateful thanks to Dave for a right regal
ride.
Jeff
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