Joint Ride

Sunday the 15th Joint Ride with South Bucks CTC

9.00am from Hampton court was a bit of a disappointment with only 5 for the trip to Fairoaks. Not a long journey and we arrived just after 10.10, Dave awaiting his cooked breakfast was already there with Don and Bob. The Sun was shining but there was a nip in the air. Shortly after Irene, Graham, Terry and Jeff arrived. Just around 10.45 the John Capell from South Bucks CTC arrived with 3 others and it was nice to see them. They had come by car, John having a trailer to accommodate the bikes.

Dave and Don were not joining the ride and Bob was going to make his own way to lunch. My route was around Chobham to Borrowhill and a big loop round to Brookwood where we joined the canal to Hermitage road and onto Mayford, Old Woking and onto lunch at The Herbert Wells, Wetherspoons, Woking, the last half mile John Capell led to lunch as he had lived in Woking some forty years ago. Bob had already arrived, food was soon ordered and consumed. Two of the South Bucks cyclists decided to cycle back to the Chilterns and left the rest of us to wend our way to tea. 

Tea was planned to be at Bourne Valley GC with the route there heading in a loop heading towards Ripley and round to West Byfleet. Around half way there the group was stretched out and the back 2 took a wrong turn. A frantic search back along the root proved fruitless so the rest of us re-grouped in West Byfleet and the consensus was to have tea at the GC in Addlestone as it was on the planned route, I left 2 message with Terry the back maker. Just before we were leaving Terry phoned to say he was at tea at Bourne Valley GC and that John Capell had headed back to Fairoaks. The other member of the South Bucks contingent, Barry, was with us so while other others headed home I cycled back to Fairoaks with Barry where John was waiting. All in all they had thoroughly enjoyed cycling mostly unfamiliar territory. I took advantage of Johns trailer and the fact he was heading home via Staines and cycled home from Staines Bridge still managing 65 miles.

Chatting to John about ride numbers, it appears they have similar turnouts to South West London with small numbers on Sunday but 50 to 60 on a Wednesday. 

Many thanks to Terry for back marking and thanks to all for you company.

The Herbert Wells

Tony H