The weather seems to be wet and windy for most of the runs I lead and today was no exception! It was a pretty filthy start and I was surprised and grateful to see both Vic and Graham not only turn up at elevenses, but also express an interest in continuing on my ride! Even so, no one had much enthusiasm as we set off westwards from Fairoaks in steady rain, but we persevered. Things weren't too bad until we got to Deepcut, where Vic and I somehow, and very improbably, managed to get separated from Graham! Search as we might, we could not find him! Anyway, it turned out all was well as I had a call from him while at lunch with Vic in The Royal Oak at Pirbright. Just a communications breakdown, as usual! A fast ride home propelled by the wind, along with further bursts of rain, finished off a mediocre day!
Sadly, changes being mooted to the C&M rides programme mean the C&M may no longer be the club for me. This then may well have been the last C&M ride I ever lead (a good job too, I hear you say!), my last C&M blog entry, and almost my final ride with the C&M. I hope this will prove not to be the case, but, if it does, I take this opportunity to thank you all for the rides we have enjoyed together over the past 20+ years, and to wish you well.
Dave
Sunday, September 29, 2019
Friday, September 27, 2019
Sunday 22nd September
Nine jolly chaps and girls met up at Effingham Vineries for tea and buns, but the weather forecast for the day was very wet and windy, so seven of the nine decided to turn back home after tea. Myself and Pete Foster decided to cut the ride a little shorter so instead of lunch at Okewood Hill we made our way to the Royal Oak at Brockham Green for lunch. And we managed to avoid the rain !!
Our next port of call (as it was heritage weekend) was Buckland windmill which was open to the public for the afternoon. This windmill is one third scale and is the UK's only wind powered saw mill and was built around 1880. A few years later a steam powered traction engine was attached to the mill. Apparently it was never very windy in Buckland.
The owner very kindly supplied us with coffee and a flapjack, very nice too.
~ Pete
Attendance: Pete B and Pete B completed the ride and Dave W, Ed, GFH, Maureen, Pam, Vic, Brian B. were at elevenses. Carolyn and John Beer were also present.
For everyone who missed Pete's ride to Buckland Windmill look what you missed:
~ Tim
Our next port of call (as it was heritage weekend) was Buckland windmill which was open to the public for the afternoon. This windmill is one third scale and is the UK's only wind powered saw mill and was built around 1880. A few years later a steam powered traction engine was attached to the mill. Apparently it was never very windy in Buckland.
The owner very kindly supplied us with coffee and a flapjack, very nice too.
~ Pete
Attendance: Pete B and Pete B completed the ride and Dave W, Ed, GFH, Maureen, Pam, Vic, Brian B. were at elevenses. Carolyn and John Beer were also present.
For everyone who missed Pete's ride to Buckland Windmill look what you missed:
~ Tim
Wednesday, September 25, 2019
C&M AGM 2019
So far HQ has shown no interest in our AGM but I assume they will at a future date.
Once again Ed has agreed generously to stage the meeting. A usual spread is promised supplemented by any pies or whatever you wish to bring. The ride from 11s to Ed's will go probably via Leatherhead so the missing details will be:
1300 13th October 2019 at Ed's.
Once again Ed has agreed generously to stage the meeting. A usual spread is promised supplemented by any pies or whatever you wish to bring. The ride from 11s to Ed's will go probably via Leatherhead so the missing details will be:
1300 13th October 2019 at Ed's.
Wednesday, September 18, 2019
Sunday 15 September
GARSONS FARM - WOKING - SHEPPERTON LOCK
C + M was well attended this week - super weather and a convenient elevenses for many! Bob, Ed, Maureen and Lilian had arrived just in front of me, then Simon, Paul, Robert and Margaret, Terry and Graham....and then Jeff, Bob, Margaret and Jeff stayed on at Garson's whilst Paul left with us but very soon went his own way. Our group took the road to Cobham. We turned into Fairmile, right into Hogsmill Lane (new for me), past Waitrose and across to pass 'our' British Legion! Straight on until we turned into The Drift - a real lumpy road. Almost straight over into East Lane to our next right into Pincott Lane then a long downhill towards Ripley.
Our next turn was into Grove Heath Road..... crossing the Portsmouth Road to Send where Terry punctured in Tannery Lane! Graham, Robert and Simon waited; then, what bad luck, Robert punctured just as they were on their way to join t'other four who had continued up the 'hill'! Newark Lane - Church Hill - Pyrford Common Road, East Hill Maybury - to Woking Wetherspoons.
It was approx. 1.30 when we arrived. It was but a few minutes later that Graham and Robert joined us. Another enjoyable lunch time chat then on our way by 2.45, having decided there was little time left to get far to have the obligatory afternoon tea (and cake) stop! So we plumped for the Addlestone GC (aka other names)! Our direct route was through Sheerwater but we did so well time wise we continued on to - my favourite tea stop - Shepperton Lock :) Great !! A nice long relax in the sun with all but one rider - it is just a bit too far out of Terry's way to continue beyond Byfleet! Nobody was in a hurry to leave - but - eventually we had to depart to wend our way home.
Sorry you missed us Vic....but thanks for phoning.
My thanks to Simon and Robert for photos and Graham and Simon who watched out at the rear! Great company - my thanks to all :) :)
~ Pam
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| Shepperton Lock |
Our next turn was into Grove Heath Road..... crossing the Portsmouth Road to Send where Terry punctured in Tannery Lane! Graham, Robert and Simon waited; then, what bad luck, Robert punctured just as they were on their way to join t'other four who had continued up the 'hill'! Newark Lane - Church Hill - Pyrford Common Road, East Hill Maybury - to Woking Wetherspoons.
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| To Let? Not quite outside the pub |
Sorry you missed us Vic....but thanks for phoning.
My thanks to Simon and Robert for photos and Graham and Simon who watched out at the rear! Great company - my thanks to all :) :)
~ Pam
Monday, September 09, 2019
Sunday 8th September
I arrived early to the new 11’s venue of the Tiltyard cafe in Hampton Court Palace grounds, Ed was already taking in the Sun in the still rather chilly cafe outside seating area.
Soon swarms of members arrived, probably the largest turnout this year! Obviously the location is near to the centre of the C&M universe making it a very short ride to get there for most.
Right the group consisted of:Ed, Graham, Pam, Simon, Ray W, Ged, Richard D, Maureen, Dave, Dave V, Bob, Vic, Carolin, Brian B and me.
Carolin, Dave V, Richard and Bob did not continue to lunch.
It was still rather chilly but sunny when we set off over Hampton Court Bridge, (where for some unknown reason Ray crossed the road by himself and we had to wait for him when he realised his mistake), and along the cycle path to Summer road, left and across the level crossing and a right turn into Speer Road. From there we headed West and past Ember Court and and an off road path across the Ember River and onto Walton.
From there it was the usual route through Weybridge, Addlestone and Ottershaw and past Fairoaks airfield and a left turn into Philpot lane, over the Mill Bourne river and the next right and into Chobham and Pashas (a Turkish eatery) for lunch, plenty of seating on comfy armchairs and a real welcome from the maitre d.
We did arrive a touch early but that didn't stop us lingering and enjoying chitchat, banter and good food. But all good things must come to an end and so the next leg of the journey began.
Heading Northish out of Chobham and into Red Lion Road that becomes Gracious Pond road, a left at the end and an unexpected left, for the group anyway, into Accommodation road and a right at the end taking us on an undulating ride back to Addlestone, Weybridge and tea at the Riverside barn at Walton.
Sitting in the sun drinking tea and eating cake made it hard to leave. It was so cosy that Ron even fell asleep much to the amusement of the group! But leave we must.
A very pleasant sourjon to Cobham with a good crowd on a warm(ish) Sunday in Autumn. Thank you all for good company and to Simon for back marking and waking Ron from his slumber.
Tony.
Soon swarms of members arrived, probably the largest turnout this year! Obviously the location is near to the centre of the C&M universe making it a very short ride to get there for most.
Right the group consisted of:Ed, Graham, Pam, Simon, Ray W, Ged, Richard D, Maureen, Dave, Dave V, Bob, Vic, Carolin, Brian B and me.
Carolin, Dave V, Richard and Bob did not continue to lunch.
It was still rather chilly but sunny when we set off over Hampton Court Bridge, (where for some unknown reason Ray crossed the road by himself and we had to wait for him when he realised his mistake), and along the cycle path to Summer road, left and across the level crossing and a right turn into Speer Road. From there we headed West and past Ember Court and and an off road path across the Ember River and onto Walton.
From there it was the usual route through Weybridge, Addlestone and Ottershaw and past Fairoaks airfield and a left turn into Philpot lane, over the Mill Bourne river and the next right and into Chobham and Pashas (a Turkish eatery) for lunch, plenty of seating on comfy armchairs and a real welcome from the maitre d.
We did arrive a touch early but that didn't stop us lingering and enjoying chitchat, banter and good food. But all good things must come to an end and so the next leg of the journey began.
Heading Northish out of Chobham and into Red Lion Road that becomes Gracious Pond road, a left at the end and an unexpected left, for the group anyway, into Accommodation road and a right at the end taking us on an undulating ride back to Addlestone, Weybridge and tea at the Riverside barn at Walton.
Sitting in the sun drinking tea and eating cake made it hard to leave. It was so cosy that Ron even fell asleep much to the amusement of the group! But leave we must.
A very pleasant sourjon to Cobham with a good crowd on a warm(ish) Sunday in Autumn. Thank you all for good company and to Simon for back marking and waking Ron from his slumber.
Tony.
Monday, September 02, 2019
Pete's pics September 1st
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| Elevenses at Henfold |
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| Graham, Simon, Victoria and Terry enjoying lunch at Warnham |
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| Post lunch photo including Pete and Digby |
Sunday September 1 2019
It's more than twenty miles from home to elevenses so I set out early on a perfect September day. The forecast: no rain, not much wind, temperatures ten degrees down on the previous Sunday.
Once again I took an off-road route from Tolworth to Ashtead though not enjoying the refurbished clinker of Horton Park. By chance I headed through Leatherhead town centre and chatted briefly with Irene who was waiting for Christina. Fly-tipping (and a pony and trap) were sights not normally witnessed on the Mickleham bends cycle path. At Henfold numbers reached eventually double figures (Graham, Dave, Pete, Simon, Terry, Bob, Christina, Ed, Irene, Lillian) though only the first five would continue.
Basically there are two routes from Henfold to Warnham; we took the longer out and the shorter back.
After discovering that monsters do lurk in the muddy waters of Henfold Lakes, Newdidate and Capel came and went. For "new" (post 1987) members, the bouncy bridleway beside the Elim Bible College (as was) took us over the railway and into Weare Lane with no traffic before Paynes Green. As forewarned Dave headed for Ellens Green whilst the rest continued past Rowhook and down to the A29. At the A281 junction a misunderstanding left Pete with a blooded elbow and me with (minor) mudguard damage. The Sussex Arms was reached early well before 1230. We dined alfresco regretting our decision when dark clouds rolled in but not for long. Later we were joined by Pete's daughter and her wire haired Dachshund.
It'll be no surprise that the return was via Warnham Stattion, the dump, etc. But our early running led to a hasty rethink on my part. In Rusper we turned right towards The (infamous) Mount then north by way of Orltons, Parkgate and Dawesgreen. Brockham church was reached minutes after three. Imagine my chagrin when we discovered cakes had been on sale since 1430 so the detour had been pointless! The mileage was just 28 miles (or 68 home).
Once again I took an off-road route from Tolworth to Ashtead though not enjoying the refurbished clinker of Horton Park. By chance I headed through Leatherhead town centre and chatted briefly with Irene who was waiting for Christina. Fly-tipping (and a pony and trap) were sights not normally witnessed on the Mickleham bends cycle path. At Henfold numbers reached eventually double figures (Graham, Dave, Pete, Simon, Terry, Bob, Christina, Ed, Irene, Lillian) though only the first five would continue.
Basically there are two routes from Henfold to Warnham; we took the longer out and the shorter back.After discovering that monsters do lurk in the muddy waters of Henfold Lakes, Newdidate and Capel came and went. For "new" (post 1987) members, the bouncy bridleway beside the Elim Bible College (as was) took us over the railway and into Weare Lane with no traffic before Paynes Green. As forewarned Dave headed for Ellens Green whilst the rest continued past Rowhook and down to the A29. At the A281 junction a misunderstanding left Pete with a blooded elbow and me with (minor) mudguard damage. The Sussex Arms was reached early well before 1230. We dined alfresco regretting our decision when dark clouds rolled in but not for long. Later we were joined by Pete's daughter and her wire haired Dachshund.
It'll be no surprise that the return was via Warnham Stattion, the dump, etc. But our early running led to a hasty rethink on my part. In Rusper we turned right towards The (infamous) Mount then north by way of Orltons, Parkgate and Dawesgreen. Brockham church was reached minutes after three. Imagine my chagrin when we discovered cakes had been on sale since 1430 so the detour had been pointless! The mileage was just 28 miles (or 68 home).
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