Friday, May 29, 2020

Can I Change My Mind

A warm and sunny day, three days since my last so off I went again. This (Thursday) ride was a barrel-scrapper and is not recommended for those of sound mind. In places this driest of Mays has created an uneven brick-like surface  Elsewhere the lack of moisture content meant slippin' and slidin' on road tyres. Walking guaranteed.

I took my standard route to Weybridge station and descended to Brooklands. Half a dozen good-natured yellow-coated fellows are building a track/path along the banks of the Wey so sewage work(?) and not New Haw footpath improvements as I previously hinted.

Byfleet had crowds aplenty in Tesco's and  in the Community skate park. After the Blue Anchor (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Pierre_Vaquier) and Mill Lane the Downton Abbey manor house was shrouded  by renovations. On the M25 bridge to the A3 bridge bridleway I met four vans! (including postie). Ockham Bites was packed. After turns at the Muddy Duck and Hautboy (as was), I continued to Long Reach and Bachelor's Lane. It was fine as far as the house but beyond nettles, brambles and "No Entry Convid-19 Exclusion Zone" signs kept me to the straight and extremely narrow. I'd never ridden the full length of next bridleway (to the east of Hungry Hill) and was surprised by (1) a pram pusher and (2) a family cycle group. The last section (after the "cement" road) is best avoided probably impassable in winter. Further south would have been Staple Lane so I headed east at the railway bridge for West Horsley; the only track of the day with no company.

The butcher's to Orestan path allowed me to check that Squires and the Vineries were open  (and crowded). By now the ride had lost much of its charm so I finished a normal Bookham, Tilt, Oxshott and Claygate flourish.

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