Ride Report - Sunday 30 July 2023

 

It was a promising, if breezy start to the day and the experimental elevenses meet at North Cheam proved very popular!    Ed, Steve D, Dave and Jennie J, Dave V, Richard D, Helen, Diane and Ray W just came to elevenses while brave souls Simon, Andy C, Keith and I were joined by new (to us) riders Nikki, Debbie, Dave and John for the trip to lunch at Oxted.

Needless to say, the sun had disappeared by the time we got going and we soon felt a few drops of rain.   Undeterred, we zig-zagged dizzily through the back-doubles of South Sutton, Carshalton Beeches, Wallington and Woodcote to reach Purley.   The serious climbing began after Riddlesdown but our new members took it in their stride.   Conditions began to get more unpleasant and jackets were donned as we toiled up Botley Hill.

We were running well ahead of schedule by the time we reached the top and it was worth making a detour east then dropping down to pick up the very scenic Pilgrims Way back towards Titsey Hill.   Here there was a nail-biting problem: signs announced a road closure and the further we dropped down, the harder the climb back up would have been if the obstruction was impassable.   Fortunately, the gamble paid off and we squeezed our way past the barriers!

After lunch some braved the elements and rode home, but Oxted Wetherspoons is so convenient for a train-assist home that I could not resist the temptation!

Thanks all for your company and well-ridden!  Special thanks too to Simon for very ably back-marking throughout the ride!