Ride Report - Sunday 7 Jan 2024 (Staines and Windsor)

Well, today we really put the 'adventure' into 'bike adventure' (or should that be 'misadventure')?    A simple, short  ride from Staines to Windsor and it was a lovely, sunny start - what could possibly go wrong?   After elevenses at Staines the ride started off uneventfully enough, Shortwood Common giving us no problems except the negotiation of two kissing gates.   The first signs of trouble to come were later, as we took the causeway over the Staines reservoirs, never usually muddy but distinctly on the mushy side today and with a fearsome crosswind, and a couple more kissing gates of increasing difficulty to negotiate!

 

(Not the seaside but the Staines reservoirs)

(Us not beside a river but the Datchet to Eton road)!

There were mutterings of dissent but open rebellion did not actually start until the M25 cycle crossing between Stanwellmoor and Poyle, again unprecedentedly muddy.   Here I found myself riding alone while the group had turned back and taken the alternative route round the roundabout!   Order was soon restored and we were almost at Eton before the next spot of bother - Pococks Lane was under water by the leisure centre and cars were turning back and causing chaos!   Fortunately, a high level path on one side allowed us to skirt the danger and dodge the splashes!  The rest of the ride to lunch at Cafe Cinnamon was without incident, and we had a good lunch only slightly marred by an unfortunate accident to Diane's new bike.

We set off for home and all went well until we ran into queuing traffic and discovered the A308 was under water for a stretch near the Runnymede Pleasure Grounds.   I ploughed through the flood and was a little puzzled by the disgruntled reaction of the others.   It only dawned on me much later that not everyone else was attired in my standard winter garb of Goretex MTB boots over waterproof socks and windproof longs!   Nothing succeeds like excess!    All the more unfortunately there were a couple more small floods on the path across 'The Meads' into Egham!    Once in Egham I thought the tide would finally have turned, as it were, but alas no!   My planned route (Vicarage Road) was unexpectedly closed and, thinking on my (still dry) feet I diverted us towards The Causeway.   

Rounding the corner into the M25 subway on the cycle route I discovered yet another flood!  'It's not very deep' I said after I had ridden through, trying to reassure!   The others seemed less convinced and I began to feel like Captain Blye with a mutinous crew on the Cheam & Morden ark (see C & M blog December).  We were running out of options and in the end, with Simon's encouragement, everyone took the plunge, as it were, and we dripped our way into Staines!    

Ferry Lane, Laleham being closed and not advisable even with my clobber, we diverted again to get to Shepperton.   I left it to the others to discover whether or not the road to Nauticalia was open and headed for home!  

Thanks to Diane, Tony, Simon, Pam and Andy for your company throughout and for putting up with it all, and to Graham for joining us at elevenses and wisely turning straight for home!

Photo credits to Andy!