Ride Report - Sunday 21st April

On yet another cold windy day, we gathered at The Vines coffee shop in Effingham for elevenses. Except for Keith, who caught us up later, and Terry, whose bike developed a spontaneous deflation issue in an effort to keep him away. Liz also had had a mechanical that morning, but just made it in time, and so altogether 15 came for the social but only 9 plus an out-of-breath Keith set out for the ride.

Everyone look this way....over here....

Robert had requested a copy of the route before the ride and so was promptly promoted to backmarker – thank you Robert!

I had promised it would be just the one hill – Green Dene – and all tackled it without any trouble to be rewarded with bluebells and fresh green foliage at the top. After the descent down through Combe Bottom we then enjoyed the quiet villages of Albury, Chilworth and Wonersh before skirting around Chinthurst Hill and coming without incident into Godalming. David couldn’t resist a little detour to confirm all was well at Thames Water Utilities.

Admiring the Spring colours

Fed, hydrated and caffeinated = ready for action

We took a few photos outside The Jack Phillips, where all were served quickly despite the inconsistent Wetherspoons wi-fi. David departed first, no doubt off for some allotment-ing, and once everyone else had had nearly enough free coffee refills we were on our way again, scrambling our way out of Godalming by a new and unexpected path (sadly terminating in a grassy bank) but otherwise on tried and tested back streets and cycle paths to Peasmarsh and Broadford, where I had decided we would pick up several miles of towpath along the River Wey. The terrain had been pre-approved (by myself and my recce team) and happily it wasn’t too busy on this cold dry Sunday. 

Did someone call for back-up?

To stay on the west bank coming into Guildford, we came off the towpath briefly around St Catherine’s Hill. This exit had no steps but was quite steep and as there was only one hill planned for today, it was only Simon who rode up it, but at C&M you don’t get points for that, only kudos. Getting back onto the towpath further along, Steph had to leave us at Guildford, but a healthy peloton of 8 cyclists gamely followed on as far as Stoke Lock, where we then picked up some more off road before emerging onto the cycle path beside the A3 and then back on the roads and into Ripley.

Still smiling at Stoke Lock

Keith and Chris (making his C&M debut) declined to stop at Pinnocks, leaving Andy, Martina, Simon, Robert, Lilian and myself to make all the tough decisions about which cakes to order. And it was just then that Terry joined us, although after much discussion we concluded it would be “nil point” for him too.

Thanks all for joining me, it was a pleasure to lead. Around 28 miles from elevenses to tea.