Annual Lunch - final check

Dear everyone,

If you're coming to the Annual Lunch on 5th March please visit the Wayfarers blog to check your order.

Thanks

Tim 

A Mystery Ride to Putney - Sun 23 Feb

Unexpectedly, I led today's ride because David W was indisposed.   He had done all the hard work: planned the route, arranged for warm, almost spring-like weather, and mustered a good crowd of people at North Cheam, including Colin Q who was just joining us for elevenses.  So I offered to lead a group of twelve, and Colin and DW set off for home.

At the Hamptons

In the event, it went quite well, although I didn't know where I was most of the time, recognising odd bits.  We stopped when we saw something interesting and quite often one of the group was able to fill us in on the details:  the Hamptons, built on an old sewage works and now a picturesque New England style estate with a big park; past The Rutlish School, previously the home of John Innes of compost fame. (I didn't see the house number but surely it would have been No. 1, 2 or 3?).

Then followed  an extensive tour of Wimbledon where we had plenty of time to admire many lovely houses, several little alleyways, and a bonus 'berg - a rather steep hill up to Wimbledon Common - followed by a beautiful descent with great views of London, before we almost did a circuit of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis club, home of the championships.   Soon we smoothly arrived at our second Wetherspoons of the day, the Rocket at Putney.

Putney Bridge in the background

We've had mixed experiences of the service at The Rocket, but this time I think everyone was served reasonably quickly and soon we were back out on the road, minus Dave V and Niall who made their separate ways home.   I got a bit lost around Barnes - I suspect I missed an easy route across the railway line - but the peloton was very forgiving, and we were soon crossing Richmond Park, into an increasingly strong headwind.  Most people headed for home from Ham but four of us continued to Hampton Court.   Andy wanted to see if we could get into The Tiltyard cafe at Hampton Court Palace, and we were told that we needed to buy tickets to the palace to visit the cafe, so that was a no.   Instead, Dish did us proud.   As we left, we felt the first spots of rain.  I hope everyone got home safely and not too damp.

Just three dishy blokes at Dish

Many thanks to David for such an interesting route: get well soon!   Thank you to all who joined us for all or part of the day for your company, to Jennie for back-marking - essential for quite a large group, and also to Andy for the photo.

Sunday 16th February 2025

 I can't believe I'm typing this but today's train assisted ride went remarkably well, perhaps Jennie has good reason to not entirely agree with that statement though.

Five riders, Graham or "G" as he likes to be known, Diane, Jennie, Simon & myself assembled on a freeeeeezing cold platform 3 at Surbiton Station for the 9.30am to Farnham which on this day, became the furthest point you could travel on this line except if you were happy to faff around getting a "replacement bus service" to Bentley or Alton ( no bikes allowed ofc).

A few minutes from the station & we were ensconced in Jo Neuro's Café happily supplied with sustenance & chatting with Dave W & Patrick W who had.......ridden down ! 

"Wot?.....you saying they rode down?"

Yes I am. 

Kudos to those two men right there.

We were shortly joined by Bernard & Sabina + Brian G too, who had kindly driven down to avoid over capacity on this 4 coach train.

Double figures for a train assisted?

Remarkable! 

Progress was good as we left Farnham & continued on recently resurfaced roads around Rowledge, past Alice Holt to climb up to Binsted where we turned left going south on Church Street.

This small lane was initially undulating & it was here that Jennie suffered a rear derailleur cable breakage.

Regular readers of this blog would remember Diane having a similar "mechanical" recently & then as now our CMMBRT, Simon sprung into action assessing the problem & providing a temporary solution (a stone of certain size & diameter to wedge the derailleur hanger to run on the mid range cog).

Fortunately, this approach lasted pretty much the rest of the ride.

Lunch was at Café Hogmoor on the outskirts of Bordon & despite being over-run with families we managed to get a table.

Remarkable!

We were back on the road by 1.45pm & riding the traffic free roads going east past Frensham Ponds was....bliss.

Little Latte at Tilford provided warmth, comfort & a nice piece of cake.

And yes, the sun came out too! 

Remarkable!

My thanks to Bernard (backmarking), various corner markers & everybody else for their company.....oh a special thanks to the guards on duty today at South Western Railway for not enforcing the "two bike rule", & not wanting to see my Senior Railcard on my turned off phone. 😂

Oh in case you were wondering, Patrick rode home as well.....show off. 😂

Legend: CMMBRT - Cheam Morden Mobile Bicycle Repair Technician

Changes to train assisted this Sunday 16th February

 As is often the case with these rides, you put a specified train in the programme & it coincides with engineering work.

Such is life.

However, I've a worthy replacement starting & finishing at Farnham where Sunday's trains terminate.

9.30am platform 3 at Surbiton station, arrive earlier please, they do like prompt departures these days.

You need a "Sunday Out Return" £8.05 with a senior railcard.

I don't anticipate any problems with capacity (it's an 8 coach train that splits in half at Woking, so 4 coaches to Farnham).

As the lady says "please make sure you're travelling in the correct part of the train", arrival in Farnham 10.13.

At this point, I'll say that I have no idea of numbers (ie who's gonna turn up) so with this in mind I'll mention if we don't all get on the 9.30am then it's possible to travel on the 10.30am service, & still meet up with the ride in Farnham.

Elevenses is at Jo Neuros café in Downing Street on the one way system in Farnham town centre, about 5 minutes from the station (formally the Electric Bike café).

I've reserved a table under my name.

Here is the route:

As you can see, most of the climbs are in the morning but with a couple between tea & the station.

There is a short bit of off-road to cut off a corner.

Lunch is dependent on numbers, if we're a smaller group then it's to Café Hogmoor in Bordon, if we're a larger group then the Chocolate Frog Tearoom at Oakhanger is preferable.

Tea is at Little Latte in Tilford.

Return trains are two an hour.

Historically, to aid with the logistics of travelling with a group of cyclists on a train, some folk have gone earlier (there is a 8.30 train) & some have driven down & I would appreciate any help in this respect.

My email andycoxhill@ntlworld.com

My WhatsApp/Text/Phone 07312095543.

GPX file on request by email.

It should be a great day out & I look forward to seeing you, either at Surbiton or Farnham.

Ride Report - Sunday 9 February 2025

 

Our elevenses meets at Vineries Garden Centre usually attract large numbers, but not so today, although we did still manage a quorum!   It may have been down to the weather - forecasts for the day did suggest more of the same bone-chilling, damp gloom that has characterised this winter, and conditions on the previous couple of days had been pretty revolting!

In fact, contrarily, the morning actually started with hazy sunshine - just visible through the steady rain - but the sun did nothing to relieve the icy chill!    The weather failed to deter hard riders Diane, Andy, Simon, Carolyn and John from joining me (anything but a hard rider, and only there, reluctantly, because I was down to lead) for elevenses at a table carefully picked to draw maximum glove-drying potential from the overhead heaters!

Not Tennyson's 'many tower'd Camelot', just Woking town centre!

At length we left Carolyn and John to head home while the remaining four of us set off on a shambolic meander towards Woking, taking in a few of my favourite bits of route in the area, and trying a new permutation of approaching the Wisley A3 crossing.

Fortunately, we were spared any 'events' en route and, after lunch huddled round the fire at the Herbert Wells, we headed back to Walton via Horsell and Stonehill with my Garmin on auto-pilot!    I thanked the others for their company then left them to thaw out at Walton Marina, while I hurried on home to carry out an urgent internet search for "treatments for frostbite"!

Sunday 9 February 2025 - Please Note Changes!

Our ride on Sunday 9 February was planned to be from Dorking to Cranleigh.   Andy will now be offering a very similar (but certainly better!) version in March, so, to avoid any duplication, I have made alternative plans for my 9 February ride.

We will now be meeting for elevenses at Vineries Garden Centre, Effingham, and continuing to lunch at The Herbert Wells, Woking.

Please note this change.

Sunday 02/02/2025 Ride to Staines-Upon-Thames

Ten years ago we used the cable car to celebrate my 70th birthday. Currently e-bikes are not allowed.

I awoke to discover gloomy January had been transformed into frosty but sunny February with clear blue skies. In Bushy Park we were soon into double figures so quick decisions were taken:

(1) lunch: The George Staines aka Spoons;
(2) two ad-hoc groups led by me and Dave W; contact would be 'line of sight'. 

It was not a success. After exiting via Hampton Hill Gate we "dwelt" near Roy Grove(and the posh schools). It soon became clear that Dave had taken a different route Broad Lane!?

We continued towards Hanworth then BP to Ashford where we "dwelt" a second time after losing the back markers! Again no joy. Surprisingly we were first to arrive at The George in Staines soon to be joined by the rest of the riders. 

After the morning failures we opted for a single group and managed to lose nobody on the return. Along the way I pointed out the one time Holloway Sanatorium (where Bill Bryson worked), and a crowded Rose and Crown in Thorpe Green. Next came Lyne, St Peters and Addlestone before a lengthy visit to Walton Marina. A modest 30 miles door to door.

For the record Dave's route included Bronze prison and Shortwood Common.

The 2024 Photo Competition has closed

Please note that the photo competition is now closed to new entries. Thank you to numerous people who have sent in their photos.

~ Tim