Karl (ride leader) starts off the report:
My wife said to me that a ride report need only say that we cycled and cycled, and then cycled some more - she obviously doesn't get it. My and my subleaders' (Steve and Peter) version of the ride report is set out below. I'll be encouraging her read to it.
Steve's report gives a good overall description, so I'll start with his contribution:
From Steve:
I set off from Dorking at 10.25 am with Guy, Mike, Clive, Patrick and Dave B who kindly offered to back mark. The route started with a climb out of Denbie's where we stopped for a hydration break and picture.
We then followed an undulating route across Ranmore down a fast descent to Green Dene where we climbed again steadily up to Staple Lane which we descended slowly behind a tractor and some cars. We commented at how unusual it was to be going down this hill because we almost always go up it. Across the A246 to East Clandon and more descent down to the new Wisley bridge over the A3 past RHS Wisley. We skipped the roundabout and went right onto the cycle path. Then it was a fairly flat ride in sunny, cloudy conditions through Wisley village and Pyrford Common to The HG Wells at Woking, arriving at 12.10 pm.
After quick service we left at 1 pm to make our way to Leatherhead for tea. The route took us through Old Woking and Send to West Horsley. At the junction with the A246 I stopped so we could divide into 2 groups for the fast road, but my team decided we should go via East Horsley and Effingham Junction and so that is the way we went. At Effingham as we approached the Lower Road left turn, the second group led by Peter appeared coming from the A246 and we followed them to Lucio's for tea and cake where we were joined by an adventurous Geoffrey S!
Karl is good at producing unusual routes on familiar roads and this one was excellent. Thanks for organising this ride Karl. Thanks also to Dave B for back marking and to my fellow riders for your fine company.
And from Peter:
My group left on time from Dorking, one down (Ged had to go to a local bike shop for some pre-ride repairs). We progressed slowly up the Denbies climb and stopped for a photo. This took a while as Andy's camera delay function was not working. However, a member of the public offered to help. It was at this point Andy's delay function did work! So the helpful gent then had to stay still for 30 seconds whilst the camera worked on its own. We arrived at Spoons at 12.20 and lunch was prompt, as usual. Dave W departed from the group after lunch to make his own way home. We gave the fast group a 10 minute head start but passed them in Effingham (quote Dave V, briskly). Many thanks to Karl for his route and organisation of the day and to my group for their company, with particular thanks to Dave V for backmarking.
And finally from me (Karl):
It seemed to me that we started the ride with a game something similar to musical chairs. Firstly, Sue F said as she had not been riding for a few weeks she didn't feel up to a long ride and consequently decided not to join us. Then Simon L, who is normally very reliable, was nowhere to be seen. It transpired he accidently accepted the Spond invitation when he meant actually to decline it (I think?). Then Ged - who was scheduled to be in Peter's group - turned up and joined our group. This theme of musical chairs continued throughout the day, but I most definitely started the ride with (I think?): Sue C, David F, Brian, and Ged as back marker.
At Wisely, about halfway around the route, Brian had to leave us for another commitment, and a little later, at the lunch stop in Woking, and continuing on our sub-theme of musical chairs, we picked up Geoffrey S. After a very enjoyable lunch we set off to Leatherhead, where we arrived a little over an hour later.
One or two in our group felt perhaps we cycled the afternoon portion of the route at a slightly more than comfortable pace, and Dave F commented that in a refreshing way the route was a back to front version of earlier Group A rides in that we went down hills we normally cycle up and cycled on byways in the afternoon that we would normally cycle on in the morning and vice versa, but overall I believe everyone enjoyed the route and the day. I certainly did.
It leaves me only to thank all those who attended for their good company, Ged for back marking in my group and my two sub-leaders Steve and Peter.
Some pictures taken on the day and the route itself are set out below.
