You remember that film - was it the 'The Producers' by Mel Brooks? The protagonists have a tax problem and set out to create a disastrously loss-making musical that will save their skins. Only it doesn't, against the odds it is a roaring success. Well, it was like that with this ride. I had carefully 'curated' (as they say these days) an extremely unpromising route including a, narrow, unevenly surfaced alleyway that some locals are said to spurn because of a murder in former times, a jaunt straight through the middle of Britain's third largest sewage works, the place where the Southall riots began, miles of post-industrial canal, a section of an alleged National Cycle Route which would have been deemed to harsh for SAS training, and a lane with an ominous official sign invitingly reading 'Failed road surface'!
Dear reader, you can guess the outcome! It was a case of 'The Sun wot dunnit' I reckon! My efforts to deter participation back-fired wildly and no less than 21 of us 'A's' duly assembled for a very sociable, if a little chilly, al-fresco elevenses in the lovely garden at the Elleray Hall. This was the highlight of the day and a great opportunity to mingle and catch up with riders from our other MWW groups, and probably the nearest thing to a royal garden party I will ever experience!
Volunteer group leaders Dave J, Ged L and Neil C could have had no idea what they were letting themselves in for, but their offers to help were very gratefully received, and three groups of seven of us duly set off from Teddington. My group set off last but mysteriously ended up second to arrive at lunch. My route may have been a dud but the pub was excellent, as ever, with good-value, genuinely home-cooked fare efficiently served in a lovely setting, and then there were the beers...
Rumours I cut our group's route short and dodged a hill on the approach to lunch are not completely without foundation. and it is certainly true that I did have pangs of conscience after lunch, and so unashamedly did dodge the 'Failed road surface' bit! The nagging wind was mainly behind us on the rest of the way back to tea at Shepperton, and we had an uneventful ride with no casualties! Many thanks to Simon for back-marking on our outbound leg and Gill on the way back.
Of his group's experiences, Ged modestly writes that while Neil and himself were notionally joint sub-leaders, they often found ourselves at the back of the group, particularly after lunch, relegated as back-markers. Perhaps the group were used to a faster pace! (More likely they had the wind behind them, I reckon. Ed.) He himself once again fell victim to 'deflationary pressures' (tubeless tyre troubles, that is)! At George Green, a previously repaired front tyre with a plug started spewing sealant. After stopping a second time he removed the offending plug and punched in a new one. It did the trick, the tyre stayed inflated and got him home, so a happy ending!
Thanks again to the volunteer helpers, and to everyone else for their company and for putting up with it all!
Author: David W
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