Ride organiser Fiona gave us an extended route and balances it off now with a slender report ..
A beautiful warm day for setting off amongst the Surrey Hills.
We did a fair bit of climbing, just over 1000meters in 59 miles.
The Scarlett Arms were ready with amply filled sandwiches to give us much needed energy for our return climbs up Pitch and then Combe.
Thank you to my group for a good paced ride, good company and to Janice for back marking.
Dave Vine writes..
When I signed up for this ride, without reading the small print, I was somewhat daunted to learn of a 35 mile ride to lunch. But on the day an early start with a well-matched team (Brian, Richard, and Frances) with Frances taking numerous turns on the front, helped to make it a most enjoyable experience.
On the way we stopped at Dunsfold Village Hall, which fortuitously was open, where we were invited in by the local ladies to top up water, and use their toilets. Thanks Dunsfold Ladies.
We stopped briefly to inspect the grounded the Hawker Hunter, recently discovered by Neil, though clearly it had been there some time.
All the groups sat together for lunch in the Scarlett Arms garden, speedily served and devoured.
Riding back, Ockley Road was blocked by road resurfacing lorries, conveniently next to an alternative route, Holmbury Road. It’s rarely climbed by us, but now thankfully resurfaced it was a useful alternative to Pitch Hill, though no less challenging. After Peaslake we rejoined Fiona’s “official” route.
The almost final climb of Combe Lane was frustrated by motor traffic blocking the road by the steep turn, which seems to happen more frequently nowadays. The frustration was thankfully dissipated by the long downwind stretch to Cobham where, Frances having parted company at Effingham, three of us stopped for tea.
Thanks everyone for your company, and to Fiona for an excellent route.
Neil writes..
This was my first sub-lead for a long time. I reccied on Monday two days before which was just as well as my attention to reading the route on my Karoo was scatty and I made several mistakes. The 35 miles to the pub was a long stretch but it delivered really good views and sections, some seemed new to me. Not many riders asked for a slow group, just Pete B and Gina (and Geoffrey from the Scarlett). We set off from Cobham early, we found our individual paces were well matched. We each enjoyed the scenery and lanes, especially between Wonnersh and Dunsfold.
We looked inside St Marks Blackheath, the art and crafts church..
We had a break in the shade at Dunsfold village store. then viewed the Hawker Hunter. The jet was sadly neglected.
I asked Gemini to smarten the picture up, it did a good job, on us as well.
On the return roadworks thwarted the ascent via Pitch Hill so we went via Radnor instead, possibly more difficult? Gina overcame her doubts and rode all the way up Coombe Bottom and then we flew the remainder mostly downhill to Cobham.
Many thanks to Fiona that was a super route and organisation.