A Group Aug 6th

A combination of birthday rides, holidays, Phoenix 10, distance proposed, prompt start, uncertain weather and uncertain reception at our destination meant that only eleven of us, adroitly organised by Angie—Nigel, Graham, Don, Jeff, Toni, Ed, Neil, Rob, John B, Julian and.....Angie—left Cobham on the dot of eleven for the Blue Ship. We went past Effingham Junction to Effingham, where Nigel turned off, up the long drag to Whitedown, some of us in granny gears, across the A 25 to Sutton Abinger, up the drag to Holmbury St Mary and down shady lanes to Ewhurst Green, where a group was sketching the pond and tudor-beamed house, to Ellen's Green, Rudgwick and the Blue Ship beyond. As the pub hove into view, Toni said he was ready to do another five miles, but seemed reluctant to do them on his own. We'd made it in good time and were ready to sit in the sunny garden, as captured by the official photographer, enjoying the conversation, beer, orange, coke etc and the food which was good and (except for John's) speedily served. Deciding to avoid the off-road section through Gibbon's Mill because of probable mud, we retraced our tracks through Rudgwick and then, helped by a slight tail-wind, followed the Surrey Cycle route through Oakwoodhill, Capel, Newdigate and Henfold to tea at Denbies. On this section we got rather spread out, the leader particularly emulating the Duke of Plaza Toro, but we arrived together for tea and later left for home, except for John, who set off for the Albert Hall. I did 63 miles from home and back and was relieved at the weather which, although muggy during the morning, brightened up nicely in the afternoon without geetting too hot. Julian