A Ride 26 May 2010

Claygate - Fifield - Horton Garden Centre

A drop in temperature led to no drop in attendance at Claygate DC. A comforting cup of tea was needed to compensate for a cape lost en route - and it did not rain all day!

Ed led the As : (Brian, Ed, Graham, Jeff, John S, Julian, Richard, Rob and Simon) on a 26 mile canter to Fifield. Vic led a ride here last September and we had resolved to return - a good decision. The route was via Esher, Chertsey, the tow path to Staines, Priest Hill and Bishopsgate through WP, where a brief conflab confirmed that, despite the time, the extra miles were justified. We arrived at The Fifield to find that we had been beaten to the bar by the Uxbridge Loiterers - a chummy CTC group who had lost their link to our website. We advised them accordingly. As for the pub, the landlord was most welcoming and attentive, the food and beer excellent. Even John had no complaints, than which there is no greater praise!

A Puff for the Uxbridge Loiterers

With our restart a little later than usual, the leader's baton was passed to Richard. He knew the way from Bray, but not the way to Bray. Without a map, we consulted the moss on weathered trees, the sun and one or two wanderers beside Bray Lake and Monkey Island to find our way to the Fat Duck. From then on it was plain sailing through Dorney, Eton Wick and Datchet for tea at Horton GC, engagingly served by a painted young lady from Eastern Europe wearing half a pair of slacks. The bottom really does seem to have fallen out of the market. We then ran the gauntlet of West London early evening traffic until the parting of the ways near Hampton. I did retrace my morning's route, to inspect the gutters up Reigate Road past Nescot, but the missing cape had really flown the coop and nestles now I know not where. I do so hope that it has found a worthy home.

Our thanks to a.m. leader Ed and p.m. leader Richard, despite a little magnetic interference.

Mileage shed to shed was nearly 72 miles.

Jeff