A Group 28 July

Dorking to Denbies via Wisborough Green

Welcome to Nigel and Luc

A goodly, if not godly, number rolled up from near and far for the 11 o'clock service at St Martin's Christian Centre, Dorking. The regulars were not amused. Time to mount up a little late, the orientation of the As to be SSW to Wisborough Green. The sun shone on the righteous and unrighteous as we assembled in the churchyard. Great was my amazement to find behind me not my usual handful of disciples but a following of 20!

We slipped quietly along Church St. to avoid the one way system, before taking the A25 to Westcott. Here we left behind the snorting motor cars to pass Holy Trinity for the lush green, gently rising Logmore Lane. The surface was perhaps not as sensuously smooth as Cleopatra's bottom, as I had promised some, but there was still some tarmac left. This brought us breathing deeply up to Coldharbour and the reward of a cooling descent beside Leith Hill to Campfield Place. This gave us the chance to enjoy Tanhurst Lane at its most benign, the surface at its most forgiving. Yet still it had one unexpected surprise in store, as a startled deer leapt across the lane, in a vain attempt to mount Vic's pannier. Fortunately no harm to man nor beast.

From this point on, the route was near as damn it flat as the proverbial pancake, through Ewhurst, Ellen's Green and Rudgwick. Grateful thanks to Graham for his diligent waymarking. After passing The Ship at The Haven, a familiar watering stop, a quick canter past woods and wheatfields stretched the peloton a bit before we came to the hostile A272. We ran the gauntlet of the oils and soon reached our destination, The Cricketers at Wisborough Green.

After a good innings at table, fine fare and drink taken beneath parasols, too soon it was time to take to the field for the afternoon session. Views varied as to the preferred way forward. Vic and Minori, already having more miles behind them than most, opted to return via Loxwood. Pete would plough his own furrow and David Vines decided to press on to the coast.

For the rest, our return was via Drungewick, Rudgwick, Airwick and Oakwood Hill, with Weare Street producing a slightly competitive increase in tempo and stretching the elastic. However, with riders now on automatic pilot, it was destination Denbies, arriving well in time for tea. Pam and Ed, delayed by a tractor, made a dramatic entrance.

After tea and tittle-tattle it was time for home, farther for some than others, but still in sunshine. Apologies to those who found the 40 or so miles from Dorking to Denbies a mile or two too far, though congratulations to Pam, who had 92.69 miles behind her and Irene must have done a similar distance on reaching hearth and home.

Jeff

P.S. Has anybody lost a lock? If so, Luc may have it.