It all started off so well ... it was a beautiful day; the 27 out of a total of 28 riders planning to take lunch at the Bull's Head, West Clandon, all arrived in good order saying they had enjoyed the ride which had taken them via Oxshott, Stoke D'Abernon, a 'new-to-most' off-road bridleway across Bookham Common to Effingham Junction station, the Drift, West Horsley and rural Blakes Lane parallel to the busy A246; the pub coped well with the large numbers, with a constant flow of meals being brought outside to us in the sunny garden, identified by individual numbers which does avoid memory lapses on what has been ordered by whom!
After this it all fell in a heap ... several people left early to make their own way home and a couple or so indicated that they would turn off to go back via Cobham. Fine ... only when it came to the time for those people to peel off towards Send Prison, it appears that more people decided to go home that way which caused a big gap between the leader and the rest of the pack. Unaware of all this, the leader turned right towards Ripley at the big Burntcommon roundabout to discover that she had only two followers - Robin and Christine! We stopped to wait for the rest only to see them storm straight across the roundabout! Unable to attract their attention and thinking that back-marker Terry was with them and knowing the route planned would bring them back on track, we three hurried on to see if we could cut them off at the pass in Send Marsh but to no avail, so we turned off and got on to Tannery Lane to take us across to Pyrford and the planned route. At West Byfleet station we saw Dev, one of our missing group, about to take a train home. We gathered him up - now we were four! Shortly afterwards, Terry responded to a phone message - he was just ahead of us at Woodham/New Haw with the rest of the group, we thought, that is until he cycled up on his own to join us!! He and Dev, it appears, had got completely separated at the time of the Cobham group's departure! However, he did know the route. The five of us continued through Row Town, to Chertsey and so to Shepperton Lock for tea. We fully expected to see the others there already but not a sign of them. Having now spoken to one of the missing group, it appears that Norman stepped in and led them back to Ripley and so to Cobham - thank-you, Norman.
Many apologies for what turned into a rather disjoined ride - hopefully all's well that ends well and everyone got back home safely. I wonder if I qualify for any records? Have I beaten Bernard's record for losing riders? Will I have any takers on my next ride?
It was good to see Mike Pontin out with us again and thanks to Terry for being back-marker. Cheers, Gill.
After this it all fell in a heap ... several people left early to make their own way home and a couple or so indicated that they would turn off to go back via Cobham. Fine ... only when it came to the time for those people to peel off towards Send Prison, it appears that more people decided to go home that way which caused a big gap between the leader and the rest of the pack. Unaware of all this, the leader turned right towards Ripley at the big Burntcommon roundabout to discover that she had only two followers - Robin and Christine! We stopped to wait for the rest only to see them storm straight across the roundabout! Unable to attract their attention and thinking that back-marker Terry was with them and knowing the route planned would bring them back on track, we three hurried on to see if we could cut them off at the pass in Send Marsh but to no avail, so we turned off and got on to Tannery Lane to take us across to Pyrford and the planned route. At West Byfleet station we saw Dev, one of our missing group, about to take a train home. We gathered him up - now we were four! Shortly afterwards, Terry responded to a phone message - he was just ahead of us at Woodham/New Haw with the rest of the group, we thought, that is until he cycled up on his own to join us!! He and Dev, it appears, had got completely separated at the time of the Cobham group's departure! However, he did know the route. The five of us continued through Row Town, to Chertsey and so to Shepperton Lock for tea. We fully expected to see the others there already but not a sign of them. Having now spoken to one of the missing group, it appears that Norman stepped in and led them back to Ripley and so to Cobham - thank-you, Norman.
Many apologies for what turned into a rather disjoined ride - hopefully all's well that ends well and everyone got back home safely. I wonder if I qualify for any records? Have I beaten Bernard's record for losing riders? Will I have any takers on my next ride?
It was good to see Mike Pontin out with us again and thanks to Terry for being back-marker. Cheers, Gill.
1 comment:
Do not worry Gill you will certainly still be top of the leaders in my book
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