A Group 11th July

An early start at North Cheam, but a small turn-out; holidays and weather had taken their toll on numbers.  Les was there to say 'Hello' - his arm is in a sling -  a minor op will keep him off the road for a couple of weeks.  So, few in numbers but strong riders all, we set off towards Hookwood and points South.  Over Epsom Downs, through Walton on the Hill, down Pebblecombe, through Betchworth, Leigh and Norwood Hill to Tesco's at Hookwood, where we were sure that our chums would be waiting.

Well, Jeff was there.  We started our breakfast and chatted a bit, then, just as we were going, John turned up.  Steph signed off at this point - she wasn't out for the full day - so our numbers were one up, on aggregate.

Onwards and upwards, with some interesting byways to avoid the traffic of the Gatwick area, cresting Turner's Hill in warm sunshine.  However, looking South, the sky was entirely black.  Jeff concluded that this was an omen, portending an early return home, giving us a team of six, just as at the start.

Off into the gathering gloom, Dave remarking that you rather expected houses to be thrown out of the cloud, as in disaster movies, past the reservoirs at Ardingly (where the storms have flooded the road) then on towards Horsted Keynes.  Remarkably, the nearer we got, the more the dreadful cloud moved off towards the East, and it was sunny when we arrived at the pub.

We felt rather smug when our East Sussex friends told us that they had ridden up under the black cloud and were consequently soaked, but it was sunny enough to sit in the garden and chat while they dried out.  A very good meeting - to be repeated next year - with mutual friends identified and tours discussed - then it was time to head for home.

No problems for a while.  There was indeed a black cloud ahead of us, but, hey, we knew all about black clouds ...   Well, we soon did.  As we passed Wierwood Reservoir it began to rain.  Not much, but steady, and steadily increasing.  By the time we had passed East Grinstead it was really, really wet and we took to a bus shelter for a few minutes, leaving when the rain was so reduced that it was only pouring.  Geoffrey peeled off at this point, heading for Gatwick to make a conference call, and the rest of us took another interesting byway to Horne, where the sun was shining.  On towards Bletchingley, and here was another black cloud.  No messing about with this one - thunder, squalls and stinging hail.  We hid under some trees for a bit.  Then on towards White Hill, which we adroitly avoided along Spring Bottom Lane, and into Rockshaw Road, which was steaming in the sun.  

Briskly up to Fanny's and a welcome pot of tea.  'Inside or Out?'  We went for Inside, and, before the first cup was finished there was a roaring on the roof and a clap of thunder ...

42.4 miles elevenses to tea, rolling average 12.4 mph.  It felt less.  62.41 miles from Cheam.  It felt more.  That's Summer for you.

Mark