Easy Riders - 17th October

Ron led this ride, in place of Roger, taking a dozen or so Easy Riders into Horton Country Park. The first stop was a sequoia (giant redwood) tree where a lesson in how to measure the height of a big tree was given to the baffled group. Part two of the lesson entailed learning how to assess the age of such a tree. Once the group had recovered they soldiered on, up onto the old railway embankment where the Horton Light Railway used to convey coal and other essential supplies to the five hospitals in the complex. They carried on past a small brick building which is believed to have once housed an electrical generator for emergency lighting for the hospitals but which is now used as a bat roost. After carrying on around the old railway path as far as the small museum, for a quick visit, the peloton resumed the course around the railway to West Park in the hope of seeing a peregrine falcon which is known to live on the old boiler house smoke stack. Sadly he or she was not in residence. Thence to Epsom Common and the Stew Ponds and on to Ashtead for a lunch of fish and chips for some and to The Woodman for others. After lunch the group rode on to 'The Wells' which was the original source of Epsom Salts, and into the Day Centre nearby to be treated by Ron to a cup of tea. The final educational excursion of the day was to another small museum in the foyer of the David Lloyd Centre to learn how the five hospitals were provided with hot and cold running water, as well as gas and electricity.

- Ron W.