A Group 13th March

The Hilly Over 50

All of the usual gang at elevenses in Dorking, ready to test themselves on some of the lumpier bits of Surrey. Some already knew the results of the test, having ridden the real Hilly 50 a couple of days ago. Tough stuff.

So, off up Coldharbour Lane, a bit dull and some flurries of snow. Brian (back marker) and I wasted a few minutes looking for John, having failed to notice that he was ahead of us, then on to Coast Hill and Wooton Hatch, where it was sunny. Swiftly on to Sheephouse Lane, one of the real test pieces of the ride, with a well-deserved pause for photography at the top, then carefully along Friday Street, which had been a bit icy yesterday, but now was fine, though there were still bits and pieces of snow along the banks.

Down to Holmbury St Mary, then up Holmbury Hill to Three Mile Road. Here Paul weighed up a strategic decision, whether to go directly to the pub or to go there indirectly up a big hill. Well, we've all made bigger decisions than that, so Paul went up to the right while the rest of us went swiftly down to the left to Ewhurst in order to get the best out of Pitch Hill.

At the postbox at the Peaslake turn the peleton arrived in twos and threes, giving rise to a regrettable misunderstanding where I told Jeff that those in front had gone straight to the pub, and he thought I had said to go straight on. This gave him some bonus miles but, happily, had little impact on his lunch arrangements as this was one of his fasting days. So that was all right.

A good welcome and good food at the Volunteer, followed by the real pleasure of a steep hill on a full stomach. All that was forgotten when we got to White Down, which is a properly steep hill, and long with it. But we've done this a few times recently, and no-one had any difficulty. It was a slightly surreal climb, though, with Spring sunshine, blue skies but tiny snowflakes falling as we climbed. A sort of snow sun-shower.

Geoffrey peeled off at the corner of Ranmore Common Road, needing to be back in Town early; the rest of us enjoyed the roller-coaster of the common itself, before the usual rapid descent to Chapel Lane. Ray had a problem on the descent, thought to be a puncture but, after investigation with Dave's assistance, turned out not to be.

The rest of us waited at the bottom of Box Hill, had no luck with our telephones and then began to fear that Dave and Ray had stolen a march on us and had gone straight to Annies. So we scooted up Box Hill pretty quickly and on to Annies over Headley Common and down Headley Road. There's more than one way to Annies, and when we all re-grouped there we found that Dave and Ray had completed the route, but that we had just missed them. Paul had also been seen, having had lunch with a friend in Shere, and he too had completed the course. So a very creditable performance all round.

My thanks to Brian and Dave for their efforts as back markers, and to the rest of the group for their company on a good ride which even felt a bit like Spring. If you ignored the snow, that is.

35.59 miles elevenses to tea, rolling average 11.2mph, 3,409 feet of ascent and 1,595 calories.

Mark