Friday, April 12, 2013

A Group - 10 April 2013

Hunger's End - Tulley's - Denbies

Fourteen riders were at the start at Merstham for today’s ride. The weather, though not exactly balmy, nevertheless was a good bit warmer without the Siberian winds we had the previous week. Our departure was delayed by the first of today’s minor mechanicals, caused by Ray’s rear brakes binding. Mark’s mini tool soon solved the problem, and we were on our way. The route was pretty flat today, the only bit of modest uphill being to get across the A25 ridge. On the descent, the next mechanical occurred, with Hans’s front wheel starting to squeal. While a bit of judicious bolt tightening was dealing with this, Pete’s rear mudguard decided to separate into two sections, resisting efforts to join it together with those stand bys of every cyclist’s tool kit, insulating tape and elastoplast.
These crises being dealt with, we carried on our way, past Outwood Mill, Brickhouse Lane, then into Copthorne, before turning into Old Hollow. This being the ‘A’Group’s Centenary Teetotallers’ Day Out, lunch was taken at Tulley’s Farm,near Turner’s Hill, where we partook of some decent home cooked fare, though I dare say we could have managed a bit more on the liquid front.
Rain had been forecast for the late afternoon, so we didn’t hang about after lunch, as we headed back along the Balcombe Road into Horley, then along the picturesque Lonesome Lane to Reigate, and so through the lanes into Dorking, where we had tea at Denbies.
I got home in the dry, as I hope everybody else did, with 55 miles on the clock, having enjoyed a good workout in very congenial company.

Rob

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