A group 28 Jan: Shepperton - Windlesham - Brooklands

Well, I would just like to say it was a wonderful day's cycling.  Except that would only be half true.  

We had been promised heavy rain clearing to sunshine and cold winds.  The worst of the rain seemed to happen just before eleven and so fourteen hopeful riders set off in the dry, heading through Chertsey, up Holloway Hill and through Lyne.  Just before crossing the M3, Ralph punctured, and while Geoff and Ralph were attending to the puncture we had a sharp rain shower.  A repeat puncture within a minute of getting started again, and another rain shower, meant that we were getting quite cold, and late, so we took a serious short cut, missing the winding, wooded Wentworth avenues, and heading straight into the wind for several miles to reach our destination, the Surrey Cricketers at Windlesham, a few minutes early.

Generous portions of food arrived promptly although there was a scandalous lack of the advertised salad garnish with the sandwiches.  Apparently the pub had been conducting an experiment, since so many people left the salad garnish, and nobody had mentioned it until we arrived.  As we discussed the pros and cons of garnish, the sun came out and thoughts turned to cycling.

The afternoon was a lot better: well, compared to standing around in the freezing wind and rain on a bridge over the M3, it wasn't difficult.  With the sun shining and the wind at our backs, we breezed south through delightful lanes to West End and on to Chobham, where we had a bit of a blast up the slight inclines of Stonehills and Foxhills Roads.  Across the main road at Ottershaw and down (and up) to Woodham and New Haw, which was a rash of 4x4s, mummies and schoolchildren all over the place. Ignoring the canal towpath, we went the longer way round to the old test track and airfield at Brooklands, where we parked our bikes next to a clutch of Maybach limousines, outside the Mercedes World centre.  Valet parking was advertised but nobody trusted their bikes to the staff.  Inside, an aircraft-hangar sized temple to the motor car - well it could have been a bad choice for cyclists, but it was warm, there was tea and cake, and there were exhibits of vintage cars as well as a Formula 1 car to inspect and admire.

Top marks to Geoff and Dave for back marking, and a warm welcome to Peter Bowles on his first outing with the As.  Good company and bad luck with punctures.  A pathetic 27.6 miles from elevenses to tea, and an unimpressive 1030 feet of climbing (that's just 314 metres), left us all wishing for the good old days when we used to do hills....