16 September - A Group to Littlewick Green.

The weather forecast was grim. Very grim. I wondered how many would turn up - I wouldn't have if I hadn't been leading. Somehow I managed to get to Fairoaks Airport without getting wet but everyone there knew that things were going to get worse. Some were going to return straight home.

However, come the scheduled departure time there were seven brave souls lined up at the gate. Paula, Hans, Ken, Colin, Mick, John, and the man with the map and the worried look.

Gracious Pond Road, Burrowhill, Steep Hill and Woodlands Lane took us to Windlesham and then across the A30 and on to Ascot. Cutting into the racecourse we avoided the High Street and looped around to take the tunnel to the centre of the course. By now the rain was falling but no need for the ark quite yet.

After the main road through Winkfield Row we turned into the quieter lanes to pass through Warfield and Moss End  before a loop over the M4 and on to White Waltham. From here we headed towards Knowl Hill but before reaching there we turned right across the fields to reach our lunchtime stopover at The Cricketers, Littlewick Green.

We arrived just a little bit damp to a warm welcome and promptly served good food. We had avoided the heaviest of the rain forecast but would we be as lucky in the afternoon? The short answer was no.

After lunch we completed our circuit of the White Waltham Airfield and headed south to Drift Road. By the time we got there the rain was falling heavily and the rooster tails of water coming off the rear wheels made keeping together unpleasant. So it was that we all battled individually into the rain and wind for the five mile length of Drift Road.

We regrouped under the trees at the end on the road but the conditions were still getting worse. There were rivers flowing down the roads, and the drivers sat dryly in their tin boxes were not showing quite as much consideration as I would have liked. From here on it was more a matter of survival and getting home than anything else.

Some pushed on ahead, Sunningdale Station appealed to others while I led on towards Chobham. Gracious Pond Road had become Gracious Pond Canal with six inches of water across the full width. After Ottershaw, Addlestone, a grid-locked Weybridge, and Hersham we finally parted in Esher. Nobody had any interest in afternoon tea and I'm sure we would have been turned away from most places as we were all dripping wet.

25 miles Fairoaks to lunch
37 miles Lunch to afternoon tea (taken in my kitchen)

Sadly after all this Hans was knocked off his bike less than a mile from home and ended up in A&E. No broken bones but plenty of cuts and bruises and a broken bike. He hopes to be at Shepperton next week.