Mini B Group 18th May

It was a case of 'None but the Brave' as Carolyn, David, Ed, Terry, Tony (Hooker), Vic and I (Gill) set off out into the rain at New Haw at about 11.20 a.m., having waited in vain for any other brave souls who might have ventured this way from Cheam!   As luck would have it, however, the rain had virtually stopped by the time we had reached the Old Woking Road and turned off  into White Rose Lane.  In fact there was a positive brightness in the sky as we crossed Woking Park and found our way on to Hook Heath Road with its huge houses and glimpses of Woking Golf Course.  This took us all the way across to the Bagshot Road, the Brookwood Cemetery Pales and so to The Cricketers at Pirbright for lunch by 12.30 p.m..  When doing the recce and having only a very small kitchen, the pub owners, faced with the possibility of 20 + cyclists, asked me to collect people's requests for lunch at elevenses.  Even though our numbers were somewhat down on that number, I did phone through our choices and it didn't take too long after our arrival for seven baguettes with salad and chips to be delivered to our table.  While we ate, the weather continued to brighten.

Our return route in the afternoon began with a short ride through the tranquil grounds of the Brookwood Cemetery before heading down to the Basingstoke Canal.  With not a ripple on the water and everything washed clean after the rain, it was a lovely ride beside the canal with occasional bursts of sunshine.  We even saw two boats going through a lock - the first time some of us had ever seen a boat moving on the canal!  David had left us at Brookwood and, at West Byfleet, Terry departed for home - thank you for being back-marker.  The remaining five of us left the canal here as well, coming out on to the road into New Haw and followed this all the way to the Garden Centre at Addlestone where we had tea.  Despite it's unpromising start, the day had turned out well in the end.  Thanks to 'the Brave' for your company!  (Gill Finlay)