B Group ride - 6th February

What a difference a week and 10 degrees make!!  Gone were the icy conditions of last Wednesday and it felt as if Spring had arrived, especially when the sun broke through the rather threatening dark clouds later in the morning and we saw snowdrops by the roadside along Green Dene!  It was a group of 16 riders who set out from Cobham along a straightforward route through Downside to East Horsley where we joined the Epsom Road & turned left, heading for Green Dene, known for being the start of a couple of climbs.  Today, we took the left turn, up the challenging hill on Crocknorth Road, challenging enough for only a handful of people to arrive at the top without having had to put foot to ground!  A packet of jelly babies was circulated to celebrate the summit and there was appreciative talk of an extremely considerate postman in his van who had been tolerant of the wobbling pack trying to keep going or to get back on their bikes.  With everyone suitably revived after the climb, we set off to enjoy (I hope) the undulations where the speed from downhill almost carried one to the top of the next rise along Ranmore Common Road.  The sun was shining by now and the final steep descent to Chapel Lane soon had us arriving at the pub, the Stepping Stones, West Humble, for lunch.  An area big enough for 20 riders had been set aside for us and a very jovial young man called Andrew happily took our orders & even took the obligatory group photo organised by Pete Beyer.

We set off again at 2.00 p.m. along the familiar route to Leatherhead and across to Stoke D'Abernon where 10 of us stopped for teas & coffees at Squires before heading home.  Thanks to Carolyn for back-marking and to the occasional corner markers when these were needed.  With a bit of luck, this taster of Spring will continue next week.

~ Gill Finlay