Report for B Group ride to Christmas Lunch on 8th December

Dave C writes:

The hard part of the ride today was just getting to the start at Squires in Stoke D'Abernon, since the Wind was in a hurry, but going in the opposite direction to us.

The Christmas bonus for us Wayfarers, was the fact that the weather forecast was for rain which didn't descend upon us.

Thanks to my fellow cyclists in the starter group consisting of Tim G, Bob P, John A, Arwyn, Jacqui, Francis. The starting gun however wasn't fired exactly on time.

Francis was blessed with a puncture after about seven miles, his second one of the day. Foam solution was injected by a fellow group member which reduced the puncture to a slow puncture. At which point the following mains group overtook us. Next it was Arwyn's turn to be infected with a puncture.  

The ride flowed along well and we arrived at our lunch destination The Angel Inn at Thames Ditton at 12.30pm.

The conversation flowed well at our Christmas Lunch. The food service was efficient, and the food was pleasant to consume.  The Angel is a good venue in which to gather and enjoy our meals. 

Manys thanks to Pam for organising.
 
It was a bit disappointing that some of our riders weren't able to be with us today, for one reason or another.   

Dave (Fixie) 

(Photos from Arwyn)

Tim C writes:

Thanks to Dave for planning routes to deliver us all to lunch in good time. Dave's team arrived bang on 12:30 just a couple of minutes behind our team led by Peter Tiller, by which time Tony Hooker's team were well settled in the pub.

In the hope of attracting folk who prefer an easier ride Peter had designed a 12 mile route to suit his departure with the last team out of Squires. To pad the distance out we started with an excursion down Tilt Road before heading up Leigh Hill Road and what in normal times would have been a superfluous loop through Fairmile before heading to the A307 and off into West End Lane. In keeping with the meandering spirit of the ride we made another loop past the Wayneflete Tower then around the back of the racecourse and on towards Hampton Court before parading through Thames Ditton to the pub.

Thanks to Peter for his efforts to bamboozle us without actually getting us all lost.

Lunch was very good and was delivered by brisk and cheerful staff. When I arrived at The Angel Brian Bent buttonholed me and although he didn't stay to dine with us he asked if I could ask everyone to sign a card which he had made suggesting that we then present it to the staff after the dinner. Here it is ...

 Lest the detail is hard to see here is a photo of Brian's original, a Christmas scene at the Angel:

Fortunately for us all it wasn't snowing but we had all experienced a chilly headwind for our earlier ride to Squires. We'll just have to imagine that the pub was looking like this.

Thanks so much to Pam for her work to organise this event for us all to enjoy and thanks to Simon, our Treasurer, for his part in collecting payments.

After lunch Dave and Tony and others rode down to The Old Moat for Tea and Coffee (and Cake??).

~ Tim