What a wonderful, sunny, if cold winter's day for a ride. So thought almost all the regular A riders and we ended up with 22 on the ride to be joined by Mark and Maggie at lunch.
Steve Duffin's group was away first and reported:
I was
first away from Cobham with Ged, Fiona, Dave W, Dave B, Hans, Patrick
and Mike. It was a bitterly cold day and so riding through Great Bookham
Common was firm under tyre. It was beautifully sunny so we were able to
appreciate the scenery in the short cut to Effingham.The roads were
quiet and we soon found ourselves on Ranmore Common looking forward to
the descent to Denbies Vineyard after some tiring, post Xmas, ascending.
We stopped to record the view of Dorking and the valley which was
stunning. After the ascent of Punchbowl lane the roads were reasonably
fast and we made good time, arriving at The Dolphin at 12.05 pm. Mark
and Maggie were there to greet us, having arrived on their Tandem. We
had a good lunch in the warmth of the pub, but managed to tear ourselves
away, leaving at 1.10 pm.
Dave
Ward and Fiona left us at the Denbies roundabout to make their own way
back. The afternoon ride was equally quiet up 'Little Switzerland', but
by now the sky was clouding up more and we felt the cold. I chose the
rough Motts Hill Lane on the way back which cut half a mile from our
ride. We were soon descending Downs Road into Epsom and soon arrived at
Alexandra Park for tea at 2.30 pm. Ged and Mike availed themselves of
the tartan blankets, but we didn't hang around as it was getting colder.
Everyone went their separate ways home.
Thanks
to Brian for a route with a bit of everything. Hills, scenery,
woodland, fast and quiet roads and tracks was just perfect to start 2022
after the slow Xmas break. Thanks also to Dave Ward for tirelessly back
marking and encouraging me on the hills. A lovely, sunny ride in a
winter wonderland with no mechanicals, excellent!
Finally my group of Frances, Dave and Jennie, Richard, Dave F, Steve W and Simon departed. I have little to add to Steve's report except to add that there was still ice on the shadier parts of Hogden Lane requiring careful progress. Like the others we stopped above Denbies for a photo..
3 comments:
Nice shadows on forth picture,! ,but aren't those bikes laying on their duraillleurs. ??
If they are they will soon be shell-shocked and gear selection well and truly scrambled.
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