Report for B Group - 23rd February

Seventeen jolly wayfarers took part in the ride to Redhill Aerodrome, however whilst we were looking at the airman’s grave in Mickleham church yard our friend Ian went missing, never to be seen again.

We thought we had spotted him in Brockham so I gave chase, but it turned out to be a chap called Malcolm. 😂

I thought it would be an idea to have a non alcoholic lunch so I decided on the Pilot’s Hub, but I was unaware that it was licensed to sell alcohol 🍺. Jacqui even took some home with her!! 

We finished up having afternoon tea at the Coffee House in Tadworth. Very nice too.

Hope you all enjoyed your day.

Kind regards

Pete

 

Paul's report

Not for the first time this year the weather fronts in the South East of the country opened up like the waters of the Red Sea to give us a pleasant Wednesday's cycling in London in a week of otherwise horrific floods and storms.

Our group, 618 Squadron, rolled up in dribs and drabs to Charlie and Gingers and although the sub-leader timed his approach to perfection, some had clearly been sipping their coffee awhile and when departure time came others were just tucking in to their lemon drizzles.

Nine of us set out in the sunshine and wind and by using the Leisure Centre grounds, the path that criss-crosses the River Mole and the Old London Road through Mickleham Pete had done well to plot a route that made very familiar territory more interesting (and, being a Pete ride, more hilly).  Punchbowl Lane was our first serious climb of the day and we then touched on the Annual Downhill course to approach Brockham differently.  We cycled along pleasant Surrey lanes, many devoid of traffic at first, past Enid Blyton places like Snower Hill and Wilderness Wood and up our second serious challenge, Trumpeter's Hill.  Over rivers and under assorted railway bridges we made out way in the direction of war-torn Donetsk until we found (for some of us, rediscovered) Redhill Airport for lunch.

The food was nice, and certainly in huge quantities even if the initial welcome was a bit Fawlty Towers and we all had to calculate our bills (fortunately we are from generations that can do mental arithmetic) but the overall experience was a good one and the afternoon was almost a different ride altogether.  First, the temperature had fallen a few degrees and the sun had gone elsewhere, but the route sent us up Fullers Wood Lane to warm us up.  It worked!

Next on the menu, after Merstham, was Markedge Lane.  These were all familiar roads, but we seemed to be riding them the wrong way; upwards!  It doesn't matter which way you take Rectory Lane of course, and we even managed to incorporate the steepest bit of the A217.  Just as we had brilliantly timed lunch to shelter us from the cold shower, so we managed the same trick for tea at The Coffee House in Tadworth, from where we made our separate homeward ways.

 

A splendid ride, Pete, for which thanks.  Thanks too for the company of Tim and Tim, Sue and Steph, Martin and Colin and Grant.  Thanks to Tim for the route correction at a vital moment, and Terry for backmarking in the morning.  At least two of us who turned up low spirited and slightly reluctant finished the day in much better heart.

Paul