Report for Easy Riders - 17th August

We met for elevenses at Handley's Cafe in Ashtead and it was agreed that we should have lunch at the Stepping Stones, Westhumble - that is the usual way of planning rides for the Easy Riders. We turned right from Rookery Hill into Farm Lane towards Headley and took the left fork along Walton Road and Hurst Lane. At the junction we turned left and soon after right down Slough Lane/Tumber Street which seemed to be used mainly by horses judging by the remains scattered all along. At the end we turned right and soon left down Lodgebottom Road where we encountered a "Road Closed" sign. Undeterred (we're hardened cyclists, after all) we just carried on to soon find out why - a tree had fallen across the road leaving a gap of less than a metre between road and tree. One or two tried limbo dancing but in the end we all crawled through on all fours and dragged our bikes after.

Lunch was a little delayed as there were staff shortages - a sign of the times. For various reasons we left in dribs and drabs along the A24 and it was only Helen Tovey and myself who stopped for tea at the Old Moat.

John