Ride Report - 'A' Group Weds 13 Nov 2024

I always start humming when I arrive at Baker Street, can't think why....  Then I start listening for the sounds of the hansom cabs and the cries of the street urchins! Anyway, the 'Baker Street irregulars' were out in force today for the ride to Camberley.  There were 24 of us and no last minute drop-outs - is this a record?  With so many booked on I had masterminded a tale of two cafes, with two groups at Cafe Verditer and my group at Cafe Enzo (this worked out well with plenty of choices and excellent, efficient service).

All groups set off punctually, as far as I can tell, and after a sluggish start owing to a couple of footbridges, my group were soon in their stride pacing through glorious tree tunnels of autumn colour!    Nearing Gracious Pond the cries of 'The game is afoot, Watson' rang out as we spied and passed a group of 'B's ahead of us.   Then we cruised on on my relatively short route to Wetherspoons, Camberley, arriving well before 12.30 pm.   I know this isn't a record, but at least it felt like it - well ridden, my group! 

Wetherspoons wasn't too busy and we were back on our bikes before 1.30 pm for a slightly longer ride back to tea at Shepperton.   A few initial climbs out of the way and we were soon cruising back through familiar territory.   There was one short overlap with the outbound route which, for purist me, spoilt the symmetry of the thing a bit, but probably no one else noticed!

It clouded over a bit on the way back, giving the impression of a setting sun, but all my group were back at tea before 3.00 pm, and hopefully, home by nightfall.

Many thanks to Sue C, Sue F, Sue F, Diane P, Paula B, Simon L and Gill H for putting up with it all in my group, and to Dave V for steadfastly back-marking us all day!   Many thanks too to everyone in the other groups for your company, and for supporting the ride.

Of his group's experiences Steve D writes as follows; I share an interest with Dave W in plotting routes that use quiet tracks and interesting places. So it was no surprise to me that I couldn't work out from the ride notes where the route went, until I understood that the plan was a figure of 8. Then it all made sense, but in the process of downloading the gpx file I noticed the route in places was 10 feet from the road or track and that there were shared roads. Not good for navigating accurately, but a problem with my sat nav software rather than Dave's route planning. Anyway, I replotted the route into two sections, there and back which helped me on the ride. Fortunately I had a co leader in Neil C so back up is always good. So with Brian, Richard, Clive, Dave F, Dave J and Jennie as back marker we set off. Everything went fine, although Neil decided to take a short cut because he was familiar with the roads out of Weybridge. 

We met him again waiting for us in Bridge Road and we shared the lead with Neil out front as a roving point man. The autumn colours of the trees was magnificent, especially in Gracious Pond Road. Everything went well through Addlestone and Ottershaw, Windlesham and Bagshot until we came to the A30. I had plotted the ride on the road, but Neil suggested the footpath and I have to say the road itself was very busy so a good call. Looking at the route again I realised I had plotted it incorrectly and should have been on the footpath anyway, which turned out to be empty. I knew from the ride notes there was a hidden left turn after the fire station off the footpath and so we crossed the road to the left side. At this point my sat nav froze for some inexplicable reason. Neil did his roving thing and shot off ahead and I followed.

Unfortunately, as there seemed to be no one behind, I went back and found Jennie our back marker and the others with Richard who had suffered a puncture on the footpath, at the place where we should have turned left. Jennie and I stayed with Richard and the others went ahead as the Robert Duvall wasn't far away. After two inner tubes and discovering a second hole in the rubber poor Richard finally fixed his puncture. By this time I had solved my sat nav problem and Neil appeared. He had missed the turning as well and met up with Dave W's group on the return to us. Finally we all regrouped at Wetherspoons, Richard having two leaders and a back marker to get there!

After a hearty lunch we set off again. Fortunately my replotting proved wothwhile as we took the correct Brackendale Road out of Camberly and not Tekel Road which was very close. After I had made a couple of wrong turns, Neil took point again and we had a quick cross way over the Lightwater by pass followed by West End and Chobham. Back along the never ending Stonehill road until Chertsey Bridge and familiar roads to the The Ferry cafe. Here we met B riders and swapped stories. A thoroughly excellent day out thanks to Dave W for his impeccable planning (not impeccable enough, apparently!!! - Ed). Thanks to my fellow leader Neil C for his invaluable help and Jennie Jackson for solidly back marking.

Many thanks for that, Steve.    Particular credit goes to you, Mike R, and Neil C for volunteering to sub-lead - it's not as easy at it looks to lead a group following someone else's route blind, as it were, and the ride could not have taken place without them!    Oh  and thanks to Andy C for the best pictures here!