Easy Riders - 19 Dec

I led 10 riders for our Christmas meal today at The Grumpy Mole in Cheam (alias The Bell). From Leatherhead Day Centre, we went back over the bridge and through the back roads of Epsom into Ewell Village and through Nonsuch Park. From the exit, we took a right up to Nonsuch High School and the pub is opposite. We locked our bikes in the back garden and were escorted to a very nice table, set in an alcove with white table linen. We all chose various dishes; from bar snacks of bagettes and sandwiches to home made pie and veg and filled jacket potato with home made coleslaw. We all agreed it was very nice food and a bit special! (and I was very impressed with the toilets). It certainly is very different now to the 7 years when I worked there.

Lynda.

Happy Christmas, everyone. See you all in the New Year!

Easyriders Wednesday 12th December

Caught the tale end of Linda leading out from North Cheam just as they approached the footpath to Berrylands.  Wondered why they were walking and soon discovered that three of them had gone down on an icy patch.  We proceeded with caution to Kingston where Sandy decided her knee would be better off at home in a hot bath.  Lingering over coffee we eventually braved the cold to ride across the Fairfield, up Elm Rd into the park, out by the Ham Gate across the front of Ham House, caution again on the tow path to Richmond, then across the bridge and quickly to the warmth of The London Apprentice.  Brian and Ron ate out.  The rest of us thawed out.  We then returned by similar route but took Teddington side of the Thames.  Prettiest sight was the frozen cobwebs as we crossed the bridge at Teddington Lock.  Thanks to all for the company.

Easy Riders - 12th December

 

 

  

The map shows Stephanie's route from Kingston to Isleworth but differs from the official return journey after lunch.

Easy Riders - 28th November

David Salmon's route with the Easy Riders from Teddington to The Woodman in Ashtead and home to Tea in Nonsuch Park
(click on the map once, or twice, and scroll as necessary to see the whole thing)

  GPS data gathered by Ron W.

Easy Riders 21 November

Just a small group for today's ride due to the weather.

I led Sandy, John C., Norman, Ron and Brian from Claygate day centre the back way to Hook down to Chessington. We turned right at Derek Avenue and continued to Ruxley Lane, crossed and went down the alley to the front of Ewell Court. Here we lost Ron and Brian. Did they go a different way? We shall see. Continuing the back roads we turned right at Green Lane and crossed over to Longmead. Another right to Manor Green Road took us to The Cricketers at Stamford Green. Here we had arranged to meet Sonia for lunch. Although it had stopped raining when we left the day centre we put on waterproofs when we got to Chessington. We had lunch and still the rain came down; so decided to have coffee there. It was still raining when we left, so decided to go our separate ways home.

Lynda.

Easy Riders Christmas Lunch

Lynda is to lead on 19th December instead of Mike and has asked me to post the following:

From Leatherhead day centre on Wednesday 19th December, would you like to join us for xmas lunch/bar menu at 'The Grumpy Mole' (alias The Bell) in Cheam.  It has just had a refurbishment and opened on Wednesday this week.  I have booked for 10; so just let me know if you are interested.  

Lynda

Easy Riders - 7th November

Route taken by Mike with a small group of Easy Riders, with lunch in Bookham

Easy Riders - map for 24th October

better late than never...

David's route from Walton DC to The Red Lion in Thames Ditton for lunch and then to Ewell Court Library for Tea

Easy Riders 31 October

Some eight riders left Nth Cheam: Cliff Angie & Les, Les J, Norman, Sandy and Lynda,I've forgotten one, heading for our coffee stop at the Kings Centre Chessington, where tea coffee and cakes were enjoyed by all including David & Wendy, Sonia, Brian and Roger who joined us there. Suitably refreshed we continued our ride having lost Angie & Les and Norman who had other fish to fry.

Due to Blackhills now having stopped cyclists and pedestrians passing thro we had to bypass it and continue to Sandy Lane to make our way to the Running Mare at Cobham. This is a good Pub and I think we all enjoyed a good lunch and a good old natter, during which in respect of the problems in America we nicknamed Sandy " Hurricane". Tea was programmed to be taken at Lynda's favourite place, 5 on the Bridge at Hampton Ct. Cliff was only sure of half the route so David provided the knowledge when Cliff's ran out and we all arrived safely. After tea we split with Brian, David & Wendy and Roger heading towards the Kingston area and Cliff, Lynda, Sandy and Sonia towards Cheam in the patchy but hard rain. Part of the way Sonia split, leaving 3 of us to return to the start. 29 miles clocked by me.

Cliff

Easy Riders - 17th October

Ron led this ride, in place of Roger, taking a dozen or so Easy Riders into Horton Country Park. The first stop was a sequoia (giant redwood) tree where a lesson in how to measure the height of a big tree was given to the baffled group. Part two of the lesson entailed learning how to assess the age of such a tree. Once the group had recovered they soldiered on, up onto the old railway embankment where the Horton Light Railway used to convey coal and other essential supplies to the five hospitals in the complex. They carried on past a small brick building which is believed to have once housed an electrical generator for emergency lighting for the hospitals but which is now used as a bat roost. After carrying on around the old railway path as far as the small museum, for a quick visit, the peloton resumed the course around the railway to West Park in the hope of seeing a peregrine falcon which is known to live on the old boiler house smoke stack. Sadly he or she was not in residence. Thence to Epsom Common and the Stew Ponds and on to Ashtead for a lunch of fish and chips for some and to The Woodman for others. After lunch the group rode on to 'The Wells' which was the original source of Epsom Salts, and into the Day Centre nearby to be treated by Ron to a cup of tea. The final educational excursion of the day was to another small museum in the foyer of the David Lloyd Centre to learn how the five hospitals were provided with hot and cold running water, as well as gas and electricity.

- Ron W.

Easy Riders - 10th October

Ron led the Easy Riders from Hersham after the AGM to Esher Green for lunch and then to the Kings Centre in Chessington for Tea and cake.

Easy Riders - 3rd October

Mike's route from Cobham to the Barley Mow in West Horsley and then back home through Leatherhead after lunch:

(GPS data gathered and donated by Ron)

Easy Riders - 26th September

Stephanie's ride from Weybridge to The Flowerpot in Sunbury and then to Kingston

Easy riders Wednesday 26th September - Weybridge

Sunny days, blue skies, ice-creams. (Or the story of Ron's bell)

If you see Ron on his maroon AW Cycles machine please take note of the historic artefact attached to his handlebars.  If you are a radio listener you may have heard Ron demonstrating the mouth-watering tinkle of the ice-cream vendor's bell across the airways of the UK last week.  His bicycle bell was once attached to an ice-cream cycle cart that sold ice-creams on Wimbledon Common.  The bell broke and Ron's mate paid out 7/6 for a new one giving the old one to Ron which he duly mended and has used on his bicycle ever since.  Ron's voice has also been heard across the loud speaker system in Sainsbury's at North Cheam reciting The Listeners by Walter de la Mare but that's another story....      

For those interested in the ride, there were four takers, two were lost temporarily on Penny Lane (later retrieved), lunch at the Flower Pot was very good.  The rain did enhance the autumnal colouring in Bushy Park.  Thanks for an entertaining day as always with the easy riders, Brian, Malcolm, Ron and Cliff (watch that man as he now has enough for a cheap weekend in Paris).                                 

Easy Riders - 19th September

Lynda's ride from Ashtead to The Harrow in Chessington for lunch and then to Ewell Court Library for Tea

Tea time at Ewell Court Library

Easy Riders - September 12th

I led 10 of us from Leatherhead Day Centre & it was nice to see Hellga out with us. We went through Leatherhead along Randalls Rd past Randalls Cemetery then onto Woodlands Lane then onto Stoke Rd past the Chealsea football training ground & then towards Cobham where we had lunch at the Runningmare pub.

After sitting in the sunshine having our lunch we went through Cobham onto the Fairmile & Blackhills, through Arbrook Common onto Claygate along Woodstock Lane then we went to the Kings Centre in Chessington where we had tea & cake & after that we all made our way home.

from Roger M.

Easy Riders - 12th September

Roger's route from Leatherhead DC

Note that due to an issue with the collection of GPS data for this ride I have reconstructed the pre-lunch part of the ride from Roger's notes. This is represented by the dotted line.

Easy Riders 5 September

Wayfarers - Easy Riders - C Group 5th September - Cobham

I was standing in for Lynda who had arranged an alternative Tour de France. There was a dearth of Easy Riders but we made up a very select group 6. John, Roger, Brian, Mick (I hope I got the name right) Norman and myself. Roger suggested a visit to The New Inn at Send, this met with approval and we set of in that direction. We followed the usual route, Plough Lane, Hatchford, and Guiles Lane. We had intended to go via Hungry Hill but were greeted by ROAD AHEAD CLOSED sign. Not wishing to risk the chance of meeting a complete impasse (and not being overly keen on that particular hill) we dutifully followed the diversion signs skirting Ripley to find our way to Potters Lane and eventually The New Inn at Send. (Brian had a front wheel puncture but was not far behind us). 

 It was a delightful day for cycling and we were pleased to eat lunch in warm sunshine in the garden overlooking the canal. Mick had left us just before lunch so we were down to five. We found the Inn welcoming and reasonably priced. There seemed to be a lot of renovation work going on, and I was slightly worried to see a sign advertising for a Manager and Staff - that does not always bode well. Hope I am wrong - we shall see. Present staff are very pleasant and looking forward to Sunday 16th September when the Tour of Britain passes the pub - bringing a lot of custom they hope.

After lunch we set off for Ripley via the towpath and Papercourt Lock (minus Norman) 1 down 4 to go.) We stayed as a group of four until The Black Swan cross-road where Roger and Brian made for Cobham. John and I headed for Effingham, John for a train, and I for home.

Mike W

Easy Riders, 22nd August

Roger's ride from Shepperton Greeno to Thorpe for lunch, thence to Hampton Court (?) for Tea

Photos and GPS data by Ron W.

Easy Riders 15 August

We had a change of leader last week as we decided to visit Phill Marx in Teddington Memorial Hospital after lunch en route to 3's.

David S. led our group through Richmond Park over to Petersham and to the river to Richmond bridge. We had lunch at The London Apprentice, sitting outside. A nice pub, one of my favourites for location and food. About six of us continued to Teddington to visit Phill. He looks well, with rosy cheeks and extra weight. He says he is eating well but misses not being able to ride in the fresh air. We left him a Cycling Weekly with Olympic photos; we also signed a card for him to read and keep. On the way out I asked a nurse if they could take him in a wheelchair to the garden to sit outside when the weather is good. She seemed very amenable and said they would take him out the next day. As we left, we saw Phil walk with his zimmer frame. He seems well in himself; and says his daughter cycles over to see him. On the way back, David showed us Mo Farah's gold post box in Teddington High Street. We had our photo taken by a passer-by, so maybe that will come on the blog next. We continued through Bushy Park and stopped at 5 at the Bridge for tea.

Lynda