Update from Paul Kelly

Just to let you know, it is going to be a long time before I am back with the Wayfarers.

I've been diagnosed with an Empyema - and infection between lung and chest wall. Recovery will be long and slow. I'm on heavy duty antibiotics for a month with much more to follow. I'm seeing a specialist next week to have a sample taken with a view to a chest drain and/or surgery.

Roll on 2018, it can't be any worse than 2017.

~ Paul

Best wishes Paul from all of us and get well soon!

Happy Christmas and New Year from Tony Ashford

Dear Sou'Westers and Midweek Wayfarers,

Just wanted to wish you all a very Happy Christmas and a wonderful New Year. I'd also like to add my thanks and appreciation for all the kind words (and of course many photos) concerning my father Eric. Being the first Christmas that we celebrate without him, it will of course be a little sad, but we also have the memories too. I have many photos of our cycling trips in Britain and Europe which I intend to assemble into an album.

As always, we intend to come for the Tour des Trois Vallees in Dieppe, so maybe we can meet again then. I look forward to that.

Thanks once again, and I wish you all the Seasons Greetings, and of course happy cycling.

Warmest Regards

Anthony, Annett and Alec

 

Terry's drizzly day out

A Group 13th December

Through Hinchley Wood on Manor Road to Seething Wells and then a river hugging ride to the Christmas lunch. Outward through Kingston to Teddington Lock and then back along Broom Road to Kingston Bridge and Barge Walk. Here I learned what I should have found out on the ( iced off) recce:  the tunnel under Kingston Bridge ( thanks Mike) including wet cobbles and the not so all weather nature of the surface at the far end of Barge Walk. ( Sorry!). Then over Hampton Court bridge and theough Thames Ditton to lunch.

It looked quite promising when we left the Angel and I wonder how many got home before the rain. The Barge Walk "yellow soup" was quite effectively jet washed off my bike before I got home rather wetter than I had anticipated. Heading SW straight into the wind and rain wasn't fun.

B Group ride, 13th December

After bidding Irene farewell (date tba) six Bs headed basically south. The ideal route I checked out a few weeks ago included four nice off-road stretches but I thought ‘Perhaps not today’. We wound our way to join the dreaded A244 (Esher-Oxshott road) but only until we could turn into the peace and quiet of Sandy Lane. The road into Cobham wasn’t very busy, from where we headed to Effingham Junction, Effingham and Bookham via the Lower Road. Today’s hill was Bagden from the north where we pulled in to let a large lorry pass. Soon, when descending, we caught up with the lorry – he had met a motorist ascending and they couldn’t pass. The  motorist reversed some distance down Bagden before they could pass. We followed the lorry down, passing the spot where there used to be a notice ‘Beware adders’. The notice has long gone – perhaps the adders couldn’t multiply ?  By now Grant had peeled off and we arrived at The Stepping Stones, Westhumble just before 1300. We had had the odd spot of drizzle but were glad to get in the pub where we dried/warmed up and ate very well, maybe a little slow service but we weren’t in a hurry.

After lunch we all decided to head for home and forego ‘threes’, riding together to Leatherhead then parting company, hopefully arriving home before the rain.

Thanks to Tony for tec and use of phone plus Gill, Liz and Stephanie for company.

~ Terry

A Group Christmas Lunch

We all enjoyed a congenial lunch in the historic Angel Inn, Thames Ditton.  Many thanks to Pam for organising a splendid occasion.

Mark

Worth a read

https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/barometer/advice/travel-advice/cycling-in-icy-conditions

Tony..

6 December - A group ride to Walliswood

With the short days in December the plan was to ride just far enough to work up an appetite, with just enough hills to keep us warm.

Fourteen of us left Cobham and headed out via Ockham, East Clandon and Shere. A few twiddly bits were added for interest but Staple Lane still needed climbing. We headed due south from Shere which meant Pitch Hill and down to Ewhurst before turning to The Scarlett Arms at Walliswood.

Drinks and food was consumed and we were on our way again not long after two o'clock.

Mark's photo of the super-keen riders after lunch. The rest emerged eventually.

Unexpected drizzle started to fall but luckily it didn't get worse and after a while drifted away. Weare Street brought us to Capel and then after Newdigate we headed to Root Hill before Punchbowl Lane.

In order to maximise our riding in the light we pushed on past Denbies and turned up to Headley before descending to the Ashtead Park Garden Centre for tea. Here most ate mince pies to get us in the Christmas spirit for next week.

Thanks to all for a well-disciplined ride, especially Pete for keeping order at the back.

Had to do one of the big cheese!

B Group ride and Christmas Lunch - 6th December

It was an unusually short ride today from elevenses to lunch but hopefully it was far enough to build up an appetite!    I had arranged for thirty five from the group to have lunch at The Angel but unfortunately Bill and Margaret didn't make it. 

Our cycling group arrived just after 12.15, a trifle early, but plenty of time for 'getting the drinks in' and mingling.  The food was served a little after the planned time as we were waiting for a couple of late arrivals.  As usual the service and food was great.

A very, very enjoyable lunch time spent in entertaining company.  Your thanks and appreciation is so welcome - and I  shall be in the same situation again next week - lucky me :):)

Seasons Greetings to all

Cheers Pam :) :)

Thanks to Pam and thanks to the excellent staff at The Angel we had a terrific lunch.

Thanks to Grant for the photos

~ Tim

A Group 6th December

Blokes Inside Pubs ...

A winter's day for Neil's ride today, dull and quite cold.  Over the hills to the Scarlett Arms for a good lunch, and back via Weare Street and Newdigate.  The plan was Ashtead for tea, but Steve punctured just past Bunce Common and Frances and I pushed off to Dorking, as it was getting dark.

So the map's not right, but a decent day out, anyway.

Mark

S U N D A Y R I D E S

Wayfarers Christmas Lunches

For the B Group lunch this Wednesday (6th) and the A Group lunch next week (13th) please remember that The Angel will be serving lunch at 1pm and are expecting us to arrive from 12:30, giving us plenty of time to bag a seat, buy drinks, and to mingle.

See you there.

Cheers, Pam :-)  :-)

Brockham pubs

Hello, has anyone tried the pubs in Brockham as a group ride venue, looking at them as a possible stop in January

Geoff

Wayfarers Contact List

I will shortly be producing an updated contact list of all current members.   If you have moved house, email or phone number, please let me know in the next week... thanks very much.
Simon.    email: simon.lambourn<at>gmail.com

That time of year again!

B Group - 29th November, photos and maps

Outside The Rocket

Tim Gibbons is back at last, with Theresa, Pam (laughing!), Gill, Mike, and Tony the Leader

We get all sorts of people in B Group

Detailed street map on A-Z showing the Marc Bolan Memorial

29 Nov, A group ride to Harrow on the hill

These pictures make it look much warmer than it actually was! 19 intrepid souls set off from Kingston, out through Richmond Park, Sheen, Kew bridge, Ealing, Perivale to Harrow on the hill (yes there is quite a climb at the end but the view is worth it). After a good feed at the White Horse we came back via Northolt, then a long stretch of the Grand Union Canal to Southall, Osterley Park (2nd pic) and back to Pembroke Lodge in Richmond park for tea. Thanks to Hans for the route and Geoff for backmarking (a much harder job than leading!). 

B ride 29/11/17

A very cold day but 23 left the Bradbury centre to wend their way to Putney, but not by the shortest route. Kingston bridge, Bushey park and Teddington to Twickenham, where the easy riders  took and early Brunch in the Barney Arms, and over Richmond bridge and a gentle climb up Richmond hill and into the park. I took a change in the root as it was a cold day left the park via Sheen gate(but no one wanted to use the loos!). Then by many back roads and a brief stop to view the Marc Bolan memorial at Barnes. Onto past the Wetlands centre and towpath to lunch at the Rocket Putney and the welcoming warmth. With 23 riders we could not all sit together but all were seated and fed except for 2 who headed  home for lunch.

All stood in the chill while Tim did his David Baily bit, the photo must be blurred as we all shivering! Off along the Lower Richmond road and back roads upto the South Circular and across into the off road of Putney Park lane to Putney heath, Roehampton, Danebury Avenue and into Richmond park. At this point we were loosing rider as some people were now heading for home, through the park and exiting at Ham gate and across Teddington lock. The group decision not to stop for tea meant at this point I could head for the warmth of the computer screen to write this report.

A short ride on a very cold day with a good crowd, thank you to all who corner marked and to Tim for being back marker.

Tony..

A group ride 29 November

Starting from Kingston Bradbury Centre (KT1 2RA), the ride will be a semi-urban and fairly flat route to Harrow on the Hill (i.e a complete contrast to last week’s ride!). We will head north (into the breeze) passing through Richmond park, Barnes and the enchanting sights of West Ealing to the White Horse in Harrow on the Hill for lunch (http://www.whitehorseharrow.co.uk/~/media/sites/microsites/w/the-white-horse-_-t128/files/2017/may/lunch-may-17.pdf)
After lunch we will follow a long section of the grand union canal (towpath surface is fine for road bikes) before cutting through Osterley Park and returning to Hampton Court for tea.