Two riders turned out at Cheam BR Station today, Paul White and Bill Martin.
The first direction was towards St Paul’s, Howell Hill south west of Cheam to investigate why the Police were there when I drove past around 0820hrs.
Turns out yet another Audi driver had shoved the front of his or her car into – presumably the night before – a road they thought existed but didn’t!
On my drive home at the roundabout there was a slightly askew road name sign with the tell tale Audi badge and front grill attached! What of the car? The Police had taken it away for safe keeping, bless!
Excitement over, Bill took over with his proper sat nav called ‘A brain’ taking us via the perimeter of the Sutton Grammar School grounds (A new route for me) and then heading in the general direction of Epsom Downs via the usual climb.
We approached the racecourse, (which is currently in full ‘Derby Day organisation mode’) to the west of the ‘Pasty Cafe’ and carried on straight across the middle of the course dropping into Langley Vale.
Bill was feeling frisky and decided the normal Langley Vale route was for softies so suggested we took the climb to the Headley Road. I agreed with this idea as much more entertaining on the lungs!
From then on I was leading the route trying as hard as I could to remember a ‘Steve Edgar’ return route from Leatherhead that he’d shown us a couple of years ago. What I mainly remember of the route was it was post ‘Full English Breakfast’ on a winter’s day, in the opposite direction and a long climb followed by two or three other climbs you don’t want to do after a heavy breakfast!
Approaching Headley Court we turned right, found Stane Street and headed south.
We crossed Reigate Road and then had a naughty little short climb up to the top of the hill. Naughty because the chalk was slippery, neither of us could remember using the path for years and therefore couldn’t remember the gradients for gearing!
At a crossroads of Bridleways we turned right heading north and onto a very nice descent of over a mile.
We then negotiated the crossing over of A24 half way down Givon’s Grove. The other side of that busy road we picked up a bridleway all the way to the cafe in Leatherhead.
……….STOP PRESS: MICK CURTIS IS BACK ON THE BIKE.
On our arrival at the cafe whilst locking the bikes Mick Curtis arrived on only his second ride since the ‘Saturday MTB ride, hip bash and so to hospital trip.’
I for one am very pleased Mick has made such a speedy recovery and look forward to his recovering the fitness and seeing him back riding regularly. Top notch chap!
Our route out of Leatherhead after elevenses was the usual. We went along the railway cycle path at Leatherhead Station and joined the old B24530, once on the route of the club’s ‘London to Brighton’ time trial course.
Alas the old road/route is now cut off and a Cul de sac next to B&Q as the M25 slices through just behind their shop!
We followed alongside the route ‘B243’ gleefully signposted to ‘Chessington World of Adventures,’ which I remember as a child as ‘Chessington Zoo!’ The road was stacked with traffic on this a Bank Holiday weekend and I wondered as I cycled along, “Whatever happened to all those lovely animals in that Zoo?”
At the entrance to Ashtead Common Mick Curtis took a more sedentary route back. ‘Frisky Bill’ and I went across the road and into what I believe is called the “Crown Woods.” Bill took over in this area showing me another route through the woods that I’d not seen before, but is now stored in the ‘Brain Nav.’
After this we were out crossing over the B280 that leads to Oxshott Station and into the woods heading for ‘THE VAMPIRE.”
Bill iggy wiggied his way up to ‘The Vampire’ and despite the gnarly roots and mud we climbed it without problems.
First time in my case!
We also decided that the fallen tree across the path that a regular MTB route user didn’t know about constitutes a ‘Successful first ascent!’ for a newcomer to the hill.
Our route continued, via a new section, just north of the Chessington World of etc etc, unknown to both myself and Bill led out halfway down a place called ‘Barwell Lane’ in the vicinity of the main road crossing to Chessington South Station.
After the climb past Chessington Station we took a right between the houses and headed for the Horton Park area.
The final few miles, nothing to report except every route Bill took was ‘Trees down, they wern’t here when I cycled through eight months ago!”
So his plans to shake me off with new climbs and new routes on the way back? Thwarted by downed trees since the last time he used the routes! Bad Luck Bill!
I loved it, and of course errors in the route will never be mentioned again!
Paul White