Four riders left Cheam Station at 0900hrs. Mick Ayliffe, Paul White, Trevor Hughes (Leader) and Dave Elliott.
The weather was overcast and temperatures hovered at 5C. It was to be a boggy ride with some slow going, but this wasn’t unexpected after Good Friday’s torrential rain.
Our initial route took us out across Nonsuch Park, Priest Hill and through the back streets of Epsom. Mick chose to head straight for the elevenses spot, the cafe at Walton on the Hill, whilst we headed out across a very boggy Ashtead Common.
After crossing the railway line and Ashtead High Street we passed the now “Closed for the foreseeable future Biker Beans” and headed up towards Stane Street and then onto various bridleways in the direction of Headley.
I had a minor fall in amongst the mud and the crud which normally happens when a sapling takes a fancy to your handlebars as you pass!
The last couple of miles to the tea stop were via Hurst Road – a long drag climb – which loosened a few cobwebs on my climbing legs today which is no bad thing.
We caught up with Mick at the tea stop which was busy due to fall out from the closed Biker Beans site.
After elevenses we elected to go our separate ways some due to time restraints, some due to being lucky enough to be at the top elevation of their ride and all down hill to home. Mick and myself elected to head back via the road to Cheam.
I left Mick at Tattenham Corner on The Downs to head off road for the rest of the ride back which proved useful timing wise because I now know Mick’s route by road is around three minutes faster.
I caught sight of Mick using the crossing at the A240 Nescott College area and got stuck waiting at the same crossing.
From then on it was just fleeting glimpses as I got caught at the next two major crossing by traffic that didn’t catch my man in front.
Good ride chaps.
For me twenty miles in around two hours nineteen minutes.
Paul White.