Eight out today. Ed Pegg, Bill Kent, Adam Domaingue, Tracy Caudle, Trevor Kite, myself, guest rider Mark Davies trying the club out for the first time, with Bill Martin as leader today. The weather was bright and sunny, although there was still a chill to the air. The route: Ewell, Hogsmill River, Chessington South, Barwell Farm Road and around the back of Chessington World of Adventures.
Riding the elephant apparently.
It was then out towards Esher Common, over the A3 and a drop into Cobham from the residential north side. Then over the River Mole into Downside and short, but steep climb up Telegraph Hill. We descended the last mile across the Common through devastation caused by the Highways Agency, a large area bereft of trees which is supposed to restore the original ecology of the area, go figure?
At Ockham Bites we met the Kingston Phoenix who were stopping on a short break before heading on to Woking for lunch. This was the cross over option were our club riders could continue on with the Phoenix for a longer ‘all day’ type ride. Tracy and Trevor decided to continue on and the rest of our club stayed at Ockham for our main stop.
Our return journey, back track to Downside as there are still limited options because the new bridges are still not open. On to Bookham Common, Fetcham, crossing the Mole at River Lane and back through the north west corner of Leatherhead to Epsom Common and Horton Country Park where I left the group to continue onto Cheam.