Six riders out today: Bill Kent, Adam Domaingue, Bill Martin, Tracy Caudle, Mick Curtis and myself leading. The weather had suddenly gone from one extreme to the other as all week it’s been frosty and now today 13°C and overcast.
We set off on our route through Ewell to the Hogsmill River where Trevor got a rear wheel puncture.
A shard of glass was extracted from the tyre, then a new inner tube and lots of expert advice from bystanders and we were on our way again. Out through Horton Park, onto Epsom Common and then the burbs of Leatherhead to the cafe.
We were in luck, the cafe wasn’t too busy and Bill Martin dived through the door and nabbed the table for eight before anyone could lay claim to it. Much nice healthy food at reasonable prices was consumed.
The ride back took us once again through more Leatherhead burbs before we headed up and over the M25. In lower Ashtead we found our footpath across the railway line was blocked off by Network Rail Engineers, and so an alternative crossing under the railway was used further up to access Ashtead Common. I kept to the main trails through here as the clay is exceptionally sticky this time of year. Soon we were back in Horton where I departed from the group to go back to my car. The rest headed back to Cheam and beyond.