Ryka's and Bikers; Beginners from Sutton 29 May

 

from Steve H

 

With viral variants still rearing their ugly heads our group of six met at Sutton library on Saturday for Paul's ride to Ryka's cafe at the foot of Box Hill. A warm and sunny day at long last had me riding in short-sleeved shirt and cycling shorts, a mixed blessing as it turned out (vide infra). I was careful to take all necessary precautions for the abnormal weather conditions and lathered myself in sun cream before setting out only to realise shortly after we started that I had forgotten to do my forearms. This necessitated a short shop stop and when I climbed Quarry Park Road, I found the others at the top chatting to Nigel who was on his way to Nonsuch Park for the afternoon rides. We skirted the park to join the London Road down through Ewell and Epsom where the town centre avoiding route took us past Epsom hospital and out towards Ashtead. At the garden centre, which is one of our cafe stops, we turned down Pleasure Pit Road - where did they get that name? On through Ashtead Park and across the main Leatherhead Road to reach the footpath that crosses the M25 into Leatherhead proper.

At the junction at the top of the High Street we passed the imposing building that houses the Letherhead Institute (sic), this has the older spelling of the name carved over the entrance door. The Dorking Road out of Leatherhead starts with a short descent at the bottom of which is the beginning of a cycle path that provides a safe traffic-free route down the Mickleham bypass towards Dorking. That said it has to be negotiated with some care as cyclists coming the other way on the narrow track can also be making good progress. Unfortunately, just as we crossed the road at the beginning of the dual carriageway, I managed to brush past a clump of stinging nettles which wreaked their revenge on my leg, ow! By chance I had a tube of antihistamine cream on board so a brief stop for first aid had me quickly back on the bike; cycling shorts can have their disadvantages. Half way down the dual carriageway the group split with Paul, Roger and Anna crossing over to join the Old London Road through Mickleham while Maggie, Ken and I continued along the bike path to the underpass at Burford Bridge, reaching the cafe from the other direction.

 

Pedal bikers at Ryka's

Ryka's cafe has been a well-known and sometimes infamous favourite with motorcyclists for many years but the bikers these days tend to be well-heeled middle-aged chaps rather than the rockers of yore. Luckily, we found a table outside in the sunshine for our drinks and carbs, sources of fuel for both types of bike. Once we'd finished our refreshments, we returned to our pedals but on unlocking mine I found that the lock was wet and my hand was dripping. I suspected that a dog had made use of the wooden post to which it was attached so out with the tissues. Fortunately, Ken had some hand sanitiser so I was able to eradicate any potential canine viruses, one of the many hazards of cycling. Having decided to return through Leatherhead rather than climb Box Hill we made what must have been one of the few silent two-wheeled departures from the car park that afternoon.

We followed the railway line back through Leatherhead station and along the trackside path towards Ashtead, this time passing under the M25 and on to the Common by Ashtead station. This off-road section took us through to the short but steep climb past Epsom Wells to cross the road by the railway bridge and continue alongside the line towards Epsom. We circumvented the town centre to join Longmead Road then a right turn back over the railway yet again took us past Ewell West station into the Ewell one-way system. The road out passes through the crossroads where the Organ Inn once stood, this was demolished some time ago but planning permission has yet to be obtained for any development so the site remains boarded up. Back through Nonsuch Park to Cheam where the others returned to Sutton while I headed south past Cheam station, under the railway then over the railway for the final time at Belmont station. By now the rails had become old friends and I should have taken my trainspotter's notebook but the line was closed for maintenance over the long weekend!

Thanks again to Paul for an excellent ride, fingers crossed that the good weather continues when we are finally unlocked in a few weeks, hopefully without further viral contamination.