A Christmas card from Paul Carpenter

 Drawn and designed by Paul Carpenter 

Paul has regularly planned to cycle with beginners but hasn't made it yet. Hopefully we'll meet him in 2022.  Meanwhile he's sending us greetings this Christmas. 

Not quite ice cold in Ashtead; Beginners ride, 4 December

 A good bunch turned up at Nonsuch on Saturday, despite the cold wind, and in Nigel's absence, Paul volunteered to lead the longer ride.  Reflecting the weather, the short day and the coffee stops that would actually be open, we enjoyed a modest ride to Ashtead, Rob & Ruth on the tandem.

We stuck together through familiar roads; Ewell Village, round the back of Epsom Sainsbury's, skirting Epsom centre, passing the hospital and climbing the hill to Pleasure Pit Lane.  You'd have to be well wrapped up to enjoy any pleasure up there!

Somewhere along the way Steve caught up and joined us; he would not have had much difficulty, for we were keeping a steady, modest pace.

We went to Handley's on the High Street for our coffee and had to sit outside, which was not too bad because we were sheltered from the wind, and the company was warm!  

A pink Pearson takes centre stage in Ashtead, stealing the show from Ruth and Rob, Marie, Steve, Maggie, Roger and Anna.  Picture by Paul.

A quick picture taken by our leader, and then we made our way back through Ashtead and Epsom Commons, negotiating only a couple of mud patches, to return to Nonsuch as dusk turned to night via the worst-surfaced railway bridge this side of New Delhi, at Ewell West.

A happy band made for a really pleasant winter's ride; we all felt cheered up that we had bothered to come out, and the ride seemed the perfect length.