It was a bit windy on Saturday, but otherwise a fine day for cycling, the torrid heat a thing of the past, the thunderstorms not yet upon us, and a healthy crowd turned up at the cafe.
Steve W took the long ride, to Brockett's Farm, but because people were socialising, and not paying attention, it was difficult to ascertain how many wanted to go long, and how many short. Sometimes you get the feeling that people come to cycling just to enjoy themselves!
When the number got to fifteen, we decided to split into two groups for safety and seven riders went off with Steve while I stayed behind a few minutes and my group numbers began to fluctuate with the undeciders being indecisive. In the end we had nine, which is manageable in South London Saturday traffic; there might be more aggressive driving on a weekday but there is definitely greater incompetence on a weekend.
Our leader and his acolytes first caught up the tailenders of the front group at the top of Wilmerhatch Lane where temporary traffic lights interfered with our precision planning, so we had a swig and let them get away again, only to come across Isamu and his puncture on the A24 at Ashtead.
There were enough cooks dealing with the broth so we became the lead group and this time I courted popularity by turning in the gate to Brockett's half way up Young Street instead of leading my group to the top and back down again.
Soon Steve and his advance party joined us for coffee and cake, but the puncture turned out to be a double puncture and the repair party left it until we were beginning to worry about them.
We took slightly different routes home, but both over Epsom Common to West Ewell. A decent, enjoyable ride, more or less 30 miles door to door.
Thanks to Maggie for backmarking my group and, of course, to Steve for taking the main responsibility.
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