Monday, May 26, 2025
Gathering recruits in a mishmash of metaphors. Nonsuch short ride to Ashtead, 24 May.
Garson's Farm was the scheduled ride today. As usual, Steve W and "the lads" (they wish!) would want to power off chasing the sun, so our plan was to turn up at Nonsuch and offer a ride more aptly paced for those not in the mood for PBs. I had it all in my mind but when we arrived there was a fair gathering, a newcomer (Chris), a first-time returner (Phil) and a few who were hoping for a more modest ride than Steve would offer and there was no-one to lead a short ride, so I agreed with Steve that he would adventure to Esher and the mythical lands beyond and Maggie and I would take a shorter ride within the safety of the Shire, just. Venturing just as far as the Old Forest at Ashtead, in fact.
Sue B decided she was going to be one of the lads this week and thus eight of us set forth, politely picking our way betwixt the children and the dogs in a none-too-warm Nonsuch Park. The usual route, risk assessed many moons ago by Shirley and Colin as ideal for Beginners, is through Ewell Village, skirting south of Epsom and up past the hospital to Pleasure Pit Lane. There were some in our group who felt a bit breathless after Wilmerhatch Lane but they had all climbed it in pretty decent time so when they sought the leader's assurance that there were no more hills, he changed the subject.
Coffee in Ashtead High Street was pleasant but try as we might we could not embarrass existing customers into moving so we could sit together. And then who should turn up but Sue B, a deserter from Steve's marauders. Tired of chasing distant shadows, despite that they all waited for her, she had switched allegiances before crossing the Rubicon (ie descending into Claygate) and come to join a more leisurely group.
So we were ten in number for our homeward run through Ashtead Common (where I took the picture with Sue holding my bike), Epsom and Ewell; Colin, Ken, Kristen, Roger, Maggie, Anna, Chris, Phil and Sue B.
Just as forecast, the weather warmed up a bit in the afternoon and then went cool again after some of us had shed a layer, but that was about the sum total of our problems, so it was, I think, a reasonably happy band who returned to Nonsuch, all the better for a couple of hills. 40 kilometres for me, door to door.
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