From our Northern correspondent 5/6 July

From Ian P Last weekend I turned up at Mansion House cafe in Nonsuch Park where as ever the long ride lead by Steve was my first choice along with Stuart & Rob on their Pinarellos to go up Box Hill. Clearly I have let some of my fitness go by not going out for a while. But we did make the NT cafe who unfortunately had stopped doing baked potatoes a few minutes earlier, so a sandwich, cake and mocha were all that I had. 🙄 I hope that Paul, Maggie and the short ride crew had more luck! So in need of making up for that lack of fitness (next day) I went off in search of the elevenses stop for the C&M section who I have never ridden with, but saw their proposed stop was a suitable point to join them. Unfortunately I ended up riding across Epsom Downs (yes, rough stuff on a Brompton!) having taken too early a right turn and riding with a random group of mountain bikers initially, before cutting through and ending up near Woodcote Park and dropping down into Epsom and eventually to Nonsuch and back home.