Out through Salfords, Charlwood and Rusper we road north towards Dorking - looking longingly at Tanhouse Farm as we passed it - along the lovely fast undulations of Newdigate to Blackbrook section, over the Punchbowl Lane hill and via Pixham Lane to Box Hill.
We reached the bottom of Box Hill’s Zig-zag Road after 25 miles at a heady 15.7mph. Fit bunch... so many of us timed ourselves for the ascent.
For those who participated on the charge up for tea at the top, times pivoted around the 10 minute mark, which ain’t at all bad for a group used to 'flattish' rides!
After tea and cake at the NT café, standing under cover from the inevitable rain shower, we followed the Surrey Classic route through Headley and "Little Switzerland", then via Leatherhead and Mickleham back to the bottom of Box Hill again. Surprisingly no-one took up my suggestion that we repeated the Box Hill circuit – Olympic style!! Somewhere at speed on the run down Mill Way, my riders' list apparently took flight from my jersey pocket (my speed – not yours, racers!) – so I hope everyone came home fine and that a Box Hill goat enjoyed a second breakfast!
Back through Brockham, Betchworth and Woodhatch to the Aerodrome to end a nice ride with a second cuppa.
Thanks to Adrian for keeping the second group 50 metres back the whole way as promised, and to Ian, Hedley, Rob and various other helpers and advisors. All in all, 45 miles at 14.5mph and 2850 feet of climbing – “which ain’t at all bad for G2ers”.
Adrian's group recorded a slightly quicker average due mainly to a sprint from the beginning of Lodge Lane through to Charlwood to catch the escaped peloton thanks to the Salford dual carriageway's traffic stream.
Welcome too to Jean Pierre, first time out with RCC... defninitely not enough Frenchmen in the club so we say a hearty 'A Bientot'.
Finally, the front group missed out on a barrage of gags that stretched from Betchworth to Reigate... "I hear they've taken 1p off petrol... but etrol just doesn't sound right..." etc etc See how lucky you were!