Eleven folk joined me for the Halloween G2 ride to Bricks Café just outside Cranleigh. As we were at the top end of numbers for a group ride, I split the group into two with a 100 metre gap between with Andy and Frank looking after the rear group.
The pace was brisk as we headed out towards Newdigate and Capel, partly because there was a distinctly autumnal nip in the air at the ‘Drome and partly because we wanted to arrive at the tea stop before the hordes of Howard’s G3/4ers who were aiming for the same destination. Richard and Frank dropped off in Newdigate for a shorter ride, but we maintained the group split for the rest of the ride with Andy and Kimber looking after the rear group.
Avoiding the likely tricky conditions on Weare St, we passed through Ockley and down Mole St to Walliswood and Ellens Green and then turned north up Knowle Lane to Cranleigh. Two miles further on to the lovely sylvan setting at the Bricks Café.
The temperature had risen nicely during the ride and it was comfortably warm enough for sitting outside amid the falling leaves. Was there an occasional chilly feel? Could it be the skeleton in our midst? Who knows, but this was the one time when Andy’s skeleton jacket was appropriate for the date if not the occasion (he’ll have to wait eleven years for the next time).
The return trip was the more direct route through Ewhurst and Forest Green, still maintaining a nicely brisk pace with Rob, Nick and trier-out Simon peeling off before the ‘Drome. In fact back in time for tea and a chat with some of the returning Preston Park folk.
Thanks to Andy and Kimber for their help and to everyone for their good company.
54 miles. (At a pace which would have got us around Preston Park about 22 times! – maybe next year).
Rick