Plan A was to start from Reigate Hill but, at 35 miles it was TOO LONG. I was beginning to realise that Tanhouse Farm is at the same latitude as Ushuaia.
Plan B was to start from Leigh but filling up all local parking near the church on a Sunday morning is not good for relations with local residents.
Plan C was for a start at Flanchford Road car park on Reigate Heath trying to include as many off–road trails as possible. It looked good on paper but, arriving back at the car after several hours of riding through mud, trudging through mud and sheltering from the winds howling round Cape Horn, I decided that it was TOO MUDDY. Also, at 25 miles it was TOO LONG and two toos is too many by far.
Plan D was to avoid most of the mud and still have a bit of interest, but following Colin’s ride on Saturday which involved lots of stops to poke bikes with sticks in a vain attempt to clear mud from drivetrains and brakes and even a bit of single–handed mud wrestling, it was obvious that Maximum Mud Avoidance was called for.
So 10 of us met at Flanchford Road and, making up Plan E as we went along, we arrived at Tanhouse Farm at 11:15, mostly mud–free and just before the rush.
Two mince pies, mulled wine, coffee and cake went down a treat and we were soon on the way back up North. Four of us stopped off at the Skim for a drink followed by a final half mile of rooty, leafy singletrack back to the car park. Oh, and I nearly forgot – it did rain – quite a lot.
Gwyn