Live is full of surprises, but it's always nice to get a couple of pleasant ones.
While collecting together the usual G2ers, I was approached by Chris Hall who asked where I was headed to. This was indeed a surprise question from a G5+ rider and an even bigger surprise when he said he would like to join us.
My unasked question "why" was answered when his daughter Katherine arrived on the scene and also asked to join us - yet another surprise as she has not ridden with us for - well - years.
Anyway, that made a group of eight us heading to Bookham and the Domestique cafe, using the Wonham Mill route to skirt the Flanchford Road closure.
After Punchbowl and Pixham Lanes I stopped the group at the foot of Box Hill and presented them with three choices of routes, each clearly, accurately and truthfully described. A flat, albeit boring route via the A24 and Leatherhead, a moderately hilly route up the Headley Road and picking up a bit of the PL100 route into Leatherhead, or a more challenging ride up Ranmore Common Road and directly down to Bookham. Another surprise - a clear majority (87.5%) in favour of the last hilly option.
On reaching the top of Ranmore Common a timely puncture on Nick's bike allowed the rest of us some extra recovery time before we embarked on pay-back time - the lovely plunge down Critten Lane which has (for Surrey) a surprisingly good surface all the way down into Fetcham. Round the corner to Bookham and Domestique for unsurprisingly good coffees, cakes and happy chat in the sunshine.
We returned via Polesden and Chapel Lane, then retraced our steps (revolutions?) to Leigh, on the way Chris and Katherine turning off to go home to Holmwood. We detoured Flanchford via Deanoak Lane where Linda got our second puncture of the day (another surprise - I hate to say this but they do seem to be becoming a less frequent occurrence).
Leaving Paul and Linda to fix the puncture, it was heads-down for home as the heavens opened a quarter mile later, Nick and Louise both dropping off on the way to their homes , leaving just Michelle and me to complete the return to the 'drome. We arrived wet, very wet!
Never mind. Nice company, a well-voted-for route, overall a very pleasant G2 ride.