I arrived first (of course) and then Andy arrived with apologies from Del who tried to make it but probably wisely returned home: the others were John M, Pete K and Serge. There was no way in hell I was going on the front in that wind so I just put Serge on the front and did my best to keep up, reining him in if I couldn't. Thanks, Serge, for taking the brunt of breaking the wind for the rest of us
and also for sharing your water bottle with me as I'd managed to come out without one 
The ride started by going up to the Chipstead High Road and following it all the way to the M25 junction above Reigate before dropping down Reigate Hill and picking up the club run route through Reigate to the road past the windmill. We then turned off towards Betchworth down Trumpets Hill and past Wonham Mill and into the top of Brockham. A short blast along the A25 to Pixham Lane and across the top of Dorking to ride up to Ranmore - how did everyone find that climb? It's a great one to come down but going up there's loads of false crests and even once you get to Ranmore itself there's still a couple of little rises to get over.
After that I fear we were in unknown territory for everyone except me but I think they all enjoyed the drop down from Ranmore to Effingham (as I explained, I used to ride UP there as a child - and it's UP pretty much all the way from Cobham...) So as you'll gather it's a nice easy ride back into Cobham or as it was for us, the Medicine Garden just before Cobham.
I think the cafe was a winner - bit more expensive than Pine but then I did have scrambled egg on toast with smoked salmon (Pete and Andy had it with chorizo - the others had coffee and carrot cake). Tea came with delicate cups and saucers rather than proper mugs
What was the verdict on the coffee?Shorter route back going into Cobham - as we left the Sigma Sport ride came past us - with support car at the back
They went on towards Esher and we turned off towards Stoke d'Abernon and then round Sandy Lane to pass near Oxshott station and onto Malden Rushett, Horton Country Park, Ewell and Banstead. Serge left just after Ewell, Andy dived down the A217 back to Reigate. I couldn't face doing any more hills than I had to so checked Pete was OK to continue on via Banstead and back to Coulsdon while John and I grovelled up one last hill and turned down through Carshalton Beeches. At the bottom, John said 'now I know where I am' Got home with 48 miles door-to-door for me. How far did everyone else do? Don't think I was doing too badly - getting slowly stronger and faster - but hope the pace was OK too (bit faster than I'd hoped for but then I think it did me good
)
