Thanks for the ride, Del. Felt much better than I was expecting after riding two days in a row since my holiday.
Despite drizzily rain, Mr Malarkey was out. Had thought that Steve and Ben would defect to Paul Hone's ride but no, as far as I could see only LeeS was planning on riding with Paul. Today's ride was very well attended - as well as myself, Del, Alan, Ben and Steve, there was Marcus, Bridget, Andy, Ron, George and Katie. Paul managed to join us too for his first ride with the Addiscombe.
Started off with a very different route - out of CSS and down the main road, only to turn left and right up Woodplace Lane up to the recently created village of Netherne-on-the-Hill - based around the old ayslum hospital
Bit interesting picking our way through the village to pick up the road from the Cafe Nero up towards Chaldon - the hill was bit of struggle for some of us too...
Through Chaldon and Caterham down to Wapses and then up Woldingham with a regroup at the church - made a change from going through Marden Hall Park. Good fun dropping all the way down Titsey Hill too though the vibration from the road surface made it hard hanging onto the bars
On through Limpsfield and Hurst Green where, at one point, I've never seen anyone move so fast for a liquorice allsort as Alan did while we were waiting to regroup.
Had given Del a couple of options for a cafe stop near to our route but the third option of the cafe at the Redhill Aerodrome was decided on, so headed towards Blindley Heath rather than coming back up Tilburstow Hill into Bletchingley. Riding down to Crowhurst, it was realised we had better regroup which was when we realised that we had lost Ben, George and new guy Paul
(we later came across Ben and found that he'd turned up Tilburstow and had taken the now knackered Paul back to CSS - Paul, sorry!! bit of a baptism of fire on your first ride - we do generally try not to loose riders, particularly on their first ride out with us...).
After tea at the aerodrome, Del headed back home and the rest of did a bit of yesterday's route to get to the main road and back up to CSS.
Andy and I found Marilyn Butler trying to pump up a rear tyre on her bike whereupon we also discovered that her rear brake wasn't being held on by anything - I think she should sack the mechanic who put her mudguards on last night... Mr Butler...
Well done to Bridget for coming out and sticking with the ride.