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The messages are not from him at all. Please don't reply to them.

Thanks 

Tim 

Author: Tim C

West End September 8 2024

The Addlestone start didn't start well - a (tiny) thorn in my rear tyre. It was a 30 minute struggle despite many hands and tools (mainly Dave's). Wisely he headed home; the remaining seven (GFH, Andy, Diane, Martina, Pam, Simon, Tony) stayed south of the Basingstoke Canal used by the previous week's ride from the same 11s.

We blame the Met Office when they get it wrong. Today they were cursed when they got it right! (3 hours of heavy but intermittent rain). Within two miles we struggled into "waterproofs" which would stay in place until lunch. Green trees offered little shelter so on we pedalled. 

After dry Pyrford Common and Maybury a second downpour trapped us on Arthur's Bridge west of Woking's town centre. It was the last downpour though we had no way of knowing that.

Ever optimistic we dismissed thoughts of Spoons or where ever and continued to Goldsworth Park and a three-quarter circuit of the lake. With time pressing the main road (A322) was pressed into service for the last mile or so to the Hare and Hounds in West End. We were 45 minutes late but the garden was nearly empty and had a heated smokers shelter. 

The return was quickly plotted. Pennypot Lane led us to Chobham. Here the Ottershaw road (A319) is currently one way so we continued on Red Lion and Gracious Pond roads. Approaching Holloway Hill Tony suggested Squires (opposite St Peters) where we dined alfresco until closing time (1630).

I was home after 1815 and 40 miles. 

 

Author: RaasayWarden

September 8th - Changes Of Venues

Please ignore the incomplete details in the Sep/Oct newsletter (paper and electronic). 

I've devised a 25-miler replacement. I've not completed a full scale recce! but much will be familiar. The route omits the Basingstoke (more or less) but includes Goldsworth Park which I've never visited on a C&M ride. 

11s:        Golden Cafe Addlestone (last visited 01/09/24 by C&M)

Lunch:    Hare And Hounds hareandhounds-westend.co.uk (last visited 21/08/24 by Bs) 

Tea:         as 11s (closes 1500), or usual suspects.

Author: RaasayWarden

A Near-Death Experience - Sunday 1 Sept

Don't worry, nobody was harmed.    But today's planned jolly ride to Farnborough accidentally developed a rather macabre character, at least in the morning, as you will see.

A happy bunch of riders turned up quite early at Addlestone for 11s, and surprisingly everyone was itching to go a bit before 11am, so after the usual faffing, we got away more or less on time, leaving Geoff to make his own way back.   My route was made up from ideas stolen from David W, Graham and Diane, but everyone seemed to like the ride along the Basingstoke canal in dappled sunlight.   

This is when the trouble began.    We passed Woking Crematorium, identified by DW as the site of the world's first crematorium, and later visited Brookwood Cemetery, the worlds first lawn cemetery, stopping to pay our respects and also use the conveniences in the chapel.   There is a civilian cemetery, conceived by the London Necropolis Corporation as the solution to the lack of burial space in the capital.   It even had its own dedicated* station, the London Necropolis station, right next to Waterloo station, but later damaged and demolished in WW2.  Trains had different carriages for 1st, 2nd, 3rd class and Hearse Carriages for the deceased, also with different classes.  I imagine that you could only get a single ticket for the Hearse Carriages.

London Necropolis Station

After touring the civilian cemetery, we visited the military cemetery with extensive graves for several nationalities from both world wars, before returning to the road to Mytchett and Farnborough.

Military Cemetery

The hungry riders were made to climb a bonus hill in order to view the impressive Mausoleum of the emperor Napoleon III Bonaparte, last emperor of France before his exile to England, his wife Empress Eugenie who built the monument, and their son Napoleon Louis, who was tragically killed fighting in the Boer War, where he was supposed to be assigned to a 'safe' role.  The mausoleum, also known as St Michael's Abbey, still functions as a Benedictine monastery, and not many people will be interested to know that it houses an organ by the famous French organ builder Cavaillé-Coll, who built many famous Franch organs including that of the Notre Dame Cathedral, and whose organs were admired by the famous French composers Cesar Franck and Charles-Marie Widor.   At least one person will be interested to know that he (Cavaillé-Coll) was born in Montpellier.  

But I digress.   The abbey is only open to visitors on Saturdays, so we had to have lunch in Wetherspoons instead.

Part of St Michael's Abbey

Graham had left us after riding along the canal with us, and David left at the sight of Wetherspoons, having claimed his two points.   Thank you David for providing not just a large part of the route, but also much of the morbid and interesting cultural content of the ride.

The morning was mostly ridden in shade, but the afternoon started in full sun as we climbed the hill at Deepcut to admire the distant views of Woking, looking beautiful through the haze.  Someone (Tony?) thought he spotted the Eiffel Tower as well.   Then it was downhill nearly all the way through Windlesham and Longcross, anxiously looking at watches, to try to arrive before the (unknown) closing time at the Great Cockrow Railway.  In our haste to get there, we passed Colin Q coming the other way, having visited Cockrow but given up all hope of seeing us.  I'm sorry we missed you, Colin!  You could say we were dead lucky to get there just in time to bag the last of the cakes, and sit in the shade watching the trains and waving at their young and not so young passengers as we put the world to rights.

 

At Great Cockrow (train in background)

Who ate all the cakes?

It was a very enjoyable day out in summery weather and good company who took my improvisations (i.e. mistakes) in good spirit.   Thank you to the many people whose routes I plundered, to Jennie for back-marking, and to David W, Niall, Andy, and Ruth for the photos.

* or should that be deadicated?

Sunday 1 Sept - a Traditional Ride

This Sunday we are heading from Addlestone to Farnborough, as advertised in the ride list, and then back to Great Cockrow Railway at Lyne for tea.   A traditional ride, following a (mostly) traditional route.   17 miles to lunch, and, er, 17 back to Lyne too.   Extra miles are available if you go on the steam train.  I hope you can join us.

Sunday 25th August 2024

According to Louise Lear, the South East of England has had only 19% of average rainful for August this year.

Nice, unless you're a gardener/allotment owner.

But today felt unseasonably cool for late August as I climbed up to Walton on the Hill & the village café.

Ten of us assembled including Cecilia joining us for the first time (collecting her bike from her car at the time of this pic taken by Pete B returning from a early morning TFB off-road ride).

Geoff, Dave S & Marilyn went no further. 

For the route see the next post.

Brian returned at the Seven Stars pub, Dave & Keith left us at Horley.

Negotiating Crawley is a breeze with a Garmin & Simon took this pic in Goffs Park.

Nice to see Terry at Capel.

A couple of punctures to report, Cecilia just north of Capel & Simon in Leatherhead.

Thanks to Simon for backmarking & everyone else for their company.

Author: Tartan Socks(long)

Ride info - Sunday 25th August

 Hi all,

There's gas main work in Walton on the Hill, but access for pedestrians/cyclists has been maintained.

The café opens at 9am & I plan to leave at 11am sharp.

The planned lunch stop is Waitrose, Horley.

The coffee is better than you know where......& probably the food as well.

Horley BR station is a stones throw away, so folk could bail out/join us there.

Expected departure from lunch - 2.00pm.

The afternoon's ride includes some off-road, which despite the rain forecast for Saturday, should be okay..

I look forward to your company.

Author: Tartan Socks(long)