Sunday Ride: 28th August 2016

Combining the Club 100 miler with the Club Picnic was an inspired choice. What could possibly go wrong?

Meike was at the start to scoop up the assorted panniers and rucksacks to transport them to the Devil’s Punch Bowl at Hindhead. Jeremy had the route thoroughly Garminised and the forecast was fair.

We zoomed down the A23 to Redhill and hung a right zig-zagging along unfamiliar but delightful lanes towards Cranleigh. First mistake in electing to ride out to the out of town garden centre instead of the in-town Costa Coffee. Costa called in the Rain Gods as just punishment for going the extra mile.

Refreshed we set out again. The rain disappeared but continued to return as an occasional irritating drizzle for the rest of the day. The flat ride started to get a bit lumpy and then the towering height of the Punch Bowl came into view. We had a little difficulty finding the right way up – the old A3 having been torn up and was now grassed slope. We did get there and had a photo-shoot at the top before meeting up with Meike, John and our Picnics at the NT cafe.

All but one elected to do the full monty return. Back down the gravelled path we sped. Except it wasn’t gravel – it was flint. Within a mile we had four fairy visits and our destination had ben renamed the Devil’s Puncture Bowl.

We were now running well behind schedule, the late afternoon was gloomy and some of had no lights. Hence the delights of the Dabbling Duck at Shere as wa the climb of Box Hill were forsaken for a quick dash down the A25 and back up the A23.

A memorable day and some unforgettable in-ride entertainment:

• WhiteVanMan with close pass and added road rage outside Redhill
• An enormous litter of the cutest puppies near Cranfield
• Buzzed by the Red Arrows at Dunsfold – http://www.wingsandwheels.net/

The telephone box to telephone box distance was 97 miles. Add on the distance to and from should have made us all Centurions at an average moving speed of 12.56 mph.