So despite a good many of my biking mates being away on a trip to the Italian Alps to get in some serious biking, I didn't fare to badly myself staying in the good old Surrey Hills.

On Saturday I made the 10 mile trip from Home to Westcott ( Via Coldharbour and Leith Hill) to join the usual 9.30 Saturday Ride. As I suspected the turn out was low with many of the regulars being away.

So with just 5 of us there representing England (2) Australia (2) and Brazil, I lead out a ride of people who didn't really know each other very well. Amazingly It only took about 1 mile before we became 4 as Aussie Matt took a very hard tumble for no apparent reason and cut up his knee quite badly and decided to head off for home.

So the remaining 4 of us (Toby, Simon, Leo and Brendan) headed on into the hills. I was once again leading, and struggleing to keep up a decent pace as we assended Holmbury Hill. We wound our way up to BKB and then flew back down it to Peaslake. From here we carried on through Pitch Hill and over to Winterfold. We headed down towards Farley Green before climbing back up to the Windmill, over to Pitch Hill then back down all those lovely 'T' trails for tea and cake at Peaslake.

With such a small group it gave us all the chance to get to know each other a little better, Simon I had only ever seen on the ride the week before, Leo seems to have become a regular over the past few months and Aussie Brendan I had seen before but never even new his name untill this ride. Well, with the refreshments over I did my usual trick of heading home alone via a climb over Holmbury hill then down to Forrest Green and a road trip whilst the other 3 headed back together to Westcott.

By the time I got home I managed a very tiring 36 miles which I was pleased with but was a little worried as I also had a ride planned for Sunday morning.

I had been meaning to ride with the Muddy Moles for quite some time but somehow never found the time as their midweek rides clash with ours and Saturdays is my normal weekend riding day where as they tend to do Sundays. Anyway, Aussie Matt and his wife Laura were set to join me but then pulled out after Matts injury on Saturday. Luckily thou Charlie was less his usual Sunday morning riding buddy so jumped at the chance to come with me.

So, we arrived at the designated car park in good time and watched as the group grew quickly from 3 to 5 then eventually to 15. I was quite glad I wasn't leading such a large group although I had 18 to deal with on the Nirvana ride the weekend before. Still, a few introductions were done and then we were off. I'd never ridden from that start point before and it was a nice steady climb all the way up to the top of the Downs. This was followd by a traverse before descending the delights of Abba Zabba, Blind Terror etc. From here we travelled a direct route through Abinger Rougths, behind Gomshall and Shere up to Albury Heath then back down to Albury.

From Albury its a hard climb up to Newlands Corner where we stopped for Tea and Cake/Rolls and a well needed refuel. So far I was pleased with my energy levels and really enjoying the ride and Company. Charlie was coping fine on his Rigid Singlespeed but then he always seems to some how, don't know where he gets the energy from.

The route back along the NDW was fast and flowing as usual but the bit I was looking forward to was the way back from there as it would include some trails I'd never done before. Dave who led the ride did a great job keeping track of everybody especially as people started to leave  as we got nearer to home. Once off the NDW we did a few paths that were new to me. The fast decent was excellent and very very similar to one we do that actually comes out at the same point on the A246. Well, after that we proceeded accross and around Bookham common, I can't really say where but it was all nice stuff. Still the group was getting smaller untill with only a couple of miles left Dave showed the remaining other 3 of us back to the carpark leaving Matt and a couple of others to sort out a puncture.

Another 29 miles ridden and very enjoyable it was too. Hopefully I'll get the chance to join the Moles again sometime and would perhaps be good to lead them on a ride around all the Leith Hill Singletrack one day.