On Wednesday 14th October we had our last Wednesday night ride with Matt and Laura. Since moving to Dorking in the Spring of this year the two of them had become regular members of our rides as well as the Nirvana Saturday rides.
Matt was a very strong rider and Laura wasn't to bad either manageing to keep up what ever the pace of the ride was and improving technically as well.
I tried to make that last ride interesting and put in one or two paths they had never done before as well as haveing a few favorites to savour for the last time. We did a big loop taking in Holmbury & Pitch hills, Winterfold and a bit of Blackheath before having a beer or two at the William 4th at Little London. The return leg to Westcott via Shere, Gomshall and Abinger Roughs was a little slower than normal as legs got tired.
Despite being their last ride it wasn't the last we were going to see of them as the very next evening a table for 10 had been booked at the Pilgrim pub in Dorking for a farewell meal. Not too surprisingly the 10 places booked was not enough as not far off double that number of people turned up to wish the Aussies well on the're planned travels.
It was great to see so many of our group out on a social and showed just how well liked Matt and Laura were. Luckily for me I saw them again on the following Sunday morning when they came to my house on their way to Gatwick. It was great to have a few more hours chatting to them and wish them well for the next 7 weeks traveling by bike (with trailor and pannniers) around Egypt, Syria, Turkey, Greece and where ever else they said and then for their new life in New Zealand where Matt is to retrain as a Doctor and Laura as a vetinary nurse.
It was very sad to watch them pedal off into the night at 9.00pm as they headed off to camp somewhere near Gatwick so they could make a early start the following morning and I don't mind admitting to being jealous of their adventures to come.
Well besides the above there has been a little biking too. On Tuesday 13th Myself George and Simon cycled up to a home darts match at the Plough Coldhrbour and spent a little time in Redlands on the way. Then last Saturday I opted to miss out on the Nirvana ride and do a big loop of the local hills on my own. I covered 42 miles and took in the tops of Leith, Holmbury & Pitch hills before heading over to Reynards Hill, the perimeter track, Winterfold, Blackheath over to the edge of St Marthas then up to Newlands Corner for a well deserved tea. From here it was back along the North Downs, down to Westcott back up to Coldharbour and a final flourish via tarmac to home at Capel.
Also, depite missing out on riding this week, the draft designs of the' Dorking Cocks' race shirts have been unvieled. I haven't seen Richards but it will have to be very good indeed to beat Duncans effort. I look forward to seeing a finished product asap.
