Last night saw us get back into the normal routine of Wednesday night rides following on from the efforts of Huws birthday weekend. There was a good turn out of 9 at Nirvana as we left with Huw taking on the leader’s role as Toby was feeling somewhat uninspired and indecisive in the route planning department.

 

So we headed out of Westcott around Balchins Lane then out to the Abinger Roughs. There then followed a stiff climb up onto the North Downs which proved too much for Matt and his aching legs so he decided to head off and do his own thing.

 

Once at the top of the climb we took in a whole section of cheeky trails which 1^st traversed along the ridge line of the hills and then eventually descended all the way down to Gomshall.

 

Now I have ridden these hills for many a year and its rare to do a path for the 1^st time these days but that decent that Huw took us on was, certainly in part, a first for me – very good indeed.

 

From Gomshall we made our way up to Peaslake then onto Holmbury Hill where we aimed for the start of Golden Birdies (BKB). At this point Paul also decided his heart wasn’t in it today and headed off alone to the Abinger Hatch.

 

The rest of us took in Golden Birdies at a good pace and I have to admit to finding it sketchy in places due to being so dry and dusty, was still good fun though. From the bottom of hear we wanted to do all; the T trails on Pitch Hill so off we went with Huw once again taking us up onto Pitch hill via a cheeky route I’d never done before which goes up through the ‘Duke of Kent’ School.

 

At the top as we set off on the ‘T’ trails I had a puncture to sort out but other than that a fast and furious decent all the way back to Peaslake was made safely by all of us. With the Abinger Arms as our nominated beer stop this week we once again set off up Holmbury Hill.

 

Toby took over the leading for this section and we wound our way all the way up to the top where we bumped into Rodney who we haven’t seen for ages. Now for the decent which took us on a blast around Parklife and then down Telegraph road which I haven’t done for ages.

 

Telegraph was great; I was loving it when I passed a rider on the trailside mending a puncture wearing a Dorking Cocks top. It was Mark who arrived late at Westcott and missed the start of the ride. I stopped to help him out whilst the others whizzed past and agreed to re group at the car park.

 

With the puncture mended we headed on our way and with no sign of the others Mark and myself carried on all the way to the Hatch. On arrival we met Paul and Matt sitting in the comfy chairs sipping their beers both having left the ride earlier. A few minutes later the others arrived (they had been waiting at a different car park) Ray, Huw, Charlie, Duncan, Simon (Antony had headed straight home).

 

After our usual two pints it was time to head for home and the mad dash as per usual back to Westcott. Another 21 mile top ride in the Surrey Hills completed.