I almost forgot it was a weekday night
Cycling home I looked at my speedo and did a double take when it said I had done just over 16 miles, it was about 8.45pm, the sun was still warm and my brain reminded me I have work in the morning. For a few hours nothing but the pleasant ride had entered my head.
I dashed home from work this evening like a school kid racing home to go out to play, got changed and grabbed my new bike now fitted with “new bike bling” (courtesy of Dave) and raced through Bookham Common as fast as my little legs would take me, I did notice 17mph on the speedo and caught myself smiling.
Waiting for me was a lovely new rider and we headed up back through the Common to Bocketts Farm where another lovely new rider was also waiting. 3 lady cyclists who had never met before but whom I felt very quickly gelled headed off up to the saw mill at Norbury park. Wonderful clear blue sky at 7pm and still warm.
We took the gravelly climb up to the saw mill and then turned right along the route where there is the viewpoint, just off from the tarmac there is a right hand turn that takes you up a hill and back into woodland, through there and down into a carpark.
The route I chose this evening and had discussed with the others is a quick fun route but has a section of ups and downs, roots and beautiful views. I thought that for a first time moutain biking this was a good and safe experience for someone to assess what they felt comfortable with without thinking “eeek” I don’t know if I can do this (I have been there many a time).
It is also a wide route so plenty of space for socialising and getting to know each other.
So from the carpark, down the tarmac with a sharp turn left into a route I always try to explain to Dave and he knows what I mean when I say “Jem’s favourite” so called by me because the first time Dave showed me the route he told me it was Jem’s favourite.
The route is fun, wide and follows along the Mickleham bends with gorgeous views if you aren’t going too fast to turn and look.
It can be a bit rooty but wasn’t too bad this evening and it has a lovely sweeping downhill that I personally feel is fun but if you are new it is just about right to practise on along with a rooty uphill that again can be a new experience. It finishes with a bit of a very short steep climb and pops you out overlooking fields and more fields which this evening were headed with blue sky.
It was approaching 8pm by this time and as much as I think we were all up for alot more we decided to stay the safe side of daylight and so cycled up the tarmac to Norbury house, past the sawmill and a fast descent down the gravelly path because the gate was open (I love it when the gate is open) back up to Bocketts Farm.
We saw some guys going through what I think is called the “wiggly woods” and I was almost tempted to take a left turn that would have led us up to Crabtree Lane but wanted to play safe today so we said our goodbyes after discussing future rides and with 1 lady heading back to Dorking 2 of us headed back to where we had met in the Common.
Which brings me back to my opening sentence, I couldn’t believe how many miles we had done, where the time had gone and how young and carefree I felt cycling home almost forgetting it was a “school night”. It was a really good fun ride, a good assessment I hope for future rides of which we have agreed we would like to do the Headley/ Epsom route next.
In recent weeks we have recieved some wonderful interest from more female riders of all abilities, so it looks like we are going to have a really exciting and sociable summer! 19 miles on the clock by the time I got home, I noted it was light until about 9.30 so we can extend the ride slightly certainly throughout midsummer.
I hope I don’t start breaking out into song like John Travalota and Olivia Newton John “ooooo those summmmmer niiiiiiiiights” 😉
About the author
Cathie was introduced to mountain biking by Dave about 9 years ago but only really been riding regularly since May 2008 when she invested in a new hard tail (a white On-One classic Inbred), a wise investment as a result of being able to trial different bikes at Cycle Works demo day at Holmbury-St-Mary. She also rides a full suspension Giant Cypher which was this year's treat and saw many miles during the summer of 2010.
Cathie has attended skills days with Dirt Divas at Swinley Forest, she would like to improve her skills on bomb holes and her favourite trails are the ride over to Newlands corner loving "Whitedown" and a favourite trail through Denbies.
Cathie loves meeting other female riders of all fitness levels and experience and is hoping for less punctures in 2011 now that both bikes are wearing tubeless tyres!
There are 7 comments on ‘I almost forgot it was a weekday night’
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D'AndyC says:
Great to hear you’re all having some fun out on the trails. My daughter hopes to join you once she’s got those pesky A levels out of the way.
I know what you mean about sneaking out on a “school night”. I sometimes just chuck the bike in the back of the car on the way to work, then come home via the North Downs where often I will pick one or two trails and just session them over and over for an hour or two. That’s quite good fun as you find yourself riding much faster on the third and fourth attempts, though occassionally I get overconfident and find that I’m picking myself up out of the hedge.
Long may this glorious weather continue, as these “sneaky” rides are definitely not as much fun in the rain and mud.
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Posted on June 4, 2010 at 9:08 am
Andy661 says:
Sounds like Dave worked really hard to get your bike ready 🙂
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Posted on June 4, 2010 at 9:25 am
Alice says:
Thanks for showing me the ropes Cathie, I had a great time but felt it a bit when I woke up this morning! I also can’t believe how far we went on my first ride!
Looking forward to the next one,
Alice
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Posted on June 4, 2010 at 9:38 am
Matt says:
Sounds like you’re really getting a feel for the local trails Cathie, your confidence is coming over well. And very pleased that we’re developing a female side!
In answer to an earlier comment, our rides are not really male or female exclusive. It’s just that for a lot of us someone has to look after the kids when the other half is out riding. Dave likes to cross over occassionally but it’s usual for a ride group to consist mainly of male or female riders as people go with the group they’re most comfortable with.
One of these days I’ll join a fe-mole ride and will be interested to see if and how it’s different to our usual riding. I’m pretty sure there’s a difference anyway!
On the subject of Dave, he must be exhausted. All that eBay shopping, choosing small anodised parts and fitting them and everything. Hard work! ;o)
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Posted on June 4, 2010 at 10:13 am
DaveW says:
Matt said –
“Dave likes to cross over occassionally”
Is this a reference to DaveC’s alternative persona of ‘Claudia’?
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Posted on June 4, 2010 at 10:50 am
Danielle Weaver says:
Hi Cathie, apologies for not contacting you sooner, I am out of action for a couple of weeks, partly due to twisting my ankle by falling down the stairs at the cinema the other day! I wish I could say it was a sport related injury but not so! Once my ankle feels secure again, as it was dodgy swimming front crawl yesterday, I will definitely be in touch for a ride, oh and also I need Mark to show me how to put the bike on the rack to drive up to your meeting point as a ride to Bocketts farm from Dorking is exercise enough for me 😉
Dani
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Posted on June 8, 2010 at 5:23 pm
Cathie says:
Hi Dani, it will be great for you to join us we’ll keep in touch and you can “hop in ” when you feel your ankle is up to it.
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Posted on June 8, 2010 at 10:14 pm