Muddymoles mountain biking in the Surrey Hills and Mole Valley

10th of August Moles Ride. Tropical cycling?

Posted by Tony | August 10, 2014 | 20 comments so far

He's Shaun the sheep
After a flurry of MTFU e-mails a small select group of Moles met up at Bocketts car park. MTFU? Well the headlines of storms caused by the tail end of Hurricane/Tropical storm/Atlantic depression/heavy clouds (take your pick depending on your media outlet) Bertha meant the lure of the duvet was strong for many moles. They missed a great ride.

Actually with the threat of rain and the road closures due to the Ride100, it was like riding through the Zombie apocalypse as I didn’t see a car heading up to Bocketts. Already present were Dave, Slack D’andy and Karl (sporting a fetching pair of hockey gaol keeper gloves / giant comedy hands). There was the usual mix of bikes too with D’Andy being on the Surrey Mondeo 29er, Dave an Orange Gyro and Karl on his semi-fat 69er semi-single speed (a new niche record?). I was old skool on my 26inch, triple chainset, Trek Fuel.

Just to also say – sorry no pictures with this ride report. It was too wet to take a camera out! However although the rain was biblical at times it was also warm. Very odd – almost tropical.

D’Andy was to be todays guide and in contravention to the usual policy we didn’t start off along Admirals Trackway but headed over to Norbury Park. Riding up to Norbury it  was immediately obvious that Dave was struggling with his inflexible hip flexors.

At Norbury we scooted down via Druids Grove where the conditions of the day, damp loam and ultra slippy roots, made themselves very obvious. Today was definitely a day to be cautious with the front braking.

Then it was back up to Crabtree lane (I never doubted your route finding D’Andy honest) and over to A view to a kill. This was running well too, the loamy turns giving plenty of grip, plus with a new chicken run ending (not an unreasonable choice in the conditions) and a new high exit next to the gate. As Karl, D’Andy and I were waiting on the road, Dave attempted the new exit, stalled at the top and toppled over backwards onto the 5 bar gate. It was an almighty crash and fortunately his camelbak seemed to take most of the impact but his arm was also pretty badly bashed.

Dave gamely decided to continue. As we rode over to Tanners Hatch and up the road to Ranmore the rain really started to hammer down. It was like riding in a shower and we all wondered how the Ride100 Moles were getting on.

At Ranmore Dave wisely decided to call it a day and the three of us continued over towards Badger Run and then on via the top of White Down to the North downs Way. Over on the NDW D’Andy had a few ace trails in mind. Sawmill which was brillant (especially after I let a bit of air out of my front tyre), although Karl and I were sadly held up by D’Andy in front. Even a helpful little tinkle of my bell didn’t seem to help. Although D’Andy did seem to be thankful for the encouragement. Down to Honeysuckle Bottom the track had disappeared into two torrents and we hammered down through the water. Next it was up to the NDW and a little trail with no name which finished with a nasty little climb back to the NDW that had us walking up another stream. Then off to Petrol Pump, a fabulous long sweepy trail down to the A25. Although I think from D’Andy that it was easier in the mid-week dust!

As we emerged onto the A25 a Gomshall we entered another world. I world of very wet roadies riding the Ride100, many of whom seemed to be fixing punctures (punctures apparently made the Ride100 for a somewhat of an epic for the Moles riding). Covered head to toe in trail mud “we blended in seamlessly” as we rode along to the Café. The best comment was from a female rider “Why are you muddy?”.

Arriving at the café, it was shut! So a quick plan to head along and loop back to Shere was deemed the best option. Arriving in Shere it was amazingly quiet and there were signs of the deluges that had made rivers through the village. Fortunately the small sandwich shop was open and the owner was great. It was no problem for us to drip mud, blankets were brought out for us to park our muddy posteriors on and the coffee/bacon sandwiches were excellent. Karl was given a rather fetching (“It’s so me!”) Shaun the sheep blanket. The appearance of which cause D’Andy to break into a perfect rendition of the theme tune (“He’s Shaun the sheep ….” www.shaunthesheep.com) and profess an undying love of the plasticine Ovis aries. Bizarre.

Dragging ourselves out of the warmth we once again joined the Ride100 riders (now considerably more clearly the laughing groups) along to Gomshall and we peeled off to Abinger Roughs then up White Down, where on the chalk it was hard to keep traction riding up. My helpful opening of both gates for D’Andy so that he could continue up didn’t seem to be met with the good grace you might expect!

A slight detour along Little Endor (again in the chucking rain!) was atmospheric and then another part river down to Yew Trees. The newly surfaced track was fine. At a slight wait before the Bridge climb I spoke to the first walkers of the day!

D’Andy peeled off at Admirals Trackway and Karl and I splashed back to Bocketts. It was one of those days that you probably wouldn’t have ventured out unless your mates were  coming out, but when you got out it was really fabulous riding.

Filed under Rides in August 2014

Tony

About the author

There are 20 comments on ‘10th of August Moles Ride. Tropical cycling?’

We love to get comments from our readers - if you've spent a few moments to comment, thank-you.

If you haven't had a chance yet, jump to our comments form if you have something to say.

  1. Jem says:

    Sounds a riot! I actually like to ride in Biblical rain when it is warm there is something exciting about it!

    Hope to be out soon with leckie should be back in the next couple of days. Although I have not tested it in those sort of conditions yet.

    Watched the ride 100 in L’head for a while, trying to spot any riders we knew. I did spot Jess and squeaked a few words of encouragement ( I’ve got Laryngitis ).

    Hope your not too bashed up Dave!

    Add a new comment, or reply to this comment

    Posted on August 11, 2014 at 8:08 am

  2. KevS says:

    Quote: “Dave attempted the new exit, stalled at the top and toppled over backwards onto the 5 bar gate. It was an almighty crash and fortunately his camelbak seemed to take most of the impact but his arm was also pretty badly bashed.” … Jeez, hope the gate is ok? 😉

    Quote: “we peeled off to Abinger Roughs then up White Down, where on the chalk it was hard to keep traction riding up. My helpful opening of both gates for D’Andy so that he could continue up didn’t seem to be met with the good grace you might expect! … You’re so funny Roadmole! 🙂

    Add a new comment, or reply to this comment

    Posted on August 11, 2014 at 9:38 am

    • Dandy says:

      Bizarrely, I chose the White Down climb, Kev; but then I made the schoolboy error of telling him not to bother with the top gate as I’d need a rest. My words of thanks were similar to those uttered when he kept ringing his ‘kin bell on Sawmill.

      As reported, the warm(ish) temperatures meant that the soaking wet conditions were bearable. If it had been in March – November, this ride would have been much shorter.

      I hope the elbow is recovering, Dave. Let’s wait until it’s dried out a bit before we get you down that trail again.

      Add a new comment, or reply to this comment

      Posted on August 11, 2014 at 10:02 am

      • Tony says:

        I don’t know D’Andy ….. there’s me thinking that I was doing you a favour on White Down! If the positions were reversed…..

        Karl and I were actually having a riot riding down Sawmill. Him on his barsetward bike and me with the latest evolution of the Trek (dropper down, short stem, wide bars) which was ripping the turns and feeling like a bike BMX after riding plenty of 29er riding. No wonder we were on your tail.

        Add a new comment, or reply to this comment

        Posted on August 11, 2014 at 10:16 am

    • Jem says:

      There was a refusal at the gate by Orange Gyro! The rider was thrown oofff backwards!

      Add a new comment, or reply to this comment

      Posted on August 11, 2014 at 12:00 pm

  3. Colin says:

    Has Dave become the new Moles serial crasher? D’Andy will have to rely solely on his wardrobe to maintain his infamy!

    Add a new comment, or reply to this comment

    Posted on August 11, 2014 at 3:30 pm

    • Dandy says:

      Yep, I only had a ‘near crash’ on Sunday. Front slid alarmingly as I hit a small jump and I ended up taking off at an angle and landing in the undergrowth. Fortunately, no trees were harmed in this (mis)adventure … though Karl reckons I just ‘bottled it’ 🙁

      Add a new comment, or reply to this comment

      Posted on August 11, 2014 at 4:18 pm

      • Tony says:

        It was an amazing ride in so many way ways. The weather, the Ride100 but probably mostly because I rode with Karl and D’Andy the “Moles Crash Testers” and nobody crashed. Unfortunately Dave took up the battern 🙁 Looks like he didn’t quite manage the “Moles Crash Testers” minimum though. No broken bones 🙂

        Add a new comment, or reply to this comment

        Posted on August 11, 2014 at 4:21 pm

  4. Karl says:

    They’re very nice in Ye Olde Sandwiche shop in Shere. The sight of three very wet and muddy Moles dripping profusely all over the floor was met without the slightest irritation. In fact the lady of the shop ran to her car to get me the Shaun the sheep blanket to sit on. Pretty good service, although D’Andy and Tony were highly dissapointed they only got plain ones. D’Andy sang the whole theme tune to Shaun the Sheep, and then ate an entire dinner plate sized biscuit that would otherwise easily have gone three ways, so he must have been quite peeved.

    Nice quick ride report Tony, and great route D’Andy. I love ‘Petrol pump’, and it was great fun to emerge so suddenly from the woods straight into the Bike Race.. We received lots of surprised comments. One lady supporter cried “Goodness, they’re on mountain bikes”! As if we’d raced on them from London, felt a bit of fraud at that point but lapped up all the cheers.

    My second very different ride this week, being thoroughly drenched and riding in warm rain on this one, and the Thursday one, having 2 beer stops (:-)) and riding in the dark at the end. Last time I did that, I fell off my dinosaur.

    Carry on..

    Add a new comment, or reply to this comment

    Posted on August 11, 2014 at 6:24 pm

  5. jonesy says:

    why do you need a chicken run on View to a Kill??
    What is there to chicken out of !!??

    Add a new comment, or reply to this comment

    Posted on August 12, 2014 at 6:22 am

  6. wob says:

    Well done for going out in that.

    Just a quick note that “petrol pump”s proper name is “Back to the future”

    Add a new comment, or reply to this comment

    Posted on August 12, 2014 at 10:33 am

  7. Dave says:

    Rumours of my demise have been vastly exaggerated! A swift warm bath seemed to do the trick and ease the aches. Hip flexors are a different matter not helped by 2 days of fencing with one more to go.

    I hate riding in the rain.

    Add a new comment, or reply to this comment

    Posted on August 12, 2014 at 6:59 pm

  8. JR says:

    Now I understand the pic. I thought it was just Karl trying to have a duvet day.

    Add a new comment, or reply to this comment

    Posted on August 13, 2014 at 9:26 pm

Leave a comment…

Have your say – we'd love to hear what you think.

If you have something to add, just complete this comment form (we will not publish your email address).

*Required information.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.