Despite being 5 minutes “early” Elliot and Dave W, were waiting for me (Southside Jonny – not Dandy, who has posted this on my behalf) at Bocketts, together with Roadmole on his shiny new tango Orange Four. Dandy turned up soon after, having chased me along the A246, and after a brief discussion we settled on tea at Leith Hill.

After the now traditional route to Ranmore via VTAK and the top of Dearly Beloved we chased some roadies to the scout camp, then down Landrover.

As Dandy has run out of other working bikes he was riding his SS rigid Canondale, so on my Fatty I was almost able to keep up with him on the top half, but soon he had disappeared into the distance.

After Elliot led us down the sandy steps at the back of Westcott church we climbed up The Rockery and Wolvens Lane to the Coldharbour bombholes, the onto Leith Hill. By then the sun was shining brightly so we munched our cake sitting on the benches with a fine view across The Weald to The South Downs.

Next up Dave W led us through the Leith woods bomb holes to Superflow – a perfectly named trail snaking down the ridge north of Leith. Hopefully we will be back on that one soon. Finishing at Broadmore Bottom we crossed through Whiteberry Gate and up the lovely climb through Dukes Warren to the start of Summer Lightning. SL was a blast back to Westcott after which Dandy vetoed McPhearsons, so we took High Med and Ricin Beans to head back towards Polesden and Bocketts.

I recorded 23 miles and 2,500ft – and wonderful weather for technically the first ride of autumn.

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About the author

Having been mountain biking since 1996, you might have expected Dandy to have learnt to ride a bike by now. Several broken bones in the last few years prove the maxim that you can't teach an old dog new tricks.

In between hospital visits, Dandy rides a brace of much-blinged Pace RCs, the 'green themed' 405 and the silver & gold 506. His winter hack is the Moles' favourite, an On-One 456 hardtail, now converted to an Alfine hub He also dabbles in 'the dark arts', keeping 2 road bikes in one of his seven sheds.