Ride report: Sunday 7 November – Epiphany
For once Darren and I had got organised early, managed to be the first to the carpark and decided to sit in the warmth of the car as the day definitely had the winter chill in the air, while we waited until others started gathering.
Today was a much anticipated ride for me as we had just finished building up my shiny new bike, an Ellsworth Epiphany, so I was looking forward to the ride.
Gathered at the carpark saw Tony, our leader for the day, Darren, Adam, Chris, Mark, Mark’s younger brother Gary (according to Darren), Keith, Andy 661, a guy on an Orange 5 and 3 others whom I apoligise as I do not remember their names. Oh and myself.
Tony hatched a plan and at 8.45 we were off heading in a South direction towards Collarbone. At the top we turned right then a left, where Adam jumped the big pile of logs. We headed down the wee hill and across the road and up the other side to Abba Zabba.
A few of us took the chicken run down the second steep down bit (past Blind Terror 2 I think), where myself and 3 others took a wrong turn and managed to go on a mini AJ adventure. We had to bush-bash our way to the road before coasting down to meet up with the others.
From there we headed over a railway bridge and took a right onto the Abinger Roughs before another right turn at Raikes Lane led us up what I think Tony called Relentless. This is where the group split into two and re-grouped at Newlands Corner for a well earned hot drink and cake/bacon buttie.
The group split again on the return, half taking the slightly faster way back to the car with Keith leading the charge, while Mark, Gary, Adam, Darren, myself and Tony took off in a South East direction down the steep gravel road (the one we normally ride in the opisite direction).
This was fast and fun but saw Adam have a close call on the sharp right hander having to bank the corner to get around and I hear Tony also had a close call on the left had corner taking it slightly fast and getting pulled into the wheel ruts.
At the bottom of the fast decent which had us all shivering we took a left down the road and a right; this is where it all gets a bit hazy for me, maybe due to the wicked fun I was having on the new bike…
We headed along a few bridlepaths, I know the name ‘Yew Trees’ came up somewhere, up a steep climb which brought us back to Collarbone. We slipped our way down Collarbone, then turned turn a left up the hill and out across the road and back to way we came to the car park for 1.15pm.
A very wicked fun ride which took 4.5 hours but no idea of mileage. NOW CAN YOU GUESS WHERE WE WENT?
Where was Matt?? I hear his vocation as a mechanic has not gone quite to plan leaving him bikeless… I know of a couple of really good mechanics if you need their numbers.
Also spotted in an umnamed resturant in Dorking, Paul 901 on a diet of pizza.
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Matt says:
Sorry I couldn’t make it Amanda, I was actually knackered from sweeping leaves the day before. Well, it was a LOT of leaves, followed by a big bonfire at MarkJ’s house.
By the time we went inside I’d been in all that fresh air from 2:00PM to 9:00PM – it can’t be good for you as I was exhausted!
Bike-wise, yes I’m struggling with a dodgy singlespeed freehub? chainring? who knows?!, plus the rear SRAM X0 shifter on the Orange has collapsed (second one this year, it was the front shifter first) and my V-brakes are worn out on the Marin from last weeks ride.
Only the singlespeed freehub is down to my mechanical skills, honest. But fair to say, I have three bikes that don’t work well at the moment :o(
Should be out again soon I hope even though the weather is getting unfriendly.
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Posted on November 9, 2010 at 11:16 am
paul901 says:
OMG, I have a look-alike. The poor bu88ar!
I can assure the A-Moles that on Sunday I was sitting in the cold watching my little angel at her pony lesson in Cobham with a flask of decent coffee to get me through, followed by bike washing and bacon butties.
I am partial to a decent pizza but haven’t actually had one for many months. Maybe I should shock 901-wannabee or at least confuse the waitresses with remarks of “I didn’t order that, mine was the…”
Ride report sounds like a fast ride. I’m sitting here looking at the arrival of the rain amidst reports of gales and biblical weather for this week including Saturday. Methinks the turbo trainer is going to see plenty of action this week.
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Posted on November 9, 2010 at 12:51 pm
Dave says:
Nice report Amanda!
So, did the Epiphany replace the 29er idea? Always thought it looked a great bike for this area.
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Posted on November 9, 2010 at 1:14 pm
DaveW says:
Nice write up Amanda.
2 XO shifters Matt? You must stop buying these cheap parts. ;o)
(Mind you I guess the 5 has seen some action, so if those have been on from new, they have probably done quite well. I think your 5 is a year older than mine and I had to replace one of the XT shifters this year.)
I was out scouting for routes and some acquantances of Tunnel Hill Ryan led a decent Swinley to Tunnel Hill and back route. I must share at some point.
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Posted on November 9, 2010 at 1:49 pm
KevS says:
Good job Amanda!
I dont know how you remembered most of the names.
I think you only missed 3 of us out of the group of 12 that started from Bocketts, Ray, OrangeRoo and myself.
After we split from you at Newlands Keith, Ray, OrangeRoo, Andy661 and myself had a nice trundle back along the NDW to Ranmore than down to Polesden, up Yew Trees and along the usual home run to Bocketts along Admirals.
Keith split left at the top of Yew Trees and returned to Bookham and I swerved left at the Crabtree Lane crossroads to head down to Fetcham and home leaving the others to return to Bocketts.
About 22 miles for us so add a few more for you and the others from Newlands.
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Posted on November 9, 2010 at 2:54 pm
paul901 says:
This means Keith rode the same Newlands route 2 days running. Sounds like he has a training plan going on…
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Posted on November 9, 2010 at 4:16 pm
Andy661 says:
Keith clearly is getting his game on for Brass Monkey’s.
My ride was cursed and i apologise for holding everyone up. Repeatedly.
Was a high mileage week, for me, and perhaps those beers with the rugby weren’t the best prep 😉
i’m also doing Brass Monkey’s too so less beer, more cycling!
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Posted on November 9, 2010 at 8:50 pm
Andy661 says:
Keith clearly is getting his game on for Brass Monkey’s.
My ride was cursed and i apologise for holding everyone up. Repeatedly.
Was a high mileage week, for me, and perhaps those beers with the rugby weren’t the best prep 😉
i’m also doing Brass Monkey’s too so less beer, more cycling!
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Posted on November 9, 2010 at 9:59 pm
kc says:
It must be true as Andy said it twice! 🙂
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Posted on November 10, 2010 at 5:36 pm