Hunger's End, Merstham and Jon gets a puncture

My bike outside Hunger's End, a long shot of Andy and I outside the café and one of the caff's windows. This really is a great caff, so great that's made the pages of http://teashopandcaff.blogspot.com – go check it out.

I must have a sixth sense. In fact, I'm convinced that I have a sixth sense. This morning we, that is Andy, Jon and myself, went to Merstham. Initially, Jon wasn't going to come due to a sore throat, but when we reached the cashpoint a few yards from the Hunger's End caff, there he was.

Naturally we all enjoyed a caff breakfast – Andy had a sausage bap, John a Full English (with fried bread) and me two slices of toast and a small mountain of scrambled egg – and let's not forget the tea.

Then, just as we got comfortable, it was time to go home and a pretty strenuous ride up Markedge Lane, past the famous Fanny's Farm teashop and home. Just past Fanny's a man in a JCB was trimming the shrubs and bushes lining the road and the debris was landing in the road. I started thinking this is puncture time as some of the bits of cut branch carried thorns. For some reason I thought that Jon was going to get a puncture and I started to play the conversation in my mind:

[Mobile phone ringing, I stop to answer it; it's Jon]

"You'll never guess what."

"What?"

"I've got a puncture."

"Where are you?"

"Just up Park Road, about halfway up."

And then it all depended on how far away I was and whether I could get back and help him. These were the thoughts going through my mind as I approached Smitham near Coulsdon. The phone didn't ring but later in the afternoon, while at home, it did and it was Jon saying he had a puncture. "It must have been that bloke who was cutting the bushes," he said as I recalled my thoughts on the way home earlier.

I've offered to fix it. All he has to do is put his bike in the car and drive over here and I'll sort it. Anyway, it was a good cycle and for Andy and I it's the best part of 30 miles, which is good exercise. Got home around 11am having left Andy on the A23 (he knows a quicker home).

Feeling a bit tired if the truth be known. I need to get to bed earlier the night before a cycle. Right now I'm just waiting for the hot water to warm up so I can have a bath and then hopefully Bon will come round and we can fix his puncture.

Oh, almost forgot. Shaving man was there again but minus the razor.