I left the house shortly after 0730hrs. Compared with yesterday, the weather was good. Outside it was bright and most importantly it was dry. But there had been rain, a considerable amount of it. Cycling down Lusted Hall Lane en route to my chosen destination there was a huge expanse of rain water spanning the road. I slowed down and rode through it very slowly, trying my best not to get wet.
Earlier, I had been in two minds about where to go; should I ride to Oxted, Biggin Hill, Carshalton, Westerham or even Tatsfield Village for a cup of tea over at Sheree's. I had an errand. "Can you get some Fairy washing up liquid, the green one?" Not a problem. There's a Waitrose in Oxted and Biggin Hill and in all the other places there are other stores, like Sainsbury's Local, Tesco Express, Nisa Today, you name it. I could have gone anywhere, but of course I wasn't riding just to get washing up liquid. I was out because there was exercise to do and I didn't get out yesterday because of the poor weather. As I said to Andy on the text, it was a wash-out.
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| Biggin Hill where I turn left into Sunningdale... |
Andy couldn't make it today so I didn't go to Westerham. I did consider riding there, but I wasn't too keen on the ride out, never have been. I don't know what it is, but there are some routes where I don't like certain bits of the journey. The one I hate the most is the ride through the golf course, normally en route to Godstone and just prior to riding down Ganger's Hill, now there's a ride we haven't done for a while. With Westerham the entire return journey isn't good. For a start, most of the first half of the ride is uphill and it also hangs on which way I leave town. If I head out on Clarks Lane (the way I come in) there's something, I'm not sure what, that depresses me or that makes me feel weary. Not to put too finer word on it, I fucking hate it.
That said, I suppose you could say that all these routes have their bad bits. Oxted has Titsey Hill, but for some reason it doesn't bother me. Biggin Hill has Ricketts Hill Road coming out and Stock Hill going in, but again, it's not a bother, it's certainly not in any way depressing. Tatsfield's alright and so is Carshalton, although on the latter, I hate the return trip. As urban rides go, the outward bound journey is best, probably because there's less traffic, but coming out of Carshalton there are options, ie go out towards Woodmansterne and then back along Croydon Lane or cut through Wallington and the Stafford Road.
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| Looking down Stock Hill on the return ride... |
So I'm riding along thinking I could head over to mum's if I hang a right on Slines Oak, head through Woldingham on to the A22 and then through Purley, Foxley Lane and down through the Beeches, past the Windsor Castle and hey presto! Mum's gaff.
In the end Biggin Hill won the day. I rode along the 269 towards Botley, hung a left at the roundabout and then a left into Approach Road and down Lusted Hall Lane. It's a short downhill coast to Biggin Hill, probably no more than 10 minutes and then I found myself on Sunningdale Road, which is flanked on either side with modern houses, sixties or seventies built properties all a bit too close together for my liking. Some are nice, some aren't, but for some strange reason I like Biggin Hill, even if it is a little depressing. I can't put my finger on it. The last time I was here the Spitfire Cafe was closed, today it was open but I wanted the familiarity of the Costa Coffee, and besides, I have a Costa Card and after so many purchases I get a free drink. Unfortunately, the card didn't work in their machine so my purchase counted for nothing. I sat outside with a pot of tea and a couple of ginger biscuits. There was a man with his daughter, both on mountain bikes, Forme mountain bikes. They sat there chatting, the girl on her mobile phone checking her exam results. I simply sat there looking at passing cars and then decided it was time to get that Fairy washing up liquid. Waitrose didn't open until 1000hrs so I popped into the Tesco Express and bought what I needed, then I unpadlocked the bike and embarked upon the ride home. Left at the lights, down Stock Hill, but not before taking a photo and then left into Sunningdale, up Ricketts Hill Lane and through Tatsfield Village. I hung a right out of Approach Road, on to Clarks Lane heading for the Botley Roundabout. I turned right and rode along the 269. I'm always cautious on the 269 because there are nutters on the road, but soon I was on the Limpsfield Road, which technically is still the 269 but a little more suburban. Past Sainsbury's, round Warlingham Green, Hamsey, Sanderstead high street, Church Way and home. I must have reached home around 1030hrs and then I lay down on the wicker chair in the garden room. I've never felt so rested and I think I must have nodded off. I drifted in and out of sleep loving every second of it because I felt great. I felt rested and deliciously tired and weary. It was nice and it was past lunch time when I got up and headed towards the municipal rubbish dump. I had some olive oil to dispose of, like a whole bag of it. When we got there I was directed to a tank with a yellow hatch that needed to be opened before I could dispense with the oil. Then I drove to mum's. We helped her out into the garden and sat there for half an hour or so chatting in the pleasant breeze, talking about plants and trees whilst sipping tea and munching on two bar KitKats. I might have had three of them. And then, as we drove back, we decided to eat out rather than cook something at home. Fine, we don't do it often so why not?
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| Ricketts Hill Road takes me back to Tatsfield Village |
It's now 2239hrs. I'm watching the second of two movies, both on Prime. The first was Red with Brian Cox, a good movie; and then The World We Knew, a crime movie, quite atmospheric. I'll probably go to bed in a minute as the camomile tea is kicking in. I didn't ride yesterday, but I got one in today, just over 21 miles, not bad.
