Punch & Judy

The day had started very wet but the rain had eased off by our scheduled start time of 10:00. At the start were Barbara, Norman, Bob, John H and myself, Mick. Anton also turned up but could not find a parking space so, as he had other commitments he headed home. There was a swimming event on and the centre car park was full. I had gone in for a cup of tea and was served it in paper cup rather than the usual china cup. I enquired about this and was told it was because of the swimming event. "Health and safety?" I said. "No," came the reply, "most of the china cups went missing at the last event."

After some minor adjustments to Barbara’s brakes we set off. We headed through north Horsham on Pondtail Road, over the bypass onto Langhurstwood Road, then straight into and through a flood! It was only a few inches deep but all the way across the road. We headed up the hill and past the tip before taking a right turn and then a left up to Rusper. Norman left us here and returned home via Friday Street. Meanwhile we headed further north to Newdigate where we turned left towards Capel. As we cycled along Misbrooks Green Road we spotted an old railway signal in someones back garden. It's a single signal post with both a Home and a Distant upper quadrant signal mounted on it. Reaching Capel we turned left and then right over the A24, past Ockley station and onto Weare Street, one of the prettiest lanes in the area;
At the end of Weare Street we crossed over the A29 and passed a sleeping policeman - no, really, he was parked up at the side of the road and having a snooze!

We were not very far from the lunch stop so pressed on. We pulled up at the Punchbowl to find that John V was already there. Also there was another cycle club (from Croydon) for their Christmas Lunch, so we were concerned about getting a table. Fortunately they were eating in a separate room so we found a table in the restaurant. The food, beer and company were all good and we managed to put the world to rights before once more heading back outside.

Returning to the A29 we headed south and into the breeze before taking the first left into Marches Road and then right into Mayes Lane. After a short distance we passed a farm with some old buses in a barn. A Routemaster was the only one I recognized. There are usually more old vehicles here including a fire engine but not today unfortunately.

It was then on to Warnham where we took Bell Lane, crossed the A24 and continued along Station Road to use the underpass at Warnham Station. At the end of Mercer Lane the Horsham members turned right to travel the mile or so back home, whilst the Crawley members turned left and reclimbed the hill past the tip. We continued retracing our earlier route as far as Rusper. Here we turned right to enjoy the downhill run which seemed to take us all the way to Ifield (I think the wind was behind us). Splitting up in the Town Centre, John H & John V headed on home to Pound Hill whilst Bob made for Furnace Green, arriving home at 15:00hrs with 41 miles on his speedo.

Don't forget, this coming weekend sees the Christmas Dinner on Saturday (have you given Anton your menu choices?) and then a nice easy ride out and back along the Worth Way on Sunday (10:00 hrs start at Three Bridges).