Rogers rides 2024

Midweek ride to Northolt

Wednesday 17th January. After a freezing cold night, how many would be brave (or even foolhardy) enough to ride, & would it be safe ? A quick pre amble on local Roads, with no Ice to be seen, I decided we should be OK to go, after 10 cancellations, 6 brave Cyclists left via Fairfield, the London Rd track, Norbiton, Kingston gate of Richmond Park, to Sheen gate, Motlake, the first of 4 level crossings, set the trend, -at least a 3 Minute wait at each👎 -, Chiswick Bridge, Grove park (2nd crossing), Chiswick Green, Acton (3rd & 4th crossing), Ealing Common, North Ealing, Pitshanger Park, Perivale, Medway village, – a missed turn, not quite hiding in plain site-, Greenford, to Northolt for lunch at ‘the Greenwood Hotel (Wetherspoons), (and a delightful Art Deco interior), -a very congested A312, Petts Hill, due to HS2 work-, Northolt Village, then a more pleasant surprise, a new Cycle path, still under construction, but 1/2 Mile already usable 👍-, Southall, Norwood Green, Osterley Park (Photo)- with Ducks & other water birds doing some Ice dancing in the background-, Osterley, Hounslow, Whitton, to Kneller Gardens for Tea & refreshments, Strawberry hill, Teddington, Hampton wick, Kingston Bridge, to finish back in Kingston. Total 30 Miles, special thanks to John E for back marking. Map:- www.plotaroute.com/route/909611

Osterley Park lake, with ‘Ice dancing Ducks’: Lindsay

Bread pudding ride to Pimlico

Sunday 7th January, after 1 late booking & 1 cancellation, with a bright Sunny morning, mostly cloud after lunch, the first ride of 2024 set off from New Malden with 20 Cyclists, via Raynes park, South Wimbledon, the Wandle trail – collecting 1 more-, Earlsfield, Wandsworth Common, Clapham Common- suddenly with an icy headwind-, Stockwell, the Oval, Vauxhall, Vauxhall Bridge, to Pimlico for lunch at ‘the White Swan’ (McMullens), then Wesdtminster (Photo), CS3, Southwark Bridge, Bermondsey, CS14, CS10, Burgess Park, Camberwell, Loughborough, Brockwell Park, -where the hoped for indoor Cafe, was closed for a refit, so Al-fresco Tea stop & No Bread pudding-, Tulse Hill, Streatham Hill, Tooting Bec Common, Tooting, Myrna Gardens, Colliers wood, a bit more Wandle trail, Morden Hall Park, Merton park, Cannon hill Common, Motspur park to finish back in New Malden. Total 31 Miles, thanks to Chris & John E for back marking & others for marking corners. Map:- www.plotaroute.com/route/933539.

With a recently refurbished Elizabeth Tower (Big Ben): Lindsay

Midweek ride to West Horsley

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Ashtead Common, with the Poser at the front & his new Bike

Wednesday 17th April, a largely bright Sunny day saw 16 Cyclists leave via the Portsmouth Rd track, with 1 extra ‘late starter’, joining us as we approached Winters Bridge, Long Ditton, Hinchley wood, – with a short delay whilst someone got his stamps !-, Littleworth, Esher, Fairmile, Cobham, Hatchford, Ockham, to West Horsley for lunch at the ‘Barley Mow’, then East Horsley, Effingham, Bookham, Fetcham, Leatherhead, Ashtead Common (Photo), – with a brief explanation of how the ‘Coal Tax’, helped the City of London maintain this & many other Commons & green spaces around the City-, Epsom Common, to the ‘Old Moat Garden Centre’ for refreshments, West Ewell, Tolworth, Berrylands to Kingston. Total 32 Miles, 2 new Faces, thanks to Steve D for back marking, & others for marking corners.

Map:- www.plotaroute.com/route/763492