23^rd June 2002

A couple of new recruits today. Dave and Mark have bought Roger and Huey with them to experience the thrills and spills of The_Big_8 in reverse. Roger cycled up from Portsmouth yesterday and is cycling back again this evening – let’s hope the route is worth it. Whilst Huey earns my undying respect by having read and being able to quote excerpts from this site – top man!

Huey has even attempted one of the routes and can confirm my lack of any sense of direction. Still, he plans to send me the route on GPS for you to download and enjoy.

The weather is beautiful and helps me forget my aches and pains. After a brief detour unsuccessfully trying to find some jumps and doubles that I stumbled across once we are at the top of Colley Hill.

This is a steep downhill that has a stepped descent mixed in with numerous water channels and gulleys. It can't be taken very fast but it is great fun and very challenging.

 After a long slow climb we pause at the Café at the top of Reigate Hill for some refreshment. We are soon on the way again along the North Downs Way. The section from Reigate to Pebble Hill slopes gently downhill for 3 kilometres changing from fire road full of ramblers to testing singletrack. This allows you to a great opportunity to race or coast along depending on how you feel.

We head back into Walton and then add in an extra 4 mile loop that takes us up to Headley, along Slane Street and back to Epsom Downs via Langley Vale. This proves to be a bridge too far for me and I struggle around this section lacking fitness from not riding much recently.

We head back to Epsom racecourse having covered 22 miles. A great ride on a fantastic day.

Dave on his Santa Cruz Heckler, Huey is on a vintage 1994 Kona Explosif steel frame with Proflex forks and Roger is on his Cannondale Jekyll with Lefty fork

Mark, Huey and Roger heading towards Walton Heath

Mark on his Specialized Stumpjumper with Rock Shox Judy forks

Dave F looking sheepish

Huey moving at speed

Huey

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