Quick loop! Ride report 21/06/15
With Father’s day falling last Sunday the Mole collective was reduced in numbers. Being partly affected I suggested a very quick loop.
The extended Epsom Downs loop was my suggestion and the five riders who arrived at the start all seemed to be happy. Gordon (warm enough not to be wearing his gaiters). DeeDub, Southside Jonny and Elliot joined me. Navigational problems prevented James from getting anywhere near us for the start although I did get reports today he was sighted near the Sawmill at some point on Sunday morning.
We headed up Alsation at a fairish pace and straight on towards Headly, passing under the M25 and up passed the Pony Club. Popping us out on Ebbisham Lane. SSJ questioned out loud why there were so many Ebbishams in Epsom. Well, SSJ, I did just google it and there was a Manor of Ebbisham in 933 that was granted land in Espom by the then King, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epsom. Never say you learning nothing by reading our ride reports!
We we soon heading up towards Tattenham Corner and then back across the race course to head home via Ashtead. Given our early time of something like 9:45 we felt tea at Bike Beans was going to be too early so we decided to visit the old haunt of Box Hill. We rode along Stane Street and then up onto Mickleham so we could have some Paranoia and Tank Slapper before climbing up Juniper Bottom.
Arriving at Box Hill I felt very out of place with a 2.2″ tyre. Carbon framed, 23mm shod steed were everywhere and I think ours were the only 5 MTBs up there! I also think there was one family without bikes at all! Anyway, I can report that the flapjack was excellent and of a decent size.
While eating and chatting it became apparent that Elliot had not ridden China Pig before so while Gordon and myself head off for family duties, the other three set off to educate Elliot. Early return for us all but a nice old fashioned XC ride that I enjoyed very much.
About the author
Dave's been riding seriously since about 1997 and is one of the founding Molefathers — along with Matt and Mark — that came up with the idea of a MTB website for Mole Valley riders.
He's had several different bikes but it's now mainly 29ers in Dave's stable, apart from an Orange 5.
Current Bikes: Orange 5, Salsa Spearfish and Kona Big Unit
There are 6 comments on ‘Quick loop! Ride report 21/06/15’
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J-R says:
I won’t say I learn nothing from reading Moles’ ride reports.
China Pig was in fine form and Elliot disappeared along behind Dave, as if he’d been riding it for years. We also enjoyed a quick ascent of High Alpine and dropped down to Mickleham via TNP for the ride home via Infestation.
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Posted on June 22, 2015 at 8:19 pm
Matt says:
Elliott hadn’t ridden China Pig before?? Wow! Seems it’s not just us readers that needed educating this week.
I haven’t ridden China Pig for a while, it was getting a bit fiddly with the odd tree down here and there. It’s a long bit of singletrack and quite intense.
I was one of those ‘required’ elsewhere for Fathers’ Day. I probably should have come out but was still tired from the end-of-week rides in any case.
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Posted on June 22, 2015 at 8:35 pm
Dandy says:
Tired from the end of week rides … or the end of week beers ? 😉
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Posted on June 23, 2015 at 11:18 am
Elliot says:
From the name I thought I’d ridden China Pig before but upon cresting Box Hill and hearing the trail was nearby it became apparent that it was nowhere near where I thought it was. There’s still a couple of trees down that want a visit from the Moots Trail Maintenance Bike. Quite a long but nice bit of singletrack!
It’s all good. I found a trail on Holmbury a few weeks ago that’s obviously been well used for years but I’d never ridden that either.
As Dave says, the flapjack and hot chocolate were excellent, if priced slightly above the benchmark Peaslake Store.
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Posted on June 22, 2015 at 9:42 pm
James says:
Funnily enough I haven’t been up onto Boxhill or down china pig for months either, until last Friday evening. When did they put the gate in halfway up the chalk track by the zigzag?! (Disappointingly it wasn’t shut giving the opportunity for a rest).
As for learning from a Moles report, they are often full of recherché lexicon!
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Posted on June 22, 2015 at 9:51 pm
Gordo says:
Well Elliott, if only you rode as regularly with the moles as I do then you would have ridden these trails!
Great morning albeit I’m better at eating flapjack than riding my bike.
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Posted on June 23, 2015 at 9:00 am