Halloween Special / Season closer / Surrey Five Hills (ish)

The traditional Five Hills Season Closer, this time coinciding with Halloween. Fancy dress not mandatory.

Train out: Waterloo Station 1903, arrives 1946. Meet under the big clock.
Train back: 2223, 2253, 2303, last 2323 (if it isn't cancelled)

The last train has been reliably cancelled lately, so let's try and start on time to have time for a pint in the pub.

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/152657

Train out:

• cgg
  
  

Ride out:

Forever in our hearts:

• YAL
  
• that other bearded guy
  

I know it makes it a shorter ride but... Can we end in Dorking, make sure we get on a train back into London AND have time for beers aplenty?

If we do that we have to do a loop of Ranmore, right?

So we’ve brainstormed a bit with @cagimaha on the various options and basically the problem is that it will be two different train tickets instead of a return ticket, which makes it twice as expensive. Unless I’ve missed something. What I thought we could do is keep an eye on time and trains as we ride the loop, and cut out some bits if we need to.

Happy to adapt if anyone has other suggestions!

Starting in Dorking is not entirely satisfactory either as the train takes an hour and gets in at 2015. It does shorten the loop (we don’t have the Effingham leg to do) so it might not actually be a problem.

I think that if we were to buy a return to and from Effingham junction, but actually get back on the train at Dorking there wouldn't be a ticket inspector in the world would have a problem with it as its technically on the same line.

Aslong as its from Dorking rather than Dorking Deepdene.

1 Attachment

Train out:

cgg
seager (from Wimbledon)

Ride out:

Forever in our hearts:

YAL
that other bearded guy

Makes sense. We can get returns to Effingham and assess whether or not we need to bail when coming up to Dorking. Or perhaps returns to Dorking as there are no ticket gates at Effingham but I'm not sure about Dorking.

Train out:

cgg
seager (from Wimbledon)

Ride out:

Rod_Munch (I might be late but I'll be approaching from the South so definitely set off without me if I am)

Forever in our hearts:

YAL
that other bearded guy

Train out:

1. cgg
   
2. seager (from Wimbledon)
   
   

Ride out:

1. Rod_Munch (I might be late but I'll be approaching from the South so definitely set off without me if I am)
   
2. cagimaha
   
   

Forever in our hearts:

1. YAL
   
2. that other bearded guy
   

Just to confirm, we’ll start from Effingham Junction. Train arrives at 1946 (hopefully) and we’ll leave as soon as possible. We’ll then decide whether or not we want to end the ride in Dorking when we’ll get nearer.

Might not make it... Work stuff. Will train if I can come. Will sext Clement when I know for sure either way. xxx

Train is late, nothing surprising here. We just left Waterloo.

Great ride, great group, would definitely swap the 2nd ascent of Ranmore for a slightly more relaxed 2 pints then dash for a train!

@Rod_Munch you get back ok? Not seen the customary Strava century upload but that might be a feed algorithm shielding me from your smashfest statistics...

Really nice ride - absolute dream missing out that last hill. I think I prefer the Dorking pub to the Effingham one as well.

1 Attachment

[insert dad joke about that photo filter doing wonders for ya]

Yes, good ride, thanks! Though I wouldn't have minded Ranmore I think. Taking the train to Effingham and from Dorking is a bit cumbersome.

Yup got back ok, even if the route was a bit medieval, thanks! The ride seems to be visible to others but I have no idea how that Strava algo works..

Good stuff! It did appear on my feed a little earlier, who knows the mysteries of the Strava.

oh and thanks for the beers guys, you will be repaid in kind at the succession of end of season beer meetings..