I guess it’s a one of those looks that sort of says “I can see the lips move and hear the voice OK but I just can’t believe you are saying it.”

Go for a night ride on a Friday night? Are you mad?

Well as you will have read “Mothering Sunday” loomed and the family guys had to try to preserve their two rides a week but no way was I sacrificing the Friday night curry. So… did this mean I was going to be billy-no-mates on Sunday then? I thought it might but there is another ride…

The Moles have WAGS too! What’s more we have WAGS that ride, and ride some impressive kit as well. So I thought I might join the Fe-Mole ride, show them a route or two and generally have an “easy” ride.

No. My heart rate monitor informed me I was close to death again after managing to stay ahead of Jill and Debbie on the Alsatian climb. Time to reconsider the “ease” of the ride. My own partner, Cathie, has got very good at grinding out the climbs, speed is improving all the time, Debbie has ridden for years and if husband, Tony, anything to go by then I can see where the determination has come from. Jem has said on more than one occasion he wants Jill’s legs and I don’t necessarily think he was referring to them looking better in the finest hosiery although what they get up to on a Saturday night is entirely up to them!!

Anyway, it was a cracking day, the pace was spot on and the company was a lot more attractive than I’m used to! I wasn’t the only man there either. Rachel had persuaded her husband, Steve, to come out as well and I’ve not ridden with Steve for over five years so it was good to see him and catch up. Regrettably, given him not riding for over a year, given the distance of over 20 miles and given the race style saddle on his epic I’m not sure he’ll be out again this year! Hope you do though Steve, the Moles would be happy to have you join us!!

I wasn’t best pleased that Box Hill was over run with what looked like participants in a Ironman style race as the queue for cake was too long even for me. So, straight down Juniper bottom it was then. I was hammering it down on my Five and got to the bottom expecting some wait but Debbie ambled in behind me on her hardtail. Humbled again.

So, I don’t really want to come across as a chauvinist, I’m really not but the simple fact is that I’ve been riding off road for best part of ten years and some of the girls only a few months. Hence I am genuinely impressed with the fitness, speed and also improvement in riding given those few months of riding as a group.

It was a great ride of some 21 miles.

I also sneaked out on Sunday with Jem for a swift 15 miles including cake! My legs knew I’d ridden the day before as well! Maybe we need Mothering Sunday more often… ;o)

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