Just For Fun (J4F) ride 6th June

[Tim Coales]

Having missed 4 consecutive club runs (sick, work, work, sick), I felt like a first-timer and needed the Just For Fun group to get me back into it. I’d taken a day off on Friday and done some reorganizing of the shed, so got my road bike out and all prepared the night before (like you should!). This meant that I was able to have a leisurely breakfast on the patio before setting off at 8.35am to arrive nice and early at CSS. On the way I passed Phil Nash outside Nona Rosa and resisted the temptation for a pre-ride Latte, however I did spend 10 minutes catching up on life with my good cycling mate, so by the time I arrived, Amy and about a dozen others had beaten me to it. Enquiry identified several first-timers for the J4F ride, James, Jana, Nike, Julianne, who were duly welcomed along with a number out for their 2nd or 3rd time.

As is often the case mid-season, the number of takers for the training group was small (4). It was then a bidding war (Speed-Drop CR – like Price-Drop TV!) to find who wanted to go next – I was beginning to think I would have a group of 75. Eventually, when the bidding was down to 18mph a group of about 28 formed whom we then managed to divide into groups for 19 and 18 mph. Peter Smith had a well planned alternative route via Chipstead, “Little Switzerland” and on to the café at Henfold Lakes and jointly led by Amy took another 15 or so. A good size 17mph group was followed by a smaller “steady” group setting off at 9.25am. After some basic instruction about group riding for the first-timers, twelve of us set off just short of 9.30am. The secret to a successful J4F ride is to set off nice and slow with some patient, experienced riders at the back to instill confidence and ensure people don’t struggle and get dropped off the back. I was grateful to Martin who undertook this role while supporting his wife Julianne on her first ACC ride. Having successfully negotiated the latest “traffic calming” (more like angering) measure installed on the A23 close to Starbucks, being such a big group we switched to the right-hand side of the lane to allow the motorway traffic to pass us on the left. Somewhere before Merstham, Peter and his son, Toby joined us. Everyone made excellent progress up the “3 humps”, and down to the A25 where we regrouped before heading through Reigate to the Heath where the lanes begin.

We had planned to do some gentle rotation, but didn’t manage to keep tight-knit enough as a group for it to really work. By the time we arrived at Parkgate, Robena and her husband were out of sight. Due to the time, turned left and left again, up Blanks Lane, past Stan Hill Hotel and down Stan Hill, then right into Charlwood. We arrived at the Pine Shop Café about 11.20am just as the faster groups were departing, but before Robena who’d gone through Newdigate! Some of us took the shady option for our tea and cake, joining Joyce inside while some sat out the front in the sun.

On the way back we stayed together as a group until ascending the climb up past the golf-course at Earlswood, where some who knew the route went ahead. We all met up at the Church just North of Redhill for valedictory word before the final leg to Coulsdon, arriving at the Nona Rosa Café about 1.20pm. Well done to Janna, Nike, James, Craig, Paul & Julianne for completing their first ACC ride and thanks to Phil, Martin, and the others for the help and support.

See you next time…

Tim Coales

[Jon C C on a Bianchi]

Nice report, Tim, sounds like fun. Your james must have been the James who rode back with us - nice bloke and a really strong rider. how'd he end up in the JF4???

[Roy Green]

Glad to hear your J4F group fared well, Tim. I felt slightly guilty not helping out, but fancied testing my legs before a long non-bike holiday with the bigger boys & gals, so went with a nominal 16s/17s group. Actually nearer 15s - see my post in main club run report.

[Marcus]

Great write up Tim