Club run 18/09 - now a general discussion of the club run...

[Amy]

Suitably depleted with the President's 10 and probaly the ToB finishing up in London, there weren't the usual numbers for the club run. In fact so depleted there were only two VCs, myself and Nick.

Nick kicked things off with a call for a TG but it seemed everyone was either elsewhere or taking it easy so a 19s made the first group to set off, followed by the usual groups. With Nick leaving in the 18s (which I had planned to at least start with) left me organising the remainder and eventually to lead out the last group of 15s.

Bit of a mixed group with a number of late arrivals, it lost and gained members as the faster ones decided to move on together. In fact, Nick and I caught several late arrivals on the back foot as they arrived to find their groups already gone Well, it was a bit fresh to be standing around, seizing up

In the end, I was left with 3 riders, Wayne on his third ride with us, Ian - suffering from hitting a BMW - and Pete who assisted me in keeping the other two on and then leading them back from Charlwood as I needed to get back to Sutton to go out again. Hope you were OK Pete! And thanks for helping out.

I managed to do most of the ride down to Charlwood in top gear which did make my legs ache a bit but I don't think I overstrained any muscles. Coming back was a bit different People were already leaving but the faster boys were faffing around so I left them to it and started off down the road. A slight moment of hesitation about whether I could jump on the back when they came past but then I did and was hanging on as well as I could until Dan G tried to do a DIY vasectomy just down the road as he hit a hole no-one had pointed out and also lost his chain. Paul H and I were behind and, though Dan swerved out of the line out of the way, we had already had to take emergency action to avoid running into him as he slowed down and that did it for me. I didn't have anything to recover and push back on so I just settled down to riding back pretty much on my own.

Caught up with a couple of others including two who seemed to miss the turn just before Hooley (come on, boys, how did you do that - ps if you'd carried on you could've taken the next left and got back on the route and missed that concrete slab road). Dan caught up and then rode on to get to the church regroup in time for the final dash into CSS while I just arrived in time to get on the back group and then drop off again...

The afternoon was spent in that wonderful centre of culture that is Morden, underneath the main road and next to the carpark at Tesco's or whichever superstore it was looking at the remains of one of the largest Austin priories known (before Henry VIII shut it down). Only the chapter house is available to view - the rest being reburied under the retail park having been found and excavated during construction in the 1980s. Also looked around the Abbey Mills - never realised how historic Morden was what with the Priory and the silk mills of Liberty and William Morris being powered by the little old Wandle river. Just goes to show what we can have right on our own doorsteps

[Antloony]

Easy run down with the 18's for me, after 2 weeks off the bike I couldn't be bothered going any faster so enjoyed a lovely tootle along down to the cafe with the welcome sunshine warming us up. Wont mention the sprint, no point

Ride back was a little quicker, didn't push to hard until after the usual regrouping at the church. Steady pace was kept until the top of the drag when Dan lit the blue touch paper and wanted to go a bit faster, I hung back a bit and tried to get Nick H on my back wheel and tow him back to Dan and co but after a big push up the drag his legs alas said sod off. This left a gap for me to close back to Dan and 2 others so I just got my head down and slowly got myself on to the back wheel of the last man. quick breather then time to do some work on the front, Dan was going well and we shared places until I felt my legs get excitable so a quick burst out of the saddle, opened up a gap and that was it, I was gone never to be caught again....I do love that stretch of road I think before I start racing again next season I should give myself a 2 hour warm up as I always seem to go well on the return leg of the CR.

Thats all folks.....

[PeteS]

Actually, there were 3 VCs there as I led a group on a ride down to Tulleys Farm in Sussex for great coffee and cakes. It was a good group,riding on mostly quiet lanes and great to see Dave Lovell who I used to ride with when we were both in the Paragon in the 80's.
As someone who doesn't go on the 'normal' clubrun beause I think it's too boring, in places very dangerous and with a very uninspiring cafe at its end. I have noticed that Monty has not been coming out recently and several times there has been a shortage of VCs at CSS. I think if the Club is going to carry on sending groups down one of the busiest roads in the South, passing the notorious M23/5 junction, then it needs to get the cover for the various groups sorted out. Monty has run the Clubrun as his own for so long and I think we need to know what he will now do to fill the gap left by his absence.

[Snoop Doug]

[quote="PeteS"]Monty has run the Clubrun as his own for so long and I think we need to know what he will now do to fill the gap left by his absence.

[Sylv]

Re safety out of Coulsdon - what about a route similar to this:

[img]http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4154/5007454605_e253bf9ec1.jpg[/img]

I'm not familiar to that area and it might be fairly hilly, but I'd be willing to go explore alternative route possibilities.

[Andrew G]

I can't see your pic at the mo Sylv so apologies if I just repeat.

If people want to do the same CR but a safer less trafficy route out of CSS then I've often taken a group out via Chipstead Valley Rd and down Pebble Hill, straight over the RAB at the bottom to Brockham. Take first right then left at the fork and over through the village. Straight line to pick up CR route at Parkgate.

Plenty of options and variation are possible if people want to take a different route but the above is easy to follow and people could pick it up after one ride should they want to stick to the same route each week.

Any responsible and trusted member of the club who is happy to "point the way", not necessarily have to be labelled a group leader if they don't want to be, should be encouraged to do so. Over winter I'll be doing my usual mix of different routes and rides, some of which will be long ones / all dayers.

[Amy]

Well, I was going to point out that the AGM is due in the next couple of months and if anyone wants to stand for Captain, please put your name forward (who to? PVT?)

In fact, I've been thinking of standing for Captain for some time now… And yes, like Snoop, I would make it more of a group thing and increase the number of VCs to help make things less onerous for all involved. I'm not really sure I want to do it as I do suffer from depression and if I did become Captain I wouldn’t want to be there for long if it was too much for me…

Of course if anyone else steps forward (within reason) as Captain of course, I'd be happy to remain as a VC. I'd like to think that I've proved I can get the club run organised and out near enough on time…

I have suggested an alternative over Farthing Downs and we could make Farthing Downs a summer meeting point with rides leaving all over the place into Surrey, Kent and Sussex, from morning rides to all day rides and for all abilities. Andrew's route is workable and sounds similar to what Sylv has suggested. With a Captain and VCs suggesting and leading these rides, we could provide a much wider range for people to come along and enjoy - we should be spoilt for choice!

Anyway, this was about enjoying the club run so let's get back on subject and put this discussion on its own thread.
Back on the club run, I forgot to mention that it felt like idiots in cars' day out - I had to fight a lorry at Wallington after he came up on my right - I was in the middle of the left hand lane to go straight over up towards CSS. I thought he was going to turn right especially as he slowed down as we set off but then I realised it was only a gear change and we were both aiming for the single lane opposite. You could argue that he never saw me… I mean the bottom of the cab was practically level with my head. I didn't really know what to do for the best so I sprinted and got in front of him where he did see me. Probably thought I was a stupid cyclist - would've been nice to have a chat just to see whether he did see me as he pulled up at the lights next to me. Then I had a car speed up behind me as I approached an island so I made sure he couldn't squeeze past after which he haired off again setting off the speed warnings… On the ride down to Charlwood, several cars came so close we wondered if we'd shaved and one passenger felt she had to tell us we should ride single file - so Pete told her to go read the Highway Code. Was it me or was it busy between Leigh and Rusper??

[Sylv]

Or up Farthing Downs, and re-joining the CR route just before Mertsham - only adds 1.4miles.

Bit hilly too but FD is lovely first thing in the morning.

[quote="PeteS"]Monty has run the Clubrun as his own for so long and I think we need to know what he will now do to fill the gap left by his absence.

[Phil H]

[quote="Sylv"]FD is lovely first thing in the morning.

[Keith]

[quote="Amy"]
Anyway, this was about enjoying the club run so let's get back on subject and put this discussion on its own thread.

[Jon H]

Sylv's little map is a fairly hilly route out, but it does have the advantage of going past the best named cafe in Surrey. Which reminds me, Fanny's Farm Shop is having a special day this coming Saturday to celebrate having 1000 Facebook friends.

[Sylv]

[quote="Amy"]we could make Farthing Downs a summer meeting point with rides leaving all over the place into Surrey, Kent and Sussex

[Paul H]

[quote="PeteS"]As someone who doesn't go on the 'normal' clubrun beause I think it's too boring, in places very dangerous and with a very uninspiring cafe at its end. I have noticed that Monty has not been coming out recently and several times there has been a shortage of VCs at CSS. I think if the Club is going to carry on sending groups down one of the busiest roads in the South, passing the notorious M23/5 junction, then it needs to get the cover for the various groups sorted out

[Dombo]

[quote="Paul H"][As far as im aware, most of the ACC accidents occur down the country roads. Is it because they feel safe and do not concentrate.