CLUB RUN LIST - WEEK SAT 6th AUG + 20 mph

[Jon C C on a Bianchi]

Dear Agreeables

It's the first Saturday of the month so it's the Just For Fun ride as well as the usual CR.


The proposed rides for [size=150]SATURDAY 6th AUG[/size] are...

the Regular Club Run to Charlwood...15,16,17,18,19 and 20 mph groups + TGA and TGB
+ J4F

Return Routes:
Regular (Horley/Lonesome Lane/Earlswood/Redhill)
Boxhill:
Reverse clubrun:
Regular then via Rocky Lane, Fanny's Farm, Chipstead, Nonnas:

Alternative routes/destinations: Leader Pete S GROOMBRIDGE




[size=150]SUNDAY 7th AUG[/size]
Leader: tba

[size=150]WEDNESDAY 10th AUG[/size]

Leader: Marco - steady ride around the lanes - meet 10.00 @ East Croydon Stn

[Andrew G]

Nice rare mid-season CR for me today. Simple intention ahead of tomorrow's race was a spin with the 18s sitting on wheels doing nothing. 18s called to join Mark McL (recovering from a shape throwing injury ) and it was just me, then two others joined us. Okay just 4 then, hmm my plan to sit in and do nothing gone, which turned out had also been Mark's plan.

Apologies for not getting the names of the two who rode with us but well done as they had decided that today was the day they'd step up from the 17s. Mark and I did most of the towing but they both did a long turn up front in the middle for about 5 miles. A hard way for them to step up to the 18s but they both rode well and have nothing to fear now as it should be a lot easier in future with a bigger group to sit in.

We went up to Rusper and then down to Lambs Green, then I took them on a different route. Go left at the 90 degree right (down the narrow lane) and it's a lovely little lane that climbs all the way back up to Partridge (stay left at the fork half way) even if the surface is a bit rough.

Run back was a nice tempo ride, with Mark again, good to catch up.

Good run out out .

[Amy]

Got tempted out by the ride to Groombridge with the AA (that's Agreeable Alternatives).

Lovely ride on beautiful lanes even after opting for the hillier option back rather than sticking to the disused railway. Still struggling on the hills a bit but I'm definitely getting the muscles back this year And it was lovely to come DOWN that hill into Groombridge rather than plodding up it (mind you we did more than enough other hills to make up for it...)

Was a bit like 'and then there were none' as first Keith peeled off home having lured Dave Kennett out on the ride, then Simon and Ian P at Toys, a couple more on the way back until there was a rebellion in the ranks and half the ride went straight on at one point leaving only 4 loyal to Pete - myself, Kozlo Pete, George and Richard. George was struggling so as Kozlo Pete and Richard kept racing off the front, Pete told them to leave us while we eased back and kept George company. A brainwave by Pete meant we didn't have to slog up any more hills than necessary by dropping down from Tilburstow Hill through Church Town and up the first, easy bit of Gangers before coming back through Marden Park (nice to go downhill through there for a change ) and then George and I braved the main road into Purley and up Foxley Lane for the final run down through Wallington.

75 miles for me

[DavidKennett]

Nice ride. Good to ACC on some different roads.

[Snoop Doug]

[quote="DavidKennett"]Nice ride. Good to ACC on some different roads.

[quote="Snoop Doug"][quote="DavidKennett"]Nice ride. Good to ACC on some different roads.

[PeteS]

18 of us set off from CSS and, as Amy has said, it wasn't long before numbers started to go down. I was sorry to see Keith go but glad to see the back of Ian who found it too hard, he's emigrating to the USA on Tuesday and will not be missed.
According to Phil's Garmin, we did 4.500ft of climbing which explains why my legs ache today. The cafe at Groombridge was nice with lovely cakes but their service left a bit to be desired and by the time we'd all had our food we'd been there for over an hour. After a few miles on the Forest Way which is a well-used cycle and walking route on a disused railway, we turned off at Hartfield to climb back up to the top at Holtye Common before threading our way back through some tiny lanes heading for home. After George's storming performance last week, the hills really started to take their toll and he began to suffer quite badly. I gave him a gel and this seemed to perk him up a bit and he kept going well all the way back. 70 miles in Surrey, Sussex and Kent another great day with excellent company.

[Amy]

I forgot to mention the highlight of the many lovely and interesting lanes - Furnace Lane. As Pete says, it's like a forgotten world: although it is being rediscovered as one farm has been renovated and a funny old house that's been somewhat overgrown about halfway along now seems to be being cleared and tidied up though empty at the moment (I'm sure it wasn't empty that long ago??)

Probably once the site of some iron works (the name, a place called Furnace Mill, the stream made to form pools - ok I'm no archaelogist but it does suggest something to me) it is now a small valley where the road crosses from one side of the valley to the other to be lined on one side by very worn sandstone cliffs at one point and the semi-primordial look of the ponds/stream on the other.

Hated coming back into London where immediately I seem to act as a magnet to idiot drivers... OK, so I was too knackered to do any more climbing and was guiding George by the flattest and quickest route I knew back from Wapses Lodge roundabout - down the A road to Purley...