CR 8th May

[Keith]

A lack of management this morning, so well done to Graham for stepping forward and calling out the groups.

A small Training Group meant a strong steady effort today, rather than lots of attacks and chasing. Even the sprint wasn't contested.

I think we'd all got nice and cosy in the cafe, because the air was blue when everyone went back outside for the ride home. It's May. Felt more like February. Brrrr!

[Marcus]

Got to CSS about 0915 just as Graham was sending organising the 18s and the alternative group were going the other way. This left a small group of 7 which was a mixture of 15/16/17 and bridget who didn't feel like riding in the 18s after last weeks Majorca outing.

It was theefore a steady pace to the cafe atleast I didn't fall behind on the 3 peaks. Bridget did a good job of reining us in to keep the group tight. We discussed splitting at Reigate to allow for 2 closer matched groups but decided to stick together, we also were caught by Andy who missed everyone.

So very few needed to push to hard and although formation wasn't kept always we arrived at the cafe at around 1100.

The fast boys and girls soon left the cafe score our small group minus 1 set off for home following the standard route. Once again a fairly easy ride back before we were joined by Mark and I think Andy. They were pushing on and probably wished they had as one of our group had a puncture which took the group 20 minutes to repair. Some did a very good job of watching. Once this was repaired after a couple of attempts it was discovered that the front was also flat.

So after a stop of around half an hour it seems we rode together and only split on the climb near the golf course before regrouping at he church. I turned off at Shepherds Hill to get home with 66ks completed.

Glad I had put the overshoes and winter gloves on. Not sure what season we are in at the moment. Seems like the seasons are currently lasting about a week.

Thanks for some good company

[Alan M]

Joined 19s, initially brisk but settled into a steadier pace with average of 20mph - all OK. I kept away from the sprint at which point we were joined by a small group including Grant. Returned, first bit on back of training group and was pulled along nicely until we joined the main returning group and I got stuck behind slower stragglers on the bend and lost contact at about the same time Paul hit the front and revved it up. Hence got dropped and proceeded on my own picking up one or two that had been shelled out. Couldn't hold fast group on Merstham drag but me and one other, Mr Camden I think shared the work trying to catch a few in front but were thwarted by TLs. Not bad ride but miserable weather.

[Keith]

I forgot to mention, the bluebells on the drag up towards Rusper were at their prime.

[Scott]

For me the Bluebells peaked in 1984 with 'Young at Heart'!