Club run 25th Feb.

[Tamar Collis]

Damn...no excuses then! Guess I'd better bring extra fig rolls

[huw williams]

At least a packet or two - Sportive preperation ride so no cafe stops!

[Tamar Collis]

No cafe stop??? How disagreeable. How about we have one when we get back to Coulsdon?

[huw williams]

Excellent idea.

[Conor Cormican]

That ride looks like a good idea at the moment, sitting at my desk. I'm game depending on circumstances. If the pace is too hot there is a get out as we pass Charlwood area. See you all on Sat.

[Ian A4size]

Sounds good, but we will have to do a lot to convince other riders of a steady pace- if it goes off like a rocket- which i must admit it almost certainly will- a lot of people will not be interested.
Conor, i am sure ole fat-nav knows a way home

[ajay khandelwal]

hi guys. I met Mark M at West Norwood cemetry and he put about three minutes into me up Knights Hill. I think the traffic lights had gone through two changes before I caught up with him. I lost about 30 seconds everytime we hit a speed bump! With these early indications I felt a broken man, because I had told Mark I was going to do the hilly box hill ride. Maybe I would just do the old familiar club run route after all. However, once I got to CSS I made sure there were some guys who could keep me company. Conor and the 'Dread' promised to make sure I would be ok. It was a rude wake up call as I struggled on the inclines upto boxhill. It was beautiful riding with stunning spring views. Thanks to the Shadow and Tamar for waiting for us stragglers at the junctions to show us the way and shepherd us back to the main group. When I crawled up last to the top of box hill I must say I could finally say riding 'is not about the bike!' My body has gone through a period of superadaption. Scientifically, this is the process whereby you upgrade your bike to a lighter stiffer supermodel and your body puts on more weight and you lose your fitness to compensate so that you end up at going at the exactly the same speed as before. Nice to meet member Carl Walker who has been in the club for 1 year and did some 4th cat racing with some top ten positions last year.

Anyhow, the group stabilised after Box Hill and it was a very agreeable ride to the Charlwood cafe. It was a nicely disciplined group with a good tempo. Thanks to Huw for providing some of us with a graceful exit to tea and cakes. The dedicated riders were tortured by waiting outside the cafe but not allowed to eat or drink anything before they set off for some more serious hills. I bet there were some tears on that ride!

We had a good ride back from the cafe at a strong pace with Paul and the Shadow doing the work. Peter Munden had a cold but we kept him on board. Thanks to Yohan for pointing out to me, 'you've got all the kit' but your riding is .....' Good to see Brian out to and we were comparing notes about how we were going to engineer a spring come back. I must say I felt brilliant at the end of the ride and good for going up some hills and keen to do some more. I am doing the Tour of Flanders in four weeks so this weeks riding has got me in the mood.

Thanks to all the addiscombe on the ride and I was just thinking today what a great club we are !