Saturday 6 Aug club run

[Ian A4size]

Quite a few riders out today even tho it was the london tri and a few races on- must have been at least 60 plus.
In the 19 group today (again) despite saying i would go with the 21's.
A very controlled ride today for a change with 9 good riders and myself, after last weeks zero effort ride Steve "shadow" Broomfield took the front for a fair portion of the ride- while i sat in and and chatted to Dave K and Huw, Mark suprisingly did a fair amount at the front as well- or was it that people were scared to go by "old elbows" . We did the extended dual carraigeway ride and it must have been the smoothest one i have been on, no braking and good calling- lovely. Onto the sprint and as usual it came good for the shadow again coming off the outside line just 100 metres from the line and whoosh he was gone! I tried to give Mark and Dave a run out to catch him but even at 53k i could not get on his wheel.
Probably 50 riders going back over box hill after the cafe- some for the first time, big smiles all round.

[Gavin]

Good run yesterday.

Went out with the 19s and made it to the cafe average was actually 19mph.

Went back via box hill felt quite tired from going out on tuesday and thursday. Struggled a bit on Box hill but managed to make it to the top.

Set off just after the first group left box hill was pedalling along slowly when Rob came flying past me. Decided to sit on his wheel. Managed to hold on all the way till Coulsdon. Must have averaged about 22/23 mph. I came to the front about twice but it was so fast I could not manage much more than that.

All the best

G

[Yohan]

Very enjoyable ride y/day until the final part, I crashed headlong into a car that decided to turn in front of me along Brighton rd.
Bike is KO'd and so am I, but big thanks to Robbie, Monty and everyone else who stayed around and made sure they got my bike to GB's and myself to hospital. Lukily x-ray showed no breaks, but shoulder is still in a sling and very stiff! (typing one-handed is no fun!)

cheers
Yohan

[Ian A4size]

Poor you Yohan,
I hope you recover quickly, i guess the car driver stopped and you got his details- bet he said "I never saw you".
Another Addiscombe rider is being called by CPS to be a witness as the police are prosecuting the driver who knocked him off( they actually saw it happen) the rider himself has not bought any charges!!?? I know i would go hammer and tongs against any driver.

Be lucky.

[Yohan]

Thanks Ian

Hopefully it'll be a quick recovery, won't be working for a while,so will be resting a plenty.
How did you know what that driver said???!!!!........thier exact words!
I did get all their particulars, and also an independent driver witness from the road, so I will be seeking to pursue it further.
Still aint put me off cycling tho!

[huw williams]

A great ride on saturday especially after the cafe when six of us headed East for around 80 miles total for the day. After being first accross the line every saturday in Charlwood it was payback time for the Petacchiesque Broomfield as we lied through our teeth about doing a 'flatish' extended ride and dragged him up a couple of Kent's finest hills.

For a purist sprinter he coped magnificently until a series of attacks by myself and Tim Harris up Baileys and Tatsfield broke him into pieces. We're not completely sure if he's back yet... at Sanderstead he sent us on to finish the ride without him. "Leave me...I'll only slow you down" he wailed in true Wild West Hero fashion. "It's only three more downhill miles into Croydon" we countered but the Shadow was having none of it, and crawled off in the direction of a roadside bench to recover.

Next week - 100 miles all downhill (honest)

[sylv]

I think that was probably the fastest ride I've been on ever (with the possible exception of a Lyon/Orange group ride with a mighty mistral in our backs all the way), Coulsdon to Charlwood was more than 23mph average, and back through Box Hill, including the stroll at the start, and being dropped with ten miles to go by Dave K, Richard and Kevin (watch out for him when he starts racing), still close to 19mph. Enjoyed it a lot