ToSH 26/08/06 Update - 4 days to go

[huw williams]

It currently looks good for saturday - but the weather forecast is changing daily so a final decision will be taken on Friday as to weather its go or not.

Don't be upset if its off - you don't want to be stuck on the other side of Shere in pouring rain faced with a number of dangerous descents. We start with the club run, so if ToSH is cancelled at least we have the option of the regular Charlwood ride.

If its on, here's the procedure.

Meet at 9.00 at CSS. Ride out as a group on the normal club run route but stay on the main road after Reigate (A25) rather than turning left at Reigate Heath. Stay as a group along the A25 through Dorking and join the course at the first climb Coldharbour/Leith Hill.

At this point the ride will undoubtedly split due to the severity of the first couple of climbs. Fast guys will tear off and disspaear into the distance. DON'T TRY AND GO WITH THEM UNLESS YOU'RE CAPABLE OF DOING IT. If you do you'll blow-up very quickly and the next 80 miles will be absolute torture.

Ride at your own pace and don't panic if you find yourself riding alone. A quick glance at the map you'll be given on the day will reveal all sorts of short cuts where you can rejoin riders further along the course. Better still just keep going, you'll invariably come accross someone who's either knackered or punctured.

History has taught us that on this ride two or three groups normally form and stick together for the entire ride. If you find yourself in Monty's group he'll insist you turn right at the far end of Albury Downs. DON'T LISTEN TO HIM! Unless you want to go saturday afternoon shopping in Guildford town centre.

All being well there should be someone in each group with knowledge of the correct route for the full course.

I'll be going around reasonably steady and I know the way.
Amy Robinson will be going around at a slightly slower pace and she knows the entire route too, so if you get into trouble with a faster paced group, wait for Amy to come through and she'll sweep you up or point you in the direction of a shortcut where you can rejoin the group you were with.
Fast guys/Racers - it depends who comes on the day and how fast they want to go. Be warned - even a 16mph average speed around ToSH is a tough pace to maintain and will mean riding for over 6 hours

Riders wanting to get back early can head straight up Coombe Lane after the lunch stop at Shere and go back via Ranmoor and Box Hill. You will still have done a very hard 75mile ride - you'll miss the best part of the ride through the lanes around Blackheath and Shamley Green but you'll also miss the hardest part of the ride which is the climb up the 21%er at Winterfold.

For those doing the full route, after Winterfold there are three climbs left Coombe Lane (bad), Ranmoor (very bad) and Box Hill (easy after what you've just done). After Box Hill I'd reccomend a balistic tear-up back to Croydon as it always makes you feel better after ploughing around the hills at painfully low speeds.

The one thing that can ruin your experience of ToSH is punctures - this time of year there are lots of sand/gravel patches on the road so make sure your tyres are in good condition. If you've been thinking of replacing your tyres sometime soon, DO IT NOW before saturday. The only other essentials are enough food and drink for 6hrs riding, but there are loads of shops/garages on the route to refill.

For anybody still awake/alive/back before midnight, I'll be re-hydrating in Beer Circus from 8.00pm and looking forward to hearing Homeric tales of your adventures.

Anybody else requiring PDF maps? PM me. Otherwise pick them up from me at the start. Maps given out on the day will have short-cuts which miss the worst hills clearly marked.

Sounds complicated? It's not, earlier this year we did it and got over 30 riders around most if not all of the course.

If you need to know anything else or have any suggestions, use this thread to communicate with other members doing the ride.

Hope to see lots of you out on Saturday

H

[siwickm]

Oh man, I am racing on Sunday, what do you reckon, do Tosh and the race, I am tempted.

Cheers

Marek..

[huw williams]

You could always just go at a sensible pace round ToSH then be OK for the race

[siwickm]

Hmm, I thought you knew me better than that

[huw williams]

My tongue was so far in my cheek...

Just treat the weekend like a stage race - ToSH saturday, race Sunday, what's the worst that can happen?

[siwickm]

Put it this way, I was dropped last Sunday in the SERRL race, so I suppose the same again can be expected this week, so who gives a damn whether I get dropped on the first lap or the second, at least I will have had the fun of trying to get around the TOSH course.

Cheers

Marek....

[huw williams]

sorted - if you get dropped on sunday you'll have a perfect excuse