club run...

[Alan M]

Sorry about that Phil - I did wait for you after Purley but clearly the puncture held you up. As one of the lost souls I was pleased to find the main group at peaselake and enjoyed the remainder of the ride - As was remarked, having completed somewhat fewer climbs I felt in good form for the ride home and went well up box hill and beyond. My new polar said I had used 2900 calories!!

[adrian]

As others have described above, yesterday's ride had been pretty eventful before we'd even got to the start of the loop at Westhumble.

I'd intended to do the CTC course in Huw's group, but left the house late - as per bleedin' usual - and had to dash to CSS to catch anyone at all. Got there to be waved straight on by Monty as a group containing Grahame B, Graham O (I think - sorry if I'm wrong) and Matt from Clapham was just leaving.

At the lights at Reigate it was established (passive verb alert) that Matt, Graham and I would try to catch up Huw's group, so we embarked upon a mad dash along the A25. We'd almost certainly have attained our goal, but I fell victim to the pothole that, by the looks of it, had done for Kevin and Ray minutes earlier. Graciously, a largish group stopped to wait while I changed my tubes, and Marek generously offered me the use of his super-duper track pump (a gesture of solidarity from one member of the 6'4"-plus union to another, and much appreciated).

We were now the ensemble that George describes, and from Ranmore onwards, the lactic-inducing fun began in earnest. In such a strong group I was always going to struggle a bit , but just about managed to hang on most of the time - luckily for me, the group regrouped quite regularly.

After the most expensive tea and cake in the Northern Hemisphere (yep, Shere), I employed a number of canny delaying tactics - wandering up the road for water, locking myself in the toilet - but to no great avail, and we were soon on our way again and heading towards the climb up Whitedown, which was much, much worse than I'd remembered it. Where the drag up from the Guildford Road had been frightful (had me Effingham blinding), and Ranmore had been beastly, Whitedown was wholly in the realm of the simply ghastly.

Made it over OK, but after that I was only with the others in a spiritual sense. Most of the time my only contact with them was visual - ie I could see Kevin about 500 yards ahead. I seemed to rally up Box Hill, which now appeared tame in comparison to what had gone before, and found the others sunning themselves outside the hilltop caff. Not for the first time that day, I was caught napping when we moved on again and had to use up much of my now-dwindling reserves to catch up. George took pity on me and helped me back on, but the boys were clearly going for it along the Walton Heath road and dropped me for good and all this time.

Another hour later I was home, in the bath and with a beer, both of which I'd been looking forward to for about three hours, reflecting on what had been an excellent but for me challenging day on the bike, in genial company.

Still don't know what happened to the multi-purpose wine cork I'd brought with me and had been promising Kevin all the way round.

Thanks all - see you next time.

[Alan M]

Great paragraphs Adrian!

[Toks]

Beautiful paragraphy indeed!

[Ian A4size]

Pahtakesupfartoomuchspace

[Mike I]

It all started so well. The bike seemed to have survived its winter dismantling and reconstruction, I was wearing just enough clothes to keep the cold out, we had let Marek, George (and a few others too quick to identify) go off the front and the weather was perfect for some late winter / early spring hilly business.

But I'm sure it wasn't this tough last year. I was ok - just - as far as Holmbury Hill, but by the time we got to Pitch Hill I was well off the back. I knew that Whitedown was still to come and was half as steep again. I really suffered but kept the pedals turning v-e-r-y s-l-o-w-ly.

I had a perfectly respectable 78 miles on the clock when I got home, but my left calf was, and still is, knotted up like a knotted up thing. More miles needed I think.

[Alan M]

Not too bad really. Arrived to some mug shots in the wet - hardly inspiring photography - I think David Bailey may have improved on scene setting but we were given to understand that we could be selected for something to immortalise us, not for the feint hearted though.

A fast group went off quite early in view of the weather led by George on his replacement steed - Did I consider going with them - well no.

2 further groups set off with ours rotated to distraction by Monty - it was an orderly affair with no dissension from the consensus decision to exit via Partridge. We arrived at the cafe muddied but unbowed.

After a convivial break we set off en mass and I felt cold, so I took up the pace at the front for a while until George took over and swept us along at a fast pace. By this time we had reduced to 5 at the front I hung on until the hills at the first church and then natural selection played its hand and Brian and I peeled off.

Eventually most the whole group congregated at the second church beyond Reigate and half of us took off quickly to conserve heat. George steamed off into the distance with one other and Adam and I stayed together up the drag and eventually caught the one in front, but George had fled the nest and was probably in Croydon by the time we were at Purley. Otherwise the only thing to report were two arguments with poorly behaved drivers and the fact that the weather had brightened up and it wasn't too bad at all.

Great ride considering the conditions.

[-Adam-]

Yeah great ride alan, i was impressed you stuck with me up the drag given you claim you cant climb! And chasing down the other side is alwas fun.

So when this colnago come out to play i suppose your going to drop me right!?

cheers,

adam

[Alan M]

Its not about the bike.

............ well maybe just a bit

But myonly hope Adam is that you fall prey to the excesses of youth - probably not a false hope.

Cheers

[-Adam-]

alan, contrary to popular belief, us students live like monks...

the drink is just an illusion, really we spend hours reading and i have been balancing this with long hard windswept training rides through the lancashire lanes...

so come easter, i should be absolutely flying, though my real peak will be late june... when im hitting the cols of the northern alps.

p.s please spnonsor me for my london to paris ride!!!

cheers,

adam

[Alan M]

I am not entirely convinced Adam but you can put me down for £10 on the on the promise that you'll tow me on the Merstham drage once in a while

[-Adam-]

Ill tow you every time alan, so long as you can keep up everytime!

if not, just tie a piece of string to my seat post so's you can keep me in your grasp... or literally let me tow you!

thank you very much anyway.