club run 3/3/07

[Alex P]

A great day for a ride - over 80 out today!!!

Apologies for organising the resurfacing of the CSS car park this Saturday, I've been on at them for ages to do it and they only could do today. Next mission to resurface the whole club run route....just the bit from the kerb that we cycle on

The Full Monty cafe up the road served as a temporary rendez-vous however the punters inside peering out looked a bit shocked by it all.

[Grahame]

[quote="Alex Protasiuk"]The Full Monty cafe up the road served as a temporary rendez-vous however the punters inside peering out looked a bit shocked by it all.

[higg]

I turned up to the club run with the intention of putting in a few steady miles. The plan was to suggest a hilly steady route and see who joined in. 6 of us left the Full Monty Cafe and went back down the hill to get to the base of Farthing Downs. All went well for the first hour, the roads were a bit messy from the recent weather but nothing too drastic.

As Kevin posted earlier, at the base of Ranmore diaster struck as I hit a pothole at the edge of a flooded bit of road. The result was a broken wheel, well, the impact had dented the rim, pulled out a spoke, eyelet and all. I did try to adjust the spokes but it had no effect.


[img]http://img2032.photobox.co.uk/4736275555ae079ead0c932b092a789ee50b9b2bf2fa5f858463af9001541731dde7d884.jpg[/img]


Luckily this happened outside the Boxhill train station so I got on a train home changed a wheel and headed out again determined to make the most of the day.

When I got back to Ranmore I dodged the pothole this time but half a mile up the road there was a more fundamental problem with the road.

[img]http://img2032.photobox.co.uk/32291088c568519f4389fd77b2cc82533eaf1acff94dc42aef0cc0c5bbbab027796d3fb4.jpg[/img]


If you look closely you can see the tracks of the group who had cycled through earlier in the morning.

I tiptoed through the grass on the edge and carried on to get a decent ride in for the day.

Kevin, Sorry to hear the rest of you got lost on the other side of Leith Hill. I did feel a bit guilty dragging you out so far and then having to bail out, but, at least you didn't go hungry and managed to avoid the power lines. Bit of a freaky day all round.


Aodan.

[jon avery]

I also had a bust wheel on the way home from the club run, got just outside croydon and heard a clinking sound, on further inspection i discovered two spokes hanging off and a bust hub. The thing is i never hit a pot hole. i suppose i must put it down to shoddy Italian workmanship (Campagnolo)

[Dombo]

Great ride on Saturday. As a newbie to the club and road riding after many years in the mud I'm still getting used to riding in a bunch. My usual 40mph descent from Caterham to CSS was followed by a brisk ride in Graham's 17mph group to the cafe. Just missed the massive pothole that claimed at least one rider behind me - the roads are in a worse state than the trails I normally ride in the woods at Leith Hill - and then joined the large group after the cafe heading for Box Hill. With the Dragon and Etape Anglais looming I figured on needing the hill practice.
More training on the flat looks in order too as I was promptly dropped as the peloton picked up the pace and I was spat off the back into the wind. Caught up with Sean who kindly led me to Box Hill as I was now quite lost and we spun up to the top where the others were waiting, thanks guys.
Then it was a fast blast along the ridge and down into Chipstead where I again found myself at the back and also found another pothole.
Do Surrey County Council have a crew that digs these things out with shovels? Having yet to learn how to bunny hop a road bike I nevertheless lofted the front but the back hit hard and with a slow hiss I drifted to a stop by the Ramblers Rest.
Several Agreeables wafted past as I sat in the garden enjoying a pint of Pride and some cheese'n'onion while awaiting Mrs Dombo and the Little Dombos Search and Rescue team.
Back home to check the damage - flat tyre only thanks to Pete Wise of GB excellent wheelbuilding skills.
Looking forward to next Saturday.

[Richard (Apples)]

Who knows how to put photos from a mobile on the forum ?... I've got one of the electrified tree from Saturday

[Richard (Apples)]

Ok cheers Sean . I'll have a go at that later. .

Arrived late on Sat due to a puncture and went straight off with Aodan's hilly group.

Was that you I spotted with the rather fetching headscarf

[Andrew G]

Nice pics of Ranmore, takes me back to the club hill climb last year - we had to wade through a flood at the bottom then .

You might be right Dombo about digging out the potholes, there are a hell of alot at the moment, and all big craters as well. If it isn't the council it must be the bike shops digging them out to make us spend more on wheels etc.