CR 6th Oct

[Andrew G]

RoFL tomorrow so a steady, short one today.

19s, which I think turned out a bit slower as no-one was in a great hurry. Very easy ride as there was no wind so if you weren't on the front you could free wheel half the time . I continued my easier day by peeling off early up Partridge and had the luxury of going straight to the counter to get my breakfast without having to wait .

Worth a mention was the 2 newcomers to the group. Louise Mahe who's done a fair bit of racing, will no doubt be familiar to Tamar and Maria from various events (HH and Hillingdon?). Also her brother? who was from Glendene and was looked a useful, strong rider (rode on the front with Adam most of the way).

On the return I hooked up with my Dad for some Redmon GP practice. He was going well so look out John (my new Action Adventure Hero) Lovell and Jim in the battle of the Super-Vets .

[Alan M]

Just as Andrew said - a very steady ride for the first part. We went on for the long through and off but no initial sprint for Rusper sign since the steady ride dynamic was imprinted on the group.

The longer through and off was fine but began to fragment towards the end. By then Steve had joined us by dint of some alleged deception among the training group (I heard 24mph mentioned!) and he managed a fairly uncontested win at the line.

I was pleased to see Bridget my daughter arrive smiling at the the cafe and many thanks to Tim?? for guidance and encouragement.

I managed to leave the cafe late and had an intention to catch the group but it was clear to see that there was some fast riding from the off and I collected numerous fragments spat off the back - eventually we caught the main group as it slowed through the housing estate.

Finally we had a great ride from the church. Robin did a huge effort on the front and up Merstham drag taking the lead from Steve - probably the tactics here were a bit suspect as Steve Adam and others got away. A combination of favourable traffic lights meant it came back together by Coulsdon where we them met up with Huw at the cafe and admired the stunning photos in the comic's healthy exercise special edition - these included great images of Steve, Huw, Adam, Brian, Stewart and probably some others.

Great weather today and a really enjoyable ride - I had 19.8 mph in both directions.

[Steve B]

Only 5 in the training group today, but that soon became 4 as the others outrageously left me behind

I was at the front coming to the right turn at the bottom of the Reigate steps. There was a learner driver coming the other way and so I didn't jump across her, thinking that the others would get caught. As I looked behind, the other 4 had cut across the juction early and so, got away. They saw I had stopped. I was now behind the learner (she had turned left), so by the time I had got around her, the others had at least 100m on me, which turned into probably 200m by the top of the steps. Thinking that they would wait at the lights, I pushed on, but alas, they hadn't. Ok, so they will wait at Reigate common. Nope . Well maybe they didn't want to stop but are going to take it easy so I can catch them. Like hell they did. I pushed really hard (to 92%max hr) all the way to Leigh, where I finally gave up . Thanks guys

I waited for the next group to come through and caught my breath. I jumped on to the back of the group as they went by, and quickly got into their nice steady 19mph pace. We did the long thru&off, which as Alan said, fragmented towards the end. Yes, I managed to win a one man sprint

The usual late departure (for me), meant the usual chase to get to the group. There used to be a time when everyone left the cafe as one group and bowled along together. Not now. Now small groups set off when they feel ready to go, which is good as its less dangerous than one large group. This week there were riders everywhere, on their own or in little groups, strung out along probably 3/4 mile of road. Me and Andrew teamed together and made our way through some of the late starters, getting to the 2nd group where our legs told us to slow down. This group eventually joined with the front group and we stayed together till the golf course climb, where it strung out once more.

From the church at Redhill, Ajay made a quick get away and soon had a big lead all the way to halfway up the merstham drag. Robin? did a big stint at the front closing the gap, till 3/4 up the drag where me Adam and Mark pushed on taking turns, sharing the work and ripping it down towards Coulsdon. Getting caught at traffic lights let another half dozen catch us for the final run in.

Coffee at Regalinos, where we met Huw with the 'Health and Fitness' issues of CW. Some great photos of good looking Addiscombe members (except Adam of course).

See you next week

Steve

[Stu Merckx Man]

good club run yesterday.

sorry for leaving you steve!!

it was up there again with the fastest club runs ive done.

after we had abandoned stev , it was just paul, keith, big simon and myself.

we were sharing the work very well which kept the speed up (keith doing a big more than the rest of us).

i did not feel good the first 15 miles or so but then my body woke up and i felt much better.

it all kicked off (predictably now paul ), near the rusper golf course...
paul launched an attack from behind whilst i was on the front. i waited a bit expecting keith to come forth and catch him, but he must have been feeling pretty tired after all the work he did. paul had about a 70m gap. i realised no one was able to chase so i clunked it into a big gear got out the saddle, put my head down, shut my eyes (for most of it), felt the burn, felt more burn and started to close the gap.

i managed to get across to paul before the wooded hill bit. he was hammering it along and soon increased our gap. over the other 2. after paul had done a big turn he pulled over for me to come through...i was so exhausted that i could only pull level with him, and i was slumped right down on my bars, thankfully he was able to do another stint on the front which let me recover.

i came through as we passed partridge and then we started working together.

i looked back as we hit the hills before the dual carriage way and simon and keith were not too far back. i was slightly worried but i new once we hit the hills paul and i would have the upper hand, and we held them off until the duel carriage way.

a nice tidy through and off with hardly any turns missed. i managed to take the signs for charlswood by a good 20m , by going for a long one, although not as long as i usually go from (new tactic?).

got to charlswood with i think the fasted speed i have got yet- 24.1mph!

good ride back via box hill. i did a fair bit on the front to make sure i had moral high ground if paul beat me
up box hill paul and i set the pace. dave k, rob and kieren were also with us all the way up. as we got to the last hairpin i attacked and just about held off rob to take the victory.

good ride back. nice and fast as usual. i arrived home nice and tired, feeling like i have had a good days training

stu

[Paul H]

Sorry Steve - we thought you had slowed down for the next group. We would have slowed up if we had known.

Hopefully it wont put you or anybody else off coming out with us again.

Paul

[Alan M]

Probably not but 24.1mph might!

[djembi]

Training group talk is all well and good but in the "just for fun" group we got to herd some dogs back into a garden and I found a boomerang, still in its wrapper, near Reigate. Top That!

[Steve B]

Paul, Stu, seeing as the groups speed ended up at 24.1, it would have just been a matter of time before I got dropped off the back of the group anyway. I was calling you lot few names though , while chewing bar tape between Reigate and Leigh

Steve

[djembi]

Blah blah blah 25 mph blah blah dropped off the back, but what goodies did you manage to find on your club run and take home?
In fact, what is the most bizarre thing someone has seen and picked up whilst out on a ride?

[-Adam-]

Sean found fitness whilst riding in Italy

[Stu Merckx Man]

[quote]what is the most bizarre thing someone has seen and picked up whilst out on a ride?

[SimonH]

Steve I told the others someone had gone off that back, but when they heard it was you they put the hammer down, (strange !):lol:

[Andrew G]

djembi - sticking with the animal theme, I saw a squirrel on my way home from the CR that had been run over so many times you could have cooked it in the toaster. It was like a hairy crepe.

While on another ride I too once saw something still in it's protective wrapper, I hasten to add I didn't pick it up and take it home.

[Jon H]

I picked up NSU whilst on a ride

[John the old'un]

Do tell Jon.
Was the ride worth it?