Club Run 26/1/08 16 mph

[Jon C C on a Bianchi]

Started with the 17 mph which I've been riding for the last 9 months or so with no problem but today just couldn't hang onto the wheel as Grahame and co blitzkrieged down the A23. Struggled to get on. Finally did after dropping off several times. Looked around to see Sam 25 yds behind me. Don't know what was wrong. Felt Ok. Perhaps it was the wind (weather not biological!) After 5 kms gave up. No fun. Waited for Monty's 16s to come pass.

Had a really enjoyable ride from there on it. Nice natter with various pepes. We took the Rusper route. Sam dropped his water bottle. I waited for him. Then we got lost! No idea where we were but eventually found the cafe after 5 mile detour! On the way we were nearly wiped out by a Dutch? (well foreign) driver who turned out on wrong side of road!

Left Monty at cafe clearing cups,plates, mugs etc and doing hoovering and washing up and cycled back with Tim. Stopped to help (well give moral support to) Robyn and co. with puncture. Had a lot of fun watching comical girlie attempts at bike maintenance before the men were forced to take over. The rest of us wiled away the time comparing our pumps.

Eventually a nice group of 8 formed to ride back - Tim, Ian, Robyn, Bridgette, Stuart (Aussie), another rider - sorry didn't get your name, Sam and me. kept together for most of the way. Got to Merstham, Tim rode off like a man possessed, man with no name just stopped, Ian and Robyn rode on. The rest kept together until we got to Coulsdon and we went our separate ways. We rode up through Woodcote and backside of Purley - kept off the A23. Lovely day. Really enjoyed it. Thanks everyone. 90 kms door to door. What cycling's all about.

[djembi]

jon the man with no name had a puncture thats why he stopped . A nice run though.

[Grahame]

Oops, sorry that we dropped you Jon. I was trying to control the effort to 17 - 18mph on the way out. We noticed you weren't there on the way up the three humps and sat up a bit to look for you, but no sign and we (correctly) assumed that you and Sam had sat up for Monty and co. Glad you enjoyed the rest of your ride, despite the detour.

[Jon C C on a Bianchi]

No problem, Grahame. Was it me or did you blast along the A23?? I was riding so hard I couldn't see my speedo!! I just didn't have the strength to ride 17/18 into that wind I guess, and as soon as you lose the wheel it gets that much harder.


So the man-with-no-name had a puncture? How do you know? Spooky.

[Elliot M]

nice steady ride - ideal for my first ride after kaiser jan style winter layoff. most agreeable chats on the way. quite a few nervous horses around though!

no sprint speed, so got left right at the back as we approached charlwood, but used lessons learnt from the tactical master grahame and steadily picked 'em all off, all but the tall chap on the bianchi... see you next week

[Elliot M]

und der Fleisch und der Bier, bitte!