Off-road option for the Saturday club run

[higg]

Would there be any interest in an off-road (or low traffic) option for the Saturday club run ?

Last Saturday, as a bit of an experiment I took my mountain bike and tried a new route which goes up through Farthing Downs, onto the North Downs way as far as War Coppice and then turn south to Horne / Outwood area. There's a few miles of tarmac to get through Horley to Charlwood but on the whole these are quiet.

Depending on the group and the weather it should take 2-3 hours. Last Saturday I left Coulsdon at a few minutes past nine and got to the cafe about quarter past eleven when the tea drinking was still in full swing. I would suggest 9 is a good time to leave to give us the best chance of meeting up with everyone else at the cafe. Sunday East Croydon rules would apply (ie) no one gets dropped.There is a way to extend this out to Box Hill but that does make it a long day, it's probably better to head straight back on the road with everyone else.

The route is not technical, mostly farm tracks with a bit of tarmac thrown in to link up the bridleways. A mountain bike would be the most comfortable but a cross bike or even a hybrid would be good enough (if a little bumpy for a mile or two).

Any takers for this Saturday ?

[kieran]

Good idea, sounds like something I'd like to try on another Saturday but this Saturday is the ride of the falling leaves so doing that instead.

[Tim Coales]

Yeah I'd like that but not this Saturday as I'm on the IOW trip. I've actually spent with a 1:25,000 OS map trying to devise an off road route to Charlwood with as little road as possible, so it's great that someone's done it.

[Marky Mark]

I think it's a great idea, me and Sean could share an ambulance home!

[Andrew G]

Can't do the next couple of weekends but would be up for it after that to mix things up a bit.

[Tim Coales]

Maybe we could John "the old 'un" Lovell to do it on that swanky carbon MTB of his son's which he had at CSS some weeks back. I think it was 100% carbon, including the chain!

[Grahame]

Same excuse as Keiren - ROFL on Sunday means I'll be taking it easy on Saturday this week, but another Saturday I'll be up for it (on my cross bike)

[Alex P]

I'd be up for this too but another weekend.

[higg]

Looks like no takers so far this week, but don't worry it'll happen again.

I had actually forgotten about the IOW this weekend.

I'll still do it this Saturday if there's any last minute changes of mind, leaving CSS at 9.05.