CR 18/10

[Andrew G]

Nice relaxing ride was the order of the day so went out with Aodan on his new off-road CR route. Thanks a lot for sorting that out it's a great idea and makes a nice change.

I think it can be a bit more off-road than we did but it was kept a bit simpler today. Probably about half on and half off-road with all the off-road sections suitable for beginners. A couple of nice sections to run free as we swooped down through the woodland, but no drop-offs or technical stuff to scare anyone of a more timid persuasion.

Got to the cafe to find loads of bikes there so had to do a fairly quick turnabout and came back on the road having a nice chat with John the old'un.

Bling of the day - Alex's bike which looks like he's just wheeled it out of an F1 pit garage, very snazzy.
Comedy moment of the day - Alex's headstand in the mud. The only boggy bit of the ride was short but Alex managed to place his head in the mud to much mirth, please post the pic Marky Mark .

All in great fun and will try and do it every so often through winter as it's good fun, a nice change, and can still be a pretty good workout if you want it as even returning on the road takes a bit more effort on a heavy MTB with 30psi in the tyres .

[Marek]

Went with a very large training group today. Was great fun, must have been about 13 of us and I don't think we lost anyone on the way. Tim Liquigas was back and is in pretty good form. The ride out of CSS was pretty quick with Keith and Paul H putting in some strong efforts with Tim. Up the Reigate steps and it was pretty fast, I came over the top and then put in a big dig down the other side, going downhill is my speciality.

Mike and Keith decided to make their lives a bit more difficult by going the wrong way, Mike has not been out with the club for a while and has forgotten the route, not sure what Keiths excuse is. We waited a bit for them but they had decided to take a slight detour and managed to catch back up with us by taking another route. Keith said later that Mike had dragged him at warp speed to get back onto the back of the group. Good going.

Going up into Rusper and I was starting to suffer a bit, managed to just about hold on. There was a sprint for the Rusper sign and this caused a bit of a split in the group. I managed to get over the front group and then put in a big effort down the hill again. Managed to draft off a car which then decided did not like having me on his tail so pulled over, bit strange. Then the hill before the dual carriageway. I was worried I had overcooked it before we got there, so sat at the back of the group. As we got over the first lump I could see that Paul H was about to make a move to take the crest so I went around him and Hal and put in a really big effort. Hal and I came over the crest together but it was really tough work and I could feel my legs were a bit jellified when we waited for the others at the dual carriageway waiting point.

Dual carriageway was very smooth with all 13 getting involved, was not mega fast but it was pretty good. As we came into the sprint I went very early and someone was on my wheel, then a few others got onto me and went past, I managed to hang on and then they slowed a bit so I went again but was pretty cooked. Was great fun as the sprint was pretty quick as we had a good bit of momentum up from the early attacks. It was fought out by Paul H and Keith, think Keith may have pipped Paul but not sure.

Ride back to CSS was pretty quick and I was feeling the pace a bit. Slowed up a bit by the golf club to let my legs recover and then a bit of a blast up Merstham drag and then a nice spin back to East Grinstead.

Excellent fun, if we can get that many out in the training group over winter and maybe take in some different routes with a few more hills reckon winter is going to be almost as much fun as the summer.

Cheers

Marek.....

I'd done all of my "Basic Intensity" riding earlier in the week, so took the opportunity to "go and play" with the Training Group today.

[quote="Marek"]
Mike and Keith decided to make their lives a bit more difficult by going the wrong way, Mike has not been out with the club for a while and has forgotten the route, not sure what Keiths excuse is.

[Alex P]

What a great "off road" ride!!

A group of seven rode out from CSS at 8:30 (including a newbee) heading for the hills of Farthing Downs, all a bit too much for the system at this time - no warm up, hill and no coffee fix . We missed out the Happy Valley stage which probably saved us 10-15 mins and headed along the Pilgrims way eastward after that we went down a few off road paths and on-road sections which I'm sure I could never find again..

There was only one really muddy section on the whole ride and it was about 8 feet long but I managed to bury my front wheel into it, throwing me over the bars, I put my hand out and that just sank so I had no option but to use my head; the description the incident was just falling off a bar stool slowly, I look forward to the photo.

We made it to the cafe in time to meet everybody and woof down a bacon sandwich before we set off with the John C 'specials' averaging 15-16 mph on the way home. Marco, Marky Mark and Aoden took an off road route (perhaps use this in reverse next time)

All in all a good day, as Andrew says , there is nothing technical on the route, lots of good single track, some road (but I'm sure that this can be tweaked) and well within our capabilities (including Colin on his first time out on a non suspended mount and no spd's - although he suffered on the return trip)

If possible I would to see this as a regular occurance, perhaps not every week (although I'm sure that there would be takers) but something that we can build up and advertise in good time and make an event of it as it is truly a good ride and I will be doing it again.

[andrew_phillips]

This training group lark sounds like fun, I want in, 13 is indeed a massive group, I normally ride 19s and see about 5-6 riders go out on the training group despite much heckling from the crowd. Marek, I think I sat opposite you on the last Brighton ride with Phil and delayed your meal by ordering trout which seemed to inconvenience everyone with its cooking duration (not sure why that was but there we go).
I normally find the 19s ok except when some of the training group boys decide to have an 'easy day' and burn our group up, normally the days when the training group B doesn't exist and so we end up going 21.
Anyway, we seem to play broom wagon for the training group most times anyway and pick up a couple so I reckon next time perhaps next time I should jump aboard this thing for a taster, get burnt off and then ride 19s for the rest. See you next week.

[quote]no coffee fix

[Paul H]

Very pleased/surpised to see a large training group out and hope that will continue through the winter. Hopefully the newbies now realise its not that bad. We dont expect riders to do turns at the front if they are not strong enough so we can accomodate a reasonable range of abilities and we always wait for dropped riders at the Dual Carriageway.

[Sylv]

[quote="andrew_phillips"]Anyway, we seem to play broom wagon for the training group most times anyway and pick up a couple so I reckon next time perhaps next time I should jump aboard this thing for a taster, get burnt off and then ride 19s for the rest. See you next week.

[Michelle]

A lonely club run for me yesterday but it has it's benefits, not going above 131 bpm.....

You can see the holes coming
You can look at all the houses, gardens and fields you normally miss cos you are blasting through the landscape or chatting.
Reigate steps are really quite nice when you take it slow
You don't think that you have to try and talk to the quiet person next to you - cos there is no-one next to you
Monty is not shouting at anyone.
You are always the fist at the Charlwood sign

The worst bit was at tne M23/A23 split, making sure that all the cars going 50mph knew I was carrying on to Merstham. Must admit the HR was a bit over 131 at that stage

And of course only got about 10 mins in the cafe to chat.

Thanks to everyone who stopped to help with the puncture, don't think we needed 6 and I am sorry I swore at you George, and thanks for your help.

Think I might try a circuitous route next week, meet everyone at the cafe with an hour to chat, and cut out all the big hills.

[Robh]

[quote="Sylv"]
Do! Rob W rode with the training group I think for the first or second time and held his own well, I think the size of the group helped too.

On the way back via Box Hill, towards the end it was just Hal me and Rob, and as both Hal and I were dangerously close to bonking we were trailing in his wake ...

[Sylv]

I know - only realised it was him at the dual carriageway stop I think (there are too many Robs in the club )

There's been no discussion on his results why? I am puzzled by his low heart rates throughout

Oh dear FaCT is now invading the General forum ...

[mlocke]

[quote]Oh dear FaCT is now invading the General forum ...

[Robh]

Because he's not a Sylv or Keith...That's why...

[quote="Robh"][quote="Sylv"]
Do! Rob W rode with the training group I think for the first or second time and held his own well, I think the size of the group helped too.

On the way back via Box Hill, towards the end it was just Hal me and Rob, and as both Hal and I were dangerously close to bonking we were trailing in his wake ...

[Sylv]

[quote="Michelle"]A lonely club run for me yesterday but it has it's benefits, not going above 131 bpm.....