by adrian » Thu May 14, 2009 12:17 pm
[quote]I was quite up for a hard ride, so split from the main group as tey turned off for biggin hill.
Oh, good - I wasn't quite sure whether you'd meant to go off on your own, or had just missed the turn.
Funny one last night, but I still quite enjoyed it. We started off as a large single group, the idea being to let a natural split happen at the top of Layhams. There was quite an array of abilities out last night so things sorted themselves out pretty quickly. Graham jumped on at West Wickham and was soon powering up the front. Apples, gentleman gallant that he is, assisted a damsel in distress for a while but had to dump her and work hard to get back into the fast group.
The higher we got, the deeper into a cloud we went, and the less advisable a T&O became. Things became a little farcical at the top as we crossed over towards Titsey, as three different people suffered catastrophic accessory failure - bits were flying off their bike left, right and centre.
At some point there was a barely-mumbled agreement to scrap the original route and head back via Biggin Hill. A couple of people got a bit stroppy at how well this was communicated - as we turned left off Titsey at Clarks Lane, people were still off the back collecting and arranging their bits and wouldn't necessarily know there'd been a change of route.
A regroup at the top of Westerham Hill was followed by a storming T&O to Bromley and beyond - the first time we'd really 'let out the shaft' that evening. Ed peeled off for home (well, I assume he was going home) around Beckenham, leaving me and Apples at the mercy of the regulars who knew where they were going. Their route was less than intuitive, and took us through some serious residentialia - once or twice I felt sure we were in fact going round to someone's gran's for tea. Alas, no.
Eventually we found ourselves at the fool of Crystal Palace Road, so I gave it a last push and turned off for Dulwich and home.
A bit disjointed in terms of the group dynamics, and a rather dreich evening, but overall a good ride nonetheless.
Giving blood next week, so back in two weeks.
Not all in the same week mind but may put any midweek training ride plans on hold till the winter.
Long live beer 
