CR 101009

[Dombo]

First CR for me for a while - having almost dismantled my road bike and sold the parts for scrap after my Hillingdon experience I've been mtb-ing every weekend. However seems like the Hillingdon race did me some good as I managed to cling on to the 19s reasonably comfortably although ashamed to say I never once ventured near the front. Doing my best tin-can-tied-to-a-bumper impression through the woods where I'm normally dropped, I stuck with it and even managed to almost keep up on the downhill after Rusper. Refreshing tea and sarny at the cafe, chat with Alex and Amy then took up my tailend charlie position for the ride back. Caught Mari from Redhill CC on the Merstham drag and after a brief convo, (having to shout over her ipod ) carried on home, my faith in my road biking abilities slightly restored. Only 39 miles but at a reasonable 18.5 average.

[Jon C C on a Bianchi]

What a brilliant ride. couldn't get Sam out the house on time for coulsdon south (what do teenagers do in the bathroom??!!) so joined John Czernobay's 15 mph group at the Feathers in Merstham. Very small group - John, Jeff, Rachel, Bridgette, Sam and me. Joined for a while by a couple of riders we passed - one of them had punctured. Reasonably gentle pace but we still managed to split up - Sam and me finally got Bridgette to stop and wait - she was doing a Jens Voigt (on her new very nice Time carbon bike) driving things on at the front. Jeff didn't hear the call to stop and disappeared off the front never to be seen again. We regrouped and rode to the cafe together. Isn't there an unwritten rule that if we go out as a group we come back as a group? All for one and one for all and all that.?? Cycling etiquette demands it, guys!!!

BTW I won the sprint by telling everyone that I wasn't going to sprint

Nice easy paced group ride to Box Hill - John C, Bridgette, Tim, Phil and about a dozen others. Sun shining, beautiful day. One puncture on the way - how many Addiscombe does it take to change an inner tube?

Sam (my knees hurt) won the KoM by about 50 secs, I came in second (gave sam (my knees hurt) too much of a head start) with Phil coming in third with a PB of 8.17 (I think) - nice!

Home via Bletchworth and the club run route Leigh and Redhill Common. 75 kms. 711 m of climb. 24 kms average. Great fun Thanks to all of you that made it such an enjoyable ride -and especially John C - a legend is his own lifetime!

[quote="Dombo"]First CR for me for a while - having almost dismantled my road bike and sold the parts for scrap after my Hillingdon experience I've been mtb-ing every weekend. However seems like the Hillingdon race did me some good as I managed to cling on to the 19s reasonably comfortably although ashamed to say I never once ventured near the front. Doing my best tin-can-tied-to-a-bumper impression through the woods where I'm normally dropped, I stuck with it and even managed to almost keep up on the downhill after Rusper. Refreshing tea and sarny at the cafe, chat with Alex and Amy then took up my tailend charlie position for the ride back. Caught Mari from Redhill CC on the Merstham drag and after a brief convo, (having to shout over her ipod ) carried on home, my faith in my road biking abilities slightly restored. Only 39 miles but at a reasonable 18.5 average.

[Jon C C on a Bianchi]

PS where's "Bletchworth"??

somewhere between Bletchingly and Betchworth!!

[Antloony]

Didn't really enjoy my CR today, well not the bit of it where I had to ride my bike. Legs felt like lead and my bike felt like it was running through treacle. Should have stayed up in Cheshire the extra day and gone shooting again today .

Have to give credit to young Paul who is really coming on as a rider and growing in strength week in week out. He beat me in the sprint today though he had a helping hand from a certain Dave K. They both got the jump on me and had a 5 bike length lead and even giving it my hardest effort just failed to catch them on the line though was always going to be hard with my legs the way they were.

Nice to see Dan again today, rode back via BH with him and he's still going strong along with Paul who was still with us. Hope that bikes been cleaned young man

Cheers all

[Andrew G]

[quote="Jon C C on a Bianchi"]what do teenagers do in the bathroom??!!

[Phil H]

How many does it take to change a puncture?

Only one, but it takes several others to watch. And one to take a bad phone photo.
[img]http://93.97.161.139/bikingphotos/magicinflatything.jpg[/img]

[quote="Andrew G"][quote="Jon C C on a Bianchi"]what do teenagers do in the bathroom??!!

[Jon C C on a Bianchi]

[quote="Phil Hawkes"]

And one to take a bad phone photo.

[Dombo]

[quote="Jon C C on a Bianchi"]
THIRTY ONE YEARS AGO! We didn't even have a bathroom!

[Andrew G]

We 'ad to wait 'til it rained for a wash, and then wait in line behind four other families.

[quote="Phil Hawkes"]How many does it take to change a puncture?

Only one, but it takes several others to watch.

[CaroleH]

Jealous!!!! Would love to come on club run - but still throwing up and severly dehydrated!!!! Not good for a bike ride!!!!! Hope you are all having fun!!!!! See you all soon!!!

Carole H

[Amy]

Poor you, Carole! It seems that the icon is yours at the moment on at least two accounts!!

As a [male] friend of mine observes, women do get it rough