Snow MTB Ride - Sat 9th Jan - 9.15 for 9.30 East Croydon

[higg]

Just in case anybody missed the original post in the CR post, there will be an MTB ride this Sat morn from East Croydon taxi rank, meet at 9.15 to leave at 9.30.

Make the most of the snow while it's here ...

This will be an easy paced all-comers ride.



Aodan.

[higg]

There's some pics here of a similar ride before Christmas.

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=10534&p=96809#p96809

[sonic909]

I've had the week off but i am back in fri/sat/sun....

Typical that is!

[EdO]

I should be up for this.

[Andrew G]

See you there.

[Grahame]

No output from the excus-a-tron 2000 yet. So I still expect to be there.

[Ben]

Is there a rough idea of what the route might be

[Andrew G]

If similar too ones I've done previously Ben then they head out to Selsdon and then Farleigh before dropping back to Coney Hall.

[Hal]

Hoping to join you for this one will be there before 9:30.

H

[Marcus]

Got up too late to make it to EC Hope you all have a great time in the snow. Snowing in Caterham at present. Roads still dangerous and slippery. I will try to gt out on the downs later.

Any planned ride for Sunday

[Andrew G]

Excellent fun again, and a good workout as usual on the MTB.

I left with so many clothes on there was no way I was getting cold, top to bottom:
Helmet, skullcap, buff, base layer, mid layer, windproof jersey, windproof jacket, silk gloves, winter gloves, winter tights, Ronhill leggings, MTB baggies, silk socks, carrier bags, normal socks, shoes . I didn't over heat either as it was very cold out there with the wind.

I love the trails on this route, plenty of variety with the climbs descents and twisty hacks down bridleways and through the various woods. Some sections were a bit tougher today with the snow quite deep in places. The field crossing between the White Bear and Jewels Wood had most of us on our backs at one point . It's an easy crossing on the narrowish grass pathway in summer, but in the snow it all looks level and then you find yourself in the ditch on the side or a rut on the ploughed field and being dumped on your backside in the think powdery snow without warning. Very soft landing, and warmth making laughing if it happens not to have been you on that occasion.

Aodan did some great riding today as he was out on his cross bike, bounced and pinged about a bit on some of the frozen rutted descents but excellent bike handling particularly when adding in the wonderful brakes on cross bikes.

The best bit for me today though had to be stumbling across a pyramid shaped igloo built in a field. We crossed over to have a look and then after admiring the handywork cut through to the tiny coutry dead end road next to it. Here we bumped in to a lady who was the proud builder of it with her family, she said it still needed a few bricks (shaped in a recyling box) to finish. They'd done an igloo last year, a pyramid this year, and if it snows next year then she promised Stone Henge . She said they have a party there when it's finished with candles to light the path down to it and baked potatoes to eat, I want to go .

Cheers all.

[EdO]

When my chain snapped about five minutes after leaving East Croydon I was ready to throw the towel in. Luckily I didn't. After after a "Why me??" moment I composed myself and with some help from Grahame got my chain back on and we were on our way. Great route taking in some interesting bridleways. I haven't done much mountaining biking for the last 18 months and to be honest I've lost my nerve on the descents. By the end though I was descending much better.

Split off at Coney Hall and followed Grahame back to pick up some proper brakes.

Just to add to Andrew's post, here are some photos including Hal in the pyramid. Cheers everyone.

[img]http://i818.photobucket.com/albums/zz104/edosborne/Addiscombe%20Snowy%20Clubrun/005.jpg[/img]

[img]http://i818.photobucket.com/albums/zz104/edosborne/Addiscombe%20Snowy%20Clubrun/008.jpg[/img]

[img]http://i818.photobucket.com/albums/zz104/edosborne/Addiscombe%20Snowy%20Clubrun/006.jpg[/img]

[img]http://i818.photobucket.com/albums/zz104/edosborne/Addiscombe%20Snowy%20Clubrun/002.jpg[/img]

[higg]

Excellent ride this morning. Snow condition was near perfect, compact enough to ride on, dry enough for grip with little or no earth showing through. 7 of us set off Grahame, Mr. Green, EdO, Colin, Bob, Hal. We meet George just before leaving (he had been to the Coulsdon for CR but had a change of heart). He was going home to change bikes and arranged to meet us later.

Once we got to Lloyds Park everywhere looked like a ski resort, through Croham Hurst and on the single track on the side of the road by Selsdon where George was waiting. A quick scoot down through Pulpet Wood carving some nice turns on the way to Forestdale where we climbed back up to Farleigh golf course. No golf today, it was like a different world. Deep wind blown powder on the track made it hard work until we got to the shelter of the hedges half way up. Here the normally loose shingle and flint was all cemented together by the snow to make a smooth surface almost like tarmac.

On past the Norman church and we spotted like a little Hindu temple across the fields. It was actually a partially built pyramid, pretty cosy inside too which was good as it started to snow again. We ran into the Glowinskis also out on MTB enjoying the snow. We headed east towards Sustrans route 21 and the 40mph downhill. Given my dubious canti brakes I took it easy and stopped to take a photo. Grahame's comment that I pulled the brakes at the top and stopped half way down wasn't too far from the truth.

On towards the White Bear, then crossed a field of deep powder trying hard to avoid the path as it had ditches either side which were invisible under the snow. Hal tumbled but must have had the softest landing ever in the feathery light white stuff. Layhams downhill was another trail tamed by the snow with gave it a nice smooth surface all the way. The way up after though had these frozen hoof prints hidden in the snow with just the tips showing. They rattled my unsuspended bike and took some soft pedalling to roll over.

After warming up at the dung heap for a minute or two we took a turn for home down Jackass Lane which was under a white blanket.

We parted at Coney Hall, various people heading home for a warm lunch. Hal and myself took the off-road option back to Croydon using the London Loop through Spring Wood before a final detour to the look-out at (Ahem...) Hills.

Thanks all for a thoroughly enjoyable day (and for having patience with the photgraphs).

The photos are here:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=1 ... 9241ce0e16


Aodan.

[Andrew G]

Nice photos chaps, capture the fun of the ride nicely.

Forgot to add the finish of my ride turned out rather well, I stopped off at the folks to say hello and wash the compacted snow and ice off the bike and was greated by a bowl of freshly homemade soup, lovely.

[Bo-Gilly]

Yep, an excellent ride ..........I really enjoyed it

This one of Aodan's photo shows how impressive the "snow pyramid" looked from a distance :

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=3 ... 9241ce0e16