Club Run Feb 5th - Good Deeds Abound

[Snoop Doug]

Well I made it, out of bed, down the hill, to CSS, and beyond. 37 miles is a huge distance for me to complete. Thanks to Amy and Alex for waiting for me after the Reigate steps. Thanks to Grahame for showing me a scenic route to the front of the caff queue . Thanks again for nursing me back to Coulsdon after our break.

Thanks for all the hellos and good wishes from loads of friendly people. There's some top folk in this fine club of ours.

Today is the first time I have gone out for a bike ride and enjoyed it for months. I'm looking forward to the next one, haven't thought that for a while.

Cheers - Snoop

PS - I even managed a good, albeit unpleasant deed myself. Approaching Charlwood Grahame and I found a male pheasant in the side of the road. Hit by a car, in a bad way and still very much alive. I offered to do the decent thing. Grahame asked have you done it before? Sorry Grahame - I told a fib. I've never killed a bird before today but I didn't want to leave it to you. Anyway, one broken neck later we were on our way. Shook me a bit - but it was the right thing to do, the poor thing was suffrin, not any more.

PPS - next time I might even try riding a bike instead of a tank, my legs are killin me

[Sylv]

We saw a lot of roadkill today, one of them looked like a chicken.

A fairly big TG today which whittled down a bit. Paul, Matt, Keith and Rob W were especially strong (and Dave of course). I continued to improve on my fairly poor form but one we reached the dual carriageway I was holding on by a thread. It got down to 4 I think at the end, I had to stop taking turns, and resort to the desperate measure of drafting a horse cart once we got off the DC. I almost made it to the sign but got caught and managed to get onto Keith's wheel who took the sprint easily.

About 8 takers for Box, easy at first and then harder. I hate that hill these days. Ben put a valid attempt towards the top which lasted all of 10s . Then Rob got the jump and never looked back. At the bumps before the lights two got away and I just died, not used to these 3hr+ rides anymore. I was then happy to draft behind mr Green all the way to Butlers .

Not sure I can take another 100k tomorrow guys!

[Andrew G]

Was it me or was there a head wind in both directions today .

Did you have a saddlebag to take you dinner home Snoop? Wouldn't have fancied doing the scragging myself.

Spun down to CSS with my Dad and had an espresso in Nona Rosa's before today's club run, first time I've been in there and it's very nice will have to bring a panier next time for all that delicious looking antipasto.

About half a dozen others joined me for the route in via Betchworth, a nice ride out with a good group and with Dombo riding strongly so no more sandbagging in future . Similar pace to a 19s and Matt and I wound it up at the end to stretch it out and provide a lead out, I've got a reasonable sprint but prefer to do this and help to keep it as safe as possible.

Joined the Box Hill group as that way back is so much nicer. Rob must have had some sandpaper in his shorts the way he pinged off from time to time . As Sylv said an easier start and then getting a bit quicker as Box got nearer. I always go badly up this hill, just never seem to get in a decent rhythm on the first bit and don't get going until after at least the first hairpin by which time people have gone up the road.

Off the top and with the first couple of little kick ups by Dauphins Rob's sandpaper shifted and Sylv joined him as they got out the saddle to accelerate over them. My legs said "no" to that accelerate up the lumps malarkey and I slipped off. I carried on at a reasonable tempo pace in to the wind on the basis that if they eased or got caught at lights I'd catch them, if they didn't I wouldn't.

In the end neither happened but they were very agreeable and waited by the big Chipstead/Kingswood roundabout for a regroup. Ben was behind me and we waited a surprising amount of time thinking his effort at the top of Box Hill must have shocked his legs but it turned out he'd shipped his chain and spent a while having a wrestling match with it.

I don't know what all those people were up to in Nona Rosa's after their ride but the windows were very steamy . After waving ta ta in South Croydon I headed up towards Selsdon and recognised the yellow shape in front of me as the old man so give him a bit of a push on the hill and rode home together.

8am at Coney Hall roundabout tomorrow for the Old ports Reliability and it will be a very good weekend, particularly after all the snow curtailed so many rides. Don't worry Sylv it's flat , you need to come to keep George company tearing round the course.

[Grahame]

You're welcome Snoop. It was good to get a chance to chat with you.

Oh, and thanks for lying to me about the bird experience, I was having a bit of a buddhist moment and was reluctant to harm a fellow living creature, even if it was the best solution for the poor pheasant.

Hope the legs weren't too sore when you got home.

[Antloony]

Fairly easy ride out with a 19's which was more like a 17's such was the easy going pace and banter that was being had. Made a nice change from hanging out my lungs trying to get more air into them with the training group, its easy to lose sight of why I ride a bike sometimes. Picked up a passenger on the way in the form of a lesser spotted weak Marek who's legs had fallen off big style in the TG, got my own back this week by giving him a push He was suffering big time, Keith and co, what did you do to him?

Managed to complete the assault course...or should that be sprint...in 1st place, little bit of form returning though Marek suddenly popped up from no where making it a close one. Young Paul was on the line filming us whizzing past, had I had known I would have smiled a bit more for the camera.

Box Hill route on the return with Sylv, Ben, and co. Not to much going on, few efforts as we got nearer but fairly steady pace. Managed to hold on up the zig zags till the last corner where I dropped off the pace, should have dug deeper but was to busy falling about in laughter at Bens ill fated attack.

Quicker blast back down the other side, once on the main road back to the Chipstead/Kingswood roundabout I dropped of the pace, letting Rob W, Sylv and Co get a lead before picking it up again and keeping them in sight. Just needed a few miles in my legs on my own to see how I would go and did ok, started to reel them in over the lumps where Sylv dropped off, was just behind them at the roundabout so pleased about that.

Now the best part of the day Got behind an articulated wagon all the way down the 217 back to Sutton, fastest speed was 47 mph down the mad mile, now thats what I call drafting.

Overall a good day today, glad to see the boys from last week who came a cropper with me last week back out with no lasting damage. Even getting hit by a driving instructor pulling out on me didn't spoil my day, put a nice dent in his rear quarter panel with my fist, boy I can thump hard

[Mike I]

Our neighbour - after a shooting trip - brought a brace of pheasants round one day. We hung them in the garage for ten days, until my bikes began to whiff a bit. Mrs I spent an afternoon in the garden plucking them, which I suppose made me a pheasant-plucker's mate. Further butchery ensued in the kitchen, which then required a fairly comprehensive clean-up.

The verdict - not worth the hassle, especially when they're £10 for 5 at Wallington farmers' market, ready 'dressed'.

[Mike I]

Partridge is tastier anyway


[img]http://i48.tinypic.com/es2joh.jpg[/img]

[Amy]

Good deeds? In the club but not by some of the other road users

I dunno about other groups but ours got all the idiots out in cars today - especially the boy racer in his - wait for it - Renault Clio... Laughable except his for his stupid antic of sitting in front of us, braking - what a tiny brain he must have...

The rest of the ride seemed to involve Chelsea tractors squeezing past with a predilection for suddenly swerving right in front of us

Legs still complaining but I'm hoping it's the cold - other people seemed to be going slow too in this weather.

Andrew, if I can get my @rse out of bed tomorow, I'm definitely up for the RR - you'd better not be lying about it being flat

PS the old boys in the CTC SWLondon Midweek section are not adverse to bringing road kill such as pheasant home with them - it helps out the pension

[Keith]

[quote="Antloony"]He was suffering big time, Keith and co, what did you do to him?

[Andrew G]

[quote="Amy"]Andrew, if I can get my @rse out of bed tomorow, I'm definitely up for the RR - you'd better not be lying about it being flat

[Amy]

Oh yes, very flat

[Marek]

I ran an interval session yesterday

I rode up to Coulsdon too fast

I haven't ridden my bike very much recently

I have a squeak on my bike, must make it a lot heavier

I cannot think of anymore excuses. Was a bit weird today, I didn't bonk because I felt fine, just the legs were not working. Checked my brake pads at the cafe, unfortunately they were not rubbing, was defo the legs.

Turbo this week, time to start upping the pace, can't handle getting a pasting like that every week. Thanks for the kicking, was exactly what I needed.

Cheers

Marek....

[Dombo]

Good ride today, my first in over two months. Mtb-ing, spinning and a hearty breakfast seemed to help though and I managed to keep up with Andrew's group for most of the ride. But I must stay off the brakes down Pebble Hill, a much friendlier descent than Titsey with similar speeds more safely attainable.
I passed Snoop's game item too fast to stop and take it home, but had I known it was so fresh....being able to field dress and prepare a pheasant for the table is a skill every man should posess. But at a fiver a brace oven ready from the butcher, I'd no sooner make my own shoes. Top marks to Snoop for putting the poor dear out of her misery, though.
Return via Box Hill with Robyn, Chris, Rob and some whose names I didn't catch. Stopped to help Mrs Spike fix a puncture the Agreeable way - three blokes offering advice and the use of frame pumps - then on to BH. Nice steady climb in perfect conditions and then a swoopy return via Chipstead and final climb home.
Great ride, good company, and nice to be out of the woods for a change.

[spike]

Thanks on behalf of Mrs Spike (Claire) to the Agreeables who offered moral support and a frame pump today. She really appreciated it and enjoyed the company. Now she's in the market for a new pump and tyre levers I was at home sick unfortunately.

[Paulos Fandangos]

Nice ride out with the TG today, a little timid today, wouldn't you agree Marek?
Turned off at Lambs Green to get some good video of Keith easing to a win in the TG sprint and Ant edging out Marek in the 19's. Hopefully upload these later.

Nice ride back with Steve B and the group before turning off for an extra loop. A good days ride.