Monday, June 30, 2014

Sunday, 29th June


CHEAM & MORDEN  -  RUNNYMEDE  -  HURST – STAINES
13 Arrived at the Magna Carta tearooms for 11s.  10 carried on for lunch at  “The Green Man” Hurst,  cycling up Priest Hill into Bishopsgate, Windsor Park, peanut roundabout, Drift Road, Maidens Green to Moss End.  We then turned right into Bottle Lane then left up Ryehurst Lane to Billingbear, Straight Mile Road to Hurst.  
 
Food came very quickly and we left at 1.45pm. Carrying on to B3018 we turned right to Shurlock Row, back to Bottle lane to Mossend where we turned right and 1st left to Hayley Green, on to Ascot racecourse and back through the Park to the NORTH CAFÉ  where we all downed choc cake and scones.  A lovely day was had riding in all the quiet lanes.  Thank you all for your lovely company.
 Irene

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Cycling Time Trials 24hr National Time Trial

On 21st/22nd June Cycling Time Trials held their National 24hr time trial down in Sussex starting just down the road from Arlington Reservoir. Five riders from the Kingston Phoenix Road Club joined 70 others along with loads of helpers. The first rider off was at 12.01 pm and as I was number 63 and the last KPRC rider to start. Most of the riders were solo, but I did see one tandem and a few trikes. My start time was 1.03pm. I didn’t sleep on Saturday night, just had a few short breaks with caffeine and whatever food I felt like.

I don’t know when the official results are released, but this is what my Edge 510 recorded. My average speed from the start was almost 19mph which dropped to just above 18mph for the next three hours then by about 4pm to about 5am it was 17mph. After that it slowly dropped to 16.4mph.

Satnav summary

Distance:
333.81 mi
Time:
20:21:10
Moving Time:
20:20:44
Elapsed Time:
24:00:01

Avg Speed:
16.4 mph
Avg Moving Speed:
16.4 mph
Max Speed:
30.9 mph

Elevation
Elevation Gain:
4,256 m
Elevation Loss:
4,257 m
Min Elevation:
-11 m
Max Elevation:
87 m

I don’t know why but for some reason my Garmin Edge 510 decided to give up on recording the correct elevation at some point during the night circuit. Thankfully everything else seemed to work ok.


Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Sunday 22nd June 2014

Dorking Leisure Centre was the familiar meet for the first coast ride for 2014.Surrounded by 60 members of the flourishing Dorking Cycling Club, an even 10 set off towards a fairly new 11's at Newbridge (basically Broadbridge Heath).
It was pleasing to see Terry had made the effort to join us, clearly still affected by his recent illness.We of course hope he slowly regains his strength and wish him well for the months ahead.
Most ate something..............which they probably regretted later.
The route south is straight,undulating and simple if your leading on a path that was first attempted successfully last year.
Chantry Hill on the SDW was the first test for most and the downhill rough stuff was certainly rideable if you kept on the grass.(personally speaking ofc)
We regrouped at the bottom which was now the Angmering Estate,an area with good roads and no visable cars.
We joined the main road at Clapham and the traffic soon appeared from every direction.
Another 20 mins of built up area brought us to the busy Bluebird café right on the beach at Ferring.
Bob luckily saw us before he had given up hope ...................it was 1.40pm.
The pictures tell a story.........namely huge portions of tasty grub.
We were away by 2.30ish but had to negotiate the hoards of people in Worthing to get to the Stenying road that goes up and over the South Downs.
Aware of the time (4.20pm) I decided to stop at Old Barn Nursery at Dial Post instead of  Southwater.
For me it was a painful ride home..........headache,sore legs and just plain and simple knackered.
Saw the two Pete's at the top of Pebblecombe.......................which I had walked,well there's always a first for everything.

Sunny and warm 24º with an afternoon tailwind.
Newbridge Garden Centre

The ONLY rough-stuff

Keith - Sea Bass

Lilian - Ploughman's

Neil - Fish & Chips

Jeff - pasta (eaten half of it?)



Graham - Half a Chicken

Monday, June 23, 2014

Sunday, 22 June 2014

Newbridge - Ferring - Dial Post


 Andy, Chantry Hill, okay; but do you call this a road?
Gathering at Dorking Leisure Centre
The TFBs tanking up for the starting pistol
On top of the world at Chantry


With Southwater a furlong too far, I believe that tea was taken at Dial Post. I opted for an early shower and headed home along the A24

Monday, June 16, 2014

Sunday, 15th June

Newland's Corner - Elstead - Ockham Bites

Golden Fleece on Father's Day

Chilworth crossing:the leader making sure that everything is safe and clear

What exactly is Vic trying to tell me?
 
Taking the waters at Hascombe fountain before the fun of Mare Lane



 

  Fed and watered at Elstead  
Tea at Ockham

Sunday June 15 2014

Despite staying up for England-Italy, I arrived at Newlands Corner before 1030 to discover I wasn't the first! The Barn is still closed so perforce we dined alfresco in the car park. An often overcast sky abetted by a northeasterly made for a day cooler than of late. But none of the several showers lasted more than a few minutes so all in all one fine day for cycling.

Six headed along the NDW and Halfpenny Lane to the level crossing where our photographer was lurking. We continue through Wonersh and Bramley and then on lanes to a second photo-shot beside Hascombe's fountain. Like many smaller roads, climbing Mare Lane is made more difficult by a poor road surface but fortunately it's lightly used. A leisurely and long descent into Milford turned into a gallop on the busy B3001 into Elstead. Faced with a choice of three, the one (The Golden Fleece) in the middle was perfect with meals to suit all tastes at prices appealing to Aberdonians.

Back on the road just after two, Cutmill and Shackleford led us onto the familiar Farncombe-Littleton route into Guildford. Reduced by a street market on the High Street to pedestrians, we walked up North Street. Then a spritely dash along the A3 path got us to Ockham Bites just on four. 66 miles door to door.

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Sunday 8th June 2014

The morning after.........

£1 pot of tea (1¾  cup)


Burrell Showman's Road Locomotive "Princess Marina" b.1920


Large tea £1.50 (lemon drizzle available) open until 5.30pm

Deck chairs provided..........on Reigate Hill!





Recent footage of a cyclist being hit by a BT van on Wray Common,Redhill.............be sure to scroll down to watch the slow-mo too.

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest-news/caught-film-moment-cyclist-hit-van-125559

Sunday, 8th June

Hookwood – Staplehurst (not Balcombe)

Dave reflated at the foot of Snower Hill
 At the witching hour, six were sunning themselves at Walton Pond, soon to be joined by Ray, legs sore from his exploits of the previous day. We welcomed Carsten, photo to follow, on his first adventure with the Cheam & Morden, and a welcome sunny visit from Angie. Soon it was a swoop down Pebble Hill to cross the A25 and head for Hookwood via Betchworth. Come Snower Hill, Dave punctured. We rallied round and then set off again at a gentle pace. At Norwood Hill, Dave proved that the first puncture was not a fluke, so we left him with instructions and a smile, to make our way to the cycle stands of Hookwood Tesco, where two familiar bikes were already docked


Inside were Bob and Andy, soon to be joined by Lilian and Graham, the latter having quietly slipped across the Caledonian border, to escape the epidemic of referendum fever. Our elevenses were elongated as the Half Moon Inn at  Balcombe did not want to feed us until 1.30pm. Also, with Crawley between us, we had to choose a clock-or-anti- clockwise route and lanes familiar from recently followed rides. Anti-clockwise won so our route took us at a leisurely pace via Charlwood, Ifield, Lamb’s Green, Faygate, Colgate, Hammer Ponds and Slaugham up to Handcross, just a sniff away from our target of Balcombe, with fifteen minutes in hand. Now fate took a hand. High Beeches Lane presented a ‘Police – Road Closed’ sign. What the heck, we can usually get through. Not this time. Soon we faced a blue line that was NOT to be crossed. We understood that a motorcyclist had been killed and a police investigation was in train. With time running out we rang the Half Moon Inn to warn of delay and then again to advise of cancellation – an inn too far, where Bob was stranded, wondering what had happened to us.

Our improvised alternative was the Jolly Tanners at Staplefield; best choice of beers for miles around and cyclists welcome. By the time we had dined the hourglass was empty. Our planned return route was scrapped, Graham headed for Dorking and the rest set off on a scramble to Horley, then to find that Reigate GC café was already shuttered. Our ladies opted for tea at Brockham; the gentlemen for Fanny’s, while I forked off after Reigate. A day of contrasts and unintended consequences.

‘The best laid schemes o’ mice and men

Gang aft agley,

An’ lea’e us nought but grief an’ pain,

For promis’d joy!’

My apologies for disappointed joys and I hope not too much grief and pain.

Jeff

Thursday, June 05, 2014

Sunday, 1st June


Dorney Court – White Waltham – Great Cockrow

Our leader Dave had summoned his men and women for all seasons to meet at Hampton Court Palace. The season smiled and the sun shone as the company processed, following the course of the Thames, towards Windsor and past the playing fields of Eton, to a leisurely refreshment stop at Dorney Court. Some then returned to their manors while the loyal band sped on apace, perhaps too much apace, as we arrived in advance of ourselves and therefore meandered gently around the lanes, before succumbing to the honeyed temptations of the Beehive at White Waltham.

Camera shy Don
We dined comfortably in the garden until the leader’s trumpet called us to remount and head back, skirting Windsor by Virginia Water, to savour tea and cake to the sounds of a miniature Puffing Billy at Great Cockrow. Numbers then discretely dwindled and a final foursome parted company at Addlestone, in anticipation of an early homecoming.

 However, such was not to be for me, as at Byfleet the gear shifter seized. It did not take long to diagnose a severed cable nipple. It took a little longer to secure the broken cable most elegantly to the frame and longer still to limp home in much too low a gear but still manageable for the hills ahead. Within sight of home, it dawned upon me that I could have used the larger chain ring as well as the small; but home at least, with 80 miles on the clock and in the legs. Finding and removing the errant nipple would have to await another day.

 Our grateful thanks to Dave for a right regal ride.

Jeff

Sunday, June 01, 2014

1-6-14

Daves extended ride to to the Beehive White Waltham via Dorney GC with tea and cake in the Sun at Great Cockrow, a splendid ride in the Sun.

The Photographer

Sunday, 25th May



  Horley – Maplehurst – Capel
 Ride report
Given the typical Bank Holiday weather, I was fortunate to have picked the only decent day for my first attempt at leading a C&M ride. Instead of the forecast showers, there were only a few drops just before I left home and the rest of the day was generally sunny, if rather breezy.
Eleven of us (including Ann in part-preparation for her 24-hour race) met at Waitrose Horley, most armed with Waitrose cards to make use of the free coffee offer – great value! After a rather drawn-out elevenses – giving me time to have two coffees and for the two Petes to have a two-course breakfast – ten of us (minus Bob) set out for Sussex.
I had tried to find some quiet lanes, which is not easy in this area, but after the usual route south down the Balcombe Road, we took a left and then right at Shipley Green, over the roundabout near Copthorne and then left again to take a narrow lane (Old Hollow). We proceeded on southwards, through the undulations of Tilgate Forest, finally turning right for Handcross on the B2110.
Passing near the Balcombe water tower landmark (named such, although nearer to Handcross than Balcombe), we eventually took a left through Handcross and down to Staplefield, where we avoided the temptations of the Jolly Coopers and turned right up Slaugham Road, finally coming to the T-junction with the B2110 where we turned left for Little Beeding. This road is rather busy and we sped along as quickly as possible for a couple of miles before turning right towards the A281. At the junction with the Horsham Road, we did a quick right and then left into Newells Lane which wound its way down quietly to Maplehurst. By this time several people were indicating a thirst and we arrived at the White Horse by 1.15 – not bad for an 11.30 departure and a ride of just over 20 miles.
The White Horse was as welcoming as ever, with a great selection of ales and ciders (some up to 7.5%! ). We sat in the garden which was bearable in the sunshine but very chilly in the shade. We managed to drag ourselves away by 2.30 and proceeded to Copsale where we took Broadwater Lane back to the A281, passing straight over and up to Hammerpond Road. Here the usual undulations took us past the Hammer Pond where we took a left and then another left towards Colgate and, finally the Faygate roundabout on the A264. We were on the homeward stretch! I took a less usual route to Capel, bypassing Rusper by weaving via Wimlands, Green Lane and Friday Street. The usual vast array of cakes greeted us at the church. The courgette cake I tried was very moist and rather gingery – one to try again another time! After lounging in the sun, we made our various ways home. For me, back via Box Hill, it was 76 miles door to door – a good ride on a good sunny day. I hope everyone else enjoyed it, too.
Helene