CR 5th September - Box alternative

[Amy]

Interesting ride out - not the place I would've chosen to change a tube, just past the motorway junction... but the shard of nice green bottle glass made it imperative Might invest in some stuff for patching tyres as those were new tyres, barely on a month

Was leading the 16s but for some reason it became more of a leisure ride after Reigate. Also seemed quite a leisurely pace back from the café so I was somewhat relieved to turn off and head towards Betchworth and could push the pace a bit more. I find Box too busy with all the wannabe racers and I wanted to do a proper hill so headed for Pebble Coombe

I haven't been up it for ages but it wasn't as bad as I was expecting it to be except for the last bit where the drag kicks up and I grovelled along at 3-4mph, having done 10-12mph on the easier bits.

I felt quite chuffed at having done it and will probably come up it again - there's a number of routes to get to it from the Tanhouse/Box Hill route. So if you want a bit more of a challenge, you are welcome to join me next time I do it: just wait for me at the top I've also thought of coming up Little Switzerland and then up through Headley village and either back along the usual route to Kingswood or cut across to Walton on the Hill as an alternative (hillier) to Box which I know some peeps already do.

[Dombo]

I must try Pebble Combe one day. Never done it uphill although often go down to test my bravery. Nothing wrong with 3-4mph. I've gone up some of our local hills so slowly the Garmin squawks at me that I've stopped and my other speedo barely registers any movement.

[Amy]

Can only get better, especially if I keep having a go at it