Clubrun 17th July

[Marek]

It was a great ride. Interesting to see that the biggest group leaving CSS was the Alternative Club Run. Nice little route waiting for all on the hills and doing our best to stay together on the flats, that was when that young lady whose name I have forgotten was not attacking the group.

18 miles into the ride we stopped for a coffee to wish Rob a happy birthday. Candles on his slice of cake was a nice touch, and the fact that it was delivered by a young waitress who looked as though she would be more at home in spearmint rhinos than a village cafe was a great touch. Coffee was very good. Then a good ride around the lanes before a planned split as Marky Mark had forgotten to add salt to his coffee like the rest of us and got cramp.

Great ride and company.

Cheers

Marek.....

[Sylv]

Doesn't just happen in the 15s - half of the 19s got dropped before Reigate never to see the others again (until 1km from Charlwood where karma sent them a puncture)

Fortunately one of us knew the way to the café

[Andrew G]

Great pic Keith, so if you get to the end of the rainbow you find Tim there . Looks like you had a couple of people join you today Pete.

I trust the attractive waitress was able to supply Mike with his cream horn...I'll get me coat .

[djembi]

A good ride but poor Marky mark got terrible cramp and had to stop, Amy suffered on the hills as well but I think Rob had a nice birthday, good fun had by all. Marek I checked my tyres on the web site and they seem ok and thank you for warning me.

[Dombo]

Good CR, my first road outing since Paris, the steed still spattered with organic French fertilizer and my ride number. Did the standard one, having faffed too long at breakfast I lay in ambush at the Feathers in Merstham. First bunch through had some TG-types in it so I let them go, then joined a big 18s which split at Reigate Common and sensibly stayed with the Gentlemen's 18s, only six or seven of us ably led by John CC, I think. Same trouble on the L2P - you'd spend ages chatting with somebody but never actually look at them, so matching names to faces off the bike is always tricky.
After my recent posts i half expected to be spat out the back and abandoned to my fate in the desolate wastelands of Surrey, but I stuck manfully with the group, even doing a couple of selfless stints on the front, and managing to drop everyone on the fast downhill out of Rusper .
Bacon sarny at cafe went down well, then a solitaryish ride back, occasionally with mlocke, helped by the brisk tailwind.

[Jon C C on a Bianchi]

For the second week running we got out early!!!!!! What's happened to Sam!!!???? Gone are the two hour bathroom sessions!!! Life is good.

With plenty of time on our hands we rode up to Coulsdon South the scenic way via Warwick Wold Road, Hilltop Lane (a tough climb and an early shock to the system and boy does it get the heart pumping!!) and then Farthing down.

The usual 'boring' club run for us.

Went out with the 18s - THIRTEEN of us - it this a good number???

I tried to keep to a reasonable pace - about 18 mph -along the A23 (I like to build the speed gradually and let people warm up a bit) but it was obviousy too slow for some of the group. We were already ripping it up going under the M23 and things didn't let up - we motored up the steps - and things were getting rather strung out. A quick chat at the lights and we agreed to split at the common - fast group - slow group. I took the slow group - EIGHT of us - a very good number!! although a bloke wearing red and white (whose name I didn't get decided to turn off) so we were down to SEVEN - a goodish number!

Anyway the magnificnet seven had a enjoyable ride - really nice to meet Dave Lovall - John Lovell's son - out on his first CR since the 1990s!!!! towards the end we really ripped it up - Sam on the front up to Rusper and pretty full on all the way to the cafe - lots of relaying, everyone talking a turn. Fast, furious and fun!!!!

Got in at 18.26 mph average. Even if i say it myself almost perfect.
thanks everyone - great fun.

[Rob Q]

A great day out with lots of very agreeable cyclist. Good to see the faster guys like Keith joining the ride and also hearing about Mareks and Mike's stories of their rides in France. Thanks also to Pete for getting the candles on my cake and everyone's birthday wishes and to Phil Nash for buying my tea and cake
I don't know how my girlfriend in the tea shop didn't let on about this the night before!!

Great day as usual and also spoke to Marky Mark in the evening who was well and recovering with a few cans of Stella.

[Jon C C on a Bianchi]

[quote="Dombo"] Same trouble on the L2P - you'd spend ages chatting with somebody but never actually look at them, so matching names to faces off the bike is always tricky.

[Amy]

[quote="djembi"]Amy suffered on the hills

[Marky Mark]

[quote="Rob Q"]A great day out with lots of very agreeable cyclist. Good to see the faster guys like Keith joining the ride and also hearing about Mareks and Mike's stories of their rides in France. Thanks also to Pete for getting the candles on my cake and everyone's birthday wishes and to Phil Nash for buying my tea and cake
I don't know how my girlfriend in the tea shop didn't let on about this the night before!!

Great day as usual and also spoke to Marky Mark in the evening who was well and recovering with a few cans of Stella.

[PeteS]

23 left CSS which was slightly daunting but it was great to have a mixture of regulars, some occasionals and a few who have never been with us before. It was a real mix of abilities but it worked well with the fast guys waiting at hilltops and junctions for those who weren't quite so quick. I think that there's a danger of never mixing with the faster groups if we all stick in our 17's, 18's or 19's groupsand it was lovely to ride along with Keith and Marek who normally we'd only see for a brief moment at CSS before they speed off into the distance. It was good too to have Phil, Tim and Mike for the first time, I hope you'll all join us again.
The countryside looked wonderful with the views over the North Downs fantastic in the sunshine. We sat outside at Brasted where we were served our coffee and cakes by our lovely regular waitress.
We then took the quiet side up Toys which is the nicer of the two routes, then the little lane that leads towards Chartwell which has some superb views but a rubbish road surface. The final ride took us across from Crockham, through Hurst Green and over the A22 up to Tiburstow where poor old Markey Mark had his 'moment' with cramp. Rob offered to let Mark lick him all over to get the salt but Mark wisely declined opting for a walk home rather than getting anywhere near Rob's sweaty body.
I'm not sure how far we went but it was a great ride in great company. Thank you all for another memorable Saturday!

[jon avery]

Yer twas a fine day out!! We had a massive group, and if it carries on being that big it may be worth splitting it? The weather was great along with the company,the Cafe stop was fab as usual, though i'm not sure Rob's girlfiend in the Cafe has told him she asked me to marry her, i'm still thinking about it myself Rob and Steve pushed it a bit at the end, and Steve and i finished the day off with a couple of pints of cider outside the jolly farmers Overall i great day had by all I won't be out next week as i have a friend coming back from Iraq so it'll be catching up over a few pints for me.

[Antloony]

Was a bad day for me, started off well just dossing with the 19's, legs felt strong as was doing lot of work on the front when my left knee just suddenly started stating it didn't want to do anymore so swung off early towards Box Hill and back for an early bath passing, George and his merry men in the 18's on one of his famous magical mystery tours

[quote="Sylv"]Doesn't just happen in the 15s - half of the 19s got dropped before Reigate never to see the others again (until 1km from Charlwood where karma sent them a puncture)

[Toks]

[quote="Antloony"]Was a bad day for me, started off well just dossing with the 19's, legs felt strong as was doing lot of work on the front when my left knee just suddenly started stating it didn't want to do anymore so swung off early towards Box Hill and back for an early bath passing, George and his merry men in the 18's on one of his famous magical mystery tours