On my way to CSS I dropped the cheque for my service charge into Reed & Woods and found an old man staring straight at me in a slightly unnerving manner. After a moment or several of this we started talking bikes and if Pearsons was still in Sutton before I said I needed to head off.
The next item of note was advising new guy Paul that his knee warmers would probably work best if put under the shorts - they then wouldn't slip down and become calf warmers
![Laughing :lol:](./images/smilies/icon_lol.gif)
Went out with the 17s and was fairly OK - not struggling as badly as two weeks ago. Just getting used to the slightly different position of my winter bike
![Rolling Eyes :roll:](./images/smilies/icon_rolleyes.gif)
After the 18s had gone the 17s rolled out with everyone who was left at CSS, about 16 of us but after Snowerhill, a few of the slower ones split off. Young Robin stayed with us but I did have to hold the front runners back to let him catch up and we lost him completely up Norwood Hill despite my best efforts. However Robin's been around a bit and arrived at Tanhouse just before we did, having presumably taken a short cut probably at Rusper.
After a cup of tea at Tanhouse I noticed a rider from Crawley Wheelers trying to pump up his tyre with what looked like a pump that had gone through the hot wash by accident. Offered him the use of my Zefal pump and then showed him how to change and pump up a tyre. That was after we'd found the huge hole in his 'new' tube and I'd told him it was the wrong size - probably one of his mountain bike tubes. He was then struggling with getting the last few inches of tyre onto the rim so I got out the Var tyre leaver. I think he will be getting one - as will at least one of the girls in his group as she came over later to ask to see it.
I was still there when they came out because I was just about to start off with what looked like the faster group when I realised one of our riders had his bike upside down on the grass. Sorry, I should know your name but it has slipped my mind...
![Shocked :shock:](./images/smilies/icon_eek.gif)
After that it was a fairly quiet ride on my own back to Coulsdon to catch the last of the club at Nonna's
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)