over the hill gang - othg

no mtb today.

Roger was busy and I needed some spinning in my legs after the weekend's hiking had turned them into jelly.

As I arrived at Betchworth, the over the over the hill gang were just leaving. The otothg is a steadier ride for those old blokes who can't keep up with the other old blokes who are in  the over the hill gang. 

Today was pretty quick - we scorched up Snowhill with Sabin and Andy on the front at over 30kph. At the top I eased to wait for the others and when I looked around, everyone was sitting right behind us grinning!  Worrying :-0

Even on the col du Colgate it didn't let up.  Andy kicked off, then Steve. Seconds later another Steve came past this one with a fixed wheel!!! and a moustache!!!  I was beginning to think maybe I need some of that hormone replacement that everybody must be getting from their doctors. ;)

And this is how it went for most of the ride. I think I prefer the Alphas on a Saturday, at least I'm getting a kicking from people nearer my age group..... :)

Old cyclists never die, they just get a triple................................bypass!     :))   

Eastbourne Weekend

It was the annual pre-Mallorca training weekend to Eastbourne again this Sat/Sun. After last year's snow blizzard, the weather was positively kind to us this time - a bit of early morning rain soon cleared after which it was a wind-assisted ride south. The Alpha males, still without Parky and his yoga injury, made rapid progress to Danehill (the previous Saturday's destination) and were getting ready to move on as the next group arrived. With everyone else going back home into the headwind, I rode solo to Eastbourne, enjoying the sun, the lanes and the excellent company. Descending from Beachy Head (I was first up for once) a brief hailstorm made my face sting but it was soon over and I was on the seafront outside the hotel. The Bs arrived in several gruppettos shortly after.

Nearly three hours later, M and the C group turned up in the twilight after a minor epic - a broken gear cable (M rode from Betchworth to Lingfield with just two gears, until St Jean of Cangley arrived by car on a mercy mission with a replacement), a couple of punctures, a busted saddle bag zip, one wrong turn by half the group, a tumble caused by a collision with a dog, and, most vexingly, slow service at the tea stop. A good dinner followed, superb wine chosen by Phillippe aiding and abetting the banter - general opinion was that M needs a better bike mechanic and I couldn't agree more.

Sunday we all set off together across Pevensey Levels. The pace was high and the group soon split, M&M and Patrick off the back watching the rest of the guys miss a crucial turning and head back towards Eastbourne. The three of us had a leisurely ride back to Dane blinking Hill again, actually arriving a few minutes behind everyone else; they had quickly realised their mistake and by a slightly different route had got ahead of us. From there we headed back to Dorking joined by Ben and Dave, arriving around 4.30. Again the B group (minus one, abandoned on the A22 in a shameful lapse of club run etiquette) pipped us by a few minutes.

Excellent weekend - thanks to Geoff for organisation, Ted's wife Mercedes for driving down with the luggage, and Cangley Emergency Services for roadside miracles. Next Saturday's ride - it's only Danehill again!

Three Peaks Trial - Platinum

No cycling today, Jane had entered us for the South Wales Three Peaks Trial. this is a 30 km hike over three peaks in South Wales.

We haven't done much hiking this year, and I haven't run at all. So, I wasn't looking forward to 30km and three mountains.

The Paltinum route,unlike the Gold , which is circular, is a straight route starting at Llantony Priory and finishing in Abergavenny.

We are bussed to the start of the event and our coach was last in line. This meant that the others got a head start on the first climb...grr! oops! easy tiger , I'm not out with the alphas today ;-)

We overtook a lot of hikers and caught of couple of the runners who'd over cooked it on the first climb to the check point at Bal Mawr. On the ascent we passed Malcom, a chap who we'd met the year before last. He's very competitive and tried to hang on to us, finally catching us on the descent before the next big climb. We walked together and reminisced on the intervening flat section, he said goodbye as we hit the next climb of Pen Cerrig Calch. I was feeling pretty good here and instead of following the hairpin footpath, I pushed straight up the shortest way. I hit my highest heart rate of the day here - 167 bpm Which I held for most of the climb( nowhere near the 175's I regularly achieve on the swrc Alpha rides)As we crested the steepest part, we saw the leader coming back down. Onto the push to the top and we first saw the second place guy, followed by a group of three. Just before the trig we recognised the guy coming towards us, it was Mike another guy we met last time. We got our cards marked and ran with a fantastic tailwind back down the way we'd come up. On the steepest part Jane hurt her knee. She was ok on the flat section through Llanbedr and no problem on the biggest climb to the Sugarloaf where we caught Mike. On the descent Jane's knee became very bad and we had to let Mike go. We finish in 05.10, it's a pity about Jane's knee because I think we would have cracked 5 hours, as it was we still managed top ten.

We are planning next year now :)

Norman No Mates

Steel is real!



This saturday I was going to be busy with family stuff and knew I could not go on the club ride -so I got up earlyish and went out on my own.Normal boring ride through Sutton etc and up to Epsom Downs where the ride started to become interesting as I first saw a string of race horses by the grandstand elegantly walking with steam coming off their backs and out of their nostrils in the cool morning air ( a bit like Mark Packman going up a hill actually) .Then going down Langley Vale I saw 6 or 7 more horses but this time in full gallop charging up the hill but the wind was carrying the sound of their hooves away from me.

Then along to Mickleham and just as the ride down the valley starts you can see the church steeple at Ranmore Common through the early haze -this view always particularly good when you know you are going to be there in about 15 minutes still with your heart pounding after the climb.All the way down Mickleham and across the main road and to the top of Ranmore to the church -and I only saw one car -maybe getting up early is not so bad after all.

But still lots of bikes out and I noted that a good proportion of them were riders on their own and the nods and cries of " hiya" seemed to be more frequent than maybe when you are riding in a group. Along Ranmore and then down White Down until I could see the church again from the other side and then straight back up it again . I was in great form -I had done all the riding at the front ,I had been first past every road sign and had won every climb. There really is something in favour of this riding on your own -admittedly you miss the never ending laughing of Mr Parkinson and non stop chat from Sabin -but you never need to worry about coming second -even when you sit up to have a rest.

Back along Ranmore -two deer leaping across the road only about 20 yards in front of me on the slog up to Staple Lane ( where I was first again) -and then down hill all the way home.

55 miles ,3,700 feet of climbing and home for 11am to have breakfast with 2 of my teenagers who had just got out of bed.

Any chance of the Alpha group ever leaving the car park at 8am one saturday.............??

Nick A

Bourne Whs. Hilly 22.5

Just got back from Portugal at the weekend, ten days of sun and I took the bike to get in a few miles and build a but of early season fitness



The previous week I had ridden my first event of the year the Bourne Whs (Where?) Hilly in Lincolnshire, I'd got a 2nd place in their early season Road Race a couple of seasons ago on the same course based at Essendine but also using some of the roads I ride alone when doing a 100 mile loop out this way through Stamford East of the A1.
I'd had a cold all week (my first of the year) after being ultra careful and avoiding anywhere and anything germ infested. Handrails and door handles have become Persona non Grata for me and Fiona and I have to include lots of hand washing after being in public places, this is no hardship for Fiona as she has (like most women I assume) an obsession with knowing and rating where all the best and worst toilet facilities are in the whole world. For your information Worst - Cairo central market & Best - Bicester Shopping Village. Is there a potential book here? I'm beginning to think myself with a touch of OCD with the paranoia of people and germs, turning into the Howard Hughes of Leicester. But a trip to Brussels on Euro star proved too much for my defences and my immune system was overwhelmed despite copious use of hand wipes. To be fair Belgium does not have an illustrious history in the toilet department a service station just north of Lille taking my top spot for sheer awfulness well up in my bottom ten (literally)
Not wanting to shift my cold onto my chest I did not go all out in the Bourne event, and finished up in 5th place but well off the pace of the winner James Perkins of the Zenith CC the local 'fastman'. I had been the 'scratchman' or the last man off so expectation was high but as I now miss two weekends away in the Algarve but It was good to get a race under my belt before going away which I'd never done
The south of Portugal was scorching all week (9 days) and I had to be careful over the first few days not to get burnt, those of us with less than the full quota of hair have to run a fine line between getting a tan on our exposed bonse and having a two tone line around our heads for the rest of the season and these first few days seem to be crucial as to get it wrong means six months of alternating peeling skin and a scalp like a map of Middle Earth

Tuesday mtb

A bit of role reversal today, as one of the 'A' group joined me and Roger on the Tuesday mtb ride.

Niall joined us on his 29er - 29ers highly promoted by Gary Fisher(Who is racing in Ibiza at Easter) in recent years. Have become popular with taller riders, under whom a 26er can look a bit bmx-ish :) 29er or two-niner on wiki

Because Niall hadn't been with us before, I decided on a singletrack showcase. So, up over Leith via Rookery to Summer Lightning. In and out of the trees to the tower, over Holmbury to Peaslake. Then back over Holmbury,Abinger Roughs and home.

The trails were again lovely and dry, with grip at a premium we could lean the bikes over into the bends.....lovely :)

Heaven Farm

A beautiful sunny Saturday saw the A group rip up the club run list and head off instead to Danehill for a slightly longer ride. Minus Parky who has picked up a yoga injury, the rest of us left Cobham car park only to pull up to a halt just past the timber yard due to a puncture - surely a record. After a quick fix we continued via Polesden Lacey, Dorking, and Horley. Shooting past the scheduled Tulley's Farm stop and then the Sharpthorne cafe (good tea stop; a guitar-based jazz quartet was playing last time we were here) we carried on to Wych Cross, Chelwood Gate and finally Heaven Farm at Danehill.

We went back via Lindfield, Cuckfield, Slaugham, Colgate and then the usual trundle through Rusper and Newdigate. Things began to get tough with Simon setting a fast pace but there were no complaints as Ray, Matt, Paul and then I succumbed leaving Sabin and Niall hanging on to his wheel.

While this uneventful ride was going on Mark Cavendish went and won Milan-San Remo!

La Primavera

Britain's Mark Cavendish won the 100th edition of the 298km Milan-San Remo cycle race on Saturday after a thrilling race to the finish with Germany's Heinrich Haussler.

The 23-year-old Cavendish, who hails from the Isle of Man, was competing in the spring classic for the first time and became the first British rider to win it since Tom Simpson in 1964.

"It's the most beautiful day of my life. I didn't expect to win. I couldn't dream of anything better," said Cavendish, who won four stages in last year's Tour de France.

"(Columbia team-mate George) Hincapie helped me enormously, but the whole team stayed with me on the climbs.

"When Haussler broke away at top speed I was scared, but it makes the victory even sweeter."

The race, the first major one-day classic of the season, saw a pack of 40 cyclists jostle for position through the winding streets of San Remo, with Haussler seemingly destined for victory after breaking away in the closing 400 metres, only for Cavendish to chase him down in dramatic fashion.

Haussler's Cervelo team-mate Thor Hushovd of Norway took third place, with Australia's Allan Davis (Quick Step) fourth and Alessandro Petachi (LPR) fifth.

Tirreno-Adriatico winner Michele Scarponi of the Diquigiovanni team had stretched the field by leading the assault on the 5.6km climb up the Cipressa, the penultimate hill before the finish.

America's Lance Armstrong, making his comeback this year after a three-and-a-half year absence from the sport, fell off the pace as the peloton tackled the Cipressa and eventually finished well down the field.

The major sprinters assembled in a roughly 60-strong leading group approaching the Poggio, the race's final climb, with the Belgian Quick Step team leading the attack on the 3.5km ascent.

Scarponi's team-mate Davide Rebellin made the first attempt to break away but was quickly reined in, with Katusha's Filippo Pozzato - the runner-up in 2008 - moving past him at the crest of the 6.2km descent to the finish line.

Pozzato, though, couldn't establish any kind of lead, being sucked back into the leading group with two kilometres to go.

Haussler sparked the chase for victory as the finishing line loomed into view, but Cavendish produced a tremendous burst of speed to pip him right on the line in a photo-finish.

Saturday fast ride

Today I went for my second 'beasting' from the fast 'A' group :) Last week was pretty tough and hilly and I hung on for a while.

This week's trip was to Heaven Farm in Danehill, and I knew there were going to be some hills on the way there. I hung on quite well and wasn't off the back at all. I had one 'moment' on the last of the series of climbs when my legs stopped pushing and I went backwards for a short time. I soon recovered and enjoyed the flat out chase into into Dane Hill.

Coming back was a different matter :) My climbing legs had deserted me. They were hurting the whole way. Each time we hit a hill, I was fine and then my legs would just die near the top and everyone would come past. This was ok until the hill at Rusper, when I couldn't close the gap at the top and had to sit up and roll back steadily in recovery mode. I can feel my fitness returning, I need a bit more stamina and distance in my legs :)

I could have taken it easier on the way out, but my next race is around 2-2.5 hours. So, I need a bit of speed over that time and I know this will help :-))

FNRttC

With bicycle polo high up in this months poll, I thought I'd check out another form of cycling that might become even more popular over the coming years.
So it was at midnight on Friday that I joined up with 40 other cyclists at Hyde Park corner for the Cheam & Morden's CTC group Friday Night Ride to the Coast which this week headed south to Brighton. These rides take place once a month and visit various coastal towns all within easy reach of the capital.
Leader and organiser Simon Legg checked everyone's name and mobile number as we got ready for the midnight hour to beckon. As the light that illuminated the Wellington Arch, we were standing under ,were put out for another night we headed off in a line with a couple of marshals hanging back as the group split by the traffic lights. Then over Chelsea Bridge and on to Clapham common were the more popular BHF ride usually starts from in June, where we all regrouped. Then it was southwards through Tooting, Mictham & Wallington and up the Chipstead valley to Reigate. Down Reigate hill my legs spun out at 170rpm as I had taken my fixed wheel bike. This bike with it's dynamo front light is ideal for the dark country lanes as by now we were all riding at our own pace and gathering together at each village along the route. Occasionally one of the front riders stopped at a junctions to signal the turns for the rest of the group.
Tonight's halfway stop was at Gatwick airport were we piled into Costa coffee for some refreshment and a sit down. Then it was on into Sussex via Turners Hill & Lindfield. By the time we reached Ditchling the sun was rising but at the same time it began to drizzle and at the top we didn't have a view apart from the low cloud. Then it was full steam into Brighton and the café on Madeira drive, finish line of the more famous London 2 Brighton ride. At 7am a little quieter that I remember seeing it before. With the damp morning there was an easy decision to head up to the railway station and an train back to London.

Tuesday mtb ride

The weather is perfect for mountain biking at the moment :)

Roger turned up at 10 am and already it was 11'C and sunny...hurrah!

We decided to head toward Leith Hill to do some singletrack in the woods, notably Summer Lightning. - a man made trail that really just follows some old trails we had years ago. This was bone dry and a little bit dusty, which was nice because you could really get the weight over the forks and let the back drift around a bit :-o

We then went over towards Holmbury via Friday Street and  Belmont School. At Belmont we took a cheeky trail through the grounds, this trail is very tight and twists throught the bushes which have grown over to meet at the top forming a long green tunnel.  Next off was the climb up to Holmbury and down the telegraph row one of Roger's and Alan's favourite trails.  Here I hit a root and my water bottle hit my leg and bounced out. I thought was strange at the time but only later when i got home I found the break in the water bottle cage. see pic above. This must mean I'm hardcore!!! :)

We grabbed a cup of tea in Peaslake and rode back over Holmbury and Whitedown.

An excellent ride

Midhurst Training Ride

There was another huge turnout at Cobham on Saturday, well over 50 people. The A group departed first, the usual faces joined by Raymond for the time in ages and new(ish) guys Simon, Richard and Geoff. We made good speed out to Coombe Bottom, then Albury, Thorncombe Street, Dunsfold, Gospel Green and the undulating road down to Lickfold. Here we forked right for Bexley Hill. Sad to say I have walked up this on the last two attempts but this time a new winter bike with Compact chainset saw me struggle over the top on two wheels. Trevor took the honours. Then a fast run down to the cycle-friendly cafe in Midhurst. This was apparently once the lodgings of H G Wells with a blue plaque to prove it but in all the times we've been there I have never noticed this.

The return journey via Lodsworth, Lurgashall, Kirdford, Loxwood and Ewhurst was more of the same, with Sabin, Trevor, Richard, Nick and especially Simon driving us along. Things fragmented a bit after this and we took different routes across the Downs, Nick, Simon and myself opting for White Down and a final burst to Cobham.

Here a minor miracle occurred - there was a sighting of Phil Parkinson on a bike. To be fair the bike wasn't moving at the time but Phil, in full cycling kit, had definitely straddled it. Perhaps this is the start of another Parkinson comeback.

Saturday 'A' group ride

Jane had a running race today, so I decided to go out with the A group. I'm not so fit this year not having raced over winter( it's the last time I take a rest, it's horrible) but I need to get a bit of pace going. I hoped to hang on for a couple of hours and I was terrified :-o




I was off the back on the first climb and had decided to go home at the top. I felt dreadful, but the little voice inside kept saying ' it always gets better' :) And anyway next was the fabulous descent of Coomb Botty


We regrouped at the bottom and pressed on. Luckily there were no more climbs until Bexley Hill. This was a steep hill that hurt a lot and I almost came to a stand still, but I didn't cry. :-o

We had a tea stop at Midhurst, which coupled with the alpha male banter was very nice :)


After tea we set off through the lanes at a nice
pace, when someone shouted 'puncture' I immediately thought ' this is my chance' and attacked on the far side of the road. But sadly, I was called back and told off. ;-)

A great day out, very tough, but then this is the A group. I'll be back next week :)

SWRC “Early Spring” 100km Cyclosportive

Sunday March 8th saw the SWRC Early Spring Sportive. A good decision was made to start earlier than advertised which made the best of the weather. Being a fairly new member, it was my first opportunity to don the club colours and start out over the North Downs and Leith Hill to Wisborough Green and back via Combe Bottom. I posted a time of 3 hours 31 mins – which I was very happy with – perhaps A groups pace is beginning to rub off on me….

Keep that Uri Geller away from my bike!

Some times you get a 'Lucky Break' and sometimes a break is lucky, I had the latter (twice) riding to work the other day, I've done thousands of miles on my trusty spare bike. Descended mountains at 50mph+ or racing at Mallory Park it's the best part of 20 years old and one of the first carbon bikes ever produced (carbon tubes stuck into alloy lugs). The original one was my dad's and some years ago (early 90s) I was out riding when I found I could not use the front changer, I gave it a bit of a boot as I went along thinking "It's stuck or jammed" but a good hard Whack! with the right foot usually frees things up , but NO! On closer inspection the tube where it goes into the bottom bracket lug was barely in having come un-glued, the only thing holding the bike together was the front changer cable wrapped under the BB. I know some bikes have tension cables and the Dursley Peterson had a saddle strung from it like a hammock but this was a bit too much 'High Tech' innovation that even Eva Jiricna would not have approved of, I turned the bike over walloped it home and rode home gingerly. Specialised replaced the frame free of charge even though it was well over 3 years old and I noticed the tubes on this one had pins as well as glue. Its usually hung on the wall but it's always being pressed into action at various times as things go wrong through the season with bikes and frames, I've been using it as a winter bike with mudguards this winter since fatigue took my winter bike.




You can see a pretty big dirty mark in the break which means that it's been broken for quite a long time but I only got out the saddle at 15mph on a little side road and it snapped and I had a 'mono fork' for a brief few seconds as I came gracefully (and thankfully) to a halt, when I thingk about it afterwards, well It doesn't bear thinking about too much downhill, in a bunch, on a main road...........
Only the week before the bracket on my front mudguard had succumbed while riding along the busy A47 and the whole guard shot forward gripped by the tyre and wedged itself under the crown bringing me to a sudden and skidding halt. I was lucky that time as well, it took my computer sensor and magnet with it across the road but I was just shaken as I only had my hand on the bars and the other on the peak of the guard (wondering why my mudguard had gone so lopsided?) so let us all learn a lesson to check our bikes more often and if a repair needs doing, do it now don't wait and if something looks or feels strange stop and find out before you find out at 25mph with the unpredictable outcome, do not relie on luck

I'd just like to point out at this time that the South Western Road Club (All Stars) are currently 47th in the National Club ranking at the present time thanks to some sterling efforts by Paul Alderson over the winter months. On the same points as Rapher Condor but way ahead of Barloworld!
http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/web/site/BC/Rankings/RankingsClubs.asp?rank_region=

A group heads to Hurstpierpoint

8 A group riders left Betchworth on an overcast morning and arrived at Washbrook farm near Hurstpierpoint in the sunshine after a spin through the lanes of Surrey & Sussex.

And with the sun shining we all sat outside with the peacocks & plastic bull for company, eating our usual favorite fare.

With just a single puncture we didn't waste too much time hanging around but can you guess who had the puncture from these rather sexy gloves.

' B - ' Group Back Up Vehicle

I couldn't find a picture to publish unfortunately, but for anyone interested in knowing what support vehicle will follow the B- Group. It has to be one of those Pro Team Coaches complete with sleeping facilities. However due to the credit-crunch a cross between a 'Mobile Tea Stall and Mr Whippy Van' is more likely!

Saturday fast ride

I was thinking of riding with the 'A' group on Saturday, but after making a few enquiries I was told I'd need one of these....








Sorry, I just couldn't resist :)

A group does Petworth

With the weather getting warmer and dryer roads the A group left Cobham C.P. for the ride south to Tiffins tearoom in Petworth this Saturday. With a few more of us choosing to leave our winter bikes at home the pace was fast and furious over the north downs as we passed Shere & Cranleigh & into West Sussex. We followed the designated route pass Kirdford, then just as we were getting closer we headed off on a loop over some steep climbs around the back of Petworth House.










Heading home throught the lanes we passed a tractor cutting the hedges and were treated to a break while Mark fixed his puncture. Here I got this arty photo of the group. As we hit the North Down my legs began to buckle and I had to take the climb up to Hurtwood very easily while the other raced on ahead. They all waited for me a Peaslake but I had to let them go as there was no way I would keep with them. It's a tough life in the A group.