B Ride invitation 9th October and Freewheel Competition

It’s what you’ve been waiting for all year, the annual Freewheel Competition is finally here. There’s some articles on the Blog “search Freewheel” for advice on how to get a competitive edge on your rivals. (Tim C’s article 8^th Oct last year is particularly interesting J )

We shall head from Dorking to Root Hill in 3 ride routes of varying length for the start of the FWC at  11.15 am and after the presentations on Brockham Green, we shall head again in 3 ride routes to the Plough pub in Leigh to stagger our arrivals per the pub's requirement. No pre-ordering is required.

Post lunch, it's a 15 miles ride to the Old Clunker Café in Dorking for tea.

Please email me if you would like to join the ride, by close Monday evening. 

Thanks...Francis

A group ride 9 October (Freewheel competition)

It's Autumn and so I'm sure you're all excitedly looking forward to the annual freewheel competition which will follow elevenses in Dorking.

After the competition and presentations we'll have a short ride of approximately 10 miles to the Star Inn in Rusper. I've been asked to provide pre-orders so if you'd like to join me please let me have your choice from the good range of small lunches and sandwiches on the menu.

After lunch, if the weather is kinder than the forecast currently suggests we'll be able to get 26 miles in by heading further south towards Horsham before looping back to take tea in Leatherhead. If it's not so kind there's a shorter, more direct route to Leatherhead of 18 miles.

Please email me at janice.dawes@gmail.com by 6pm Sunday evening to join.

B Ride Report 2nd October - Cobham to Leatherhead via West Horsley

Francis aka “no rain today” led the first group out (wearing shorts and a light top) from Cobham to West Clandon on wet and muddy lanes.

My intended route from there was to Newlands Corner and Drove road to Staple Lane car park. In the dry, it’s a scenic off-road pleasure but after heavy rains, it’s more like a Louisiana swamp! Being sensible, I changed the route with my sub-leaders to instead take us up Staple Lane with the reward of a long Green Dene downhill passing groups of A riders heading uphill.

It was then a short ride to West Horsley and our Thai lunch stop at the Barley Mow. We were feeling rather smug that we had made it in dry weather.

We thoroughly enjoyed the tasty dishes, served promptly which enabled us to exit just as the 3^rd group of riders arrived. It was then that we noticed big black clouds hoovering up ahead waiting for our arrival. And rain it did, heavy rain pelted us for being too smug earlier on. Luckily Steph being my guardian angel, lent me a jacket to keep dry.

Carolyn bide us adieu at Effingham while the rest of us climbed up to Ranmore Common and an exhilarating 28 mph controlled descent down Chapel Lane and a leisurely ride into Leatherhead and tea. Thanks to my lovely group of John, Carolyn, Keith, Karl and back-marker Steff.

Lastly, my thanks to Mick and FixieDave for their patience during our recce and for their superb co-leading of their groups. A really enjoyable day's ride.

Dave’s continues with his ‘middling’ report….

Cycling out from Cobham once again, following a reshuffle, whereby a prestigious cyclist was seconded from our group, to the elite first group, since a couple of riders had dropped out

Our middle sextet group consisted of Sabina, Bernard, Paul, Tony, Tim, & myself. Thanks Paul for joining us at short notice.

The ride followed along well and at noon, we reached the top of Staple Lane. The Hill itself never seems to wear down, despite all the cyclists who traverse it. It only seems to wear us down!

After which mainly downhill roads took us to our lunch venue at the Barley Mow, in West Horsley.

 

Once more into the breach after lunch, the route took us along to the much enjoyed High Barn Lane and Hogden Lane.

We couldn't quite make the suggested afternoon sustenance stop. This was probably due to the extra 100 metres at the start of the ride! So it was Charlie & Gingers for us, with their cycle parking area.

Thanks Francis for the route & organizing. Thanks to Tim our experienced back-marker/leader and finally thanks to our happy group.

Last but not least, Mick concludes with …..

Arwyn, Ian W, Anne W, Colin G, Pat, Grant and I were a little tardy getting away from Cobham, the difficulties of finding a Post Office to congregate outside :-) The ride was pleasant, we just had to be careful to avoid the large puddle.

At the top of Staple Lane I made the mistake of turning right (blame the Sat. Nav.) where I was faced by a steep downhill, the team mutinied and waited for me to recognise my error. No more problems and onto the Barley Mow in West Horsley for lunch.

Lunch was good and served quickly. The first group set off in the rain but we lunched through it then off to the steep climb up Hogden Lane onto Ranmore Common followed by plain sailing into Leatherhead for tea.

A group ride from Cobham 2nd October 2024

 The ride was once again planned to appeal to either A group or A/B group riders. I had publicised the ride as an unadventurous ride as my last ride might have been overly adventurous for some. I double checked that the only off road across Bookham Cobham remained fit to ride on my way to Cobham and was pleasantly relieved to find it was!

We should all grateful to Brian in particular for both sub leading and because I stole the best section of one of his rides from last year (but edited it with less hills and  in a reverse direction and a tolerable distance to lunch).

I had 21 riders (including leaders) signed up with everyone securing the subgroup pace of their choice. However, the very compact "fast five" group was only formed at the last minute due to an initial  shortage of a sub leader and some very last minute or late applications. It seems that Mike R was duly elected sub leader (being the last to apply) but Neil W and Peter S has also offered to assist. Thanks again to them.

To target a reasonably staggered arrival at the pub all three groups left closely spaced shortly before 11;00. It was great to see the revised assembly points at Cobham being so well supported by all participants. Many thanks.

My equal opportunity group was last away, enjoying the largely traffic free route to Effingham before the inevitable. Unfortunately, we passed the 5 once more in puncture repair mode on Calvert Road. As too many cooks spoil the broth, we gallantly left them to it and carried on, expecting them to come flying past on one of the foreboding morning hills

For most of us it was familiar territory up Green Dene where we saw a group of Bs tearing down in the opposite direction. Were they on their way home already or was the road ahead blocked? Apparently neither.

In Shere we discovered and were delayed by some annoying roadworks. That was the first of many “That wasn’t there on the Recce!“ remarks by the leader.

On and on we ground, up Sandy Lane, across Little London and down to Brook. I can’t recall exactly when we met the first horse, but there were plenty today including a pair with only one rider. Some more climbing up Brook Hill to Farley Green and another horse. This was trotting uphill and generating 755 watts so at my meagre 116 watts, we had no chance of catching it. (Editors note 755 watts = 1HP)

Yet more climbing through the aptly named Hurtwood before we broke the back of the morning's ascent. Then down hill to Stroud and Run Common. It must have been around here we ignored the usual road ahead closed sign (Special offer 1 day only Wednesday 2 October) and to our horror found it actually was. Two large trucks completely blocked the lane and a lumberjack in a cherry picker was giving a tree a good haircut. Fortunately, Jenny smiled and waved at a ferocious looking workman who turned off his branch munching monster and let us safely squeeze between the trucks on foot. We all joined in a chorus of “For he’s a Jolly good fellow” (well mentally at least.). Just after this we gallantly moved over to let the fast 5 through. (The puncture clearly had not gone well.)

“A tad later and 17 miles from Cobham we were into the highlight of the morning, a long cut to lunch via Brookwell Lane, Gate Street (where surprisingly there was a gate across the street) and the lovely Thorncombe Street. The sun briefly shone (Hooray), we saw two more horses, wooden headed statues only this time on the hillside. (Sue C, its behind you!)

It was all going so well, but there were a surprising number of vehicles around and precious little space to manoeuvre. As we approached mile 21, the inevitable happened and there was a very sharp shower (Boo). Those not wearing waterproofs stopped to find and put them on. Sue F sadly discovered that she had left hers in Cobham. The leader had charged ahead seeking a safe and sheltered spot, where we regathered to head for a belated lunch.

Lunch was generally enjoyed at the Grantley Arms which received mixed reviews on its pricing, service charge and for some their food quality. It turned into a leisurely lunch as all subgroups waited for heavy lunchtime showers to subside.

 

The route back to tea at Cobham was reasonably flat (apart from Guildford High Street) and quite short. In view of the unfavourable looking weather several riders opted for a train assist from Guildford. Others cracked on regardless, taking good off road paved cycle routes through Guildford where available , and then fairly briskly thereafter.  All groups experienced some pm showers, some more that others but all in all they did not detract from a great day out for most. Thanks to all who signed up for their company, especially those who back marked, and to Dianne for giving an A/B subgroup a first try.

NorWesters Ride to the Rocket, Putney 02/10/2024

 

On Wednesday I planned a NorWester ride to Putney that used a course that used roads that I had not used before, a voyage of discovery! Four of us assembled at the Pheasantry in Bushy Park for a morning of flat roads and an afternoon of undulations. We left the park via the gate in Hampton High Street and made our way via Fullwell, Strawberry Hill Station and Twickenham, where we found the Thames towpath that took us to Richmond Bridge. We crossed the bridge and entered Richmond that was remarkably lacking traffic. Then down to the river at Mortlake and along the towpath as far as practical before water, mud and rougher conditions made the road a better bet. Just before Barnes we took a traffic free turn right that by passed the town. Then it was on to Putney Bridge where we crossed the Thames and turned right into a bus jam at Gonville Street. We then negotiated our way past the buses and on towards the Hurlingham Club grounds and then on to Wandsworth Bridge. After crossing the bridge, we took a sharp right turn that led us down to the river and then along to the Rocket using the new embankment.

Lunch was served quickly and efficiently and after a bit of a chat it was a case of saying goodbye to Stephen who had to go straight back to Wimbledon for a meeting. The other three remining Norwesters then blindly followed my satnav route only to find we were almost back to a junction that passed earlier. We then started the uphill section of the route. Not a steep route but one that does go on for approximately 3 miles, bringing us out at Roehampton. Here we used the roads to bypass Wimbledon Common so as to avoid the mud. At the junction with Combe Lane, we said goodbye to Geoff who turned of for home with me and Maddie turning right and cycling up Coombe Hill and turning right at entrance to Coombe Hill Golf Club. This road is an absolute delight with little traffic and expensive but attractive houses. At the end of this road, we entered Richmond Park via Ladderstile Gate. It was then a case of using one of our well-established routes to Kingston Bridge and then entering Bushy Park using Cobblers Walk entrance.

The company was excellent. The route proved to be good despite my misgivings before the start, with light traffic on most roads, excellent river front rides around Barnes and Wansworth and despite the hiller afternoon, good fun. A big thank you to all of 4 riders who helped at some point with the navigation and encouragement.

Ray Y