Free Wheel contest

Sorry Simon to jump in first as you have the best photo of Eds wonderful fretsaw carvings of bikes for the winners.
This is what I have got:

Easy Riders - 12th October

Leatherhead - Marquis of Granby, Esher.

Eleven arrived at the day centre looking a bit wet and dishevelled but soon looked better after the tea and cakes.  Brian & Ray decided to do a different ride going to Denbies but eight came with me to lunch, via the nature reserve, Cobham Road to Stoke D’Abernon, Cobham High street, Convent Lane and Seven Hill Road. We turned right into Burwood Road and left Westcar Lane down to Walton and right into Rydens Road to take the lane to Lower Green Road and on to the Scilly Isles. We had a new gentleman today, Bob, a friend of Peter T. Hope we see you again.

Lunch was soon served and as everyone was making for home Bernard & I rode to Hampton Court where we parted for our different routes home.

Thank you to Liz for being a T.E.C. and for everyone making it a very pleasant day.  I managed to just get home before the next rain came, hope you all did.

Irene

A Group 12th October

First up was the Freewheel Competition, impeccably organised by Terry, as ever, with handsome prizes hand-made by Ed.  Then Simon herded up the As and led us to a good lunch at the Surrey Oaks, Newdigate.

After lunch we did Leith Hill the hard way, tucked in the missing tentacle of the Octopus, found a bit of Pilgrims' Way (well, maybe) and enjoyed tea and cake at Denbies.  We were lucky, really, as the Bs were there before us ...

Thanks to Terry and Simon for a good day out.

Mark

Wayfarers' Xmas Lunches at 'The Angel'

Wayfarers' Xmas Lunches at
'The Angel', Thames Ditton, KT7 0AU

7th DECEMBER for ‘B’ RIDERS and
21st DECEMBER for ‘A’ RIDERS

The Angel doesn’t print hundreds of menus so …..….
 
Please look at their website ...
http://www.theangelthamesditton.com/christmas-menu/
... where you will see their Xmas Menu….delicious food, a choice of four dishes for each course including vegetarian choices.

£10 for one course
£14 for two courses and
£18 for three courses.         

Please write your food choices on an envelope with your name and group, enclose full cost and pass it on to me!    I do need to have all your orders by the end of November (especially for B group) so I can let the pub know how many etc. in good time.
 
If you know of anybody who is unable to use the website, let me know and I will give them a menu.
 
Cheers

Pam

Freewheel Competition, Oct 12

This Wednesday sees the competitive highlight of the Wayfarers year, the Freewheel Competition.   I have managed to work out the following from the highly complex rules: it involves rolling down a hill without pedalling.  The lady and gent who travel the furthest are the winners.  And there are prizes!    As someone who has never come close to winning it, may I offer some tips:

1. Aerodynamics:  wear your slickest outfit
2. Friction:   disassemble and grease everything
3. Rolling resistance: rock-hard tyres are best
4. Momentum:  eat plenty of sausage rolls at elevenses, these will help accelerate you down the hill

The As and Bs will travel independently from elevenses at Dorking to the nominated hill, which of course is highly confidential until the competition starts.   After the competition (and did I mention prizes?) the As will go to The Surrey Oaks at Newdigate (NB not the one at Warnham), which has recently won CAMRA local pub of the year.   I think they do food as well.   The afternoon will involve a Hill, but don't worry, we're only doing the top half.   Maybe a bit of the Pilgrim's Way too, just out of habit.

Orders for Club Clothing

If you would like to order more club clothing before Pam goes away on Monday please contact her. If she receives two more orders she will be able to economise on postage costs from the vendor.

So if your Sou'Wester outfit is becoming a little worn out, or if you just want to look as trendy on the road as the rest of us then get yourself a new outfit, summer/winter, short sleeve/long sleeve, full zip/half zip, big/small cycling tops then please discuss your requirements with Pam. Even shorts are a possibility.

~ Tim

A Group - Cobham – Bletchingly 5 October

I started planning Wednesday’s ride a few weeks ago when the weather outlook was uncertain. The route I envisaged could be on road if the weather was bad, and also headed southeast, away from the prevailing wind. In the event I was wrong on both counts; the weather was fine, enabling me to continue the pattern of recent rides of seeking out less familiar off-road routes, and the wind was at times strongly in our faces.

The ride was always going to be hilly, but we started off taking an uncommon (for us) direction across Bookham Common. So far flat enough, but thereafter the climbs and descents became frequent. We briefly stopped at Netherne-on-the-Hill before ducking and diving round the M23/M25 junction, briefly taking to the Pilgrims Way round Merstham, before the final (and probably unwelcome to most) climb to Bletchingly.

The Red Lion had reserved a section of the bar area for us, and food was served rapidly by friendly staff.

We were running about 30 minutes late, but descended southwards before turning towards South Nutfield and a pleasant return to last week’s off-road crossing of Nutfield Marsh. Then came the biggest climb of the day to Chaldon. Farthing Down rewarded us some fine views over London, before more climbing around Chipstead and Woodmansterne took us to tea in the autumn sunshine at Oaks Park. Hopefully those making their way home on the main road to Banstead were not too put out by the volume of rush hour traffic.

Many thanks to Mike Barrett for volunteering as back marker, Mark for the stats, and to all who corner marked on the way.

A strong turnout of 21, including a welcome return if Tri-Vets rider Steve Duffin, 19 at lunch, and about a dozen for tea. Only one puncture.

Dave Vine

B Group - 5th October

On a wonderfully sunny autumn day a large group, 29 of us, left Cobham to make our way towards Ripley. After being delayed by large lorries using Plough Lane, and one lady who seemed to think it was us causing the traffic jam, we got into a steady pace and were able to reach Ripley, then on to Send, Wood Street Village and north up to the Royal Oak in Pirbright. Two riders dropped off before lunch but allowing that we were so numerous the meals all arrived in a reasonable time.

Leaving the pub we again headed north and joined the Basingstoke Canal to make our way back towards Addlestone. Riding along the canal can be tricky depending on the number of walkers etc. but even though it was a beautiful afternoon we were able to maintain a decent pace.

We left the canal, went along the Scotland Bridge Road and along to the Wyevale garden center where 15 of us stopped for tea and cakes.

How many more days like that we shall get this year?

As usual thanks to all the riders that did corner marking and to David for back marking.

Jennie

Thanks to Tammy for these photos

A large B Group outside the Royal Oak

The maps show our sunny route to Pirbright for lunch (19.2 miles) and along the shady Basingstoke Canal to Crockford Bridge GC (11.7 miles) for Tea

A Group 5th October

An interesting and enjoyable ride from Dave today.  Plenty of variety - on road and off, up hill and down - a good lunch at the Red Lion, Bletchingley and tea in the sunshine at the Oaks Park.

Who could ask for more, at the beginning of October?

Mark

So Chris, what about a beer later?

Sir Chris Hoy and I shared the track at the LEA Valley Velodrome yesterday (Tuesday 4/10). Well we were on the track at the same time at least. What an absolutely great guy he is, an inspiration and he makes it all look so easy. Achieved good speed and conquered the top banking, which was surprisingly easy. Hats off to the likes of Jason Kenny and Laura Trott, you would have to be very fit (and probably young) to cycle the way they do around these tracks. Great day out, one for the A Group sometime?

Destination Bike Box Hill

Marks ride last Wednesday was to take us to destination bike for tea but I was the only one to make it. While enjoying a coffee and cake I viewed a good selection of Boardman Elite Top end bikes. Formerly Dauphine Sport the business has been taken over by Geoff who also employs the best bike mechanic in Surrey Andy. I have known him for some years, he used to work at Cycles Unlimited Croydon/Purley. When young Tim was developing his MTB career his very first sponsor was G Butler Cycles and I was able to buy an MTB at cost from them and Andy was his support mechanic.

If you fancy a 2015 ex demo Boardman at a huge discount then pay them a visit. Pictures below show my new aero dynamic road bike which I rode on Sunday morning in the joint KPRC/Redmon 25TT time trial and I improved my time two weeks ago on the A24/A29 by 5 mins beating Ray Dare by 7 mins when he normally beats me. I am well pleased with my new Boardman and even more pleased that its British.

Sorry I will not be at Cobham on Wednesday, I will be at my Old Hawker Siddeley reunion lunch at Louhborough University and then staying with my Aunty Audrey in Nottingham for a few days, formerly the home of Raleigh along with Boots the Chemist and Players Cigarets

Wednesday’s A Ride from Cobham

Wednesday’s A Group ride from Cobham will be to Bletchingly for lunch at the Red Lion (redlionbletchingley.co.uk) followed by tea at Oaks Park in Woodcote. About 23 undulating miles to lunch; only 16 to tea, but with the toughest climb (not White Hill unless by popular demand). Hopefully the hills will shelter us from the likely cool headwind before lunch. If it stays dry there will be some off-tarmac, starting with Bookham Common, but nothing as technical as last week.

Dave

B Group - advice about Wednesday's ride

Wednesday’s ride will see us heading mainly in a southwesterly direction,
riding 19 miles before lunch, at The Royal Oak in Pirbright. After lunch we have a leisurely 12 miles to tea at the Weybridge and Addlestone garden center, along the canal but the path is generally ‘paved’.
A prompt start at 11.00am please, weather looks OK

Looking forward to it.

Jennie