More tails from the IoW

Today's ride lead us up to the Needles gun batteries, hilly to say the least. Today's total climbing was 2927 foot. A lovely sunny day.

Vic's celebratory knicker Boker glory after the return of his lost wallet.

Pilgrims Way to Canterbury

Mark's merry band of Pilgrims assembling at Caterham ready to do it their way! Much better weather than the Tri-Vets

As for me I really wanted to do this trip and staying the night with the Archbishop would have been great if only I could get out of the Habit! Not to be outdone I did my own little pilgrimage on the way home and visited Chaldon Church.

Took a picture of the wall painting as well but that already posted in the preamble by Mark.

Now all I have to look forward to is the purgatory of this evening's KPRC 10 TT on the dreaded A24.

Wayfarers Isle of Wight Tour

On our way to Lymington through the New Forest.

B Group ride from Caterham

We shall have an undulating ride into the Kent countryside and return to Reigate for Tea.

Steph intends to lead any B Group riders who show up at North Cheam.

~ John Austin

MG meeting at Cowdray House Midhurst West Sussex

OK what has this got to do with cycling? Well Grant Pyke and I decided to go and meet Joanna Rowsell Shand MBE with her Double Gold Olympic medal and MBE and here we are!

Grant and me decided to change from a cycling day out to an MG meeting because Joanna was promoting a good cause for Alopecia! Grant really appreciated the day out. I had not realised that he was such an expert vintage car expert!

Joanna is an amazing girl running around presenting prizes and being such an ambassador for her sport and her cause!

A Group 10th May - Notes for Pilgrims

The weather prognosis continues dry, so the probability is that we will be able to ride the entire Pilgrims' Way.  Paul Kelly and I looked at a potentially muddy stretch today, and it was as dry as dust.  I'll check again before we start.

Here's the route:

The bits marked in red are the sections of trackway; the rest is tarmac surfaced country lanes.  The surface of the trackway varies, but is nowhere very rough.  It does take some skill in places, as the best course for a bike may be narrow, but it's all entirely do-able on a normal touring bike.  The route is just over 60 miles from Caterham; about 15 miles are trackway.

If you're coming to Caterham over Farthing Downs it's worth spending a few minutes at Chaldon Church looking at the strange and wonderful 11th century wall painting.  The church is open from 1000.

We'll leave Caterham at 1100, and go through Woldingham to reach the Pilgrims' Way at Titsey.  It's mostly tarmac to lunch, with a couple of miles of track as we approach Wrotham.  Lunch will be at the Rose and Crown, Wrotham, and Dave Vine will lead a party back from there, for those that want a normal Wednesday ride.

From Wrotham the rest of the pilgrims will continue along the Pilgrims' Way to Halling, where we will cross the Medway over a fine new bridge, very near to the ancient ferry crossing which last operated in the 1960s.  We'll continue to Lenham, where we'll take tea at Pippa's Tea Rooms.  There are trains from Lenham to Victoria and there is an hourly service from Headcorn - about six miles South - back to Redhill and on to Dorking.

Leaving Lenham we'll go over the hill towards Canterbury using country lanes, and will pick up the very pretty cycleway into the City itself at Chartham.  We'll stop in Sun Street for photographs, and then adjourn for refreshment.

It has always been a popular spot for cyclists - here's Tommy Godwin in Sun Street on his record-breaking ride in 1939 - as you'll see, Mike Morley is behind him, wearing one of his hats.

I'll be staying overnight in Canterbury, heading back the next day.  I've booked in to the Premier Inn, which is modestly priced and has a good bike policy - you can keep your bike in your room.

There are two stations in Canterbury, East and West, and here are trains departing at about 1900.

The trains have bicycle spaces, the number depends on the length of the train.  I've no idea how fussy they are, and I have never had a problem, but spreading ourselves between trains can't do any harm.

Fingers crossed for a sunny (or at least dry) day!

Mark

ps - perhaps uniquely for a Wayfarers ride, there is a badge:

£4.50, from E-Bay.  http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Canterbury-City-Pilgrims-Way-Kent-County-Crest-Small-Pin-Badge-0971-/380662104776?hash=item58a13ac2c8:g:aXkAAMXQHU1RwFRL

Mark Roy update

Lynda has received a bit more news concerning Mark from Pat Matthews. Pat went to visit Mark at home but learned from his daughter that he had just been readmitted to hospital.

~ Tim

3rd May B group at Cobham:getting ready to go

Easy riders 19th April to Brockh

John Bellamy lead us to coffee at Leatherhead, and after democratic discussion about 12 of us headed to the Royal Oak at Brockham, via Pixham Lane. The wind was chilly but the sunshine warm, so the group divided for lunch with the hardier souls in the garden, the rest indoors. You can just glimpse BoxHill in the background of the group pic in the garden. John is laughing on the far right of the lunch table, to balance the picture of him in the last newsletter when he felt he looked miserable standing behind MP Paul Scully!
After lunch, three of us headed up Box Hill as Sue (left) wanted to tick it off the bucket list...picture shows us halfway up the Zigzag - because it was a lovely view, not because we needed a rest!
John lead the rest of the group via Mickleham and Leatherhead back to tea at Ewell Court.
A lovely spring day out, thanks everyone.

A touch of spring fever? C group 15 March

Following an excellent lunch at the Stepping Stones, four of our group, inspired by Liz and Maureen, took our first trip up the Zigzag road to the top of Box Hill. Gorgeous day for it... and the cracking view from the top was reward enough! Plus the long ride down on the other side, of course!

Just a month ago! Easy riders 5th April

Setting out from Cobham after coffee, then lunch in the sunny sheltered garden at the Woodman in Ashtead. Lead by Liz Scrivens via Bookham Common.

Easy riders 3 May

Not the best weather for cycling, but lead by Lynda we enjoyed an easy ride through to Leatherhead after coffee at Cobham, enhanced by a road diversion for other traffic. From there a favourite route through Ashtead Park to the Barley Mow in Epsom, which Lynda had booked ahead in hope that we could enjoy lunch in the lovely garden. No matter that it was a bit chilly outdoors, the food was good and company convivial inside! A few of the group then had a short ride for tea at Ewell Court. Thanks Linda for leading us away from the showers!
Photos of chat over coffee at Cobham and C group ready to ride after lunch at the Barley Mow.

Cycle Talk with Ned Boulting

Don Elms has drawn our attention to this upcoming comedy event:

https://thelittleboxoffice.com/riverhouse/event/view/59615

Ned is well known to everyone who has followed the Tour de France on ITV4 in recent years.

~ Tim

B Group - 3rd April (map)

Peter's route to Knaphill (14.7 miles) and back (16.2 miles)

A Group - 3rd May. Cobham to Loxwood, tea at Westhumble.

Another (unseasonably) cold day for 16 A's today for our ride to Loxwood. Under leaden skies we made swift work of Green Dene, followed by descents of Combe and Barhatch, through Cranleigh and on to the Onslow Arms, via Tismans Common.

The promise of sunshine tempted the more hardy to sit in the blooming flower pub garden, but with temperatures still in single figures there was no time to linger. Our return took us through Rudgwick and the 'four Greens' -  (Cox, Ellen's, Mayes and Forest).

I had promised one hill-climb - as opposed to easy 'altitude gains', but with a little encouragement from Mark, opted for Tanhurst at 21%, rather than the modest Leith Hill Lane, up to Coldharbour. Still, Jenny found it a bit challenging, once again coming-a-cropper on one of my rides, but thankfully again to no obvious ill-effects. Relief! We made our fastest descent of the day down Coldharbour Lane, with Mark not quite hitting his normal max. of 50mph.

Tea was at Pilgrim Cycles for 11 of us at 4.00pm, aware that rain was forecast towards evening.

Simon's Garmin read exactly 1000m. of ascent - a fact! (But it was still only one hill!)

Thanks to Colin for back marking. It's going to be summer next week!

A Group 3rd May

All of the promised hills, both up and down, were delivered on Ged's ride today, together with a good lunch at the Onslow Arms and tea at Pilgrim Cycles.  (Where some were Tempted by Bikes...)

A lively, pacy ride in good company.

Mark

B's Ride from Cobham 3^rd May

What do an Italian politician, Napoleon, Deer, bluebells, a game played with long sticks and ancient industrial archaeology have in common?

A long and winding road (on and off) to Knaphill.

Peter T

A's Ride from Cobham, 3rd May.

We'll be setting out to Loxwood for lunch at the Onslow Arms. http://onslowarmsloxwood.com, and tea at Westhumble. One challenging descent and a few easy climbs - we don't want to miss Leith Hill do we?

News update: Mark Roy

I've just heard Mark came out of hospital today. I bet he's really pleased! He was in there for a month!

Lynda.

Marco Pantani's Tour Bike

Cycling through Northwood Hills I stopped at Cycle Right, a cycle shop with a cafe, for a coffee. In the Window they have, on loan from Bianchi, Marco Pantani's bike he won the Giro and TDF on in 1998.

The last Aluminium bike to win the tour and weighing just over 7 kilos.

Tony..