Danebury 150

One of the reasons  I go on the Sunday ride (and there are others such as just enjoying being on the bike and the companionship) is to get over the stresses of the week.  So having to decide whether I was going to go on the Danebury 150 given the weather foreast, which bike to ride and what to wear doesn’t reduce the stress.  And having faffed for too long and driven in the car along the roads I would have ridden – rather than going the car-friendly route – and struggling to find a parking spot I was late. Everyone had set off.    Huge thanks to Nick for registering me at top speed and ringing Peter to say I was chasing behind.  I should catch up at Whitchurch.  No idea why the usual 10min-grace-period-for-a-puncture-on-route delay to the start was not observed.  But anyway I set off in haste and hoped the weather would improve.

Luckily for me, Peter Clive, Ann, Chris and Alan dawdled and stopped for a dropped chain and I caught up with them before Farnham – which significantly improved my mood as I was not sure that I would make Whitchurch on my own if it got any wetter .  But having pushed hard I was now getting cold.  An unfortunate puncture for Alan meant I had time to put on a an extra layer which did the trick.  And as the rain increased I deployed my rainlegs whilst wondering when I became a fully paid up masochist.  Rainlegs are great – they keep an important part of you dry and warm – the downside is the stick that you get from some of your companions – which happened at Whitchurch.  Great cake though – which tasted even better as the rain start to pour down outside.  Our coffee break might have been extended a little bit.

Finally braving the great outdoors once again we set off for Danebury and the weather steadily improved.  The ride was uneventful and taken at a steady pace, held back a bit by the wind.  Danebury was marked by the taking of a photo and a selfie. The less said about both the better.  Lunch in Stockbridge and the food got my internal combustion engine going and warmed me right through.  On to  New Alresford through beautiful countryside and past innumerable thatched cottages that look amazing from the outside but I imagine them to be dark inside and the regular re-thatching a financial millstone.  But what lovely villages and hamlets to live if you want to get away from the city.  The sun came out and it was a lovely ride.  On to new  Alresford and we arrived at the station just as the station master was walking away with his stamp.  Not to worry, tea and cake were waiting.

The final push back to Elstead felt like the end of a long ride and the temperature was beginning to drop.  The new pennant was a welcome sight as we rolled back in the Elstead.  Even more welcome was the tea and food –  huge thanks to Nick and Marion for such a wonderful spread full of treats that really hit the spot. Great end to a great ride.

West Surrey CTC Audax events – 31 May 2015

Audax flagOur new feather flag flies outside the Elstead Village Hall on Sunday 31st May for the three Audax events organised by Nick and Marion Davison, Peter Hackman and Bob McLeod.

We opened the Elstead Village Hall control at 0645 in steady rain and strong winds. Despite the bad weather, forty six riders on the Stonehenge 200k, Danebury 150k and Elstead 100k braved the elements as they headed out to Whitchurch and were rewarded with sunshine and tail winds in the afternoon as they headed back from Alresford.

The last two riders finished at 9.15pm just as it was getting dark. We had some impressive riders taking part: two riders on the 200k are due to take part in the PBP in August and another two were training for a race from Belgium to Turkey this summer.

Surrey Classic Bike Ride

surrey-header-2

West Surrey CTC have organised a 20% off discount code for any of our members, friends or family to use to enter a great new cycling sportive; The Sanofi Surrey Classic Bike Ride. Join the likes of Chris Robshaw and Kirsty Gallagher on their charity bike ride around Surrey all in aid of Sport for Freedom, an anti-slavery and human trafficking charity. With routes on offer of 15, 55, 85 or 100 miles, there really is something for everyone.
The ride starts and finishes at Horsley Towers on Sunday 28th June and takes in the surrounding Surrey countryside. If you’re interested in the ride, please take a look at their website here. If you do end up entering, just enter the following discount code upon checkout to claim your 20% off.

WESTSURREYCTC

Hope to see you all on the start line.

Kind Regards,

Nick

Guildford Sustainable Transport Workshop – Cycling Infrastructure

We have received this invitation from Surrey County Council, an ideal opportunity for you to influence cycle policy across the Borough:

You are invited on behalf of Surrey County Council to comment on the proposals that are being developed for a network of cycle facilities across Guildford Borough.

We have set up a drop-in session, to be held from 16:00-20:00 on 28 May 2015 at The Holy Trinity Centre in the Lower Hall (off Guildford High Street) and it would be great if you could come to give us your views. The aim of the session is to get comment and feedback from a range of stakeholders on:

  • a proposed facility network as developed at a previous workshop;
  • the developing ideas that could comprise a bid to the Local Enterprise Partnership funding board.

The proposed network will be displayed and you will be asked to leave comments on it, officers will also be in attendance to discuss it with you.

There will also be other boards to provide the context for cycling in Guildford including cycle count data, casualty data, training and promotional activities.

If you have any queries, please email me.

Kind regards

Joe

Travel SMART Business Support Officer

West Surrey goes north

Six of us spent a week in Middleton in Teesdale (Co Durham) exploring this very scenic area before moving on to Giggleswick, just across the River Ribble from Settle in Yorkshire, where we were joined by six more members for the May Day bank holiday weekend.  Here are a few photos.  There are lots more photos, at higher resolution, at

https://www.flickr.com/photos/chris_jeggo/sets/72157652493642885

Thanks are due to Derek and Anne Tanner for organising this most successful trip.

Cow Green Reservoir

Cow Green Reservoir, Upper Teesdale

Low Force, River Tees

Low Force, River Tees

DSC03993_bowlees_stone_walls_sheep

Snow on the tops above Teesdale

Snow on the tops above Teesdale

Sue on Hamsterley Forest's Forest Drive

Sue on Hamsterley Forest’s Forest Drive

Derek, Anne and Dave on the Tees Valley Railway path

Derek, Anne and Dave on the Tees Valley Railway path

Ready for the 'off' from Gigglewick

Ready for the ‘off’ from Giggleswick

Lane to Stainforth

Lane to Stainforth

Lane to Stainforth

Lane to Stainforth

Derek & Hilary, Pen-y-Ghent in the background

Derek & Hilary with Pen-y-Ghent in the background

Sue, Marion & Nick, Pen-y-Ghent in the background

Sue, Marion & Nick with Pen-y-Ghent in the background

Nearing Ribblehead Viaduct

Nearing Ribblehead Viaduct

Anne, Sue etc with Ingleborough in the background

Anne, Sue etc with Ingleborough in the background

Stop to admire Dent Head Viaduct

Stop to admire Dent Head Viaduct

Climbing out of Deepdale

Climbing out of Deepdale

Climbing out of Deepdale

Climbing out of Deepdale

Nick & Roger with Kingsdale and Whernside (the third of the three peaks) in the background

Nick & Roger with Kingsdale and Whernside (the third of The Three Peaks) in the background