Typecast after a couple of blogs… Saturday/Sunday 14th/15th Nov

Julian writes…. (with photos by Mark Waters)

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With good intention I don the lycra to ride over to the AGM in Godalming but have to clear some of the leaves and other garden rubbish before I set off. And as I get the bike out it starts to rain – hard. I don’t fancy sitting in wet clothes for hours as ther AGM works its way through the packed agenda. Change of plan, change of clothes and get the car out.

“Oh you’re the one who writes the blogs.” “Yes, and you’re…….ah yes – the webmaster.” So let me ask, please can you put a counter on the blog pages so I can see if anyone reads my ramblings other than those with whom I ride and who make comment on the next ride.

“Oh you are the SAD-R(?) who writes the blogs.” “Yes Bob,” but I am too polite to ask you what you meant. Sad rider who has too much time on his hands after a ride to imagine a crazy world and write about it? Perhaps – but what did you say and what did you mean?

Humpffffff.

Under grey skies and into the face of a strong wind I set out for the Sunday ride from Godalming  and amazingly arrive on time. The Captain is there, “You didn’t write any blogs so I did not know what was going on whilst I was away.” The chief photographer is there, “If I take the pictures will you write the blog?” Hey, when I get home I have to sell hello to anyone who is home, answer the question did I have a good ride, have some rego drink, ring my parents – which I have done every weekend since university – drink a cup of tea, check the key stats on the cycle computer, clean myself up, put the chickens to bed, clean the bike – nope that just gets put on the to do list – eat dinner – roast if you want to know and how can you have a roast dinner and not open a bottle of wine. Put feet up, chat to daughter who is away at university and she wants me to get a piece of computer kit sorted out for her, and then find time to write. Oh and it helps if I have some inspiration.

Humpfffff is all I can say.

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Clive fails to appear on time.   At least it is mild and I am not freezing cold. Peter decides to ring him – as Clive is unlikely to be expecting him to be on the ride. He will meet us at the traffic lights. Multiple punctures en route over. When we finally met up way, way past the official 9:10 start time six of us head of for Milland.

Grey skies, mild conditions, leaves still on trees and with fading colours, slippery patches on the road. An autumn ride if ever there was one. I bought the luxo-cruiser just for this purpose – to extend the riding season beyond the summer months. Last time out was on the grin machine and we had fun…… well, possibly too much and we got carried away. The grin machine knew it was its last outing and it just wanted to play. Together we rode off the front of the group and started chasing balloons. We did not hear the cries of turn left – we did not even see the junction – we were just flying and having fun. Then realisation struck, no-one was following me. Back up, find the turning, ring Clive and say not to worry – I’ll meet them at the lunch stop. But the group was delayed by a puncture. I caught up with them in minutes. Sorry.

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And today – two more punctures on the way to coffee. What’s the collective noun for punctures? We thought an aggravation was a likely candidate. Don and Paul were waiting at Milland, identifiable by a fixie, the most shock pair of working trousers you have ever seen and a pair of walking boots. Don, you need a new pair of trousers if you want to be seen in polite company! You did have the grace to acknowledge they were terrible.

The cake at the Milland village shop is very good but the sight of lyrca clad men seems to have an effect on the ladies who serve. I was given a pot of tea, cake and “oh yes, I’ll get you a fork.” “Thank you but can I have some milk and a cup please.” “Oh sorry here you go.” “Thank you can I have a cup as well please.”

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The journey to Kirdford was notable by the absence of Paul who said that he would make his own way at his own pace. We weren’t going fast, honest and we had had done all the bunny hops pre-coffee. And the chief photographer trying to get pictures of more than backsides of riders. Attractive buildings – shall we stop? Telephone box and post box (by the way, where is that blue post box that we occasionally pass and why is it blue?) – that would make a good picture surely? No – not enough light. Two young women on horseback – perfect. “I like to have something interesting in the background.”

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“Hey chaps I have a slow puncture.” We sent Mark on ahead to get to Kirdford before his air expired whilst we waited for our backmarker. But when we got to Kirdford – no Mark. 5 minutes spent trying to find him only to discover he had set off for Plaistow before lunch. 30 minutes later Paul turns up. “Where have you been, the South Coast?”

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Discussion over lunch was animated but I was keen to get going so as not to have the cycle the A246 in the fading gloom with everyone piling out of Guildford. Fat chance – the goodbyes and thank yous and see you next weeks to the Haslemere lot turned into ….. well I don’t know… two of us wanted to get going so we went. At Dunsfold we reformed and shortly after I bade farewell to the Godalming group before speeding off for Hascombe Hill, Bramley, Guildford and the 246. Home at least half an hour later than hoped. 70miles, 3,300 ft of ascent and they still want a blog!

For further information on this 80km / 50 mile route click on this link.

Route

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Sunday Ride on 8th November with the All Day Sunday Riders

You’d think that after six weeks cycling in hilly Italy with a full touring load, I might just be fit and prepared for a good old thrash around the lanes of Surrey and Sussex. Well, you’d be wrong! I very nearly got off my bike and walked up the final hill I was so pooped! What is it about cycling that suggests that one almost seems to need to train specifically for individual disciplines. OK, so I’m not on the same bike, so my gears are nowhere near as low, plus I’ve actually not ridden my bike since getting back a fortnight ago, but really…. I thought a day out on the bike without luggage and on a lighter bike would be a walk in the park. It wasn’t!

But it was still great fun, helped by being in the best company, although our ranks were somewhat meagre – a mere four! It’s not surprising really when you see what the weather was like – and the photos have been enhanced! It was grey and damp and deeply autumnal and, to be honest, really rather lovely. Of course, the fact that it was warm made the day good for me, because I am not a lover of the cold. Warm, damp autumn days are very special and this was one of the best!

Clive’s knowledge of the local road network means that he’s usually able to come up with something new, and todays route to Midhurst was certainly that. I’d never before gone up the road from Thursley to reach the track round Devil’s PUnchbowl to reach Hindhead. And the roads south, passing through Hammer, Lynchmere, Redford and Woolbeding to Midhurst was pretty much all new to me too.

We partook of coffee and cake at the Cafe Verdi in Midhurst before making our way eastwards to RSPB Pulborough Brooks for further refreshments before our return home via Fittleworth and Plaistow.

Thanks to Clive for another good ride / route, to Nick and John for their company too, and finally to Heidi who shamed me into coming out on this ride and then didn’t turn out herself. There will be words spoken….

Detailed info on the route may be found by clicking here but here are the main stats with a map of the route:

Stats

Route Map

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Sunday ride 5th July – Godalming to Shoreham on the Grin Machine

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All decisions made, it’s going to be the Grin Machine. But just before I set out, large drops of rain and then a thunder clap make me pause for thought.  I could wait and hope it clears up and head direct to Horsham. However it quickly stopped and I was off, only 10 minutes later than I had wanted to set out. So a race to get to Godalming on time. Hope the jelly has turned back to muscle.   After Artington I spot three riders – Heidi, Martin and Peter – the chase is on and the muscles are working fine. The catch is made and we make it in plenty of time. It’s good to see a large crowd and that others have decided that their muscles are working as well, nice to see you Mark, Nick, Chris et al. At 9:09, according to Heidi’s watch, no sigh of our leader – but that is no surprise, Clive times it to 9:10:59 with such regularity that you could set your watch by him. Once he has rolled in and said hello, 10 of us set off for Horsham.

There are two things about the Grin Machine – it is such a joy to ride, just makes you want to ride fast, and leaves me with a great grin on my face. Sorry everyone. Secondly it has a very large hub with the current wheel set. “What’s that?” asked Nick, “It looks like a Sturmey-Archer 3 speed hub gear.” It’s not an electric motor, it’s a PowerTap power metre – measures all sorts of interesting stuff.

The ride to Horsham was brisk and whilst we found many wet roads we managed either by good luck or good judgement to miss the rain and as a few had said that there were leaving us at Horsham, there were no complaints (that I heard) about the speed. I had resolved to have a scone and clotted cream but was seduced by the amazing coffee and walnut cake. Sometimes one’s will-power is not up to much.

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A little cold was the verdict on leaving Café in the Park so an extra layer was called for and we headed off. No indecision at the turning in Warninglid this time but Mark kept saying that I was dropping everyone – that’s the Grin Machine for you – it just begs to be ridden fast. At Fulking we had the first glimpse of blue sky and everyone had warmed up. The extra layer was shed and we admired the hills. No Clive, we are not going to climb them today. Instead that gravel path along the River Adur and horrible it was too. Mutterings that the Hummingbird Café at Shoreham airport can be very busy were ignored and our luck was in – it was not, we were served quickly, had a table in the sun but a relatively long wait for our sandwiches to be delivered. There was the usual discussion about the light aircraft. I missed last week’s ride to Lasham – seems like we are turning into plane spotters. Average speed over the morning of 14.6mph – well within the proscribed limits for the group, if a little faster than usual.

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Mark asked for some consideration on the way back, so I tried hard to be accommodating. But Clive reminded us at Adversane that this was the road were we had fun with a couple of riders a few weeks earlier – no time trialling please! Don’t say that Clive, I have this thing about authority, there are times when it just should be ignored. Thank heavens I never made into the Navy as was my childhood dream for I would have be thrown out for insubordination. I gently wound up the pace. And here’s the benefit of the power meter. I have a vague idea of what power I can sustain over a period of time so all I had to do was keep to that power output. The previous time, on the Luxo Cruiser, I set out at too high a power output and could not sustain it. This time I was in control with the data under my nose. As Dane wrote in an email late on Sunday evening: “At tea I guessed that we had averaged 15.5mph from lunch. It turns out that I averaged nearly 15.7mph. Looking at just the section from Wiston (where we turned off the A283) to Wisborough Green, I see that I apparently averaged 17.0mph. You guys were probably at least two tenths of a mile per hour faster as that was the section on which I got dropped.” For the two miles up to where the B2133 splits off, just before Wisborough Green my power meter said we averaged over 21 mph and hit a max of 25. And guess who had latched onto my wheel and was thoroughly enjoying himself being pulled along? Yup – Mark. I could tell without looking that it was him as his freewheel is particularly noisy. And sorry, Peter, when I got to the Café I did have the last shortbread – hope you didn’t want it.

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It was the usual route home from Wisborough and the parting of the ways at the appointed junctions. For me, one final burst along the A246 from Clandon and then down The Street in West Horsley. No surprise, I arrived home with a huge grin on my face. And as Dane also wrote, “Not only was that probably the longest Sunday ride this year (at least since I’ve been up to speed to do the rides), it was definitely the fastest Sunday ride that I’ve been on this year.”

Total distance 109.7miles, total climb 6,027ft, average speed 15.17mph. max power output 861 watts (for less than 5 seconds), max power held for 5 seconds 789 watts and for 5 minutes 286 watts. (And if I remember right Wiggo can hold over 400 watts as he climbs those alpine cols – I can barely hold that level for a minute!)  As well as the usual plots this is my max power output over time period.

The route can be viewed in detail here: https://www.strava.com/activities/339756953

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Route

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Sunday All-Day Riders ~ 7 December 2014

Yesterday, we all woke to a cold and frosty morning, but this morning we woke to an altogether warmer day, so there was absolutely no excuse not to get out and ride – particularly since the ride started just down the road at Godalming Station. So where was everyone – with the G&G Wayfarers indulging themselves at their Christmas lunch? Anyway, there were just two of us joining leader Clive at 9am, myself and Keith Gooders, who described himself as an ‘occasional’ rider with us. Well, Keith, just try and make it just a bit less occasional, if you please – it was great riding with you!

My somewhat tardy start caused me to leave my satnav behind, so I’m relying on Keith to send me his track which will be added to this blog later (which he did, and it is). Essentially we headed south via Wormley and Lodsworth to Midhurst for coffee – free mince pie today: yay! Then down south of the 272 through those lovely wooded lanes to Pulborough and Wigginholt RSPB for a light lunch. Then retrace and back home via Coldwaltham, Fittleworth, Kirdford, Plaistow, Dunsfold and so on. And boy, did the legs grumble on the hills towards the end. Total mileage for me: 65.5 miles (more for the others); that’s exactly 100kms with 1100 metres of climbing thrown in – not bad for December.

This was the route, which you can view in more detail here: http://ridewithgps.com/routes/6604423

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There was one shower – and we were in the caff when it came over; otherwise it was really very pleasant despite a bit of a headwind at times. A lovely winter day, and here are the photos to prove it:

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Sunday Ride with the Sunday All-Day Riders ~ 16 November 2014

Nine of us met at Godalming Station at 9am and the weather was mild and dry, so a happy group set off southwards to coffee at Wisborough Green. Cyclists everywhere as usual and loads at the café – luckily we got seats in this tiny but delightful stopover – the coffee’s good too! Don Jones turned up to see us – he wasn’t riding owing to a neck issue; Don, you need to be more careful with that violin playing!

Next we headed east towards Southwater and then Horsham for one of our favourite cafés – the one in the Park, where the food and drink is very reasonably priced: and what a change that makes! I reckon you need a good £15 to cover coffee and a modest lunch – today I got away with about £11. Good to see Paul Holmes here but he didn’t stay long with us, so I never got a chance to chat: sorry, Paul!

And so back homewards via Ewhurst. The group split soon after, some heading westwards and others continuing through Shamley Green and Wonersh and back to Guildford and Godalming.

My total distance was a respectable 55 miles. Here’s the route and, to view it in more details click here.

Sunday 161114 Route

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