Ride 1, 70k 8.30am Colin
A surprisingly large group of 18 met up at the Dog and Duck for the longer MTB 70k ride of the day with some arriving just in time but missing the first photo opportunity.
Steve and Lee both on cycle cross bikes (I’m sure that’s cheating), Ricardo texting me to say his train was running late just making the 8.30am deadline, Jules’s first club ride for a while after the birth of his little baby girl. Cheryl and Fran, this is going to be a doodle after completing the Southdown’s way? …Don’t worry I’m not going to name the entire 18 riders!
We had 6 hrs to ride 70k so allowing for punctures and one tea stop (two if you include the one at the end) an average moving speed of 8.6mph was required to get back to the Dog and Duck before all the hog roast was eaten! Giving us an hour for punctures and tea stops, this was not going to be easy with such a large group!
Having emailed Graham Brash the GPX route a few days beforehand I happily volunteered him to back mark and keep the group moving!, to which he grasped the task with great enthusiasm!
We set of at a good pace heading for Hangdog Wood around the Outwood loop. After we passed the Farm at lower south park 3 miles in I looked over my shoulder and the group were starting to spread! My watch was showing an average speed of 9.5mph! If we kept this up we would be back before Gwyn’s ride had even started!
Stopping to re-group just before a nice piece of single track through Hangdog wood Sam not liking the average speed decided to head back to the pub and catch Gwyn’s later ride. Reassuring her that this pace would /could not continue she felt more comfortable to head back. Ian like any good, mountain bike husband left her to it and continued on the longer 70k ride with us!!
A few more miles in I heard the dreaded shout from the back “PUNCTURE”, only 5 miles completed and the skinny Cycle cross tyre belonging to Stevie G taking the first thorn of the day.
A three man pit crew soon had the tube changed and we were on our way through Green Sands way and down the secret Tilburstow blast, this put the grins back on everyone’s faces… Yep including Alan’s!
The next few road miles increased our average speed making up for most of the puncture, the group were doing a fine job keeping the peloton tight without to many complaints.
Riding through the valley past Woldingham School with hills to our left and right, the drizzle came and with the wind blowing in our faces you could have been in Wales!
The climb up past Woldingham Golf Couse did not come without incident, Alan putting on the power on the loose ground on this steep climb spinning out and landing hard on his shoulder.
Like a true man he was soon up brushing himself down and back grinding out the climb.
15 Miles in and the talk of tea stops were overheard, I did not have the heart to tell them that we had another 14 miles in front of us before any stops were planed!
A loop round Kings wood and then passing back over our tracks to Riddlesdown had a few tired riders frustrated that they could have taken a rest missing out the 4 mile loop and then re-joining the group!
Puncture number 2 was plugged by Simon as we approached the Climb up Welcomes Road and then again at the top (not sure if this was puncture no 3 or we were still on puncture no 2)
As we weaved through Dollypers Hill nature reserve and headed for a personal favourite trail I looked over my shoulder to see Stevie G on his Cycle Cross close on my tail. Knowing what was ahead I wondered if the cycle cross would still be behind me at the bottom. Just as expected no Steve at the bottom but Lee was the first to emerge out of the cross duo.
At 28 miles the tea stop at Poppy’s Coulsdon Memorial was just around the corner but not before one last gnarly downhill section! Known as “Off the brakes” on Strava, this is a rocky steep section made worse by all the recent rain and if ridden as the name you WILL die!!!
As Mike, Nick and I waited at the bottom to watch the Cycle Cross boys faces make their way down the decent (they don’t like it rough) Mark caught a rock sending him out the front door landing hard! Luckily only a grazed elbow and handlebars at 6 o’clock!
Poppy’s was a welcome site for many with great hospitality and good food, I would recommend this tea stop and will certainly be using if again soon. Giving the heads up to the manager a few days earlier he made us very welcome with a great selection of cake and beverages.
We had an hour and a half to get back for 2.30 so a decision was made to pass through Happy Valley via the road leading to Chaldon, this pleased the Cycle Cross duo as Lee accelerated pass me as if we had just started the ride! This turned out to be a bluff as Lee will not mind me telling you he was hurting and had little left in the tank.
Mark and Julian left us at this point to seek medical attention to Marks elbow while the rest of us headed towards Gravelly Hill. The bottom of Hextalls lane saw yours truly taking the corner in proper motocross style (not on purpose) saving it at the last second. Dave quite rightly pointing out saved by panic and not by skill!!! Must have looked good though?
We were getting closer to the finish which seemed to encourage everyone and the pace increased. Alan had another incident with a post sticking out of the ground along Greensands Way which I got the blame for not telling him it was there!
Our fourth puncture came only four miles from the finish but made a good photo opportunity for the few waiting further down the trail. Once repaired and as we were all just about to set off Gwyn’s ride came past so both rides rode the last few miles together.
We finished at the pub bang on 2.30 covering a snip under 43miles with an average moving speed of 9.6mph.
A great effort from everyone and great company with plenty of banter along the way. What a better way to finish it off with hog roast and a pint.
Colin
Ride 2, 35k 10am Gwyn
Spoiler Alert! -if you don’t want to read all of this, the summary is that we had a nice ride, a bit of drizzle, no punctures, no mechanicals, no crashes, hardly any mud, went a bit (!) over the advertised distance and got back well before all the roasted hog had been consumed.
I was riding from home to the start at the Dog & Duck when I met Sam who, not content with one 70th anniversary ride, had started on Colin’s longer 70k, then came back to do my ride.
We arrived at the Dog & Duck car park to find Mike and Helen trying to sort out Helen’s gears (successfully, I think).
By the 10 am start time there were seven of us and we set off in a light drizzle which soon faded away. We went past Burstow Park Farm and South Park up to Rabies Heath Road where we made a slurry pool avoiding detour via Godstone village. Up past the Orpheus Centre and on to Woldingham Knights for a tea stop where we were judged to be clean enough to be allowed inside - a first for me. I managed to resist the pleas for a detour up the hill beside the golf course and headed past the Green Dragons paragliding centre to the top of Titsey. When we got to the bottom of the rooty descent, Moji said that it was by far her favourite bit of the ride. At least I think that’s what she said….Down past Hurst Green then up Jackass Lane and the bridleway towards Godstone. Managed to avoid a mutiny by missing out the Enterdent climb and going up the field by Smoky Hollow instead. Luckily someone had cut back all the nettles and brambles at the top. We had just passed Cuckseys when we caught up with Colin’s group so we rode the last few miles back to the pub together. 48k instead of 35k but I don’t think anyone else was counting.
Gwyn