Central London CTC blog

Pictures from Dave Newman’s two-star ride yesterday. You can also find a map of the route here.

On Wisley airfield (click for full gallery)

An unusually early train from Paddington with only two coaches, but a Birdy and six full sized bicycles squeezed on, followed by another at Ealing. We met our leader David , who had cycled out to Burnham.

A bright, sunny but chilly start and the mornings ride found ice patches on the route through the Beeches, with plenty of pot holes on the back roads. There were only Snowdrops as the first sign of Spring. We made good progress through the hills, and were ahead of schedule for the planned lunch stop, so continued to “The Whip” beside the windmill at Lacey Green.

Richard left after lunch, avoiding the hills that David had planned for the afternoon. Over Bledlow Ridge and across the grain of the Chilterns, then down into the Hambleden valley. We crossed over the weir there with the Thames in full flow, then south to Twyford.

The train back had grown to three crowded coaches. Fifty quality miles on the first ride in March, with plenty of good hills: well worth the early start.

950m total ascent!

I had led a record number of two-star riders before but that was at the upper limit. Now we made another season record, as only four of us proved to be all-weather cyclists.

The forecast was highly accurate: heavy rain began early morning and continued without break through to lunch. The advantage for us was lower traffic levels and the fun of occasional large puddles; the disadvantage was that we were cold and damp. At least we were able to test our wet weather gear and find out what worked (and more often what didn’t).

Our route was south from Tunbridge Wells across the High Weald. There were slow climbs and quick descents, mostly on quieter roads, with water flowing downhill in the roads along the way and flooded fields in the valleys. We took our roast lunch at the Blackboys Inn in the village of that name.

We continued on to Uckfield but took our northward journey back by train, honour satisfied that we had made our usual Sunday ride despite the hills and rain, even if just 36km this time.

A few photos to capture the flavour of today’s damp but cheerful two-star ride by Paul Lohr:

Map of the ride here.

Derek and David examine wheel

On a pre-ride of the route I realised that I had chosen one of the most wind swept places in south-east England. Awoken by a storm the night before, I imagined that this would be a ride for the hard-core only, but as ride leader duty called.  I need have had no concerns as the day (15 November) was clear, sunny and virtually windless and sixteen riders were ready for the experience.

Early Breakdown

We managed 2km from Longfield station when I provided the first amusement of the day with a puncture. It was an unusual one and much savoured by the puncture connoisseurs in the group (“I’ve never seen one like that before”); the metal in the beading had split and broken through the tyre wall . Fortunately our new club secretary was able to demonstrate the roadside repair skills that his office requires and I was soon back on the road on a slightly bulging wheel.

Morning in the Downs

The storm had left much in the way of leaves and a few branches on the road, but no serious problems other than some sizable puddles, which as leader I had to try first, and we were able to thread our way though the North Kent lanes with some sunshine and little traffic to disturb us. more »

John Comerford chose the perfect day for an autumn ride through Burnham Beeches and the lanes of the Chilterns before crossing the river at Hambledon and taking the train home from Twyford.  It was an excellent, if rather hilly, ride.

The only misfortune was shortly after lunch, the bolt that clamps the saddle to the saddle pin sheared on a bike.  An expert team of mechanics, lead by Selwyn, was assembled to bodge it back in place.  It was more ‘Scrapyard Challenge’ than ‘Apollo 13′! Several nylon ties, bits of wire and nuts and bolts later the saddle was in place if not particularly stable.  However, Nina could sit on it and free wheel (if not pedal) to the train home from High Wycombe.

The day started well. Six of us left Sevenoaks (Paul K, Tom J, Stephen, Sue D, Michael B, led by Roy) He took us up hill and down dale, along the Pilgrim’s Way, past picture-postcard cottages with witches-hat conical roofs (converted from oast houses), to the Swan on the Green microbrewery at West Peckham, where we lunched handsomely, as always on Roy’s rides. It wasn’t until we were back at the station that things started to go pear-shaped. As we stood on the platform, Roy having left to return home via Staplehurst, several mobiles beeped simultaneously. more »

A forecast of sunshine on 2 August brought a record number of riders out for the season.  Even though I had taken the leader’s prerogative and made the rendezvous London Bridge for a change, this not deterred and thirty-one keen cyclists, both regulars and newcomers, awaited our day out in Sussex.

We left Haywards Heath to the north east and, after a few practice hills, took a larger climb across the Ashdown Forest and then down to the Medway Valley.
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