Sunday, 27 December 2015

Animal Farm (Bockett's)

 All life is there

Gluttony and Sloth, get thee from me! Not sure about the rest.

Sunday 27th December 2015

                                                           The Old Crown,Weybridge

Sunday 20th December 2015

A rainy day in late December brought out the highest attendance of the year so far (from October 2015).
As unconventional as you could get with a new venue for 11's.........a pub at West Byfleet (The Yeoman).
Unfortunately, there was a problem with the advertised breakfasts............they were lacking due to equipment breakdown.
So after liquid refreshment I took a route past Silvermere Golf Club to meet the A3 just north of the M25 junction 10.
Under the A3 to find a muddy lane that took us down to Ockham Lane.
Through Cobham where the rain came down.
Leatherhead - Barnet Wood Lane and the track across the railway to The Wells.
Lunch was at The Cricketers.

On the subject of The Wells estate, I came across this reply to a question regarding information on the merits or otherwise of Epsom.
The person was moving out of London due to a job relocation and had wondered the suitabilty of the area for a family.

"Having lived in Epsom for 18 months myself and my parents having bought there, I'd almost go against what people are saying above.

Yes there is the Longmead Estate, where people would rob their own gran for a fiver. Yes there are council estates but they are well contained.

I never felt intimidated at night at all and certainly have never had a knife pulled on me. That was New Malden.

Avoid Longmead estate, Hook Road, Watersedge and The Wells and go for places like Tadworth, Walton on the Hill, Epsom Downs which are very nice.

You'll only get a feeling for a place by visiting. Visit at night, day, during school runs etc and educate yourself on the area.

I certainly had no problems in Epsom even though I lived on Hook road which runs into the Longmead Estate."

Not Exactly What I meant.

Photo competition 2016

Further to the great success of the photo competitions since we went digital for the first time we invite you to take part again this year. Please submit your photos before the end of January.
There is now a category for the Best Group Photo thus catering for the many photographers who have taken good photos of a mixed group of cyclists. The winner in this category will receive the brand new Pete Mitchell Memorial Trophy.
Please use this method for sending the photos to us:

•     Visit this website: https://dbinbox.com/swlda_competition
•     Enter the access code: "WingedWheel"
•     Using your File Manager locate the photo(s) on your computer and drag them onto the big turquoise rectangle.
•     You may find it easier to click on the "+Choose Files" button and select, then 'open', each photo using your file manager.
•     Repeat this for each of the photos you intend to submit.

N.B. When using this website to transfer photos it is not necessary to sign up to dbinbox or Dropbox even if you are invited to do so.

Send an email to me, Tim, confirming the name and CTC membership number of the photographer, and for each photo list:

•     the filename (e.g. P1040276.jpg)
•     the competition category for which the photo is being entered
•     a short, descriptive caption

The rules and categories are simple:

Competition Period: Photos taken during the 2015 calendar year.

Your photos must all illustrate a connection to cycling by depicting a bicycle for example, or other cycling association.

You may submit a photo or photos for every category.

    6.1. Person (male) or people
    6.2. Person (female) or people
    6.3. Action
    6.4. Scenery/landscape
    6.5. Building/buildings
    6.6. Humorous or funny
    6.7. Best group photo

Note that he award for a winning photograph in each category will be given to the photographer who took the picture, not to the model.

[If the method for submitting photos described above does not work for you please let me know as there may be a work-around. As a last resort I will ask you to email your photos to swlda.photos@gmail.com . Attach a single photo to each email and in your message give the information about the photographer, category and each photo, as above.]

~ Tim

Were you there on the day?

Attendance Record

I have been using up oodles of vulcanising solution to try and patch the very leaky innertube of our attendance record. I have been helped in this by our ever diligent Graham and Neil plus elliptical /absent ride reports/ slurred photographs taken in front of motley gin palaces frequented by the C&M. The oxygen of perfection is still escaping.

If this is of interest or concern to you, please click on the attendance tab and examine the record with some care, with particular reference to your own whereabouts on all these Sundays. A free lunch at the 2017 Cheam and Morden Annual Banquet, as well as some questionable kudos and a gong, may depend on your due diligence. Please do not blame somebody else if your name is absent; a free lunch has to be earned!

Jeff

Sunday, 13 December 2015

The one that got away

As Pirbright was not on my travel plan, I treated myself to a leisurely, though rather damp, pootle to Fairoaks, not expecting to arrive before the flock had flown the coop. However, I had little chance of catching up with a group already twelve months ahead of me! I shared a coffee and the company of a lady from Woking, who was planning a route for her walking group. After a pleasant chat we parted company, she to ramble and me to ramble on home.

As I left I did take a photo over my shoulder of the now receding aerodrome. Only later did I reflect that, with a mobile, it should perhaps have been a selfie. I'm sure that the powers that be will consider if a challenge is required.

Jeff

Sunday December 13 2015 (was 2016!)

By 0902 Ed and I were ready to roll then Steve appeared and by 0905 we were six. After traversing Bushy Park to Hampton Station, we reached the lower road but not before an unintended detour into a cul-de-sac! Crossing Walton Bridge our route continued along the river bank to Weybridge, then Poets Corner, the back of Addlestone and thus to Fairoaks. We're weren't the first to arrive with Dave already halfway through a full English.

On leaving thankfully the drizzle had ceased and we used Sandpit Hall Lane to reach Chobham. After passing the boarded up Castle Grove, one way Warbury Lane brought us to Bisley and just after noon, The Cricketers Pirbright hoved in view. On Saturday they'd seemed unconcerned that a large group (ok, a dozen) might turn - their judgment was spot on.

We now started to shed riders, Ken and Dave during lunch, Vic with a puncture on Goose Rye Road(graciously he waved us on), etc so only four stopped at the revised tea stop (Ockham Bites). Home around 1545 and 50 miles door to door. A cheery thought : from now on the evenings get longer.







2 Points : GFH, Ed, Steve, Ken, Paul, Irene, Pam, Terry, Vic, Dave, Ray, Neil
1 Point  : the Beers, Alan

Sunday 6th December 2015

Best to get punctures out of the way early

The conservation area around the church is a delight, with ramshackle timber-framed buildings dating from the late medieval period to the 18th century. On the lane leading to the churchyard is a terrace of listed buildings including Star Inn Cottages and Church House, with Georgian frontages hiding a much earlier Tudor core. 

This property was recently sold:
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/house-prices/detailMatching.html?prop=45702691&sale=53534003&country=england

The children's menu seemed to go down well.

Andy, Paul and Ken were parking their cycles as I arrived at Hookwood
Tesco.  Paul and Ken were just there for coffee then off to a birthday
party but we were joined by Terry and Jeff before we set off.  As we
approached the cycles Andy pointed out that my front tyre didn’t look
right – a puncture! After a quick change we left the car park.

The weather forecast was dire with high winds and showers but the
showers at least held off as we headed to our lunch stop.

First up through Horley then into the wind down Balcombe Lane. Then a
wind assisted leg East and North through Smallfield before passing the
mill at Oakwood which brought us to an interesting descent of Home
Court Hill where the wind was definitely not assisting!   Southeast to
cross the A22 at Newchapel then into Lingfield for our stop at The
Star.

I had emailed to check the availability of bar snacks on Sunday and
had been assured that they did serve them but they didn’t.  They did
however have options for little appetites, presumably for children,
but were perfect for us.  Terry had sausage and mash, Jeff roast lamb
and I had roast beef.  Andy joined us for a coffee later.

There was a slight drizzle as we left but that didn’t last long.  The
wind had also died down.  We headed back through Crowhurst eventually
crossing the Godstone road to Harts Lane bringing us to Tillburstow
Hill and Rabies Lane to Bletchingley.

Everyone was planning to make their own way from there with Terry
continuing along the A25 and the rest of us going through Merstham to
our destinations.  Andy and Jeff turned towards Merstham earlier as I
carried on to turn at Nutfield.  I met Jeff again briefly approaching
School Hill in Merstham before I continued north along the A23. For me
46 miles.

Sunday the 6th December

Unofficial C&M Alternative Ride

With the shorter days not all like to venture miles from home. And Hookwood for 11's with tea at Redhill is really a Summer ride for the few who live North of the Thames or West of Heathrow.

So an alternative was undertaken. 5 met at Notcutts Laleham for 11's. Pam, Irene, Ed, Alan and myself. Santa was ensconced in the cafe with a queue of Children waiting to sit on his knee, we all declined. We set off into the wind  to Lunch at the Rose & Crown Woodside.  

Chertsey bridge and on through Thorpe to Virginia Water where Alan disappeared off the back of the group with a broken chain. He had the means to repair the chain told us to continue, he wasn't coming to lunch. On Through Englefield Green and into the park via Saville Gardens and past the polo ground, with a brief stop to put on waterproofs, to exit at Blacknest Gate and up Mill lane upto the cut through just before the Peanut roundabout and on to lunch.

The pub was packed but in a short time we were seated and all enjoying hot Tomato and Basil Soup. Tea was changed to Norths of Staines and we took the direct route through the park and down Tite hill through Egham, where Pam left us for home. And on to tea, we were soon enjoying tea and warm mince pies with Ed having custard as well! Leaving the eatery just as it was getting dark Ed (with his brand new ultra bright front light) and myself set of through Laleham, Shepperton, Sunbury to Hampton where we said our farewells. Home in the dark and a pleasant if wet and windy day.

C&M Attendance Records and Ride Reports

For motley reasons, I have not been a regular rider with C&M since mid-April. Andy's attendance has also been disrupted. As we complete the attendance record for C&M, if we are not on a ride we depend on a ride report, supplemented by photographic evidence to join up the dots.Without the dots, we have no way of knowing who attended elevenses and lunch, though Graham is a most efficient mole.

Can we therefore ask that leaders provide a ride report, however minimalist, so that we have a record of the ride and who attended. If not, there will be no reliable attendance record. The ride report is of course of interest to other members who may not be able to participate in all the rides. I'm sure that this would be appreciated by all.

Jeff