Invitation to the 2025 Annual Lunch

CTC SWL Annual Lunch and Prizegiving

5th March 2025 at 12:30 for lunch at 1 p.m.

We are delighted to tell you that Jennie has booked the Ristorante Sorrento (379 Ewell Road, Tolworth, KT6 7DE) for our annual lunch.

This has proved to be a most popular venue for the occasion since our first visit in 2018 and we are pleased to be able to hold the event there again.

The set price for our three-course lunch will be £23.45. This includes a 10% service charge, but does not include any drinks, coffee or tea. This is our menu:

click on the menu to enlarge

Please book by placing your order, and pay in advance by Sunday 16th February.

We expect the occasion will be attended by over 60 members, as it has been in recent years.

Please send an email message to Tim Court with your order for (i) a starter and (ii) a main meal. The waiters will take your orders for dessert after the main course on the day.

The preferred method of payment (£23.45) is a direct transfer via your online banking facility, but we can also accept cash or a cheque. For online payment please ask Tim C for our bank details if you don’t already have them. For a cash or cheque payment please check with Tim or your section representative. For anyone who has yet to pay their 2025 club subscription please consider adding your £2 when you pay for your lunch.

Any food allergies, dietary disorders or Vegan requirements must be notified to Tim when you advise your order so that these details can be noted and passed to the restaurant staff.

All ride leaders please note that your teams should be delivered to the restaurant by 12.30 p.m. so that everyone will have time to buy drinks, chat, and browse the photography exhibition, and settle down ready to confirm orders with the waiting staff.

Thank you

Tim C

Sunday 26th January 2025 - Storm Herminia

 

From left - Ruth, Martina, Sarah, Jan, me.

My heroes are assembled in the above picture. 

The most awful day to be on a bike.

Nuff said.

IMPORTANT - Changes to this Sunday's ride 26th January

 Hi all,

Elevenses remains Squires, Long Ditton where you find a table number, return to the counter to order (& pay).

Following a recce today, the published lunch destination (Stepping Stones, Westhumble) has many bookings & no (spare) tables on Sunday.

So Lizzie is ready to welcome us at the Headley Tea Rooms where you'll find a selection of sandwiches & hot food.

Tea location remain the same, but it's likely to be raining by then.

Hope you can join me.

Sunday 19th January 2025

 From Bernard

It’s hibernation season in the Cheam and Morden cycling universe…this will last until about mid March to early April when the temperatures hopefully rise and stay in the double digits.  Veteran bike watchers familiar with this species of cyclist get very excited to spot a small group of feisty C&M’s out and about at this time of year…this does happen but you have to know when and where to catch a sight of this blue and yellow creature…similar in  behaviour in many respects to the common sparrow…sociable, liking to gather in small groups and particularly  fond of eateries and watering holes; they have been known to exert themselves out of their warm retreats simply to congregate and chatter with each other and then go straight back to their cosy duvets and resume hibernation.

On this winter’s Sunday a local and intrepid bike watcher spotted  a group of C&M’s chirping away at the Weatherspoons.  Another bike watcher reported that a solitary C&M was seen in a little café opposite keeping watch on her fellow creatures.  This was a novel behaviour never before observed and will be reported in ‘Bike Watchers World’…the general consensus amongst expert Bike Watchers is that this solitary creature is a true C&M but with a particular behaviour evolved over time…to what end no one is sure but it is bound to cause endless scientific debate amongst the Bike Watches community…we could be witnessing an evolutionary development in the C&M species before our very eyes but it is too early to say…watch this space.

So whilst the majority of the C&M community were doing everything and anything but cycling…but must probably indoors snuggly tucked into their duvets an errant bunch had ventured out to skit about the Surrey Hills.  

So there we were…so many clothes and layers that we could hardly move our arms or legs never mind ride our bikes.  But somehow we were oblivious to our plight and on our bikes we got…chirping away like our sparrow cousins.  It wasn’t long before we were grinding our way up High Barn Road and burning thighs were added to freezing finger tips and toes.  And if that wasn’t enough another hellish hill in the shape of Green Dene awaited us.  Red kites swished above us…circling…and circling…always there…waiting!!!!  

I was on paper at least leading our intrepid group but in truth this group didn’t need any leading consisting as it did of some C&M veterans…but what they gave me was the opportunity to learn to lead and gain confidence which was very generous of them.  Of course Sabina was there to whisper in my ear when needed the correct direction and I don’t think anyone noticed!  I had my garmin and my ride with gps which once or twice contradicted each other but luckily and ironically neither froze on this occasion.  We reached the garden centre at Clandon and true to C&M nature we tucked into our food and chirped away very happily about everything and anything under the sun.  The only slight hiccup encountered was on trying to exit the garden centre…just before the exit doors there was a particularly warm zone and we all stopped and remained there not wanting to venture out…but we did…eventually!

It was a flat straight home run to our café stop and end point Cobham via Hungry Hill Lane which made us all look forward to some well earned cake.  We departed on our separate ways home to join the rest of our kind in slumberland and for another spell of hibernation until next time…maybe…depending on how cold it is!!!

Thanks to:

David (Ward) for the route.

Simon for back marking.

Andy, Niall, Ruth, Martina, Keith, Sabina, Maddie and Terry (joined us for lunch) and Ed (joined us for elevenses) for being such great co riders.

Up one of the hills

Keith giving us a masterclass in hill climbing

Join Us For a Ride From Epsom on Sunday 19 Jan 2025

Sunday's ride on 19^th January will start from the Weatherspoons in Epsom.  We hope to leave as soon as possible after 10:30 am, and therefore we can meet up for breakfast or coffee or tea etc from 9:30 onwards.  

The ride will take us into quintessentially English countryside along the North of the Surrey Hills going through Great Bookham, Effingham and onto Clandon where we will stop for lunch at Edwins Garden Centre where they have a fine selection of hot food, cakes and beverages.  

The afternoon stretch will lead us onto Cobham where we can all decide where we would like to have tea/coffee and cake.  

For the most part the ride is flat but there are one or two steep hills to climb when we enter the Surrey Hills, notably High Barn Road and Ranmore Common Road...but we will ride at a an inclusive pace to ensure everyone has an enjoyable day out on this winter's day in the countryside.

You will find the route at https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/321863615

Sunday 12 Jan - An Uneventful Ride

What do you want from a ride?   Hidden lanes, surprises, views, a few interesting hills?  A decent distance, a bit of a challenge?  Sunshine is a must, of course.

The hardy seven (photo by Andy)

And then comes January, with its icy blast.   Those ideals are buried beneath the permafrost, and Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs is stripped right down to the basics.   Survival.  Sustenance.   Of course we could just stay beneath our duvets for the colder days of January, but for some, it's important to do some sort of a ride with friends.   We were gifted zero-ish temperatures with no sunshine by the weather men.  So the objective was for a boring ride in which nothing happened.   No falling off on ice.   No traffic-free, frosty roads.   No zooming down hills towards unknown hazards.   Preferably no frostbite.

These objectives were largely met for our ride to Windsor today.   A group of seven adventurers gathered in the far north of Twickenham.   Brian and Graham were only here for the beer, and went home again with a few miles and an attendance point under their belts.   The others followed me on a well-tested route around the north of Heathrow, through the villages of Sipson and Longford to get to Windsor.

Maddie trying to revive Andy

The offer of an indoor lunch at The Windsor Pie Cafe was rejected by a small balance of opinion, so we ate at Cinnamon Cafe.   All too soon it was time to go back out in the cold, and we went the flat way home; along the Runnymede cycle path and through Thorpe and Chertsey to Shepperton for teas and chat.   A lot of chat.   It was approaching sunset when we left.

I counted them all out, and I counted them all back in again.   A successful, uneventful ride.   Thank you all for your company, and thanks to David W for back-marking.  I hope everyone made it home and has now thawed out.   Let's do it all again next week.

Temperature chart

This Sunday's ride to Windsor

I had planned a highly exciting ride, but in view of the forecast cold weather, my ambition has been scaled scaled back to go on roads that should be ice-free.  I did a recce today after a very cold night, and there was no ice except for a couple of small frozen roadside puddles.  Lunch is at Windsor, either at Cinnamon Cafe or its sister establishment the Windsor Pie Cafe, which shares some of the same menu, plus pies!   And it's also indoors, with heating.   About 16 miles to lunch from Twickenham, and 14 back to tea at Shepperton.  The biggest hill is the climb up to Windsor Castle, although there are several serious motorway bridges to climb over.

You are warmly invited to join me for the ride:  11s at Twickenham Wetherspoons, The William Webb Ellis, which has bike parking just opposite, just outside the police station.   Wrap up warm.

 

Invitation to enter the 2024 Photo Competition

Attendance for all groups was high in 2024 and many have been off on other adventures too. So we hope that you have been busy with your cameras and phones and are keen to review your photos and send the best ones in for the competition.

Please submit your photos before the end of January using this method:

Visit this website: '2024 Competition Dropbox' and follow instructions to select and deliver your photos. This is what you should see:

N.B. When using this website to post photos to the Dropbox it is not necessary to sign up to, or log into Dropbox even if you are invited to do so.

Click on 'Add files' to select the source of your photos then select your photos (or folders), or if you already have your file list open just drag and drop photos from the list into the white box.
 
Once you have selected one or several photos fill in your name and email address then click 'Upload'.

Send an email to me, Tim, to provide this important information about each photo:

•           the photo filename (e.g. P1040276.jpg)
•           a caption which we will inscribe on your photo
•           the competition category (see below)

The rules and categories are simple. The full 'Competition Rules' document is available under the 'Information Hub' heading on our website.

Competition Period: Photos taken during the 2024 calendar year.

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

You may submit two photos in each category:

  6.1. Male      one or more male cyclists
  6.2. Female    one or more female cyclists
  6.3. Action    cyclist(s) in action
  6.4. Scenery   scenery or landscape
  6.5. Building  buildings, architecture
  6.6. Humorous  funny or amusing
  6.7. Group     any mix of male and female cyclists

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

This method for submitting photos should work with any device (PC, Apple, iPad, iPhone, Tablet or Android phone) but if it doesn't work for you, please let me know so that we can address the problem. It does depend on you being able to locate the folder in your phone, tablet or PC where you store your photos. It does not require you to install the DropBox software.

This is the best way of sending photos. Please note that some methods of transmitting photos, such as WhatsApp, shrink the photo before sending, diminishing the quality of the original photo as it is in your camera or phone.

We're looking forward to seeing your photos. Note that this year Andy and I will be collaborating to organise the competition.

~ Tim and Andy

January, 2025

Ride Report - Sunday 5th January 2025

Much like the Inuit having many words for snow, the C&M have their own numerous references for rain - and we were soon sitting by the fire in The Edmund Tylney reminiscing about previous wet rides - David W, Andy, Clive and I, along with Brian who came not intending to ride (and not looking particularly upset about it). Simon and Maddie arrived subsequently, and we decided on a slightly late departure while hoping the rain might ease.

Before the Two 'Spoons ride became a One 'Spoon ride

I floated the idea of a shorter route, but some were up for the original plan to head to Woking via Fetcham, Downside, Ockham, around Wisley and through Pyford - nothing spectacularly innovative but a nice route along familiar lanes both before and after lunch. The first motion to pass by the Ponds coming out of Leatherhead was denied, as we were running late, but the second motion to amend the route over Bookham Common was welcomed to avoid a muddy stretch. Simon kindly offered to point out the giraffe, which some of us were unaware of, and we continued on until I remembered that I didn't want to ride to Woking in the rain and persuaded everyone that Ripley would be much nicer / more sensible. By now time was against us and I don't think anyone minded too much.   

I forget exactly where we encountered the first flooded road, or how many there were, but we got through them all ok until we came to Rose Lane just before Ripley where two things happened - David punctured and a chap in a large-wheeled jeepy thing cheerfully told us that there was a 2-foot deep flood on the road ahead. Andy wasn't having it and decided he would press through it into Ripley to get a table in Pinnock's while the rest of us (bar David needing to fix his puncture) took a detour, on which Maddie then also punctured. Fortunately she was able to continue on to Ripley where Andy was mission accomplished and Simon "helped" fix the puncture. Service was quick but it was still 2pm before we left, continuing the Plan B route in intermittent rain through Pyrford, West Byfleet, New Haw, Addlestone and Weybridge, to The Boathouse at Walton Marina. It's a rare ride where all but one makes it to tea, so I'll take that as a win.

Andy's victory wave

The Survivors

Thanks everyone for coming out on a wet day with flooded roads, to Simon for back-marking and puncture repair service, and to all for your inputs and good humour as it all went a little pear-shaped. 

Plans for Sunday 5th Jan 2025

This Sunday the yellow weather warning remains in place until midnight, however the Met Office forecast currently is for much warmer and wetter weather than today (Friday). 

So I will present my original plan to ride from The Edmund Tlyney, Leatherhead to The Herbert Wells, Woking, in our first Two Spoons ride of 2025 - no doubt there will be more! It will be mainly on-road apart from the usual stony route across Bookham Common, a distance of approx. 16 miles to lunch, and a further approx. 11 miles all on-road to tea at The Boathouse, Walton Marina.  

Nothing too exciting or challenging. If the weather is too unpleasant I'll have a shorter route waiting up my soggy sleeves. 

Komoot route is here: https://www.komoot.com/tour/1969074849?share_token=aqDTSCb3ePfy8iKcUkOZpIKnHiKA1ckoDwsenBySENTaQsft1D&ref=wtd

Ride with GPS route is here: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/49385868 

I do hope you can join me. 

How far did you ride in 2024?

Your 2024 mileage totals please

Please forgive the cutting and pasting from last last year's request 😕:

This is a request to submit your mileage totals for the last twelve months (1st Jan. 2024 to 31st Dec. 2024) for consideration towards the annual awards for the greatest distances cycled. Your scores will be entered into the Big Spreadsheet where, since the dawn of the 21st century, the precious records of your accomplishments in the club have been maturing.

There are two shiny trophies, one for the woman who has cycled more miles than any other woman and one for the man with the highest mileage amongst the men. Having two separate prizes for persons of each gender might sound a little quaint. But that is our tradition and while the prize money attached to these two awards remains identical for both winners nothing is likely to change.

And we have a special award, the Mark Roy Trophy, for the person recording the largest increase in mileage over the previous year. So anyone who has posted their mileage for both 2024 and 2023 is eligible. 

To summarise the rules, your miles must have been clocked up whilst riding your bicycle, tricycle, tandem or eBike on or off road. Mileages achieved on turbo trainers, Watt bikes or any other static contraption don't count. We know that this is something of a blow to members who have been riding through virtual alpine landscapes with Zwift or Rouvy but we are only considering miles actually, rather than virtually, travelled.

For the competition, contenders for the prizes must be regular riders in the club though we are happy to collect mileage data for everyone who is a paid up member of CTC South West London. And we wish to continue recording mileages for our several members who ride eBikes.

If you are curious at all about how many miles you ride in the course of a year please start recording your distances for 2025 in a diary or spreadsheet.

Just one word of warning; several riders who use a GPS enabled device such as a Garmin, or smartphones running apps like Strava or RideWithGPS have experienced rides when their devices stop communicating with the satellites, sometimes for quite a while, and this can lead to totally unreliable data. So please verify the accuracy of your data. The evidence of this known problem is a long straight bee-line between two points on your ride where you know the road really had many twists and turns.

Fixie Dave's Garmin nodded off for a while with this result!

In my opinion this is not a problem which is specific to Strava or other phone app but is to do with the phone and its own software, memory resources perhaps. This erroneous data can also accumulate if you have hopped on a train with your bike but forgotten to stop recording 😏. Fancy doing that!

Please write to me with your total mileage:

Tim Court (Associate Bean Counter*)

We hope to be able to present the prizes in our traditional awards ceremony at the Annual Lunch, this year on Wednesday 5th March.

A very Happy New Year to you all and if you haven't been collecting your mileage scores please start now, from January 1st 2025.

The Bean Counters need your numbers!

~ Tim C

*Nota Bene: The Bean Counting team has now now doubled its number of staff and we are pleased to advise you that Mick Arber of B Group has flown through his apprenticeship and is now embarking on his new career in our Bean Counting Department.