Sunday 19th November 2006

What an absolutely beautiful day!
Riding south of Dorking, the morning mist hovering above the fields lit by an ever so bright sun was a picture, if only I had my digital camera. Everywhere you looked, the countryside looked magnificent with a hundred shades of brown on the trees set against a brilliant blue sky. Autumn is a wonderful time of year to be on a bike.
Twelve out today, thirteen if you include Bob, all arriving in dribs and drabs at the Blu Moon cafe in Beare Green. It always amazes me how this out of the way place survives but it does and we are thankful for that. A mug of coffee (instant) 70p and staff that are "easy on the eye"ensures we continue to visit.
Keith took us via Capel and Weare Street to Holmbury St Mary where lunch was consumed on the green. Most indoor eaters had soup but naturally Ian had to go one better with a full size fish of some description. The arrival of a lunch party meant we had nowhere to sit, so we hit the road.
Mrs North, with Mr Hill some way behind, decided the local 1 in 5 needed climbing so after saying farewell we parted company. That left Keith, myself, Pete, Daphne, Mike, Roger, Ian, Terry and the two MTB Petes to climb up to Leith Hill, Coldharbour and the 36mph decent to tea at Denbies.
Six remain and tea/cakes get the Ian "I'll pay for that" treatment. So when he gets dropped in Leatherhead we all show signs of anxiety and a certain amount of guilt but can't help feeling that his generosity is perhaps better spent repairing his clapped out bike.

Sunday 12th November 2006

This morning we venture north to a Central London destination but first we make an unscheduled stop at Cafe Nero in Wandsworth which proved popular with coffee junkies but personally I would of been happy with Sainsbury's 85p filter but was closed due to late opening. We left as the place was filling up with late risers and headed over Wandsworth Bridge to ride on the shared path north of the Thames to Lambeth Bridge where we encounted slow moving traffic caused by the Remembrance service on Whitehall. Continuing south of the river to Upper Ground and north over Blackfriars Bridge past Old Bailey to lunch on public seating outside Barts Hospital. In line with the 11's spot the pub was also shut so we settled in the Rising Sun close to Smithfield Meat Market.
After a phone call to Wimbledon Windmill cafe to check closing time, Graham took over leading going west to Fleet Street, Trafalgar Square, The Mall & Victoria to rejoin the earlier route back over Wandsworth Bridge.
The cafe was, perhaps not suprisingly, very busy probably due to the decent weather which meant we were able to sit outside.
The threat of rain and fading light caused us to go our separate ways and sure enough the wet stuff did fall before the Masari reached the dry.
Today's attendees: Pete, Daphne, Graham, Ed, Steve, Anne & Jake with Bob at 11's.
Total miles: 35
Price of a Latte in Cafe Nero: £1.90


The date of the C&M's annual lunch is 11th February 2007. Declare your interest to Steve Gordon (steveandann61@tiscali.co.uk & 020 8398 2775). More details published shortly.

Website of the week:
conrad-direct.co.uk
Click on home/leisure
4 white LED front lamp £6..20
5 red LED rear lamp £3.99
P&P £5.99

From the Archives

Updated C&M Rides Nov-Dec

Golden Beeches Weekend

The Golden Beeches Weekend was attended by Lisa & Pete & Carolyn Beer from the DA.
10:30 on the Saturday found over 100 enthusiastic cyclists at Lacey Green, at the Millennium Hall, having tea & cakes before starting on an assortment of rides to suit all abilities, from families to long-distance riders. We chose the medium level of 47 miles led by leader John and rearguard Sue. Lanes, plus a section of the Phoenix Trail cycle route took us through Thame and on to lunch at Waterperry Gardens. Afterwards we negotiated the hill up to Brill Windmill for a short photo session before wending back to the headquarters for a meal of bangers & mash and bread & butter pudding, all prepared by the South Bucks DA team of helpers. A quiz followed, then to finish a slide show on SW Ireland presented by John Gosnell.
Sunday dawned mild and sunny & at 9:30am 10 groups, including an off-road party for today, moved off. Our group meandered past Chequers, towards 11's at Startops End by the canal. Following the canal past seven locks & reservoirs at Tring, into Tring and past the Walter Rothschild Zoological Museum and zig-zag on minor lanes past Lee Gate - with memories of C&M hostel trips past - and back to Lacey Green for 2pm Lunch. Still bright sunshine and then home.

Cheam & Morden AGM

From Graham:

Due to a communication breakdown between the Secretary and the Rides' Secretary, details of the AGM were omitted from the latest newsletter. It will be held at Ed's, in West Ewell, starting at 1500hrs on Sunday November 5th, 2006.

To help you prepare, I've written a short report (see below) and included as attachments:
(1) the 2005 AGM minutes
(2) the Treasurer's 2006 report
(3)the Attendance 2006 report. For Excel-less souls, there's a list of the top attendances.

Once again I have to report falling numbers of riders. Since taking over the attendance records in 2002/3, the average per ride has fallen from 16 to 11 and the number of regulars (2 or more rides) has dropped from 50 to 34.
This year’s drops were the most marked (over 30% on last year). This is most worrying as none of us is getting any younger and there have been few enquiries from potential new members. Where possible, I directed enquirers towards the Saturday rides as those who rode probably found our rides too hard and gave up after a few outings.

Ignoring special events (Annual Dinner, Easter tour), the highest attendance was 24 and the lowest, 4. For various reasons, ten rides had not reach the Lunch stop (though one exceeded it).

The provisional competition winners are:

Best Attendance: Ed Sharp 47 (out of 51 or 92%)
Most Punctures: Richard Delamere 2


I can't do much with the attachments at the moment, but will try to make them available from here once I get home.
Lisa

Carol Service

New Surrey Maps

Two of the new cyclist friendly maps now available FREE at Surrey Libraries from a collection of 8

The Ford at Fulmar

Then and now with the Cheam & Morden section

8th October 2006

The look of disappointment on their faces was all too clear...................... more about that shortly.
The first puncture of the day came after 35yds (Simon) but with a call in at mine's to finish off his 100+ psi with my recently aquired Topeak Joe Blow Sport we were soon descending pebblecombe to new 11's at Buckland(Squires).
All nice new sofas and decent coffee machines. We sat outside, that is Bob, Johnny Mason, Terry, Andrew, Pete, Daphne, Ed & myself with unfinished paperwork (nominating runs leaders) taking up most of the time.
We were still six after Andrew & Simon parted company and soon rode into a head wind to lunch at W'spoons Crawley. Only Terry had a meal and with P&D deciding not to join us we left at two for a short hop to Capel.
Oh dear it's shut. I somehow managed to get the dates wrong.
Still there's always Tanhurst Farm but just don't have the scone, it's awful.

September 24 - Well She Would Wouldnt She

There was plenty of rain about as I awoke but being the leader I couldn't just roll over. However there was a rapid improvement and it stayed fine and warm all day. Surprisingly the ride started from North Cheam but nonetheless we were six (Graham, Ann, Ed, Jake, Richard and Steve) at the start. The route was predictable: back to Kingston Bridge, Hampton Court, Shepperton and Laleham where the towpath was taken to Staines. Here Irene and Pam joined but on restarting Ann’s front tyre exploded just after the bridge. Purchasing and fitting the replacement took the best part of an hour and a quarter. We continued via Wraysbury and the Jubilee River to arrive at the Dorney Court elevenses around 1230!

Through sheer luck no change to the ride was needed, as the lunch stop was only six miles away. I stretched that to eight by switching to the Royal Standard at Wooburn Common (well reviewed on the web). The road past Cliveden was closed to all including cyclists. Here the group showed its true colours by allowing the leader to investigate the advertised guard dogs alone – fortunately there were none. The pub was fine if somewhat crowded and beside a busy road.

The lane after the pub was a delight – narrow and full of farmyard hens, ducks and geese. Later I enjoyed a fleeting glimpse of a water deer (but it might have been a muntjac). The road was flooded at the ford near Fulmer despite its recent conversion to an Irish bridge. And then it was the long straight road past Pinewood studios to Langley, Colnebrook and Poyle before we took the roughly restored bridleway across Staines Moor. Tea was at North’s of Staines (est. 2006) – thoroughly recommended.

Slide Show by CCP

Sunday 3rd September 2006

"You're better off by bike" says TFL and today it certainly felt like it.
Today the Tour of Britain came to London for the finale of it's six day road race and we were there.
Simon, Ed, Keith & Steve were waiting for me at NC for the ride to Holland Park via the Wandle Trail and Brompton Cemetery. Graham joined us for tea (a very reasonable 85p pot) and we set off for "Bike Fest 06" in The Mall.
This was a couple of dozen companies promoting their products by, in many cases, giving away free items (like the caravanne publicitaire on the TDF).
This proved a big draw to myself and the others but the usefulness of the giveaways was brought into question when a large pink inflatable hand was picked up from the T-mobile stand.
Better items included 2 TFL "gym bags", TDF London 2007 T-shirt, TFL bike computer, 2 bright red E-On (owner of Powergen) sun hats & a bottle of water.
Loaded up with freebies we headed to "The Man in the Moon "in Whitehall for two for one lunches.
The "racing" arm of the CTC joined us and with the race arrival imminent Ed & myself headed off back to Horse Guards road for a glimpse of the cyclists doing their best to win the stage or just keep up.
Tom Boonen won the stage with Martin Pedersen taking overall victory.
On the way back to our bikes, we somehow got ushered into the corporate hospitality area and found ourselves surrounded by wealthy, tanned and attractive people enjoying food and wine in warm sunshine. Resisting the temptation to join them we picked up complimentary programmes (£5) and left.
Special mention is deserved is for excellent organisation by TFL in particular the secure bike park arrangements (surely a dress rehearsal for next year's Tour).


Today's (Mon) Guardian seems to dwell on the serious collision of two motorbikes (police & race marshall) at the deviation in the final lap. Seven go to hospital but hopefully this will not effect London's start of the TDF next year.

Pictures included in this blog and can you spot Keith in the background?

Sunday 20th August 2006

As soon as the alarm sounded I was up. Quite a rarity even on a Sunday but I needed to get to new 11's Rusper Golf Club before the others and check it's credentials.
Actually I was pleasantly suprised with plenty of golfers (and the Downlanders) needing sustenance on this showery but mild day.
Just a (select) few today the names being Daphne (L), Pete, Graham, Matt & Keith with Dee choosing to sit with us rather than the other crowd (Is that 1 point from each section?).
Baynards was reached by going around the houses, not literally you understand. A requirement unless you want to go and come back the same way.
Whilst the others were in the pub (for sale), Graham & myself got talking railways, the merits of First Great Western to be precise. I hadn't realised how much of Baynards station still remains intact and the conversation soon moved to the 1963 Beeching Report or to give it's proper title"The Reshaping of British Railways".
This week I took delivery of "Out of Steam" the Beeching years in hindsight.
The first sentence reads:
"In the last ten years of steam on British Railways, from 1958 to 1968, over 16,000 steam locomotives were scrapped, some only five or six years old, and thousands of miles of main and branch lines were closed and destroyed."
Tea was at Capel.

August 13th

On Saturday afternoon I struggled in a strong headwind back from Hindhead, which is now a cleaner, safer and brighter hostel (my words). This may explain why I locked myself out then forgot the maps before meeting up with Don, Ed and Keith a little after the official start time.

Prospects didn’t look good and the rains duly came twixt Shepperton and Staines. We should have met Mrs Grumpy; instead of staying indoors, she “hid in the bushes” and thus was missed (of course our fault). At Runnymede a major debate was whether or not to continue. “No” said by Don and Keith, so only three (included late arriving Richard) headed off under brightening skies towards Old Windsor; here Ed punctured. It stayed dry as we passed through Windsor, Fifield and onto White Waltham. A quick glance at the watch (12:45) indicated that Aston was a distant prospect (another 7/8 miles). Rejecting many suggestions, I picked out Waltham St Lawrence; The Star being reached just before one. A keen northerly meant we had its extensive gardens to ourselves, handy for the BYO brigade (all of us).

On leaving Richard gave us a second puncture of the day. Back we went through Shurlock Row, Moss End and Irene’s route towards Windsor Great Park. A previously unvisited Cranbourne was visited but I made an error at the roundabout so Legoland had unexpected guests. There was no escape so back it was to Windsor, Old Windsor and Runnymede. Just after three the skies opened and the rain, hail, thunder and lightning lasted for hours - not the fairest of days for cycling.

Sunday 6th August 2006

"Pete, I don't think we're going to make it.................................................."
I uttered these words on a untypical day in the saddle which began with 10 at NC.
I chose a main road route to begin then a climb up to join the NDW emerging at Newlands Corner.
Descend to Merrow then a search for Wetherspoons in Guildford.
Eventually we found it, just down from the BR stn on Bridge Street. (I used to favour checking new locations or routes beforehand to avoid wasting time!)
Don Clarke, Dave Ward & Ray Dare had managed OK and were already tucking in to Lloyd's No1 very cheap assortment of breakfast items.
Keith & myself felt the £1.99 cooked was unavoidably GVFM.
Irene & Pete joined us having been sitting in an entirely different part of the pub. (It's a big place)
After a 2nd tea 69p, I led SW to Loseley House and quickly got lost in Farncombe, turning R instead of L to take in Compton & Puttenham to rejoin the intended route through Elstead to Churt.
At the CAMRA pub were Ed, Irene (loaded up for a couple of days at Hindhead YH), Janice, Pete, Daphne, Pete Byers, Keith, Grant, Steve and Graham who had ridden all of 5 miles to join us from his current voluntary warden post at Hindhead.
After hearing the delights of the member's kitchen fridge (2 month old chicken..... yuk). Chinese dentist (2.30) we made for Thursley, Chiddingfold ( where we lost Ed) then Dunsfold. A pretty route but at this point I was beginning to think we perhaps should of stayed north to Cranleigh then the dull B2127.
Somewhere between Alfold Crossways and Baynards I felt I had to confide to Pete B that things weren't going well in the tea and cakes department.
It was 4.40pm and I didn't know what time Capel closed but if it was 5 we've had it.
Thankfully, Steve was able to phone Ann who was already finding somewhere to park and confirmation of 5.30 was received.
Lunch to tea around 31 miles mostly at 15's in 25 degrees heat.
My apologies to Janice (3rd time on a bike this year), Grant, Pete, Keith & Steve for the speed of that "Capel Cake Dash".
In addition, sorry to Ed for losing him earlier (He appeared out of Craddocks Avenue as I was mainroading it).

South Bucks DA's Golden Beeches Weekend

July 30th

It was one of those days - one thing led to another so instead of North Cheam, I steered for Reigate via 'The Gap'. My speedo was on its last legs - mph OK but mileage resetting after every 0.04 to 0.006 miles! Spying three red tops ahead, I accelerated and caught first Ed, then Keith and finally Simon in Slipshatch Road. This show of speed was my undoing, as I turned right (rather than left) into Sandcross Lane. Fortunately nobody noticed before I did. Bob was there and shortly Daphne, Pete and Deanna too joined us. Ed's been badly affected by this weather and opted for home so I replaced him as leader.

Off we went down Lonesome Lane into Horley, then east across the A23 into Langshott and so to Smallfields. Here Simon spied a fleeing MTB rider and set off in hot pursuit followed by the rest of us. The quarry turned for Horne (my intended route) but asserting my authority I shouted "Straight on" and on we went past the golf course. The mile of A22 is downhill into Blindley Heath where we turned for Crowhurst Lane End, Crowhurst and the Royal Oak Staffhurst Wood - about 18 miles. I had last visited on a Brian ride - hills aplenty, sewage works, mud. I recalled "restaurant" not "pub" but the garden was perfect. Without approaching recent dizzy temperatures, heads still nodded as we set the world to rights (cyclewise) and decided what's next.

"Tatsfield's up a b*****y great hill" I proclaimed so Warlingham GC became the revised target. To Tandridge we rode then the splendidly named and narrow Jackass Lane, Gangers Hill (a wee bit) and the School. For reasons unknown Keith selected the corrugated bridleway rather than NCN21 but we were soon there. Cakes were devoured but scarcely earned after only 10 miles. Next came Purley where there was the parting of the ways.

Sunday 2nd July 2006

A beautiful if rather hot day when traditionally the number of riders on our roads increase with the start of the TDF.
The climb from Effingham towards Shere was afforded with welcome shade by the beech trees that line the road. Several fast men overtook me with aims to get home before the heat of the day ............ and to watch the Tour.
13 of us at "The Lucky Duck" where £1.60 gets you a pot. Leader Simon informed us of his involvement with the 2012 Olympics and the planned? evacuation for spectators and competitors in the event of a terrorist alert.
Factor 30 was liberally applied and we set off for The Haven.
All the regulars plus John Mason, Terry Lowe, Pam Jones, Don Clarke & Roger Mace.
Pint of orange squash 60p but not much shade, one of those days when it's cooler inside.
Capel arrived via Rudgewick,Ellens Green & Weare Street. Cream tea under the churchyard tree, very pleasant.

Website of the week: www.bikecafe.net

July 2nd Club Run

Pictures from Pam Jones