Boxing Day Ride 26/12/06

Last year we joined the Southwark Cyclist's Christmas Day ride but this
year decided to offer our own Boxing Day ride as a great opportunity to
get out the house and work the chocolate off. It wasn't easy to plot a
route because although pubs are open, cafes were generally closed. I
chose to head for the Wattenden Arms near Kenley Aerodrome because we
could coast along the main roads to get home quickly.

8 people turned up but during a last minute bit of tyre pumping,
another 4 appeared. However, all 4 additions had peeled off before we
got to Carshalton. I varied the route a little bit, using different
parts of the Wandle Trail, before heading east into Beddington Park and
onto the Waddon branch of the Wandle Trail. A puncture cost us a bit of
time so we short-cutted along the ridiculous contraflow cycle lane by
the old Paynes Poppet's factory site. Never use this lane - it just
ends abruptly leaving you in the gutter on the wrong side of the road!

I knew the Purley Way garden centre cafe was closed but was pretty sure
McDonalds up the road would be open. Wrong. The entire Colonnades site
was closed and the hotel claimed to not have a toilet. Instead, we
pushed on towards the recently resurfaced Haling Grove bridleway before
dropping down to the A23.

The hill up to Riddlesdown took less casualties than normal but it's
worth the climb because you get great rural views and there's a fast
stony descent back down to the main road. Normally, we'd cross over the
railway by carrying bikes over the footbridge. I didn't fancy it this
time but the Whyteleafe roundabout seemed to be further than I'd
remembered it, leaving us on the busy A22 without a cycle lane. As soon
as we turned off, it was all country lanes and minimal traffic.
Salmon's Lane isn't as bad a hill as some had suggested with only one
person walking and that took us right back up to the top of the valley,
leaving a smooth ride past the aerodrome to the pub.

You can't go too wrong at the Wattenden Arms. Some cheap food on the
menu and it's down-to-earth enough for our multi-coloured winter wear
to not attract too much attention. Bikes tied up in the beer garden.

As there's nowhere else open to stop, we sailed down Old Lodge Lane and
a slight tailwind blew us along the main road cycle lanes into Croydon
where we returned to the Wandle Trail into Beddington Park and home
along the Sewer Path.

Out for 5.5hrs, 26 miles. See the pix on Flickr:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pollardshillcyclists/sets/72157594439456662
or
http://tinyurl.com/vpszu

===

If anyone fancies a tough mountain bike ride on Thursday, drop me a
line. It's not a PHC ride so you'll need to be able to keep up and have
a decent mountain bike.

===

PHC member Tony Newall has negotiated a discount for anyone on this
list who wants a set of Pedalites - pedals that have built in lights.
Tim Jolly from the company sent this:

"We would be very happy to offer your bike club members a discount. How
about 15% off (=£33.96 per pair) using the following voucher code:

9E06-0A9B-6E7F-D6C8

This code can be used on our website at http://www.pedalite.com or can
be quoted when phoning our freephone number 0800 422 0484"

Thanks Tony!

===

Mark
PHC Co-ordinator
http://www.pollardshillcyclists.org.uk