Here's this week's news and updates....

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RIDE REPORT

20 riders turned up for this ever-popular route along the Waterlink
Way on a beautifully sunny day. It's part of a much longer Sustrans
National Cycle Network route that goes from Greenwich to Eastbourne,
although it takes a few interesting options further south on the way
to Gatwick. We rode the superior northern section from South Norwood
Country Park but turned off just before Greenwich.

We used the Heavers Meadow shortcut to get us out to the Country Park
which neatly avoids the hill near the Crystal Palace football ground,
although unfamiliarity meant some map dithering surprisingly close to
home. Back on track, we rode in and out, past the Visitor Centre which
is rarely open and the pitch and putt course. A puncture just after
the unnamed park (anyone know?) gave everyone an early breather.

The official morning stop was up at Beckenham Park Place at the
functional cafe overlooking the landscaped golf course. It's on nice
days like today that it's worth exploring the woods there as the mud
will have dried out but that wasn't the right direction so we headed
back onto the Waterlink Way at Bell Green.

A few questioned the shortcut just after Catford station but cyclists
have been recently mugged following the official route into a deserted
shared use railway arch. Much better to stay on the road where you're
in full view. The swirly bridge in Ladywell Fields was new for quite a
few today and it's always good fun, even if it's your 10th go.

We crossed the DLR at Elverson Rd and rode up the hill to the Bike and
Kite festival at Blackheath where we split into a couple of groups for
lunch. Some picnicked, some pubbed it and some rode over into
Greenwich Park. Unfortunately, not many really found time within the
lunch hour to see much of the event but trust me, you didn't miss
much. With just a busy Dr Bike, kids obstacle course of cones and a
limbo, an info stall, the MAD stunt team and Company Of Cyclists'
weird and wonderful bikes it wasn't much different from your average
TfL community cycle event. The kite flying looked good but cycle
content was poor. Fortunately, Greenwich and Lewisham LCC groups were
on hand to offer advice and the excellent Young Greenwich and Lewisham
Cycle Club were running several led rides from the event for both kids
and adults.

We rode back pretty much the way we came, until we hit Kent House
where we veered off to Crystal Palace Park for an afternoon ice cream
stop. Although there's Anerley Hill to contemplate when you leave the
park, this route does have the advantage of then being all downhill
back to Pollards Hill!

27 miles, out for 5.5hrs. See the pix on Flickr at:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pollardshillcyclists/sets/72157619742220486
or
http://tinyurl.com/phc050

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RIDE LEADERS NEEDED

Who's going to lead on Sunday 19th July? I'll be at Morden Hall's
Green Fayre drumming up business and dishing out postcards. If you're
not riding that day, come and join me. If you are riding, have a think
about leading. We can even resurrect the sat nav if you're not sure of
the directions. Needs to be a Wimbledon or Pollards Hill start. No
train assists. Anyone interested? Be really good if it's someone new
to leading.

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TOP TIPS

I had a few people express thanks that last week's riding tip had
helped them clarify what's required on a ride. So I'm going to
continue the trend with another group tip.....

When we're at traffic lights which have turned red, we need all the
riders to bunch up so that we can cross the junction as one large
'vehicle'. The means sitting 4 or 5 abreast at the lights as tightly
together as we can. If everyone stays in single file, you not only
risk a vehicle turning left across you, it's likely the lights will go
red on you and the group splits. Once we're clear of a junction,
everyone should fall back into a regular riding position.

If we can get regular riders to assist the constant influx of newer
riders with the riding tips, we'll soon be a lean mean riding
machine!!!

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BRISTOL TRIP NOW SOLD OUT!

All the tickets for the Bristol trip have been sold and I have 7 names
on the waiting list. If you can't go for any reason, I will help you
to re-sell your ticket to someone who wants one. It would be
interesting if people can continue to express an interest as there may
be an option to add an additional vehicle if there's enough demand.

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1950s CYCLISTS SPECIAL

You've all seen the British Transport film (no?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kP1KxPjh4RM) but now you can read about
another one from the SW London CTC archives:

http://www.lcolombo.plus.com/Images/Train1.jpg

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OUR BIRTHDAY RIDES

Diary the last weekend of July as we celebrate our 4th birthday. On
the Saturday, I'm going to trial my new (potentially mad) idea of
Cycle Bingo. That will end with a picnic and BBQ at Beddington Park.
We'll finalise details but I might need to start that ride at
Beddington Park so we can put the BBQ food into a icebox before we go.
If I've got it right, Cycle Bingo should only take an hour. And
hopefully, Charlie Phillips will host our BBQ. Although he rarely
rides with us these days he often comes out to the start to say hello,
as he did today. Without Charlie's enthusiasm and persuasive skills,
there probably wouldn't be a Pollards Hill Cyclists as a lot of the
early riders were friends of Charlie's or people he had befriended
whilst out on his bike. Expect a 3pm start for this one.

What better way to spend the Sunday than riding to Shere where there's
an excellent new morning tea and cakes venue and onto Brockham for the
legendary Teas On The Green via a country pub for lunch. Hopefully
there'll just be the one big hill so everyone can come out - that's
not bad for an area that's actually called the Surrey Hills! Details
soon.

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NEXT WEEK

It's the 3rd Saturday of the month so it's time for the monthly
Beddington Park ride. 2pm departure from the cafe for a gentle amble
with a midway cafe stop. More detail at
http://www.pollardshillcyclists.org.uk/beddingtonpark

On Sunday we're going to join in with the London to Brighton charity
ride for a few miles. This is a fantastic event with enough atmosphere
to carry you all the way to the coast. However, don't get carried away
with the enthusiasm of the ride because we're turning off and making
up our own circular route. The ride starts outside the Westcroft
leisure centre in Carshalton so be careful if your route to the start
gets you tangled up in the main charity ride. When you come over the
ponds at Carshalton, you need to go left along the High St which means
defying the marshall on that junction. We'll either need to be very
disciplined on the way out and stay together or fix a meeting point
because we'll be calling in to Fanny's Farm for a morning break which
is halfway down a hill that most riders whizz past. You'll not be
allowed to walk or ride back up the hill if you miss it as the road is
closed to traffic and you'll be placing yourself in danger. I'll be
giving everyone a reminder at the Chipstead playing fields which is
where we will regroup if we lost anyone walking up How Lane (you can't
ride up - too busy!) Departing the leisure centre car park at 9:30am.

Good luck to those PHC riders who are doing the Brighton ride
officially. Watch out for Ditchling Beacon!

Mark
PHC Co-ordinator
07711 688189

http://www.pollardshillcyclists.org.uk
http://www.southlondoncyclists.org.uk