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

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RIDE REPORT
The Great Surrey Cycle Ride 04/10/09

The vast majority of PHC rides are suitable for any cyclist of average
fitness. However, we're sitting on the edge of the beautiful Surrey
Hills, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (that's its official
designation), so occasionally we'll throw in a ride that we need to
describe as challenging or not really suitable for novices so that we
an get out that way. On today's ride, we were mostly thinking of the
big hill that goes up Ranmore Common. And it's a big hill!

21 of us had met up at Boxhill and Westhumble station and in a novel
twist, promptly rode 500m to Rykas for a morning stop. We needed to do
this because there's nowhere else suitable during the morning so
stockpiled provisions were stuffed in panniers before we tackled the
monster hill from a standing start. The road rises quite gently as you
pass the ruins of Westhumble chapel but begins a tougher ascent once
you've turned the corner by the Old Dean Cottages. The real killer is
the hairpin bend. Most of us were walking at that point.

After a regroup at the top (whilst several different groups of club
cyclists flew down the hill in steady succession), we had the much
easier gently undulating picturesque ride along the top of Ranmore
Common before the rapid descent of White Down, complete with its own
hairpin bend being ascended by yet more club cyclists. This is
obviously the place to be on a Sunday morning!

We had a morning stop in the grounds of the not-yet-open Abinger Hatch
pub to refuel with our goodies from Rykas and refresh before setting
off in the newly arrived morning sun. This entire route follows a loop
of the the signposted Surrey Cycleway, a 100m network of carefully
chosen Surrey lanes for leisure cyclists. We passed the archetypal
English village green at Forest Green and looped down to the Punchbowl
Inn at Oakwood Hill for lunch.

Unfortunately, at this point, we realised we'd lost a rider. The long
lanes with several miles between turnings meant that we had naturally
strung out and at each turn, somebody patiently waited for everybody
to pass. We must have just miscalculated the numbers at one of the
junctions and although we weren't far from lunch, we didn't our
missing rider again all day. An absolute must for slower riders is to
always start at the front of the group. It doesn't matter if you drop
back because everybody will note that they've overtaken you and will
wait. Slower riders who stay at the back do unfortunately run the risk
of being overlooked and for the first time ever, that's what has
happened here.

Lunch was nice, well priced and in very pleasant surroundings. The pub
had been expecting us and had reserved some outside tables. Like fussy
old fools, we decided to sit on completely different tables but it's
always nice to have our custom welcomed and not fear an earful from
the landlord for daring to turn up with so many potential paying
customers.

As good as lunch was, the best bit of the ride was still to come. A
fantastic 3 mile ride along Weare Lane was completely car-free. The
handful of houses along there are set in the most stunning scenery.
Crossing the busy A24 dual carriageway at the end shattered the idyll
but Capel soon restored it as we passed the village church offering
afternoon teas. Still on the Surrey Cycleway, we passed through
Newdigate and Parkgate before stopping off at our exclusive afternoon
stop.

Not only had our leader taken us on a fantastic route, she had also
baked some cakes and invited us round for tea! You don't get that if
you hang out with other cycle clubs! We enjoyed a nice relaxing half
hour in the garden and then trundled into Brockham where preparations
for the famous bonfire are well underway, having skipped a big lump of
the Cycleway. We opted for another shortcut over the Betchworth Park
golf course on the old coach road before the final mile back to
Boxhill station where we caught the homeward bound train with about 30
seconds to spare!

Out for 7hrs. 30 miles. See the pix on Flickr at:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pollardshillcyclists/sets/72157622515427384
or
http://tinyurl.com/phc079

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RIDE REPORT
First Saturday Of The Month 03/10/09

Our monthly half day ride only had 5 riders out but it completely
filled its aim by demonstrating some new routes and new destinations
for those who came. We started off with a different route over the
southern half of Mitcham Common which was in very good shape after the
recent dry spell and then checked out the new Banksy graffiti near
Ikea in Croydon. The forthcoming Sustrans Connect2 path is still
impossible to follow and the brand new second phase of the Addiscombe
Railway Park has been re-locked because the far end isn't officially
completed. We ended up at the busy and recommended Coach House tearoom
in Coombe Wood, one of the area's few Green Flag gardens.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pollardshillcyclists/3980651511

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NEW RIDES

The rides for the next 5 weeks will hopefully be posted onto the
website by the middle of the week. I've going to try and amalgamate
some rides from the new Cycling in Sussex book and there'll be another
in the series of PHC Classics. If there's a particular ride you have
enjoyed that you'd like to see repeated, let me know. I also need
volunteers for leaders for late November and early December.

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SOUTH LONDON INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED CYCLISTS

The 2nd event was also sold out so this project has really started off
well. Currently, it's only available to people on this list and we'll
keep it that way for a little bit longer. Next one will be in
Carshalton at 10am on Saturday 17th October. Email me if you want to
come as I have to limit the spaces. It's 2.5hrs so that leaves time
for lunch if you're planning on going to the Beddington Park afternoon
ride.

What is it? Highly advanced cycle techniques and roadcraft tips for
use on London roads tightly packed into an intense 2.5hr session with
some talking and some riding. Learn to control the traffic to your
advantage and enjoy every section of your ride, whether it be the
Elephant and Castle, a residential street with masses of parked cars
or the Tesco roundabout at Purley. A complete bargain at £10.

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CYCLE SHOW

It's the annual Cycle Show next week:

http://www.cycleshow.co.uk

It's back at handy Earls Court after a couple of years in the ExCeL
wilderness. Those who advance volunteered help on the SkyRide all got
free tickets. CTC and LCC members can get discounts. Self employed
cycle instructors or mechanics can get in for free if you have a
business card but you have to go on the Thursday. Whatever you do,
don't pay full price on the door! If anyone is really stuck, I have a
spare up for grabs.

I'm cycling up on the Saturday and will organise a ride if enough folk
email me to say they'd like to come. I'd be looking to leave
Carshalton at 9:15 and Pollards Hill at 9:45. Coming back when we're
bored. Take a lock.

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ORPINGTON TO WHITSTABLE

Full details for this 60 mile ride mentioned last week are now here:

http://www.bromleycyclists.org/orp-whit.html

It's also on the South London Cyclists forum. Do look on there.
There's some good stuff posted.


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NEW ONLINE MAGAZINE

I'm unsure whether this will catch on:

http://www.imbikemag.com/issue1

Page 103 usefully describes fore and aft saddle positions and there's
an interactive piece on the Surrey Hills MTB trails including a GPX
file so you can easily find them yourself.

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NEXT WEEK

Mags and Will have devised a fantastic sounding ride for next Sunday
based around blue plaques. There's a brand new morning stop for PHC
and we'll be passing the central London sights.25 miles. The ride
leaves from the main entrance of Wimbledon train station at 9:30am.

Mark
PHC Co-ordinator
07711 688189

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