If you ain't gettin hot and sweaty in July you ain't nuthin'

11th July 2003 Richard, David, Gary and Rav - Leith_Hill / Pitch Hill / Holmbury Hill area

A different bunch of riders but the same route this week as we all take a Friday off work to visit Summer_Lightning et al. Rav is from Birmingham via Cricklewood and Gary lives near Billericay (but he ain't a flippin thickie) so we are showing them the best that the South of England has to offer. It may sound boring going back to the same place every week but when the riding is this good and you are always being tested on technical stuff then it's well worth it.

I haven't seen Gary out on the trail since we visited Cwmcarn in November last year whilst Rav was part of the team at the Marin Rough Ride.

I see far more of Rav today as I actually rode very little with him on the Rough Ride. He turns out to be a great rider, keen on the uphills and he rips it up on the downhill stuff. He really enjoys the day - going over the edge of Deliverance without a second thought and nailing it first time at speed.

Lots of sweat on a day that must be in the high 70's but a great ride once again. The pictures do the talking.

On the premise that we still had the keg of ale left over from our victorious effort in the Marin Rough Ride I have organised the 1st Annual 'Diary of a Mountain Biker'® Bike-B-Q.

A what? A Bike-B-Q. You know, a ride, followed by a Barbecue.

We set out from my house on a beautiful hot morning heading for Epsom Downs. After a long delay for Keef to fit his first pinch flat of the day (within 400 yards of my house caused by him bunny hopping) we get on with the ride. The approach is all roadwork and gently uphill but usually provides a good workout / warm-up before getting to the real stuff.

Once up at Epsom Downs, we follow the now legendary Big 8 route. I am feeling great today and flying round, vying for position with Huey who has bought out the almost antique status Kona Explosif (no, not that one, the green one) that he runs as a singlespeed. Despite it's age, it is a beautiful machine. Steel framed with pace forks (35 mm of travel) an eclectic mix of one hydraulic and one canti-brake and a pair of original Specialized Ground Control tyres. I don't think there is an item on the bike that is less than 10 years old.

Now Huey will admit himself that his riding style is more 'back of the peloton' than in the breakaway group up front but the simplicity of singlespeeding has him roaring up all the climbs today and tearing across the gnarly stuff like a teenager.

Meanwhile, Sue is riding the dialled bikes Kobe Ti. Say whaat! I hear you say. Well check out this production from dialled bikes, one of the new breed of up and coming companies run by real enthusiasts.

After another flat (Huey) we stop for some cake and tea at the top of Reigate Hill before following the North Downs Way, then returning to Epsom Downs via Walton on Thames. Then on a rip-roaring descent down the gully which is massively overgrown, Keef suffers another pinch flat which he somehow takes at least 50 minutes to repair. Just as we set off again, Paul's slime filled tube gives up the ghost and we have to stop for another, albeit quicker repair.

Then it's all downhill from the Downs back to my house and on with the BBQ and beer. The keg of ale has 'matured' and although we all have a couple of pints we switch onto the cheap French lager to wash down the selection of dead animal products on offer. Despite the obligatory rain late in the day, it's been great and I look forward to future events (but Huey, give the rest of the beer to Mike!).

It's the first time since the start of May that I have made it out on a Wednesday evening. We meet at Holmbury YHA and head up to the summit of Holmbury Hill. Paul is on the Dave Hinde singlespeed which is sporting a new set of Manitou Skareb forks that he picked up for a bargain at Halfords to give a smoother ride.

I am feeling heavy legged tonight. Not sure if it is the 2 beers I had at lunchtime, the 60 miles I have already done on the road this week or the generally shit day I had at work. Either way, I struggle throughout the whole ride to keep up with the others, don't manage to get into any rhythm in my riding and uncharacteristically have a few small 'off's'

However, it's still good to be on the bike again even if there is some strange stuff on the ground that I haven't seen for ages. I have searched the memory banks and I think it is called mud and puddles....

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