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Date: 1st March 2008
Riders: Richard and Rob
Rob's Rabbit route
Weather: 6.0°C

 

A Saturday afternoon ride this week but I am really struggling as my legs haven't fully recovered from last week's 100k road ride. We struggle round the Rabbit route and link up with the Big 8 at Reigate.

A ride that just kept my legs turning over and which saw me get an interesting double puncture, a large thorn in the front and a pinch flat at the back all in one cumbersome movement!

Gary on Crow Lane

 

Date: 9th March 2008
Riders: Richard Dave and Gazza
Box Hill, Denbies and Ranmore Common
Weather: 11.0°C

 

I'm feeling much better this week and after seeing the veteran bikes and bikers at Epsom Downs the three of us set off on our own veteran's ride round the local trails (we realised we have a combined age of 128).

Nevertheless, we set a great pace as we head across Epsom Downs, up Crow Lane (soon to be renamed Dogshit Lane) and across Headley Heath to Stane Street. Along there and down the Alpine descent before crossing the A25 and heading up the long climb across Denbies wine estate and onto Ranmore Common before heading back.

The return journey took us across Norbury Park and over near Bockett's Farm before dumping us back onto Stane Street for the final leg.

It was a long, long ride. No-one had an odometer or bike computer with them but it was much longer than our normal local rides. Dave was storming the trails up front and I stuck with him for most of the way with Gary trying to keep us in sight on some sections. Dave's stamina showed though and he was much stronger on the retunr leg. Dave kept on encouraging us with the promise of a cuppa and a piece of cake as soon as we got over the 'next hill'.

A good ride with the trails holding up well despite yesterday's rain and the legs feeling the benefit rather than the pain of the last few weeks riding.

Oh, and we never got that cup of tea Dave!

did somebody call a cab? Dave on the Alpine descent Gary on the Alpine descent Gary climbs up past Denbies

Gary and a couple of old dogs Dave pulls a strange face Gary looks a little horse a rare shot of the camera man himself; Richard

Date: 24th March 2008
Riders: Richard Sam and Grant
Esher Shore
Weather: 1.5°C

 

I have really had it with the weather lately. I wouldn’t describe myself as a fair weather cyclist as I have hopefully demonstrated on the various pages on this site over the last few years but the last month has seen me lose any enthusiasm I might have had for getting out on the bike.

This is really frustrating because I had raised my fitness to impressive levels to complete the 100k early spring sportive and it is annoying that I haven’t been able to keep at that level.

The bank holiday saw four miserable days of rain, sleet and snow which would have been okay if it wasn’t for the preceding two weeks of rain that meant the trails were already soggy and sodden.

So there I was, sitting in front of the PC, avoiding the decorating that was waiting for me and bemoaning my lack of riding when I thought about indoor training. A few hours later and with the assistance of e-bay and I am now the proud owner of a Tranz X cycle variable mag turbo trainer.

Can’t wait for it to arrive so that I can set it up in the garage and then I will be riding nowhere fast whilst listening to my favourite toonz on the sound system. This also gets over my inability to get home in time for any night riding and avoids me having to buy a battery for my night lights! Watch out for future updates although I will try to avoid becoming too much of a roadie and not report back details of my average and max heart rate etc!

I also made a brief trip to Esher shore and whilst there was a good vibe there we didn't do too much riding, it was more posing and avoiding the snow and sleet storms. Thanks though to Matt for lending me his novel handlebar camera mount fashioned out of a mudguard to allow me to get some on-board footage. I will be editing another video together and expect to see the mount feature as an MTB tip real soon.

Oh and check out the slope style woodwork below. A great tower to roll in although that first kicker looks like it would launch Apollo 13 (and no, I don't mean the cheap MTB brand from Halfords).

Grant in a rare riding moment It's all about the matchstick look for '08 slope style tower at Esher Shore kicker

shelter from the storm just kickin it wid ma bro's posing a group of young riders in the sleet

Date: 29th March 2008
Riders: Richard
Road ride
Weather: 13.5°C

 

After not riding last week (pissing about at Esher Shore doesn't count) and with the trails still soggy and my wife planning a full agenda for me over the weekend I went for a solo road ride on Saturday morning.

Despite waking up to clear skies by the time I was ready rain was threatening and I was just five minutes into the ride when a quick shower fell. With no particular route in mind and just wanting to stretch my legs I decided to ‘follow the sun’ and aimed for the small patch of blue sky that was over to my left.

This took me through Epsom, towards Oxshott and onto Cobham where I overtook a large group of ahem, senior riders riding classic bikes and wearing a variety of club tops advertising Sutton and Cheam CC, Epsom CC and various other road clubs I didn’t know even existed. They were travelling at a sedate pace so I passed them but I soon had one of the more competitive guys latch onto me for a while and he just had to pass me before we reached the point at which they turned round for home. I hope I am still feeling like that when I am in my 60's.

I carried on into Leatherhead, Fetcham and Bookham where to my surprise I rode past David who was visiting relatives and just happened to be walking along the road and we stopped for a chat. He doesn’t do much riding nowadays but his kids have picked up the baton with his eldest a keen member of Sutton CC.

I then headed for home making a circuitous route back via Epsom Downs to add in a few hills and made my first visit to Corridori’s new outlet at the Drift Bridge. Lots of specialized gear plus a few Bianchi road bikes on show.

Elsewhere on domtb there was plenty of riding going on so whatever your penchant there was a ride to suit your taste.

road riding solo makes for boring pictures side view

31st March 2008

I mentioned recently that I had bought a Turbo trainer from e-Bay and she arrived in the post today. Like a kid at Christmas I tore open the packaging to reveal a very nice looking piece of machinery, not bad for £40 brand new.

So I took it out to the garage and ten minutes later had my old road bike hooked up to the trainer. I then did a good 30 minute session by which time the sweat was starting to flow. I think I'm going to like this.

Tranz Turbo trainer turbo trainer with Raleigh fitted to it and with me on board the view from the cockpit