A Year of Centuries - November Edition ridewithgps/trips/3752334 I nearly didnt ride today. Id had a bad night and hardly slept, so felt exhausted and a bit weak over breakfast. But resolved that I should at least get out and if I felt too tired I could always come back. Id asked my friends Dave Holmes and Karl Roche if they wanted to join me earlier in the week, but neither could in the end, so I felt a bit Billy no-mates. Id got used to Dave joining me for my century rides and had spent a great deal of the year riding with Silvi training for and then riding L2P, also Id ridden with quite a few others from the great Cycling UK G+ community, Id even ridden with a couple of brothers-in-law in the early days of L2P training, so Id got used to having company and realised now that I was going to miss it. Setting off it was immediately apparent that the cold was a damp cold that gets right to your bones, so I was glad Id defied current convention and worn my bibtights for the first time this winter. I dont think it would have been sensible to wear shorts when out all day in temperatures which never rose much, despite the sun later on. After all the rain the previous week and especially last night I expected to encounter some flooding, and sure enough the first flood (also the biggest) was typically on Plough Lane south of Cobham. This road spent 4 or 5 months flooded last winter. Karl Roche had even joked about planting rice down there. Well, Karl, its ready for your first crop now. Another rider overtook me at the beginning of Plough Lane and he was clearly faster so I let him go - after all I was only a dozen miles into the ride and had a long way to go so this was no time to be wasting energy chasing someone down. I caught up with him approaching the flood as he was deciding on his route through the lake. I was wearing new socks this morning from Sealskinz and sure enough they proved themselves completely waterproof. They arent as warm as some woollen ones I like but they did the business today. So I rode behind this chap for a bit (falling back again), and then the road started pointing upwards and I gradually reeled him in. Turns out hes faster on the flat but Im faster on the slopes. We exchanged pleasantries as we passed one another and it transpired we were heading the same way, so we rode together and chatted a bit more. This is more like it. I dropped him on the Staple Lane climb (and also reeled in a trio of mountain bikers) and waited (only briefly) at the junction with Combe Lane for him. Hed decided to head down Green Dene so we said our goodbyes (cheers Richard from Kingston, thanks for the ride). So down Combe Lane (the first part of which is steep with a tight corner after 50 yards, and with all the wet leaves it was technical as hell). Down into Shere and up the other side. Then I peeled off to Farley Green (a bit of a surprise as Id forgotten about planning this route - I normally go up Hound House Road). The road through Farley Green was the filthiest yet, and by the time Id got down to Cranleigh my drivetrain was covered in muck and the floods (six of them in all) had washed most of the wet lube Id lovingly daubed on Bess chain the day before. Consequently I had to spend the next 70 odd miles with massive squeaking from the DT and lots of friction with every pedal stroke, very wearing. Riding through Plaistow and I started to keep an eye on the time in order to stop for 2 minutes silence at 11am. Id done this last year, gate-crashing a rememberance service at Esher Green and was hoping to make Dunsfold in time. I didnt quite make it and pulled into a Farm driveway, got off the bike and composed myself for 2 minutes silence. A trio of cyclists rode past chatting away. Once 2 minutes were up I remounted, climbed a hill and very shortly found myself entering Dunsfold where a service was ongoing and the 2 minute silence was in progress. I thought either they were late or my watch was fast, and rode through the village. I got a few dirty looks, not least from the trio of cyclists whod stopped to observe the 2 minutes silence, which I thought was a bit rich! The sun was out now and pretty much here to stay for the rest of the afternoon. Very gradually the roads started to dry up (but it was too late for my drivetrain! Note to self, may be worth packing a cloth and some wet lube on these winter rides). The route went through Milford, Elstead and Puttenham then under the A31 into Tongham. These roads were very pretty and it was nice to see the countryside bathed in sunshine. After Tongham north through Ash and then near Farnborough from Mytchett to Bisley on a lovely road through the woods past all the military. From there it wasnt far to Chobham and familiar roads. I stopped for a long-desired cider and crisps at The Three Horseshoes in Laleham at 94 miles, having just ridden along the sparkling Thames from Chertsey (with two picturesque canoeists and a pair in a fine boat), then rode home. It felt a bit odd only doing 103 miles this month but I didnt want to extend the ride into the dark, and as it happened I got home with an hour of daylight left, which I put to good use by giving Bess her second bath and lube of the weekend. Look after your bike and she will look after you.
Posted on: Sun, 09 Nov 2014 21:27:48 +0000
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