Some of the club’s great winners!
Oxted CC at the Old Portlians CC Reliability Trial
Oxted CC at the Old Portlians CC Reliability Trial Sun 5th Feb. Two distances 68km and 100km. We had twenty riders in all and great times achieved by everyone, no dramas, not a single puncture! Thanks to the Old Ports for a great event.
A gentle ride to Penshurst Place for tea…
Chilly weather but wrapped up we were warm!
A good turnout on Saturday but the frost put a few people off on a sunny Sunday. Jane had a good team for her T1 ride and Chris Filewood was joined by a number of hotshots for the fast ride but the T3 ride was just two of us. Many Oxted riders went out later, not taking chances with the frost.
Jane: ‘The T1 was of five riders including Michael on his first ride and Amanda back on the tandem with me. Plus Max and Toby. We followed the route that we did last week, Tandridge Lane to Lingfield, over to Marsh Green and through Edenbridge, then Four Elms and Pootings to Dairy Lane and the Itchingwood loop and home. We chatted to a man with a recumbent bike. Due to an injury, Kingsley is unable to ride a two wheeled bike. So, as OCC is such a friendly club we invited him to ride with us! Thanks Toby for taking the picture and Max for looking out for us all’.From right of photo: Michael, Kingsley, Max, Amanda and Jane…
Another great weekend for Oxted!
Sunday 27th we had local rides, a group at Herne Hill Velodrome and another group on the Kingston Phoenix adventure, read on! A slightly earlier photo…
Jeff Walker: “It was great, probably 30 years since I last raced at HH and it all came flooding back, albeit at a lot slower pace but still with burning lungs! Wayne showed his inner racer and fitness winning the Australian Pursuit. We both enjoyed a couple of wins in the four man pursuit – I was glued to wheels and hanging on for dear life (as is the norm now). For an introduction to track riding it was perfect with some basic ”tips and try” type laps. Even for those with some experience, a little bit of competition allowed everyone to get properly into the afternoon”.
Wayne: “I agree with Jeff! It’s 3/4 years since I was there and it was great to go back, if anyone fancies a try there’s the Saturday skills session anyone can do. I’m keen to go again”.
Also on Sunday we had a keen group doing the 56 mile Kingston Phoenix Reliability Ride over Box Hill and Leith Hill. Here’s Rob Moir’s report…
“Five intrepid Oxted riders joined the Reliability Ride today. Trying to avoid having to read printed directions and get the route onto a Garmin proved to be a problem for a couple of us initially but we got there in the end!
So, five of us had the route on various Garmin devices and promptly turned right leaving the start at Holmwood Village Hall instead of left much to amusement of other riders, not a good start for team Oxted!
Six miles in and we had our first puncture, or at least Duncan did, great. This turned out to be a Godsend as in fact we had missed a turning by 100 yards, this is going to be a long day. Slime! What a saviour, as Duncan readied to change the tube he mentioned there was Slime in the offending one. Pump it up we said, pump it up he did and it lasted the remainder of the ride and probably will all winter, brilliant.
There were 6 notable hills on the route, some of them I knew, Leith and Box, some of them I didn’t, Whitedown Lane, Ranmore Common and Shere but the conditions were good and Pete’s brand new Garmin said ‘GO’ at the approach to each one so we knew when they were coming.
56 miles and 4,500 ft. of climbing some of which we had to double back on ourselves (correctly this time) but I saw some of the country I hadn’t seen before and in great Oxted company. Thank you Bill, Duncan, Pete and Andrew”.
Here’s a link to their ‘Relive’ moving map: HERE
Saturday 26th saw three groups head off on a chilly but dry day. Toby’s T1 team consisted of Gavin and Jo, Jane, Pat, Jeanette and Max. Said Toby “The route was a mixture of previous rides that I have been on and circles Oxted so you can always opt out and turn back. The route is just over 25 miles and was enjoyable for all those who took part”.
Remembrance Day rides
There was a terrific turnout this morning for the Remembrance rides. We headed out east along Pilgrims Way and then in a big loop to arrive at Warlingham Green just as a long column led by a military band arrived at the Green. The traffic was stopped in all directions and hundreds of people listened to the service and stood in silence at 11am.
More OCC folk were at other Remembrance events, some of them brave ex-servicemen and women, who thankfully lived to tell their tales. Neill took a photo of us at Warlingham…
The National 10 TT, with Richy Heath for Oxted
Here’s a short video of the National 10 mile TT from August, with a glimpse of Richy Heath at 2mins32 – looks fast to us! This was a hilly ‘sporting’ course and Richy did it in a breathtaking 24.58! HERE
The Evans Biggin Hill Sportive
Most of us did the 51 mile route. Here’s a glimpse of my ride from ‘Relive’ click HERE
Sunday rumble to Eysnford for tea, then a dash down Knatts Valley.
Matt Law had a good team heading to the Ashdown Forest so Steve and I opted for something a bit easier, Eynsford for tea. Onboard were new rider Stefano plus Lori, Lisa Beck and Adam Larner. We then cruised up Bower Lane but the three miles of Knatts Valley was a full-on chain gang, with Lisa and Stefano showing us what they could do! A photo stop in beautiful Farningham and then a great ride back.
Here it is on ‘Relive’ via Strava – https://www.relive.cc/view/760424415
Lisa attacks! A snap from my rear view Fly 6 camera/light combo thingy
A photo of Matt’s group, Gavin, Pete, Matt, Andy and Jo. Said Matt ‘We did 42 miles in the end, quite far for a T2 but we kept the pace sensible, Jo did very well on the long climb up Black hill, then down Kidds Hill (way more enjoyable than going up it!) stopped off in Hartfield to refuel then back home via Edenbridge’.
Earlier at Nero’s, Chris Hewitt’s racers…
Four groups go forth on a Saturday…
Four groups set off from Nero’s today. Jane’s sociable ride went off to Horne. A big team of keen racers sped off into a mild morning, then Steve and I led two groups out to the Velo House cafe in Tunbridge Wells via pretty Penshurst and Poundsbridge, a ride of just over 20 miles each way with some challenging hills.
The Velo House does great coffee, cakes and bacon sandwiches…
Jane’s group…
The weekend ahead, 29th/30th October – more great cycling weather ahead!
SATURDAY 8.30am. Jane is leading the T1 ride. Steve the T2’s. I’ll lead a not too fast T3 group to the VELO HOUSE in Tunbridge Wells again for coffee, we’ll find a nicer way back, should return to Nero’s between midday and 1pm latest.
SUNDAY: THE CLOCKS GO BACK! MORE TIME IN BED!
SUNDAY: ALL RIDES START AT 9am…until Spring.
Matt Law will lead a ‘falling leaves’ T2 ride to Ashdown Forest. Chris Hewitt is leading the fast people. Steve and I will be lurking to fill any gaps.
NEXT SUNDAY 6th November: the Biggin Hill Sportive, have you entered? Please let me know so we can sort out groups, car share, compare bruises etc. 12, 30, 50, 70 mile adventures! Let’s show them what we’re made of! Gel wrappers or Titanium?!
evans-biggin-hill-road-sportive-entry-6th-november
Need kit – let me know in advance and I’ll bring it to Nero’s – think ahead, it’s going to get cold and wet.
If you owe me for kit, remember the price doubles with every reminder!
Ride to Kelly Holmes lovely cafe in Hildenborough
Strava is an amazing free App for your phone which records ride data and displays it all after a ride. You can also link it to ‘Relive’, also free, which automatically produces a moving map display of your ride, such as today’s ride with members of Crawley Wheelers, starting from Lingfield and out to Kelly Holmes stylish cafe in Hildenborough and back to Oxted. Here it is: https://www.relive.cc/view/757400153
Great riding weather today…
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