Surrey Season Closer

What's your gi / ratio? Anywhere from 66-74' is fine. Any sharp hill is short, and we regroup at the top of anything substantial. Also any 'proper' group riding usually only happens nearer the start of the ride when it's light (or when there is a straightforward TT section), and it's not like 3 inches from the front wheel and we're rotating or something. The group riding is more that we ride safely together and near each other (which is also a skill).

Anyway always nice to have new people along!

I'm on 51/18 (=2.83), according to the online tool that's ~75" (on 165mm cranks). I've been up Box Hill on that (once), it was actually OK (but slow, of course).

Good point re the group riding, I'm mostly not a fan of the whole drafting / chaingang scenario, so just 'riding together' in a looser sense sounds much more appealing!

I'm possibly gonna be cutting it a bit fine for the train, can someone buy me in on the groupsave and I'll do a money bank transfer when I get there?

Sure thing

Looks like we’re running 9 minutes late.

@rhowe , @middleofnowhere , will we have the pleasure of riding with you this evening?

No.

Although I concede at this stage I am merely stating the bleeding obvious.

I was actually planning to come along but wimped out yesterday morning & took the train in

I've never been so cold and so hot on a ride. Looking forward to the next one!

Did the whole squad make it home? Cancelled train meant we all boarded the ThNRC Express for the return home...I really enjoyed it, but alighted far earlier than the rest of you...

My knees are screaming. #didajim

I got back fine if very cold! Parted ways with @cgg at Wandsworth after directing him to Vauxhall bridge but he didn't seem overly compos mentis...

Absolutely zombie mode today - fuckin' Southwest Rail...

So did you all have to ride back?

@seager espresso til you burst

Haha, it's a shame we didn't bump into you - flyby suggests we were going around the outside of Richmond Park at the time you were exiting it.

It's also a shame Russell and Matt didn't make it - I would have paid good money to see their faces upon finding out they needed to ride back! Although I imagine you guys were hardly thrilled either..

Yep had a five man tt to Kingston then across Richmond Park dodging deer and seeing a mad moonrise. Now my bones have started to thaw slightly I'm seeing it a bit better but don't think thrilled is the word I'd use to describe my feeling when the train departure board changed from delayed > cancelled!

That's a long old ride after 5 Hills! Well done everyone.

Poor Dan had done the ride out and bought a ticket for the train back in advance! At least I got a train one way.

I know it's too soon for you all but I am sad I missed a proper A road smashfest infinitetears.emoji

Anyone got Clément's number? Hoping he's just sleeping it off...

Well that was a nice ride, even with my front wheel getting punctured, and then a nice pub, and then another nice ride. Riding through Richmond Park was great, as was the subsequent dash along the lit up river bank. Properly dazed and confused today. Thanks everyone! (and a special mention to all the Southerners who got me on the right track towards North London)

Haha glad you got back ok!

Also the ride featured some spookiness leftovers from Halloween in the form of patches of mist every now and then, which I found a nice touch.

Sounds like I chose a good one to miss. Having skipped quite a few and not really been riding much I would have been pushed to make it round let alone survive that ride home in the blistering cold. Well done everyone.

See you all at The Red Lion on the 15th.