It's just how we roll - Regular Ladies Rides

17th March somewhere
1.Lolabelle
2.debbieEast
3.Cafewanda (prob have to turn back at pub stop as have family 'date' that evening)

31st March Cambridge

1. Stonehedge (co-leader London part)
   
2. BianchiMasher (co-leader rest of the route)
   
3. avellana (TBC)
   
4. Lolabelle
   
5. debbieEast
   
6. Sally
   
7. hoefla
   
8. bothwell
   
9. tapsnbath
   
10. blowfish
    

Boo! Can't do either - out of the country next weekend and got a hen day on the 31st - and don't forget it's the London Classic on the 1st. You really don't want to miss that!

Ooh, ah, yes. Erm. Do I want to do Cambridge and then the LC the next day? Hm. That's probably a terrible idea, isn't it?

oh crap. I'd completely forgotten about the London Classic... hmm.

still tentatively in.

I couldn't get a spot in the London Classic, can one just turn up and ride it?

not really no, they have problems with organising it if they go over a certain number. I think they have a list for cancellations though, or you could try and swop with someone who can't make it (HatBeard is injured can't go).

Hey guys, would rather not be on the list as I won't be coming.

Totally agree that Kat is capable of leading the ride so I'm going to go along with her on a recce before the 31st.

For what it is worth there has hardly been a flurry of people stepping forward to navigate this one...I was only trying to help. No offence taken, just don't really see why it matters whether a male or female does the directions.

17th March somewhere
1.Lolabelle
2.debbieEast
3.Cafewanda (prob have to turn back at pub stop as have family 'date' that evening)

31st March Cambridge

1. 
   
2. BianchiMasher (co-leader rest of the route)
   
3. avellana (TBC)
   
4. Lolabelle
   
5. debbieEast
   
6. Sally
   
7. hoefla
   
8. bothwell
   
9. tapsnbath
   
10. blowfish
    

shame.thanks for your kind offer stonehedge. you got off the baking hook lightly! i have full faith in Kat and the gang. it's a team effort afterall. bring it on! i hear adventure calling! looking forward to it :)

I genuinely think this is a f'in shame because it's giving off this vibe of "we don't want you people on our rides or maybe even in our forum" which seems a bit negative overall. I'm not saying that you guys, specifically, are negative, more that there's a sort of unwelcoming undercurrent on top of the "everybody's welcome on a ladies ride" manifesto. We've been doing these rides for 4 months and we've already managed to offend Al and Bernie (gold chaps, both) so much that they won't come along again because they don't feel welcome, and Dan's just dropped out of this one because he doesn't feel welcome. Wouldn't be surprised if there were other guys who've thought "ok I'm not going to go anywhere near this because I'll get told off".

I like these rides because they're not that fast-paced and everybody sticks together. I don't like the idea that having a set of bollocks tucked inside your bib-tights means that people on the ride are going to assume you've got some kind of ulterior motive for coming along.

Also, happy to lead or co-lead

this offer still stands, am happy to backstop as it's a position I naturally gravitate to...

I no haz garmin, but I'm used to route directions and I have maps. Many maps.

Oh also SH and BM let me know when you recce, I might tag along.

Its not that I don't feel welcome, I'm lucky enough to know loads of you in person so I don't feel that is the case at all. I made a genuine offer of help where it seemed to be needed/wanted and I realise now that I perhaps made the wrong offer.

Anyway, its really no biggie. I've offered to go on a recce with Kat (and anybody else who wants to come along) if that helps. If not, I'll just butt out totally.

BTW, there was an ulterior motive. Cake.

1. Get organised
   
2. Be welcoming
   
3. Ladies Rides should be LADIES rides or just labelled as any other ride on the forum.
   
4. Learn how to www.mapmyride.com / www.ridewithgps.com / maps.google.co.uk , read paper maps & recce the routes.
   
5. More rides rid = More routes learnt!
   

I think the main requirement for a bloke to be on these rides is to take a back seat and go with the flow which is fair enough. To my knowledge, neither Bernie nor Al have navigated before. I note that they've bailed a few people out with spare clothes/food etc where needed though.

I'm not aware of either of them feeling unwelcome on these rides but then again they aren't the sort of chaps to bear a grudge or moan about such things.

It's not so much the rides that are unwelcoming as this thread, where every few weeks somebody says "why are there boys saying they want to come along?!" The rides themselves are fine.

I do take issue with the idea that the presence of men on these rides is tolerated only because they have a particular skill-set. That would be a really shitty attitude for anybody here to take and I don't think the idea of it would ever have crossed anybody's mind. Would that be the assumption if we were inexperienced male cyclists who were venturing out into longer-distance group riding with a few experienced riders tagging along to look after us?

I'd love to be in for both rides but it'll just have to be one this time. Looking forward to it.

17th March somewhere
1.Lolabelle
2.debbieEast
3.Cafewanda (prob have to turn back at pub stop as have family 'date' that evening)

31st March Cambridge

1. 
   
2. BianchiMasher (co-leader rest of the route)
   
3. avellana (TBC)
   
4. Lolabelle
   
5. debbieEast
   
6. Sally
   
7. hoefla
   
8. bothwell
   
9. tapsnbath
   
10. blowfish
    
11. Kat
    

The last few posts makes me think I'm going on different ladies rides? I have been on ALL of them, and firstly I have no idea what are you talking about in regards to offending Bernie and Al? I remember Al was on the Box Hill ride, I can say only positives! Bernie on the Epping forest ride, again only good memories. Lots of different other guys on all the rest of the rides. Have I missed something?
Secondly we have had boys on every single ride and as far as I'm aware there was no problem with that. Any way as I said I was on all of those rides and I didn't notice any problems so it makes me even more unsure about the whole situation that people are posting statements here without joining us a single time? What's going on? Can somebody tell me please?

It's not so much the rides that are unwelcoming as this thread

Fact.

They haven't been on any more since they got chewed out in this very thread a few months back. I'm not going to speak for either of them, though, as that's a bit weird and I feel like I'm setting myself up as some kind of guardian or oracle of THIS IS HOW YOU FEEL for them, but I'm going by just what's in this thread.

Anyway, it's a shame, and it makes me sad, and I wish it wouldn't happen.

They haven't been on any more since they got chewed out in this very thread a few months back. I'm not going to speak for either of them, though, as that's a bit weird and I feel like I'm setting myself up as some kind of guardian or oracle of THIS IS HOW YOU FEEL for them, but I'm going by just what's in this thread.

Anyway, it's a shame, and it makes me sad, and I wish it wouldn't happen.

Hmm... I only have good memories from all the rides and obviously missed something in the thread?

Oh! And @Andy: I do love you but I have to say that I'm finding your post slightly patronizing. And when I'm saying that I really don't care about your sex, so before anybody will say anything, I would like to make a point of the fact that I would still think the same even if it were typed by female hands*
;-)

The last few posts makes me think I'm going on different ladies rides? I have been on ALL of them, and firstly I have no idea what are you talking about in regards to offending Bernie and Al? I remember Al was on the Box Hill ride, I can say only positives! Bernie on the Epping forest ride, again only good memories. Lots of different other guys on all the rest of the rides. Have I missed something?
Secondly we have had boys on every single ride and as far as I'm aware there was no problem with that. Any way as I said I was on all of those rides and I didn't notice any problems so it makes me even more unsure about the whole situation that people are posting statements here without joining us a single time? What's going on? Can somebody tell me please?

In a nutshell Lola, BM was feeling unsure about leading the ride so I offered to do it instead. In hindsight, the ideal solution would have been for one of the more experienced ladies to offer to help and perhaps I offered help where it wasn't wanted. Instead, I'm going to go out with Kat and recce the route with her.

I have no knowledge of blokes feeling unwelcome here although what you have just said is making me a little apprehensive that it is just me that isn't welcome.

As you hinted, it only appears to be Kate and Rosie who don't do these rides that seems to have an issue. Anyway lets not make a massive thing out of this. Some of you would rather a bloke didn't navigate so I have offered, in the absence of a lady stepping forward to do so, to help BM build her confidence. Problem solved.

1. Learn how to www.mapmyride.com / www.ridewithgps.com / maps.google.co.uk , read paper maps & recce the routes.
   
2. More rides rid = More routes learnt!
   
   

My cycling development objectives. Just need to stop being a wimp and give them a go.

Lola, maybe I took the general jist of the current confusion wrong... I don't know...

Sounds more now like there's a lot of worrying and discussion over nothing, when all that's needed is 1 or 2 ride leaders established to keep things organised.

:)
Didn't mean to sound patronising at all! Sorry - it just seemed like somebody needed to take the bull by the horns

Oh no I didn't "hint" anything about Kate and Rosie! It was directed more towards Andy's post ;-) I didn't know that this is the reason they are not riding with us...hmmm...any way I personally have no problem with boys on the rides, tagging alone or leading.
I really do not care as at the end of the day, it's all about having a good time on the bike! Isn't it? :-)