Hard Day in January '17

That's the top of the hill above Ipsden isn't it? I rode up there earlier today!

(gah, new page fail, the last photo in the sequence)

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Nice work!

It was amazing! Thanks @youramericanlover and also @clubman and also everybody for this really good time. We should now work on that return leg :)

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I'm so annoyed I missed this! In my hungover/ half asleep state I managed to get on the wrong train. Had a solo schlep round Surrey which was fun but I would have much preferred this. Next year I guess...

Few photos, write up later. There is the meaningful one for me with myself and @clubman, and the unedited version with a class photobomb by @cgg

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So much rep. Sorry I couldn't join.

Still digesting

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well everybody a great day in the saddle.

i finished up with 91 miles on the clock so god only knows how much some of you did!

i'm clean and have eaten and surprisingly feeling pretty good.

up for next year but that a-road is a massive no-no. good group decision to bail off it.

only the one stack and that was from standing.....luckily no names.....@youramericanlover

coupla punctures is impressive considering some of the shite we went through at points.

congratulations to the rider of the day @Thuekr, an amazing effort considering an international flight and no brakes.

much love all.

Well done all - must have been hard.

"or I will set the dog loose"

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lol

what a plum that householder was

Afternoon everyone, hope everyone got home safe and letting their knees and legs have a good old rest on this horrible Sunday.

Big rep to @youramericanlover for organising this amazing ride, (granted this wasn't my initial thought, especially waking up at 4am with a massive hangover) thanks to @Howard, @Ecobeard and @jaeyukdapbap for waiting for me and my poor navigation to Richmond Park. Glad to have @Ecobeard have a little #BCC train to tow us to the start and get up warmed up.

In my mind the biggest rep would go to @Thuekr for not only coming all the way from Demark to do this ride, but doing it brakeless (51x17) you definitely should be called 'Thor' instead beasting up those hills!

Kudos for the café stop with its hell angel theme and us stick figure boys turning up on our one gear bikes was definitely a image the café owner probably won't forget for a while. Plus with us only having two punctures for the whole ride I like to think it was a successful ride overall (of course aside from the lady saying to us 'release the hounds' on us).

Anyways, as usual here is my epic photo bombs from yesterday's ride and hopefully I will see more new and old forum members of other rides this year soon:

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My photo contributions from yesterday.

A very enjoyable ride that, as @skive says, a new return leg or loop back onto the outward leg and its a cracking all year round route that.

cheers all

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More pics:

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@youramericanlover can download my Garmin file here. It's in FIT format, should be able to upload to Strava or GC or whatever.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/x3aesa4a59pm2k4/71E91214.FIT?dl=0

Powertap batteries dumped, so there are weird power readings in there.

Airport tip = Don't bring 15 wrench and ahdij17 cog through security (ahdij17 cog was released after a short time in custady, declared as not being a weapon).

LoL

Did you have to explain to them how you came to have the famed cog?

I would have loved to explain him, but he was more the 'fit and forget' type.

guess it kinda looks like a ninja star.

glad you got through ok in the end.

did they confiscate it??

He left with my 15 spanner and hdij17 cog - then he returned with the hdij17 cog after consulting his superior :)

Glad you got home safe nevertheless mate! Hope to see you in June at the RadRace! :)

Shame about the wrench, though I am glad the HDIJ Rider of Merit cog made it through.

Thanks again to all the riders who turned up for this and apologies for those who didn't make it all the way round. Most importantly everyone finished the day safely.
I was very pleased with the quality of the group. Special thanks to @clubman for his invaluable riding and route advice, it was a real treat to have you along. The 2012 edition was my first experience with group riding which you helped guide me through. Also @Ecobeard for co-leading and doing more than your fair share on the front. You were all also patient when my Garmin reading (and ability to simply stand up) temporarily failed me. I will amend the route for next year's edition to be much more pleasant on the return leg and avoid those A-roads.

Well before the cafe stop I thought the group had sorted communication and was keeping a nice tempo and generally working together well. @HoKe took welcome turns on the front and the back and @jaeyukdapbap did an excellent job of backstopping for the group all the way back but I was really happy with how everyone rode.

As per tradition there was an award for Rider of Merit for the day. Special consideration is given to @h2o for a sterling effort and excellent disposition and in any other year the award would have been yours. Sorry the elastic snapped so close to home, you were only a few mins behind all told. However @Thuekr 's journey from Denmark specifically for this ride and ridiculous gear ratio (and you came all this way and left your brake at home! ;) made it impossible for me to give it to anyone else. Well done.

Great job again everyone - and welcome back @skive - hope to see you all next year.

If someone could use some battered (but functional, except the heelstud missing on one shoe), then I left a pair of these in 44 at @Hulsroy place to freecycle.

And a special thanks to @hulsroy who hosted me and my childish ways over the weekend.

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