Hard Day in January '22

Until yesterday I had every intention of trying to support the ride, as before, coming by car with camera, spares and the trophy.

Although I'm perfectly well, Covid related problems have now made this undesirable and I 've reluctantly decided to stay away.

I'm confident that someone else can write the report and provide photos. Unfortunately I can't get the trophy for the 'Most Meritorious Ride' to you for tomorrow. I think this award is a significant and worthwhile feature of the ride, so it should not be forgotten. I will consult with YAL as to what should be done about this, but my suggestion is that the recipient should be decided upon tomorrow, and I will get the trophy to YAL (who should probably become the custodian of the trophy) and at some point later in the year there should be a meeting of HDiJ riders, past and present, to present it to the lucky winner.

For now, all that's left to me is to wish Good Luck! to all rider's in tomorrow's event.

Sorry to hear that Chris but probably wise. Good plan for the award.
Take care

I’ve just been out for a lap of Biggin Hill airport and there is no frost or ice that way. Hopefully you’ll have similar conditions. Enjoy the ride!

this man is bigger than Gritting Kent

Hi gents. I don't have it today so going to head home. Bailing at 52km, top of Bayley's Hill. [Old Greg] Do you like Bayley's? [OLC] no I do not.

Enjoy the ride in x

Nice to ride with guys for a bit, hope the rest of HDIJ goes well.

Rest of the ride was good, I came straight home after (covid reasons) so am home now, I'm guessing the rest may still be in the pub. MY legs are unhappy with me, but other than that, very enjoyable ride (...in a way). @clubman-sorry you couldn't make it, but as you say, a meet up presentation when possible would be good.

Great ride. Thanks for having me. Safely on the train back up north (with provisions for the journey).
Hope to see some of you again in March for the Peaks edition.

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Oh what a ride! Thank you guys for cracking day out. Still can’t believe I did it to the end!

Excellent day out! Thank you all for the route (diversion and all!), company and chat at the pub. Legs are feeling it but glad to have just about made it round in one piece!

Great day out, weather looked kindly on us for what seemed like the first time in a year. Very thankful for good chat, no ice and excellent beers at the end. Thanks as ever to Dan for organising and everyone who came along for making it what it is.

Hopefully see you soon on a Tuesday night hills, hard day in the peaks or a tnrc soon!

Impressive post ride replenishment work!

The first photo here is amazing. So much going on

HDIJ 2022
Well that went just as I'd hoped. After a long wait since the last edtion we had a great group on a fairly hilly loop for a HDIJ. The temp had lifted just enough so there was no ice (still chilly though) and the roads were a lot cleaner than I expected.

The route was sort of a classic club run / cafe loop kinda thing, but doing it fixed in Jan I think did give it that extra challenge and I certainly felt like I'd had my fill of lanes by the end. For me, I loved climbing Toys which was quiet and smooth and has the perfect gradient for fixed climbing. And the valley views with grazing sheep made Bayleys and Old Terry's worth the spin up.

We lost vilms and another (as forewarned) on Toys, chopsicle at the cafe as he was headed off for a family lunch, and then onelesscardigan on Bayleys. Cake at the Chiddingstone cafe was 10/10. Altho onelesscardigan still like us got stung by the closure of the Gracious Lane flyover, and we had the double-edged sword of Back Lane but then some grim roads through to Otford until Old Terry's Lodge. The suggest pub indeed had better beer and they let us bring our bikes inside. Outstanding.

For a fixed / SS they there was a nice variation in set-ups, from wide bar cruisers to a fast off road capable dropbar 'whip'. And I was v pleased with the good, sensible riding in face the face of some occasionally terrible driving.

Big respect to Po and TTM who were the strongest on the day with everyone else as the rest of the best. However the most meritorious rider award goes to @cagimaha. While he expressed pre-ride fitness protestations on the day he was steady, really helpful back stopping and offering exiting riders with good directions and overall grinding out loop with some proper climbing in it with grace AND in forum skinsuit. Well done dude, you are a Don of the Cog.

HDIJ does have a bit of a diversity problem. I understand it's a forum ride and the forum itself has a diversity problem, so it's partly a function of that and that HDIJ is a niche within a niche. But I've got some work to do get some women on the ride as I know they are out there, and it might need a rethink of structure. Something to work on for 2023. But after how difficult the last two years have been I am nonetheless hugely grateful for the ride that took place yesterday.

Here is the winner and I think a moment from my "speech"

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Few pics:

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Bit more epic black & white suffering please, Dan. These pictures make it look like you were enjoying yourselves

Here you go, proper suffering

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Ok

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Thanks to all for a great day out. Good chat, good cake, good lanes and good beer - can’t ask for much more than that.

Brilliant organisation and leadership by @youramericanlover, top backstop work from @cagimaha and all round great riding from everyone made this totally stress free and a joy.

Im already looking forward to next year

Totally agree, great ride much appreciated for organising this @youramericanlover and i too am looking forward to next year.

I preferred you with the beard

Where is your third pic taken please? I thought I knew the route you guys were taking but that doesn't look familiar...

Knatts Valley

Nice one, thank you. Looks like a wonderful ride! Chapeau.