Grimpeurs du Sud

[Martin]

I've had a couple of enquiries about medals / badges (AUK terms not mine, a badge is something you pin on IMO)

The silver 25mm pin is available to anyone who completes 5 rides price £2.50 posted (or £2 direct from PatC or myself) you can buy as many as you like, probably going to order another 100 soon

the gold cloth badge is awarded free to anybody who has done 5 years of the award; or done Grimpeurs d'Or and a standard GdS in at least 3 separate years (ie 25 rides in total) you only get one there are about 20 left and WTGTG

as you were 

[Hillbilly]

but there was an unknown - to me - rider unwilling to freewheel on KT.)

It was his first audax.  He just got round within time.  Ended with a great line asking "are there flat events in the area" (or words to that effect). I got the impression that he found it a fair challenge.

[Martin]

but there was an unknown - to me - rider unwilling to freewheel on KT.)

It was his first audax.  He just got round within time.  Ended with a great line asking "are there flat events in the area"

I presume you pointed him to the many 0AAA rides in the calendar? 

a flat ride that goes to East Sussex would probably be several circuits of Pevensey Levels

there was one flat one; the Invicta 100 of 2000mumble which I rode a lot (for fun; no entry no nothing) before I got onto the AAA treadmill

[Hillbilly]

I got the impression he will be back for more. One of the reasons he took so long was he was taking pictures as he went round.

[Hillbilly]

I'm planning two days of hilly fun next year that will be GdS eligible:

21 April - Surrey Hills (60km so not GdS unless ECE'd) and Surrey Thrills (120km).  Loosely based on my permanent route, with some extra hills thrown in.  Box Hill start/finish planned.  I'm investigating the hire of the village hall (back up plan is a car park start and pub finish).  I've done the 120km route as a permanent.  It's a nice route, but as hard as a viagra pumped priapism patient getting a lap dance. 

7 July - Around Weald Expedition (215km) and Kidds Toys (123km).  Basically the same routes as 2012, although might be some tweaks following helpful feedback.

[Martin]

NB you can only ECE a calendar ride to a minimum 200km; and it wouldn't be GdS eligible unless you could show a 100km AAA section (would need to be by gps)

had some fun on the Surrey Secrets DIY today; much more benign than the TotH but still with the iconic climb of the Zig Zag (and the more brutal ascent of Pebble Hill earlier)

saw the whole cycling population of the South East on those hills today 

[Grandad]

and the more brutal ascent of Pebble Hill earlier

As a matter of interest when did Pebble Combe become Pebble Hill?  I noticed the new style name when riding it a few weeks ago for the first time since the 1950s

[Mrs Blacksheep]

Hello All,

Yes we all had a lovely ride yesterday (that's myself & Ann), meeting Martin in Costa where he gave me a YACF badge .

We rode the ride and stayed dry all day novel for a summer ride this year.
I loved the route as I was brought up not far from Box Hill.  The manager of the bike shop
there, is someone I rode with when I was a member of the Surrey Roads CC in 1978.  So we had
to stop and call in to say hello.

I get a bit worried using my Garmin Etrex vista HCx  (called monster for short)
in case it does not record properly, but yesterday it did a grand job,
and renewed my confindence it the device.

I'll be back!!! As I now have 2 rides in the bag for one of those badges, and I need something
to keep my motivation going as I would like to get 180AAA's for my 11 month Audax year.

I'm smiling from ear to ear at the moment as last Sunday accompained by BlackSheep I took the ladies
AAA record set in 1998 with a total of 165AAA's.  .  I've ridden mostly Stephen Poulton's perms as they are
local so keep cost and time to the minimum.  I have had a number of folk riding with me from time to time and all
have looked after me, having a wheel to follow is great.  But I also have a virtual back up team, via emails and text messages,
who have followed my adventures.  It has been a great cycling year.

Bfn Louise

[cover girl]

Glad you enjoyed Surrey Secrets!  Though I'm thinking of renaming this version (with Box Hill) Surrey Not So Secret...

And not so benign either...  just think, two more metres and it's worth 2.25AAA – I'm sure I can find those for next time!

You MUST go for your five GdS rides this year Louise – those little red badges are just so adorable! 

[Martin]

just think, two more metres and it's worth 2.25AAA – I'm sure I can find those for next time!

err no says the AAA Man it's a basic 2 

Mrs B; your etrex needs urgent surgery (or euthanasia) as I said on Saturday; it ain't supposed to do that!

[Hillbilly]

Kidds Toys upgraded to 2.25AAA.

There will be an info next year to make the bit which helps this upgrade become unavoidable (which I suggested to AAA man, having felt compelled to ensure the integrity of the climb figure - a change to the "flow" that I have mixed feelings about.  When did people get so fussy about fractions of AAA points?)

[Hillbilly]

Booked Box Hill Village Hall for the Surrey Hills & Hillier rides on 21 April.

Two ascents of Box Hill on the 100.  And two ascents to Col d'Harbour.  And two bites of Winterfold.  And a sprinkling of 2 climbs up to Ranmore Common.  And to break it up a climb of Pitch Hill.  Lots of iconic Surrey Hills climbs, tackled from different angles, with lunch provided.

Divide by two for 50.

Ding dong.  Stick it in your diary.

[mmmmartin]

Ding dong

Indeed. And that village hall is quite luxurious.

[Martin]

And two bites of Winterfold

think I'm washing the cat that day (actually I will be there as always; goes with dreaming up this award I suppose)

you really should try Surrey Secrets; the gain without the pain; the Betchworth approach is the best IMHO

[Hillbilly]

you really should try Surrey Secrets; the gain without the pain; the Betchworth approach is the best IMHO

Ah, you are thinking of Box Hill? I really dislike the pebble hill way up Box Hill from Betchworth.  It offers no views, only a direct 14% climb.  That said, I've not cycled up it for a wee while, so in the pursuit of happiness I'll see what it would be like if I were to put it in.  It does, for example, allow a nicer route between the bottom of Leith Hill and the bottom of Box Hill via the lanes that broadly trace the progress of the River Mole.

Although less exciting, I'm also investigating some tweaks to the Around Weald, that I think will make the route prettier but no more hilly.  In particular, I'm looking into the feasibility of going to Herstmonceaux rather than Battle, and possibly controlling a bit to the west of the Keston checkpoint to better avoid the descent of Chalkpit.

[Martin]

Rode AWE again as a DIY yesterday with cover girl for her 100AAA 

I think it would make an excellent perm, definitely at the easier end of the spectrum and suitable for RRTY and a handy potential 42AAA to boot. Keston has a post office if you wanted to use that.

A slight and much more benign long-cut with slightly more climbing was Tandridge Hill instead of the vicious White Lane,
it's on my occasional commute into That London

[Hillbilly]

Permanent already plotted out and will be

Edenbridge
Selsdon
Forest row
Mayfield
Battle
Groombridge / Langton green
Swanley
Edenbridge

It's not an easy ride, just fair. It purposefully has some stiff climbing separated by bits to recover.

[Martin]

I was comparing it to other 200 AAA perms (of which I've ridden none but done their calendar counterparts)

[Hillbilly]

I can think of rides that have a similar feel, but you are right.  I got to the end of the ride feeling remarkably chipper.  And this despite it only being my 2nd (audax) 200 of the year.  I did wonder about forcing the ride over Kidds and also an extended trip amongst the north downs, but in the end thought that it would do more harm than good.  The best comment I got from riders was one that said something along the lines that it felt like a nice route that just happened to include some hills.  I am hoping to keep that feel.

Another 200 is gestating in my head and might burst free at some point, like an Alien.  Criss crosses the length of the North Downs.  I'll ride it at some point, to see how feasible it is as a calendar event.  I rode a bit yesterday (which also doubled as a check on whether Selsdon, Warlingham or New Addiscombe would be the best place to control the AWE perm) and it was tiring.  That said, my concern is that it will need too many controls (10 or so?) and involve too many technical descents, but you never know.

If that doesn't work out, I'll leave the second 200km grimpeur in the area to another, more creative route setter.

[Martin]

intrigued by the Selsdon and Swanley deviations; do they add much distance? we both agreed that the descent into Eynsford (with its views of both Canary Wharf the Gherkin and the QE2 bridge) is unmissable 

[Hillbilly]

Swanley adds.  Selsdon broadly distance neutral.  Touch more climbing but not much.

Selsdon chosen because of range of controls it offers and a nice ride via Farleigh common.  Swanley likewise, as takes ride via the rather lovely bridge over the ford in Eynsford village.

Need to submit to john ward though. Likewise running by the AAA man.

[StevieB]

I'm looking into the feasibility of going to Herstmonceaux rather than Battle

Having been to Battle twice (both at your insistence!) my vote goes for the other place.

First time I found an OK café on the triangle in front of the abbey, but I was the only cyclist there and it felt like it. This year I stopped at the co-op, which was OK, but didn’t feel like the momentous occasion to justified cycling 100 km to get there.

I’ve also found Battle to be over-crowded - the traffic does not flow well down the main street, and it just doesn’t feel a good place to be on a bicycle.

Perhaps others found a great place to stop and hopefully they will share their recommendation... 
 

[StevieB]

I'm smiling from ear to ear at the moment as last Sunday accompanied by BlackSheep I took the ladies AAA record set in 1998 with a total of 165AAA's.

      CONGRATULATIONS!     

I am staggered at your achievement! With 3x RTTY and 3x SR, this is the first year I’ll squeeze into 20 AAA points (with a ride later this month) and GdS (with a ride next month), so to be hitting 180 points in eleven months… and GdS when you don’t even live in the Sud! Staggering! Well done, your smiles are deserved!

[Hillbilly]

I'm looking into the feasibility of going to Herstmonceaux rather than Battle

Having been to Battle twice (both at your insistence!) my vote goes for the other place.

I agree with what you say about Battle.  Will use for the perm version, but the calendar will go elsewhere.  I'm really taken with the idea of sending the route down to the observatory in the H place.  Its a shame the hills run out before the coast, otherwise I'd send it down there.

[Mrs Blacksheep]

Hi

Not achieved Gds yet still have 3 rides to go, but working on it .

Thanks for noting my AAA total.

bfn