Author Topic: Surrey Hilly 50  (Read 5931 times)

Tim Hall

  • Victoria is my queen
Surrey Hilly 50
« on: 29 February, 2016, 11:31:01 am »
This weekend is the Surrey Hilly 50.

It's in Surrey.
It's Hilly.
It's 50km long.

I plan to be there. Details here:http://www.cyclingswlondon.org.uk/
There are two ways you can get exercise out of a bicycle: you can
"overhaul" it, or you can ride it.  (Jerome K Jerome)

Re: Surrey Hilly 50
« Reply #1 on: 29 February, 2016, 11:46:55 am »
Good luck on White Down Lane. That's a fucker alright! I have copied the route to my gps so i can attempt it one summer's day.

Re: Surrey Hilly 50
« Reply #2 on: 29 February, 2016, 11:47:46 am »
A great ride. Lots of fun. But, sadly, not one I can make this year.
Rust never sleeps

Re: Surrey Hilly 50
« Reply #3 on: 29 February, 2016, 12:34:58 pm »
Good luck on White Down Lane. That's a fucker alright! I have copied the route to my gps so i can attempt it one summer's day.
White Down is fine. Once you know what to expect  ;)

Tim Hall

  • Victoria is my queen
Re: Surrey Hilly 50
« Reply #4 on: 29 February, 2016, 12:47:41 pm »
Good luck on White Down Lane. That's a fucker alright! I have copied the route to my gps so i can attempt it one summer's day.
White Down is fine. Once you know what to expect  ;)

So, are you doing it this year?
There are two ways you can get exercise out of a bicycle: you can
"overhaul" it, or you can ride it.  (Jerome K Jerome)

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Surrey Hilly 50
« Reply #5 on: 29 February, 2016, 01:01:00 pm »
Hmm.  When I did this last time it involved an audax o'clock train and a mildly inappropriate bike.

Obviously it wouldn't be sensible to attempt this when I've hardly ridden for a month due to lurgy....

Re: Surrey Hilly 50
« Reply #6 on: 29 February, 2016, 01:02:43 pm »
Good luck on White Down Lane. That's a fucker alright! I have copied the route to my gps so i can attempt it one summer's day.
White Down is fine. Once you know what to expect  ;)

So, are you doing it this year?
I'm trying to convince myself that I do not need a world of pain, when I could be enjoying a late, chi-chi breakfast in one of the many shabby-chic hostelries that seem to proliferate in this corner of Londres-sud, serving quail's egg omlettes on an organic plank.

ETA -TBH, no. The last time I did it, the road surfaces were, for the most part, in such poor condition as to remove anything which may be construed as pleasure, from the ride.

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Re: Surrey Hilly 50
« Reply #7 on: 29 February, 2016, 02:12:38 pm »
Hmm.  When I did this last time it involved an audax o'clock train and a mildly inappropriate bike.

Obviously it wouldn't be sensible to attempt this when I've hardly ridden for a month due to lurgy....

So Kim's in then!

I quite fancy having another lanterne rouge at this but we are off to Sunny Suffolk for a 70th birthday bash - a ceilidh at the Woodbridge Yacht Club.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Re: Surrey Hilly 50
« Reply #8 on: 29 February, 2016, 03:33:22 pm »
The last time I did it, the road surfaces were, for the most part, in such poor condition as to remove anything which may be construed as pleasure, from the ride.

T'was the same when I did it as well.

Tim Hall

  • Victoria is my queen
Re: Surrey Hilly 50
« Reply #9 on: 29 February, 2016, 03:59:55 pm »
The last time I did it, the road surfaces were, for the most part, in such poor condition as to remove anything which may be construed as pleasure, from the ride.

T'was the same when I did it as well.

<tandem club>
Smoother than one of Dave W's rides though
</tandem club>
There are two ways you can get exercise out of a bicycle: you can
"overhaul" it, or you can ride it.  (Jerome K Jerome)

Re: Surrey Hilly 50
« Reply #10 on: 29 February, 2016, 04:36:15 pm »
You expect me to comment on that?   ???

jane

  • Mad pie-hating female
Re: Surrey Hilly 50
« Reply #11 on: 04 March, 2016, 08:34:57 am »
How did it go?
Despite having ridden probably thousands of miles around the Surrey Hills over the last forty years, I have never done this particular ride.  Our little group at Lewisham Cyclists do a Surrey Hills Ride four times a year, one for each season.  Our Spring one will be in April. Each one is slightly different, but they all include Box Hill, Leith Hill, White Down and a mug of tea and a cheese straw at the Peaslake Village shop.  The winter one is the shortest and the summer one is a 100 miler, riding out and back from Lewisham.  We are not speedy racers, so that takes us all day.  2015 saw me almost fall off my bike at the top of Barhatch Lane.  For me, that's the toughest road climb in the area.  Harder than White Down.

Re: Surrey Hilly 50
« Reply #12 on: 04 March, 2016, 04:56:28 pm »
How did it go?
....

We won't know until tomorrow  ;)

jane

  • Mad pie-hating female
Re: Surrey Hilly 50
« Reply #13 on: 05 March, 2016, 03:42:49 pm »
Oops...I thought it was last weekend! Misread the OP.

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Surrey Hilly 50
« Reply #14 on: 05 March, 2016, 04:29:44 pm »
Well I just did a windy 40 instead.

jane

  • Mad pie-hating female
Re: Surrey Hilly 50
« Reply #15 on: 05 March, 2016, 06:21:23 pm »
All I managed was a Chilly 30!  With a rather expensive LMNH breakfast in the middle.  They were never the absolute cheapest, but in the long interval since my last visit, their prices seem to have taken a rather large leap.  Although it's the first time I've had breakfast type stuff there.

Tim Hall

  • Victoria is my queen
Re: Surrey Hilly 50
« Reply #16 on: 05 March, 2016, 07:00:14 pm »
Ride report, as posted over the road:

Without getting all Henry V on yo ass, those that didn't go shall think themselves accursed. My original plan was to ride to the start, but a combination of running short of time and a game of hunt the wallet meant I caught a train from Gatwick.

The start was thinly populated, and a bit of snow started falling just before the off. Mike Morely waved us off and I was soon out the back of the pack, feeling as rough as a fence post as we climbed up to Ranmore. I was in half a mind to pack it in, but cheered up (and warmed up) by the top and then enjoyed the descent into Dorking and I caught part of the field. We were soon climbing up Coldharbour Lane, which was fine, and then right into Logmore Lane, where the surface was terrible. Chatting to another rider, we decided, as we rolled past the 5 bed mansions, that we were obviously in an area of social deprivation.

Onto the A25, home of the impatient driver, then back onto the lanes. The sun came out for a bit, the roads were quiet and mostly well surfaced and liberally coated with chevrons - that climb up Sheephouse Lane is always character forming. By now I'd hooked up with Don from Weybridge on his carbon MTB, with gears low enough to climb a wall, and we stayed together round the rest of the route. His big tyres were a good choice for the roads too. We'd been tailing a bunch from VC London for a while, but my navigation skills saw them depart in Holmbury St Mary when they went the wrong way. Hah! Score one for remembering the route.

We were soon at the turn in Ewhurst, spinning up Pitch Hill, with some rubbish ovetaking from a Volvo driver to keep us entertained and VC London overhauled us, having got themselves back on track. The descent past the Scout camp was, as ever, a delight. A long gentle slope, so I gave it some beans, easing off a bit as it started to rain a bit. The road surfaces started getting manky again, and Hoe Lane was like some one had treated it to a horticultural instrument of some sort. A rotovator probably. White Down was calling, so water proof off, engage tiny chain ring and head down. We were at the top without too much bother, then along the rolly bit of Ranmore, sadly devoid of the coffee van.

More beans as we dropped down to Kate Westhumble and then a whizz up the zigzags in the sunshine, which lasted until the top where Mike was waiting to greet us. Don shot off back down the hill while I dithered, scoffed a pasty and chatted to a couple of riders. Finally it was down hill time, heading for the station again, as I was tired and cold. A pint of Falls Gold in the Lincoln (A superb golden ale with a soft fruity nose. A bitter apricot front is followed by more soft fruits and a charming light hoppiness) and then up the stairs to wait for the train.

A Good Day.
There are two ways you can get exercise out of a bicycle: you can
"overhaul" it, or you can ride it.  (Jerome K Jerome)

Re: Surrey Hilly 50
« Reply #17 on: 04 February, 2017, 04:14:27 pm »
Just done this ride! Hilly isn't even the right word! 34 miles and 4,100 ft and I chopped off the loop at the end of Box Hill cos we raced for the train instead! Jesus!

Re: Surrey Hilly 50
« Reply #18 on: 04 February, 2017, 08:49:55 pm »
:-)  What word do you have in mind ?
Rust never sleeps

Re: Surrey Hilly 50
« Reply #19 on: 20 February, 2019, 08:08:00 pm »
The 2019 edition of this ride is on Saturday 2nd March.

Same route, same hills. Tropical weather (possibly).

White Down isn't nice, but it isn't as bad as Barhatch Lane and I've known an Audax organiser OTP put that at the end of a 200k ride!

Details here. http://swlondonctc.wixsite.com/ctcswlondon/hilly-50k

Re: Surrey Hilly 50
« Reply #20 on: 20 February, 2019, 08:42:59 pm »
The 2018 edition of this ride is on Saturday 2nd March.

Same route, same hills. Tropical weather (possibly).

White Down isn't nice, but it isn't as bad as Barhatch Lane and I've known an Audax organiser OTP put that at the end of a 200k ride!

Details here. http://swlondonctc.wixsite.com/ctcswlondon/hilly-50k
2019 Shirly?

Re: Surrey Hilly 50
« Reply #21 on: 20 February, 2019, 08:59:24 pm »
Thank you. Post edited. I now know at least one person has read the post.

In my defence I'm fighting off a heavy cold and the brain isn't working properly.

Tell me again, what year is it?

Re: Surrey Hilly 50
« Reply #22 on: 26 February, 2019, 08:27:01 pm »
Bugger. Again I have another commitment.
Rust never sleeps