Surrey Sportive

[butcherboy]

Hi Janice here posting on Andrew’s behalf! I’ve just dropped him at Epsom Racecourse- the start of a 103 mile ride!! Judging by the weather I think a canoe would have been a more appropriate mode of transport- still he’s got his banana, energy gel and jelly babies so he should be ok! I’m sure he’ll tell you all about his adventures when he gets back

[butcherboy]

I would definitely do this again – lovely area and great route. There are two things I would change- the weather was bloody awful – cycling through standing water that meant I had to unclip my cleets to get through- water up to my pedals. The second thing I would change is  not to be so unlucky with punctures- I had 7 – is that a Dynamos record???

Got into a fast group of 4 working really well for the first 25 miles until I had my first puncture. Then basically it was survival from there on – clearly had something in my tyre that was causing the punctures – but damned if I could find it! The tubes seemed to last for about 5 miles  and then another puncture – thanks to fantastic fellow cyclists – they managed to keep me going by giving me tubes. One of the last punctures – it must have been about 20 miles from home- I could feel the tyre going down again and I stopped by a Marshall who was standing on a descent warning us to slow down due to treacherous conditions. He tried to pump up the tyre but this tube was knackered and I really thought my race was over. He phoned the sweeper wagon and I was going to get picked up within an hour. By this time I was really cold – I phoned Jan- but I had no idea where I was so couldn’t direct her to me! After a couple of minutes I asked the Marshall if it would be rude to flag down another cyclist for a tube and his answer was ” I ain’t gonna do it but you can if you want!” So I did!!  I had come all this way and Box Hill was still to climb so I was determined to get to the top of that. Lo and behold had another puncture – so I pumped up at the bottom of Box Hill -it didn’t get me to the top so I had to stop half way up and pump up again which got me to the top. There I was pumping up the tyre again when another kind cyclist stopped and gave me yet another tube – sadly this didn’t get me home – it went after a couple of miles! So for the last  10 miles I couldn’t be arsed to change any more so just stopped every 2 miles and pumped up the tyre!

I know it sounds an horrendous day – but it was great to do a different route – and on any other day with better weather and no punctures it would’ve been a fantastic ride.

[Roger]

Unlucky mate!

The weather is an occupational hazard of October runs but 7 punctures…

Remembering my 4 in an old Tour of Pembrokeshire I really sympathise ..but that was in June and I had only 4.

I think you did amazingly well to finish and not throw the bike over a hedge and walk off!

You ( or Janice ) may need counselling for post traumatic stress disorder.

If I don’t throw away my fitness next year..I’ll see if I get permission to attend

[The Slinky Otter]

Bloody hell,sounds like a tough day in the saddle. Well done for having the grit to get through it.
How was box hill? Does it compare to anything round here?

Ps. Don’t think I didn’t notice your dura-ace wheels the other day.

[butcherboy]

Those dura-ace wheels weren’t much good to me yesterday slinky. Would of been better off with flippers!!

Box hill is very over rated. It’s about 2 miles long but not steep at all, anywhere. Maybe 5/6% in places. Even you could have got up there stuck on my wheel slinky!!!

[Ants]

Oh mr chairman that was very very bad luck but the box hill being easy,it’s ok for you your related to a mountain goat.

[The Slinky Otter]

Closely related to a mountain goat (you need look no further than our chairmans height for evidence of this), yet he is petrified of mountain bikes. I’d wager something happened to him on one as a kid (agagagag).

[Morganite]

As we all know our Chairman was in the south of England last weekend.

See attached article, do you think this was Butcherboy?

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest/540838/mystery-cyclist-beats-the-pro-s-strava-times.html

[Author]

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