RIDE FULL - C run to Whit Lenge Sunday 12 March

[George]

I'll lead a C run to Whit Lenge this coming Sunday... PROVIDING the weather doesn't deteriorate too alarmingly. The forecast is currently predicting some windy, cold and snowy weather during the week, but giving way to a milder, showery weekend. If that's the way things pan out, the ride will go ahead. It won't go ahead if there is ice/frost or if it's wall-to-wall filth. A final decision will be made once we have a reliable short-range forecast (Friday/Saturday).

Departure: 09:15 from the BH (meet 10 minutes before)
Speed: roughly 22kph/14mph
Distance: 75km/47mi
Terrain: undulating, with a couple of long, but not overly steep drags on the way home
Max participation: up to 10 people, including me; advanced sign-up preferred, but on-the-line joiners welcome subject to the limit of 10
Group riding policy: I would like us to ride as a disciplined group and stick to the advertised speed, without forcing on the hills
Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/42067900

NB: I *might* peel off before the end and let the rest ride back into the city without me. That will depend on how experienced/fragmented the group is, and whether the weather tempts me to make (or deters me from making) the round trip by bike.

Provisional participant list:
George Barker (L)
Patrick Chen
Wayne Gibbs
Cedric Gioan
Richard Leaper
Andy McGrath
James Perrett
Mariana Sorrill
Steve Vaughan
Will Woodhouse

[CeGi]

Hi George,

I'm in. Haven't ridden with you in ages, will be nice.
Just the right distance for the start of my 'ramp-up to 300'.
Just hope I'll manage to keep up when uphill.



NB1: Please note that due to medical reasons I use a handle-bar extender, a bit like TT-bars. I use this to relief the pain of NHS diagnosed trapped nerves in my wrists and elbows. I do NOT use these to ride like a TT racer, to draft behind others or similar performance seeking stunts.
Every bike ride, be it commute, ride alone or in group, entails its share of risks (bad road surface, motorised traffic, natural elements, our or other riders' mistakes or inattentions...). This is common knowledge and we all ride at our own risk. Nevertheless if my use of this extender, despite sanctioned by the BRCC committee, makes you feel uncomfortable, please do not join this ride.

[George]

See you Sunday, Ced, weather permitting.

[Mariana278]

Hi George if it stays dry I will join you thanks

[George]

Great. You're on the list, Mariana.

[Patrick]

Hi George,
I’m in

[George]

I look forward to seeing you again Patrick. Hopefully you are over your recent Covid setback.

[Steve 68v]

Hi George can you add me please
Steve V

[George]

Certainly, Steve. Look forward to seeing you.

[CeGi]

Would this bike be allowed for the week-end ?

Screenshot 2023-03-09 214721.png (365.11 KiB) Viewed 9279 times

Fortunately the weather looks much better for Sunday. Difficult to imagine right now

[Cycleperson698]

I liked the use of the word filth. You almost have to spit it out.

[George]

Well, with 48 hours to go, the weather forecast for Sunday is looking relatively positive: breezy, but mild and dry until late afternoon. As Ced says, it's hard to imagine right now, but that's apparently the way it'll be. The roads are bound to be wet and, yes, filthy, after all the precipitation, so it's definitely going to be a day for mudguards. However, unless the forecasters have a dramatic change of heart in the next 24 hours, the ride will go ahead.

See you all on Sunday!

[James Perrett]

Count me in as well please

[rdleaper]

I'll come if I may

[Wilvo]

I’d like to join please.

[YourAverageJoe]

If there's still space, I'll join you on this one as well.

Wayne

[George]

Great! You're all added to the list. See you tomorrow.

[+AndyMcGrath]

Can I join pls George. I think I'll be the 10th rider
Thanks Andy McG

[George]

Can I join pls George. I think I'll be the 10th rider
Thanks Andy McG

Yep, see you there, Andy.

[+AndyMcGrath]

George I’ll have to give this a miss after all. Have a good ride

[George]

George I’ll have to give this a miss after all. Have a good ride

Thanks, Andy.

[George]

We had a good ride today, albeit interrupted by a fall for Ced and some **flat** trouble for Wayne. The roads were pretty mucky and the breeze was fresh, but it was mild and dry, and it's always good to be out in the lanes with good company. Thanks, all. See you soon!

Final participant list:
George Barker (L)
Patrick Chen
Wayne Gibbs
Cedric Gioan
Richard Leaper
James Perrett
Mariana Sorrill
Steve Vaughan
Will Woodhouse

[Mariana278]

Thanks for leading great route but it was not a route’ with a couple of long, but not overly steep drags on the way home’ lol

[CeGi]

Thanks for the nice ride Georges. Really enjoyed the route. The clockwise direction was a nice change from the counterclockwise I was used to.
Only one request though, next time can you please choose a route where the curbs are a little less hard?

[George]

Thanks for leading great route but it was not a route’ with a couple of long, but not overly steep drags on the way home’ lol

Haha! Glad you could make it Mariana. I suppose hilliness is a subjective thing, and you and I evidently have a slightly different take on the topic. But I reckon my description fits well with the stats: the overall ascent figure of fractionally over 1000m climbing per 100km is middling: neither very flat nor very hilly, and RwGPS reckons the max gradient was 8%, which isn't extreme. All the same, I'll bear what you say in mind when describing future rides.

See you soon!

[George]

Thanks for the nice ride Georges. Really enjoyed the route. The clockwise direction was a nice change from the counterclockwise I was used to.
Only one request though, next time can you please choose a route where the curbs are a little less hard?

Nice photo, Ced! Hope you're not hurting too much this morning.

[rdleaper]

Hope the ribs/hip feel OK today Cedric!

[CeGi]

Thanks guys. Still pretty sore but I think I just about avoided the broken or cracked ribs I feared. Had it once with a bad driver and once stupidly alone in my garage, so would be glad to avoid 1 month 1/2 of pain when lying in bed trying to fall asleep

[CeGi]

Nice photo, Ced! Hope you're not hurting too much this morning.

There's a parodic video on my Strava ride. Better try to wash the shame away with humour!