Plugging up Galley Hill on my way to the meeting I was joined by my old 2-up TT partner Matt Reynolds, also on fixed. We knew we were running late and from the summit we spotted the red and white lights of the bunch flashing in the distance, but a minute later we arrived at an empty hut with nary a tail lamp in sight. Cue an ad hoc re-run of our stomach churning 2-up ESCA TT effort of the other season. Changing lead every minute or so we caught the tail end group leaving Bexhill, soaked up some stragglers in no mans land, some of whom tailed along with us for a bit. Tantalizingly out of reach in distance we could see the leading bunch of a dozen strung out in single file. A fierce northerly boxed our ears loudly from the side, and unable to talk with the effort we somehow breathlessly communicated that when bridged the gap we'd silently join the back of the group, sit in and try to recover a bit before the last mile, Matt got on first at summit of Spooky Hill and I flagging on too big a gear at this point - rejoined on the descent. At that very moment the front of group picked up the pace a little more and split off towards the meeting stop! No chance of a rest as we had to accelearte again just to hang on the back but we felt really chuffed anyway to finish in the bunch as just two of us working together smoothly had caught a bunch of eleven, holding at least two or three riders stronger than us and as many equals, sandbagging it till the end! Two vs eleven . . . on fixed. We both felt a bit sick, but enjoyed it really, as did everyone else who all seemed to be in good spirits and enthusiastically replaying their best and worst bits to their fellows. Simon Newell had a troublesome puncture and a few solid club companions remained with him as first some slower riders then the majority who were begining to feel the cold set off, about twenty riders altogether. Sorry for miscalling the junction at Cooden, and thanks to Stuart Hodd for this weeks title lifted form his own Strava feed.
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| Andy Coulter |
For new riders we might take the opportunity to explain our Wednesday ride doesn't always run like a chaingang in the classic roadie sense where the goal is for everyone to do short equal spells of ten seconds to a minute agreed on the spot as conditions allow, working together in manner of a team trial. A flick of the elbow is the signal that a rider on front is tired when he eases up by one mile per hour to allow the next rider in line to come through. Its OK to do a shorter spell or ride at a slightly reduced pace if tired, but the next rider in line must come through smoothly as this keeps the "chain" circulating and allows everyone in the group to do their little bit in the lead and a chance to recover as well .
We have a range of other club rides in the week, generally easier paced and staying in one group. Steve Curtis and Chris Parker lead most of them, if any new members would like to lead their own rides or step in when Steve and Chris can't make it speak up or come along to the social do and prizegiving at the end of the month and let us know what you think, cheers!
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