A promise kept; Beddington Park to Streatham Rookery, 15 August

There was, allegedly, a considerable drop in temperature on Saturday but it did not feel that significant at two in the afternoon as we made our way in a hurry to Beddington Park, having cut it fine making the fig ice cream.

And there, awaiting us, was a healthy assembly of Beddington Park regulars plus a couple of very welcome extras; Clive, a newcomer, and Karen, on a whistlestop tour of Beginners venues since her appointment as the new Beginners representative on the SWLCTC Committee.

Regular readers will know that last time at Beddington I allowed lethargy and the other riders to persuade me to go on one of our regular rides to MED when I wanted a change.  Maggie, on her first ride for a long while as she continues her slow recovery from that torn rotator cuff, volunteered to take first-timer Clive on a gentle trip to MED while I announced we were going on our first visit to Streatham Rookery in four and a half years.

They begged.  They pleaded.  They even mentioned Coombe Lane, which includes a ride through the trees, a precipitous gravel descent to a main road, crossing the Purley Way twice and a fairly lusty hill.  But no.  Leadership is leadership; Streatham Rookery is was going to be.  Thus Roger and Anna, Ken, Sharon, Paul B and backmarking Karen set out on a ride slightly longer and slightly hillier than the Beddington Park norm.

Four and a half years is a long time and there are some intricate bits in downtown Norbury, so I had taken the precaution of digging up Colin and Shirley's instructions and plotting them on Ride with GPS.  And I had forgotten some of the delights inherent in this route.  The Waddon tram stop where nobody likes a cyclist.  The path under the Mitcham Road where drivers do a U-bend and get two opportunities to refuse to let you across on the zebra.  The sheer tranquility of London Road in West Croydon on a hot Saturday afternoon.  The tree-lined glades and waterfalls of Thornton Heath.  How the riders leapt for joy when instead of going along the busy Green Lane I chose the upward way; Norbury Hill.  I admit I had not allowed for the fact that the unpaved section of Gibsons Hill would be quite so sandy and pebbly, but apparently there had been no rain there for a while.  So thrilled were they all with the climb up Gibsons Hill that not one of them opted for the push-through-the-Grove option.  And were those tears of joy I saw glistening as we sat in the sultry heat regaining our breath in the heavy air having skilfully avoided decapitation from the low-hanging bough on the brief roller coaster path at the top of the Grove, where we thrilled at the romantic panorama of Croydon and the faraway music of its police sirens? 

We few, we happy few, we band of brothers, after Gibsons Hill

The kitchen equipment was out of order in the cafe and I admit I had to count to ten several hundred times to keep my cool and say nothing at the girl serving coffee, who was the epitome of casual inefficiency.  And Paul B's comment that the gents up there was a bit seedy merely reflects that he has never been to Old Delhi in the summer's heat.

The long downhill made every inch of the double climb worthwhile and the lads smoking weed and apparently trying to set fire to Micham Common provided a charming insight into the local customs.

Seriously, thanks to everyone for your company and to Karen for back marking.

I had a great time, and the others all thanked me, and Anna was perfectly polite in asking if it might be another four and a half years, at least......

 

New cyclist ends up in the drink; Beddington Park short ride 15 August

 

New cyclist ends up in the drink 😳

By Maggie

Clive joined us at Beddington Park today but thought the planned route to Streatham  Common was just a touch more than he felt up to. However,  he was very happy to cycle along the Wandle Trail with me to M.E.D. at  Merton Abbey Mills. This is an area he knows well and we discussed the alternative byways and paths on offer. So much so that after tea and delicious pumpkin and ginger cake I suggested he lead  me back on the route he favoured.  

Thus we cycled to Morden Hall Park via the Dene city farm car park.  Imagine my surprise when we parked our  bikes by a tree and  Clive's shoes and socks were discarded and he was in the water along with a lot of other aquarobics enthusiasts.  I looked around, happy families were submerged, others were sitting waist deep on picnic chairs and one group had a table in the water too! What's not to like in a heatwave! The people who live along the Wandle know how to keep cool .😎

There were  more surprises too.  A different track out of the park to cross into an estate and a path into Ravensbury park thus avoiding the road works on Morden Road.

We cycled back along the Wandle Trail and went our separate ways home at Poulter Park. Thank you for your company Clive and we look forward to seeing you again – pedaling or paddling!

Invitation to join a First Aid Course for cyclists Monday 14th September AM

From Julie B

Have you ever wondered what you would do if you were faced with a medical emergency whilst out on a ride? I know some of you have had to deal with situations whilst on our weekly rides and it can be a pretty scary experience. Knowing basic first aid is an important life skill and can be a life saver if you are faced with a medical emergency in any aspect of your life.

 The  trainer is an experienced nurse Jen Craven who runs Wimbledon First Aid. As a cyclist herself she perfectly understands our needs and tailors the learning to situations we may encounter on a ride. The course will run for a morning and you will be awarded a certificate which is valid for 3 years.

We are hoping to get funding from Cycling UK as we did last year, but there may be a small charge if they do not fully cover the cost.

 

There are up to 10 spaces available - to sign up please contact me juliembuckman@btinternet.com or 07803 005516. Closing date for applications Friday August 7th.

 

Here are some thoughts from Sue F who attended last year:

 

Jen proved to be a great trainer and placed a lot of emphasis on not immediately diving into a situation, but pausing to assess first using the DRABC (Danger, Response, Airway, Breathing and Circulation) mnemonic. We returned to this when discussing almost all medical emergencies. Jen knows our riding territory well and had an excellent idea should an accident occur around a blind corner: place a bike with a bright coloured jacket draped over it to warn any oncoming vehicles or riders that there was a casualty on the road. 

 

Perfecting our CPR skills occupied a good part of the course. Jen uses dummies that light up when you are using the correct technique. Many of  the group found it surprisingly exhausting giving effective CPR for a prolonged period of time.

She  highlighted the importance of locating a defib quickly and having the locator app What 3 Words and medical info on our phones for a helper to find should we be unable to give this information. I have  now set up the Apple Health app with emergency contact numbers and any medical issues that can be accessed quickly from the locked screen. 

 

Being faced with a medical emergency can be challenging, especially if it happens in a remote and isolated location. Following the course I think we all felt more confident to deal with a potential situation and give some emergency care. I felt I learned a lot despite having done First aid training in the past. Techniques (particularly CPR) have changed considerably over the years so even if you have done some training this course is great refresher. 

 

By Julie Buckman