New Year's resolutions?

A record 13 cyclists met for the first ride of 2019 from Beddington Park. We were joined by Mark who was planning to get back into cycling after a break and Janette who has recently taken it up. Colin decided on a fairly flat ride and we left Beddington Park on the recently reopened path alongside the Beddington Farmlands Nature Reserve towards Mitcham golf club. With no recent rain it was difficult to understand how the track could be so muddy and strewn with puddles.  It was a challenging start to the ride and some chose to push their bikes part of the way rather than risk a fall. 

We left the track at Beddington Lane tram stop to cross into Mitcham Common onto a short dry path. We crossed Mitcham Road and avoiding further possible muddy tracks cycled along the now car free Watneys Road to Commonside and made our way to Figges Marsh via Mitcham Eastfields station. We continued uneventfully through Merton Abbey Mills to Morden Hall Park where Paul, our back marker, slid off his bike crossing a wet wooden bridge. He soon caught us up at the Café where we warmed up and discussed thermal clothing.

Our return journey was along the Wandle Trail where we couldn’t fail to enjoy the beautiful winter's evening. One young man in a great hurry overtook each of us by turn on the narrowest part of the track -I hope he got to his emergency in time!  A very pleasant surprise at the Hack Bridge was Claudio Funari's Community Garden. A special mention has to go to the Mother Goose.

We soon went our separate ways home. Will all 13 of us maintain our New Year's resolutions to keep cycle fit this year?

Happy Birthday wishes to John and Roy celebrating birthdays this week.🎂

                                                     Anna WILL be seen in the dark....

Quiz results! - Group Riding Skills

A while back, we offered the chance to join an exciting quiz on Group Riding Skills.

The results have been carefully analysed and tabulated by our independent scrutineer, Mr Google, and they make interesting reading.  Click here to see them.

A taster of the results

Here are the Group Ride Guidelines...

Hampton Court: long ride Saturday 5 January

Saturday riders brightening up a grey winter afternoon

On a somewhat grey and overcast Saturday afternoon, it was a real pleasure to meet so many members and new riders at Mansion House, Nonsuch Park.  Some were out to take advantage of the mild weather, others fulfilling their New Year resolutions to cycle more regularly in 2019. While hi-vis, helmets and other specialist clothing are definitely not obligatory to join our rides,  the neon jacket wearers do help to brighten up a dull day!
Lynda lead 14 of us via Worcester Park to join cycle route 75.  We followed it through Old Malden and New, through to Kingston Market, over Kingston bridge and then along the Thames to Hampton Court, crossing the river again for a favourite tea stop, Five at the Bridge last Saturday. 
A couple of riders had peeled off through Bushy Park to the Pheasantry. So 12 of us enjoyed excellent home made cakes and welcome tea and coffee at the Bridge.  As usual on a Saturday afternoon, the café was very busy, but it made a nice change to be able to sit and wait to be served by the pleasant staff, rather than standing in a queue! 
Our photo was taken just after 4 pm, as we gathered ready to go home after tea. Hampton Court station is brightly lit behind us...and is that a stray Christmas light hanging above Lynda (far left, facing camera)?
Lynda lead us back through Bushy Park, which was still busy especially around the children's play area late in the afternoon despite the low light levels. Then home along the same way back through Kingston. Riders gradually peeled off, with just two of us eventually making our way back to Mansion House at the end of the ride.  A very enjoyable Saturday afternoon ride, many thanks Lynda for leading and everyone for cheerful company.
 

New Year's Day ride

(l to r)Yasmin, Diane, Sabrina and Bernard at Roehampton gate café, Richmond
Park on New Year's Day 2019.

Three of our Saturday afternoon regulars, Yasmin, Diane and me,  met at Spring Tavern in Ewell at 9.30 this morning for our first ride of the year.  We headed through Stoneleigh and Worcester Park to Motspur Park, where we met Sabrina and Bernard, friends of Diane, out on their first ride with our group.  What a great start to the year!

We headed through Raynes Park and up to Wimbledon Common, making a brief detour to say happy new year to the lovebirds and cockatiels in Cannizaro Park's aviary.  The common was beautiful in the gentle sunlight this morning and we enjoyed the mild weather and our easy route past the windmill and down to Roehampton, following the cycle paths all the way.  Downhill to Richmond Park is always fun and we arrived at the café more than ready for our coffee and snacks. 

It was lovely to meet up with other members of our CTC; there were two tables of mostly Midweek Wayfarers already there and more friends arrived while we enjoyed our break.



A nice gathering and good turnout for our first event of the year...some 25 in all over two hours was reported by Tony on the Midweek Wayfarers blog.

Our little group headed home across Richmond Park via Ham Gate, Teddington Lock bridge and Bushy Park.  Here Sabrina and Bernard peeled off for Kingston, while the original three headed over Hampton  Court bridge, through the Dittons, Hook and Chessington and via the Bonesgate and Hogsmill greenway back to Ewell.

Diane clocked 24 miles for us at Ewell Court Park, a respectable morning ride for we three to start the year.