Box Hill Obsession

[KneesUp]

Possibility.

As I recall, it was a baseball bat attack while he was sitting in his Range Rover.

He said publicly he had become lost - on a journey from London he had done dozens of times - stopped for a rest, and the attack must have been a random act of thuggery.

Also a possibility, but conspiracy theory speculation is not an invention of the internet, so there was plenty of it at the time.

It was Reigate Hill, and he'd driven from Spain and stopped for a sleep. The assailants said in court that they were after money for drugs.

Before taking over at St James' Park, Keegan survived what he describes as the most terrifying moment of his life. In April 1991 he was attacked while sleeping in his Range Rover by the M25 at Reigate Hill in Surrey. 'It was my first day back living in the country after seven years away on the Costa del Sol. I thought they were going to kill me.

'I had a lot of bad luck all the way home. I'd driven 1,600 miles and hardly slept. My intention was to sleep on the ferry crossing and then I got this Spurs fan,' he says with a laugh. 'He kept asking what I think about Tottenham and I ended up talking all the way across. I got in my car at Dover but fell asleep at the wheel and someone tooted me. I parked up and put a pillow against my head that Jean had given me. That saved my life.'

Did the three attackers - who later said in court that they needed money for a drugs debt - know who he was? 'No, it was dark. They threw a massive stone that hit my head but fortunately also hit the pillow as well. Then they hit me with a baseball bat, took my wallet and I tried to get out. Jean and the kids had flown, but I needed to get the car home as well.' Did it put him off settling back in England? 'No. But for a few days I did think, "Wow, what have I come back to?"'

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2007/may/27/newsstory.sport11

 

[Cuchilo]

Oh how fun ! They have put holes in the road to stop the northerners crossing .

 

[Cuchilo]

It was Reigate Hill, and he'd driven from Spain and stopped for a sleep. The assailants said in court that they were after money for drugs.


http://www.theguardian.com/football/2007/may/27/newsstory.sport11

Yeah but don't let facts get in the way of things . It was just starting to get good with the cottaging and the bikers etc .

 

[jack smith]

@Cuchilo LOL! Youve still got a way to go after that grid through middleton in teesdale and barnard castle until you head remotley south, id call this hill our last line of defence from southern cyclists!

 

[nickyboy]

@Cuchilo LOL! Youve still got a way to go after that grid through middleton in teesdale and barnard castle until you head remotley south, id call this hill our last line of defence from southern cyclists!

with their cloven hooves

 

[Simontm]

Within the next few weeks, I will begin to tackle hills Box and Leith for Ride London training as I have not cycled up either of them since I was a teenager - walked the dog up them practically every other weekend into my 20s!

Anyone a tad more knowledgeable know what is a good time to get there to avoid pelatons, sportifs etc?

 

[Sittingduck]

Anyone a tad more knowledgeable know what is a good time to get there to avoid pelatons, sportifs etc?

On a weekday evening, it's lovely. Forget Saturday or Sunday daytimes though...

 

[vickster]

During the week I would think. I've only been up a couple of times, never seen a pelaton...just other cyclists going past!

 

[Simontm]

I say Pelatons because I always see a few near the Surrey hills when out and about at the weekend.

 

[Cuchilo]

Sunday morning at around 8 - 9 is ok after that it gets a bit busy but still ok .

 

[Pale Rider]

Aim for the busiest times and do some serious wheel sucking.

 

[ianrauk]

It can get busy at weekends with a good few cyclists but I have never seen 'Peleton's.

 

[Sittingduck]

I try to suck a fast wheel up there every Saturday morning but get shelled out of the back of the group half way up the first zig zag section! If you can get there 6pm> weekday you will more or less have it to yourself.

 

[Simontm]

Thanks peeps. Sunday's seem to be best on my timings. Just need to remember not to drink on the Saturday

 

[Cuchilo]

Thanks peeps. Sunday's seem to be best on my timings. Just need to remember not to drink on the Saturday