Olympic RoadRoute Recce - The Not-So-Speedy Remix - Sun 22 Jan 2012

[velovoice]

A few of us that couldn't make last Saturday's Speedy Ride for Food are going to ride that same route this coming Sunday.

Meet 8.45 under Wellington Arch at Hyde Park Corner for 9.00 departure.

All welcome. Anyone concerned about distance and/or hills may be pleased to know there are easy back-to-London Train Bail options from Dorking (just before the big Box Hill climb) or Leatherhead (just after!)

Thanks to HaloJ, the route sheet and GPS file are available here.

Please PM me with your mobile number if you're interested in coming along.

 

[Flying Dodo]

Box Hill isn't a big climb............especially compared to Ditchling.

 

[ianrauk]

agree with Adam. Shere Road (@ the 35 mile mark) is a tougher climb then Box Hill.

 

[StuAff]

What they said. Shere's not that bad, but it is a long slow grind and definitely worse than Box.

 

[velovoice]

Yeah, I remember Shere being a tough one for my little old 602cc convertible. I've been trying not to think about what it'll be like on a bike!

 

[topcat1]

curious! how did you get on?

 

[velovoice]

It was good, TC! Just Flying Dodo and myself, zipping along to the promptings of his GPS. Beautiful day even with strong headwinds up to the point we turned southerly at West Byfleet. Shame neither of us took any photos.

Only negative for me was the fact I had to bail at Dorking - seems I've done something to my achilles tendon, will know more about that tomorrow but it does bl**dy hurt!

 

[martint235]

It was good, TC! Just Flying Dodo and myself, zipping along to the promptings of his GPS. Beautiful day even with strong headwinds up to the point we turned southerly at West Byfleet. Shame neither of us took any photos.

Only negative for me was the fact I had to bail at Dorking - seems I've done something to my achilles tendon, will know more about that tomorrow but it does bl**dy hurt!

Ouch. GWS RO. I tweaked my achilles last year, all you can really do is rest it I think. It took a good month for mine to go away (although I must admit I continued commuting during the "rest" period"

 

[velovoice]

Thanks Martin. My Pilates teacher reckons it's probably 'just' a strain of a small muscle deep in the calf but she can't rule out Achilles involvement. With muscle strains, I find they usually disappear in 5-6 days if I rest, so I'm off the bike this week (God I hate public transport!). Will see physio on Sat or Mon if not significantly better by then.

Just found out this morning that I'm "out" of Sunday's El Supremo anyway as my entry form didn't arrive in time. Leg permitting, looking forward to the Cheese Toastie on 5th Feb.

 

[martint235]

It was my hatred of public transport that led me to carry on commuting by bike rather than rest last year! The train journey in is always a nightmare

 

[velovoice]

Yes, it was the soul-destroying nature of public transport that put me on a bike in the first place.

 

[Flying Dodo]

I forgot to say earlier, in view of Rebecca's aching achilles, we took a slight shortcut after West Horsley.

The official route turns right onto the A246, which I think is a hideous bit of road with a dreadful road surface and I've always had cars doing close overtakes on the bit before it becomes a dual carriage-way.

At that roundabout next to the Lotus dealer, we went straight on, through the back roads. It's nearly 2 miles shorter and although overall a bit more climbing, there's only short ups to deal with, rather than the big long drag up the A25. As a big plus, it's very scenic and has very few cars.