Club run report to Hadlow - 04-08-2010
Club run news of Sunday August the 1st to Hadlow College Garden Centre.
The head count at the meeting point was 17. There were two new faces; Gerry who was the sprayer at Ruxley Cycles and a 1st claim member of Colour Tech plus a Tony who seemed to know Tony Meliak and who’s Grandmother was of Italian descent - a strong looking guy but he would need to be astride a bike with a 64 toothed ring and a set of race sprockets, probably 12/23, used for time trials we believe.
So it was off the café in the Hadlow College garden centre and the aim of keeping together on the way out. So off we set via Farningham Road Station and Eglantine Rd and ascend the Goss ( Wrotham from the Farningham side) and thence into Scratchers Lane and onto the Portabello pub where it was across the A20 and the back doubles to the top of Exedown. Here I suggested to Simon that if he wanted to descend faster then he should follow Alex who then talked him through it and off they went not to be seen again till the Igtham junction. Onward then to the cross roads at Shipbourne with what seemed from a distance to be a closely contested sprint. Thence a left and later a right into Puttenden Lane, this had been newly resurfaced and it prove3d to be a pleasant diversion. From here it was another left and we later appeared on the Sth side of the garden centre with some of us continuing on towards East Peckham as it was only about 10:40. A bit of through and off was practised although we were going a bit fast to get the technique right. After completing a triangle it was back to the café but Lol Toombes and Tony were not there. On their eventual arrival they said they had done the Puttenden Lane loop again. Somehow we had managed to loose Tony of the 64 toothed ring and Gerry of the paint spraying, but we believe both turned back.. I commented to those sitting at the same table as I that whilst I enjoyed the success of the U.K. athlete’s at the European Championships I could have well done without the constant chatter of Brendon Foster or the guy who commentates - not Jonathon Edwards- on the hammer etc- case of less is more.
Anyway, homeward bound it was through Plaxtol, Ivy Hatch, seal and Kemsing. On the climb out of Kemsing towards Shoreham I had the feeling they were all queued up behind me as we approached ‘easy hill’ and that came to pass as the ‘charge of the light brigade’ began as we approached to railway bridge at the foot of the hill.
Laurie Toombes was one of the last to make a charge but at least his stuck and he topped the hill first and carried on to take the Eynsford sign. Tony beetled off after him and after making contact headed for home at Fabian C speed. Several turned off at Eynsford either for Swanley or the Birchwood Rd and the Heath. I chased after Laurie and soon after getting onto the A20 Mark M came past and shot across the RAB whilst I slowed to let a car through. Mark bridged across in Sutton at Hone and I made it before the Hawley Rd Garden Centre and we stuck to Laurie’s wheel as he rolled along at about 22mph.
There was positive feedback re the Puttenden Lane loop and the somewhat brisk speed.
Cheers
ED
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