Wheels for All Appeal!

On 15th July 2012, Limited Edition Cycling Club members will be attempting to ride an accumulative total of 2,012 miles.

We will be seeking sponsorship to raise money for a much needed disabled and special needs cycling club within the Royal Borough. We hope to raise enough funds to buy a small collection of trikes with adapted bucket seats, hand cranked bikes and smaller bikes, suitable for those less confident in balance and co-ordination. Some members will be riding 100 miles as part of the LEC 100 Club, some will be forming teams to ride 100 miles in relay and the Kids Club and beginners will be riding laps of the park to complete 12 miles. We will be seeking sponsorship and will be asking local businesses to ‘Sponsor a Trike’ in return for their business name promoted on the trike. A trike with adapted seat costs about £500. But take away the monetary value and think of the pleasure these trikes will give to people who are currently excluded from the world of cycling! We hope to be working with the ‘Friday Friends Club’ at Samuel Montagu initially and then will be inviting individuals and organisations from all over the Royal Borough to come and use the equipment. All cycling activities will be provided by qualified and experienced volunteers, so all money raised will go on the bikes and equipment. For more information or to get involved: admin@limitededitioncycling.co.uk Or ring Ollie on 07984 200566

The Easier One 35miles/50k

Whilst a fair amount of the squad were on Sportive duties, injured or probably cooking dinner for their mums. Eight turned up at the park. Eight going out on two rides, my god we have had eighteen going out on one !! Still it was Greg upping the tempo on a 56 miler and MG - standing in for the Gaffer/Benny on a more gentile ride out with a couple of rolling hills thrown in. Martin opting to go with the challenge of a longer route and both Colin and Greg reasuringly encouraging him to take up the challenge.

So we set off together and split at the bottom of Glenisk Road, on our way down to Bexley through Blackfen, to re kindle our relationship with the training loop. All keeping together until we took a left up Maidstone Road and into a head wind the rouleuers got split down the road, Suley doing a cracking job all day of rounding everyone up. Jason out on the lash the night before holding the wheel and keeping a good little pace sheltering behing MG.

Then it was a right down Hockendon Lane, i say down but it is only until you go under the bridge then its a gentle rise in the road all the way to Crockenhill. Easy to do, but sapping on the legs, none the less. Again we were a bit split down the road but all rejoined once we reached the junction at the end of the road.

Again another rolling road until we turned right at the bridge and then everyone had a lovely fast descent- whilst one was struggling coming the other way, although chapeau cos he was in his 70's and grinding out the climb !!

A welcome refuelling when we got to Lully'...Suley asking where we were going after coffee, MG replying up there..and pointing with his finger. Suley realising "we normally come down this,dont we " Then offering some friendly "words" to the Ride Captain which could still be heard as we climbed Redmond Lane first, and then after we hit Cockerhurst Road and we went up and up and up...Jason doing a great job, Suley still offering "thanks" to the leader of the ride as we continued our ride to the top.

Well we could have gone up Well Hill, but we chose Firmongers instead and then of course what goes up must come down and dropping through Crown Wood we were on the homeward stretch. As we came onto Chelsfield Lane the storm clouds threatened, especailly seeing as MG had taken off his rain cape, but a few spots amounted to nothing and just the little climb of Watery Lane which after a long day in the saddle can somtimes feel like Mont Ventoux, not today as we all rode with added confidence up the lane and for the only time in the day we got bogged down in traffic through Sidcup and back to the park. A good mornings effort, with a ride that had a little of everything, some flat, some down and of course a bit of up too, eh Suley !!! 

MG

Taking Strava Further - Club Leaderboards

I came across a really interesting link tonight whilst looking at a cyclists feed who works at QMUL with me, who just happens to ride for Dulwich Paragon.

This link takes Strava further by creating a monthly club leaderboard by distance, time and climbing...so thought I'd do the honours and submit our details...

You'll find the monthly leaderboards here

Its automatically pulls our data from Strava and feeds it into the club leaderboard then resets itself to zero on the 1st of every month.

There are a few options to embed this into the LEC site but I'll hold back doing that for now until everyone has had a look and decides whether its a worthwhile tool.

Cheers
Gadget/John

Report - 10/03/12: Fit Club Level 2 ride to Greenwich

Volunteering to take up the challenge of leading ( dare i say it) the Gaffer's favourite group was a little daunting but when i saw Suley and Colin, I felt a little more confident. Allison and Martin turned up followed by Paul , Lee and the ever enthusiastic Caroline. After a little tactic talk with my fellow leaders we leave the park, Oli waved us off with a look on her face like a new mum leaving her first born at the school gate.
 

Trying to avoid major junctions we take the back roads off Broad Walk where I heard a few "YIPEE'S" on the downhill sections.  We cross Shooters Hill Road and past the very impressive Olympic shooting gallery. The group still all together we get to the Thames path and get a very nice view of the Thames Barrier, the O2 and Canary Wharf , on the way past the tunnel we lose Lee who had to be somewhere, on to Greenwich where the pit stop is packed
 

So we decide to attack the hill in the park. Martin, Alison and Paul fly off leaving the rest off us in their dust, Caroline finds the gear puts her head down and off she goes, Colin on his fixed wheel flies off to catch the front runners, meanwhile Caroline is being attacked by a lone wolf but not realising he was amongst the larger LEC pack was soon growled at and he was gone. 

A high five from Caroline at the top was a sure sign she had enjoyed herself.
 

After a chat, cake and tea at the Blackheath Tea Hut we head home - Caroline splinters off
with a massive smile on her face, the rest of us head back to the park.

Thank's to Colin, Suley and the Gaffer for the opportunity to do something for a great club.
 

Sean

Report -11/03/12: "The Nature Lovers"

22 arrived at the café to ride and two to say hello.  Great to see Dan in good spririts after his “chute” and to say hello to Sean.  In the absence of the Gaffer – get well soon Ollie – we decided to have two groups – The Fast Ones with Alvaro would go to Lullingstone via the longer and hilliest possible route and  The Nature Lovers would use the Sky Ride route to Lullingstone with Dr L.

The ride was, thankfully, accident free and it was great to see Jayne and family out after her fall last week. We led out from the park and down past Avery Hill College with some getting a little “Air” over the bumps stopping frequently to regroup. Sulley was a gent and played Backman for the entire duration.  There was very little roasting going on although Pocket Rocket did skin Dr L on the rolling ride in to the break stop. 

At the café we met up with the The Fast Ones and chatted making us quite a formidable group with Underpass swapping to the faster group for the return leg.  On the way out we passed some incoming Woolwich club riders and exchanged cheery “Mornings” well I say exchanged, actually we said Morning and they declined to reply – why are they so miserable?  Two more passed us on the way back and they didn’t say anything either – odd bunch.

The way back was as pleasant as ever with Horton Kirby and Hawley road in the sunshine in fact everything going to plan until Bexley Village – using Gaffer’s route to avoid the worst of Hurst road Dr L waited at the junction for the back riders – the front people then swept on using the wrong road and taking us back on to the worst bit of Hurst and then they broke for home – Dr L tried to catch but couldn’t bridge the gap and so elected to wait for the back group to ensure they all got back – Suley then taking control of the sweep back to Eltham Park.

Simon/Dr L