Dunsfold Sunday Sportive - 11th October 2009

Martin Lawless

I've signed up for this. Me and a couple of work mates. A kinder distance for Autumn [about 77 miles]. A fair bit of climbing - but no Mow Cops by the looks of things. It's about 1.5hrs away near Guildford - so an early start. I can fit one other person/bike in my little car. Maybe it's time to buy a roof rack. If anyone else wants to join in - great - the plan is to get around together.

http://www.southernsportive.com/?go=sunday&page=event&eventid=284

Martin

Martin L

A really well organised event today. These guys do half a dozen sportives a year - so worth checking out for 2010 if you're prepared to drive out 1.5 - 2 hrs or so to get a different fix of terrain. Great signage, facilities, catered checkpoints, broomwagon, medics and out-riders. The North Downs really roll - so rhythm is difficult to achieve when you're up and down like a yo-yo. Good training - a few, long 18%+ brutes. Lots of thick forest - so front/rear lights a must for dark corners. Drivers seem a bit more considerate actually - there are tonnes of cyclists everywhere so they seem used to them. Lots of off-roaders. One to be careful with in late autumn with greasy leaves on hair-raising downhills. One poor woman took a sharp bend too fast on a leafy lane and fell badly [I heard later that she fractured her hip - ouch]. A reminder to take it easier in the next few months and definitely switch to winter tyres. A bloke from Potton noticed the CCA top and had a chat and hopefully he'll be out for a club ride soon. Good views across to the South Downs and lots of big houses with wealthy stockbrokers in polo-necks buffing their big cars. Losers!