Ride Out 16th November - Tonbridge to Penshurst

Fantastic ride today, we met at Tonbridge park for our ride out.  Plan was to ride for 45 minutes and see how far we got, with no punctures and a group of strong riders we got to the bottom of the Penshurst hill in good time for everyone to reach the top and enjoy the sunshine and a selection of snacks at the summit!

A handicapped hill climb ensured everyone had a good work out

 

The dog wasn't interested in dropped jelly babies, obviously looking for something more savoury.

 

Snack chat: qualities of fancy peanut butter versus own brand.

A leisurely descent and an equally strong return ride ensured we were back just after 11am. Plenty of time left to enjoy the rest of the day.

Back at the park.

Well done to the nine KVKers and assorted parents, a very enjoyable ride.

Next week: 23rd November Go Ride Racing at Stocks Green 1pm - 3pm
Following week: 30th No session at Hildenborough, Cyclocross open coaching at Cyclopark 10am - 2pm

Youth Ride 9th November 2013

Twelve intrepid riders set out on Saturday morning despite the dire forecast.  It wasn't a John Fish day, they had got it right and we returned to Stocks Green very very very soggy, having ridden our challenging Penshurst route (15.5.miles).  Well done Sophia, Hannah, Toni, Polly, Luke and Calvin and thanks as ever to our adult riders.  Didn't stop for a photo, but here's the soggy kit as evidence!

Next week: morning ride out - meet Tonbridge park 9.30am - please email me to sign on.

Sunday 3rd November 2013 – Biggin Hill

 

Whilst the rest of the KVK were snoozing Toni dragged her Dad out of bed for a short ride........

 

On Sunday (far too early) morning I was at Biggin Hill for the Evans Ride-It sportive with my Dad.  We had signed up for the “short” route of 30 (actually more like 32) miles.  After registering and getting our free pack of High 5 energy products (yuk!) and cool timing chip that stuck to your helmet we joined the queue for the start – it was really windy and freezing despite winter gloves and woolly liner gloves but at least it wasn’t raining.  I think I was the youngest there – everyone else was really old.  Then we were off and settled into the ride.  What a lot of hills there are in Surrey; where are the flat roads (apparently there was approx. 2,500 feet of climbing on this route).  At least we warmed up.  I was really pleased that I made it up all the hills without stopping and even overtook some adults on a really big hill.  Some got off to walk!  If only I had remembered I had a triple chainring sooner it would have been so much easier (lol).  The feed station was at about 21 miles but I didn’t want anything except water (Dad tucked in to the flapjacks, brownies and jelly babies of course) and then we were on the final push (more hills – annoying MTB rider who used us to get up the steep hill without doing any work and then sped off).  So pleased to see the finish just as it started to rain.  My time was 3 hours 10 minutes (which included a few stops to eat energy bars - liked the coconut one but not the chocolate - and an unplanned dismount - oops).  At least I beat Dad - by 3 seconds!!  Really enjoyed the Snickers at the end. Very pleased I did it – I just need to sleep for a week now. 

 

Here’s a picture of me at the finish.




Still smiling after a hilly 30 mile ride

 

KVK @ Cyclopark Wednesday 30th October

KVK's took part in a beginners BMX session in the morning and our open Go Ride taster session in the afternoon

Six riders (and two dads me and Malcolm) took on the BMX track at Cyclopark.  After picking up the bikes and helmets there was a skills session to familiarise everyone with the handling of the bikes and to show the instructor we were competent to ride.  No problems here; KVK won all of the sumo/sardines heats leading to an all KVK final – well done Polly for winning that; those sessions in the playground at Stocks Green sure paid off.

 On to the track and our first experience of pumping the bikes over the rollers.  Everyone soon got the hang of it (even me after a wipe out on my first attempt) and we worked our way round the rest of the track getting to know the various rollers, tabletops etc. until we were allowed up to the start (which is really quite steep!!) and learnt how to set up for the start, balancing on the bike waiting for the gate to drop.  And then we were off for a full lap of the track.  Everyone managed that with ease and looked quite professional, zipping round the berms and gliding over the jumps.

 

 

 

After three hours everyone was ready for a lunch, thrilled with this new experience, which was great fun and although surprisingly tiring, as most of the time is spent standing on the pedals, there was a lot of enthusiasm for doing it again some time. How many requests for a BMX will Santa be getting I wonder? 

 

Well done Ellen, Hope, Polly, Calvin, Toni and Luke (and Malcolm of course).  Great photos from Claire as  well, a super record of a terrific morning.

 

Damian



Open Go Ride Taster Session - Bee & Kary

After lunch we hosted a two hour session on the road circuit.  This was open to young riders, their parents and friends.  Thirty riders took part with some riding a road bike for the first time.  After a warm up on the 200m oval of individual sprints mixed in with steady riding we split into two groups and focussed on cornering on the hairpin and group riding on the oval.  We finished off the session with a short handicap race just for fun!  Excellent riding from everyone.  Even then that wasn't enough for everyone and a few adults and kids took part in the fastest lap competition that was running all week on the circuit. Thanks to all the families that spent some or all of their day at Cyclopark.  We are hoping to do something similar in the Christmas holidays. Watch this space.
Kary

Awesome Go Ride Racing 26th October

Despite the dire predictions of wind and rain I was DETERMINED to do ahead with our Go Ride Racing this weekend.  On a whim I had invited SDW to join us and really didn't want to cancel. 


We ended up with 19 riders and ran races in two age groups for girls and boys.  We kicked off with an individual TT, moved onto a mass start race and then a relay of mixed teams based on TT times.  Our amazing results sections aready had everything sorted but we'd planned Sumo challenge so we went ahead with that in two age groups.  Results and presentations followed, with podium position winners receiving Halloween themed "medals".  We finished the session with the ever popular "chocolate pick".

The soft ground proved fairly challenging but our very skilled riders coped well and the occasional unplanned dismount provided interesting racing! 

Thanks to all the riders and their families for making it a fun afternoon of racing. 








Next week: Ride Out - any bike + Power Pack OR Invitation to Herne Hill Session with SDW (contact me for details)

Saturday 19th October

Still smiling after 16 miles

Today's Youth Ride was well attended with five riders.  We tried out a new slightly longer route (16.2 miles) and averaged 12.8mph.  Fortunately the rain held off and we made it back for 11am.  Post ride discussion included buying and fitting mudguards and the importance of pocket snacks and spares. Our next Youth Ride is on 9th November.

Our afternoon Go Ride session focussed on group riding skills.  We kicked off with some pairs slalom and then moved onto the main playground for a warm up of clock sprints on an oval circuit. After that we tried some hand on shoulder riding in pairs, fours and then eights.  This is a fun way to build up confidence about being close to other riders when you are all depending on each other to stay upright.  Back on our circuit we practised riding in a bunch and sprinting off the front before finishing off with a game of Jail Break.  Amazingly none of the prisoners escaped, we put this down to the skilled and well organised bunch riding of our jailers.  An afternoon of very impressive riding.

Jailers getting organised

Next weekend: October 26th Go Ride Racing at Stocks Green School 1pm - 3pm

Half term: Wednesday 30th October 2pm - 4pm at Cyclopark

November 2nd: Ride Out in the morning. John Leitch's Powerpack at Cyclopark 1pm- 3pm 

Hold on tight and keep pedalling

 

Saturday 12th October 2013

By the time we reached Ightham Mote we'd eaten all the jelly babies but at least the sun was shining

Damian got plenty of puncture repair practise. This was 2 of 4

We tried a new route this weekend for our ride out.  A slightly longer ride of 10 miles, including a killer climb on the bridlepath adjacent to Mote Road.  Heavy overnight rain had made it very slippy and despite our best efforts no one made it to the top uninterrupted (well apart from me :-))

Go ride in the afternoon was well attended with 13 riders.  This was the last of our individual skills session for a while, we worked on points of contact (so lots of one handed stuff and some none handed for our older riders.)

Next week Saturday 19th October: Youth Ride, Road Bikes Only - contact me
Go Ride - Stocks Green School sign on 1.45pm - Group Riding Skills