New Meetpoint and meet time. Now train assisted for all.
Meetpoint: New Cross Gate Station 8.45am for 9.08am train to South Coulsdon. Train is 9.03am from London Bridge if you prefer to pick it up there.
OK. Here’s the thing. I rode out to check next week’s route today. It was a lovely ride, if a hilly one. Except for the first ten miles or so. When I’ve done this ride before, I don’t really think about them much, just ride them as quickly as I can as a way out to the pretty. Today, I had my ride leader recceing hat on and was trying to see all the ride as others might see it. And there is no getting away from it, the first ten miles or so to Coulsdon are mean. Not pleasant. Lots of fast nasty roads, horrid junctions, everything we want to get away from at the weekends.
I can make the first 5 or so better. Quieter, residential roads. But the bit from Croydon is difficult to avoid, unless you add quite a few more miles, which makes the ride too long for a February, still short on daylight hours, especially as we may be slow due to hills.
So here’s the deal. There is a train at 9.03 am from London Bridge, the Horsham train, which stops at South Coulsdon. It also stops at New Cross Gate, Norwood Junction, East Croydon and Purley. It gets to Coulsdon South at about 9.30 am. I propose we take this train, to avoid the bits that spoil this lovely ride. I will be at New Cross Gate at 8.45am to meet anyone who wants to join me next Saturday 9th February for this rather lovely ride.
So, Meetpoint: New Cross Gate Station 8.45am for 9.08am train to South Coulsdon. Train is 9.03am from London Bridge if you prefer to pick it up there.