By John Leitch
Posted: Wednesday, October 7, 2015 - 19:28
 
As I arrived at Furzefield School on Sunday I was gazing at that lovely yellow and black old car, a Riley, parked up right next to the school entrance that I almost hit the gatepost.
 
It was lucky that we had workmen pouring all over the place on Sunday as they were coming in through the main entrance, which is normally locked, only today a pile of new parents and riders arrived there and just walked in... phew.
 
Paul Wright had the older group so I transformed the younger riders into a line of albatrosses and they went off flapping round the world ( ie the entire school playgrounds and pathways and other distant parts) with Father Albatross (storm-beaten Simon Kirk) leading the way.
 
The one-handed slap on the numbers board caused the usual havoc/log-jam though it ranks as the best-ever to date, so well done team.
 
Two of the little albatrosses didn't look like they would manage to brake going down the ramp (where there is a glass door at the bottom) so we reversed the plan and they rode up it instead.... and it was the first time ever that everyone has pedaled up.... it calls for being in the right gear and pushing hard on the legs.
 
The archway of saplings called out 'visit me' so we had several practice runs through. It is quite un-nerving as the handlebars and rider's head only just fit into/through the available space.
 
Finally a team time-trial through the tree tunnel, boys v girls, three in each team. It was close... only a 5 second difference.
 
Final race - five-laps
 
1 Aston Gayle
2 Fred Grant
3 Seb Gerrard
 
Best wishes to Nikki Ager
 
She broke her middle finger on Sunday while riders were doing a 'musical chairs' exercise. It means going back to the hospital in a fortnight, probably to have it put in a splint.
 
Mum's message on Monday: 'Currently she's milking it at school in a sling for today!  
 
Get well Nikki.
 
Saturday afternoon training
 
I thought it was time to get the older riders who race together to put in some speedy laps. We picked to meet up at The Castle pub at Outwood.
 
We had a tally of seven Raiders, plus two dads and me, so 10 in all...... sometimes a line of five riding two-abreast; then a few laps of through-and-off; then a few laps at Horne on the flat of two separate groups, a six and a four. 
 
I really struggled as they are strong.
 
I sat outside the pub afterwards with a pint of Guinness with equally-weary dad Ed Matthews. By that time his daughter had ridden off home on her own and I thought that wouldn't have happened to me with my daughter.... she'd have been the one who stayed on for the drink while I'd be the one cycling back home.
 
Trip to Herne Hill velodrome this weekend - 11am to 1pm booking Sunday 11 October.
 
More details later from Kim Canning, our secretary.
 
Half-term rides Tues 27 Oct and Wed 28 Oct
 
Full details on our website...... please note the Brooklands start time is now 11am.