I ride with Kingston Wheelers and I was lucky to be able to take up the invitation to this join this really enjoyable event with Le Col. Meeting the Le Col team and ambassadors was lovely. The team was so friendly and keen for everyone to have a relaxed and enjoyable ride. I know the Surrey hills well but this was a nice new 2 hour loop taking in Box Hill, Peaselake and Whitedown and we were really lucky with the sunny weather. I joined the pacier of the two groups and as the only lady in the group, I was a little worried I had been a bit ambitious! I was a great pace, I was nicely pushed, sometimes off the back on the downs but I was relieved and impressed that there was a rider who had ridden all the way from Truro in the night and was suffering a bit more than me. I was really impressed by the dexterity of some of the riders to take pictures and selfies whilst riding at pace. My hands were firmly on the handlebars and breaks whenever we hit the downhills and gravel. Having crashed on a downhill country lane a couple of weeks before and recovering from cuts and bruises, this was a perfect chilled social ride to get my confidence back The photographer who was at the bottom of Box Hill and at the top a few minutes later…he said he ran up a short cut but still it was really impressive. Getting to ride with a big group in the really smart LeCol team kit, the yellow and blue jerseys really stand out and look great. Chatting with everyone over breakfast and pizza in a really relaxed environment. Also trying our the Queen Stage café. I will definitely head over there again, the garlic & cheese pizza was amazing. Really friendly staff, great coffee and food and well set up for bikes. Doing a an all time PB up Boxill in 6 mins 30. I was just trying not to get dropped and didn’t realise I had done a pb until later than evening.
