The View From Here - a blog

Winner, winner, chicken dinner - 07/10/2024

Dulwich Paragon’s Ride of the Falling Leaves is one of my favourite events. I’ve been taking part since 2012. The draw is the scenery, challenging climbs and sociable lunch and beer at the finish.

This year the weather looked dodgy. I decided to set my gravel bike up with road tyres and mudguards in anticipation of a day of shower dodging. In the event, the forecast brightened up profoundly on Saturday afternoon and I set up my road bike instead. Organiser Gwyn’s email with the route and other instructions closed with “See you on Sunday and hope you catch a falling leaf!” I’d never done that before. Maybe this year.

When I started riding RoTFL, as it’s known, it was a sportive with timer chips. I got a bit obsessed with getting the gold award. You needed to get around in under 4 hours to do this. I got close in 2012 and achieved it the following year. No stopping, except for “personal moments,” steady on the climbs and hammering along the flattest sections as fast as I could was my strategy. It seemed to work.

There are a few good climbs. Woldingham is long, Sundridge Lane shorter and steeper and Toys Hill is both steep and long. And getting up Anerly Hill at the end amid traffic is something of a challenge.

On the way to the HQ the sky looks reasonably encouraging

But to the start… the HQ is Herne Hill Velodrome and you begin with a “ceremonial” lap of the track. Then you head south. After an initial climb out of Dulwich, you are rewarded a decent of Anerly Hill. Life feels easy-peasy. Then you have a 10-mile section that steadily takes you upwards before 1.14 miles of the Woldingham climb at an average of 6.1%.

I am really not feeling it this weekend and have elected to do the shorter loop for the first time. Going up Woldingham, it feels like the entire field overtakes me. Really. 30-40 riders, all looking strong and powerful in sharp contrast to my feeling old, fat, stressed and broken. Plus I have a slight ankle sprain that I’m nursing (That’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it). I later recall that I'd had a flu jab two days prior and that must have played a part.

Enjoy the downhills while you can, as these chaps are doing

There’s a rest stop halfway and I focus on getting there while enjoying my ride and the scenery and trying not worry about taking this at such a stately pace. I do get in with a pair of riders here and another there. A solo rider for a while. And boy is it lovely to be out and the weather is playing ball. The section that cuts the ride short is all new to me. It goes along Whistler’s Wood and Titsey Plantation along the ridge of the North Downs and there are glimpses of a fabulous view flashing on and off as you look through the trees.

The roasties were warm and very welcome

Then the well-stocked rest stop at the Velo Barn in Westerham. Among the cakes and other regular snacks, there are roast potatoes on a barbeque. Never seen that. I grab a bag and a coffee and relax. The coffee was much needed. The route continues and joins the long route here on Pilgrims Way. This ancient route that once went all the way to Canterbury has a special ambience. A thin, twisty ribbon of frankly poor tarmac, with gorgeous valley views. But I know what’s coming. The reverie will stop abruptly as you turn left onto Sundrigde Lane. It’s a 0.96 mile climb that tops out at 22%. I grind. Slowly. Another rider passes me and I feel dispirited. A runner overtakes me on the steepest section for goodness sake. What? Ahead of me the chap who overtook me has pulled in and is gasping. The road evens out and I pass the runner and normal service is resumed.

The familiarity of the run back into London helps me chug along. I didn’t manage to catch a falling leaf. A few floated past my eyes though and I thought about making a grab. The sight of the Crystal Palace transmitter looms and I know Anerly Hill is ahead - a necessary evil to get back to base. After that, it’s all downhill and I float back into the velodrome.

As I sign in, I’m informed I’m the first.
“I’ve won?” I say, getting teeny bit excited.
“No, you’re the first rider back.”
That makes sense, as I was among the first to depart and I’d done the short route.
“Others will not doubt be faster.”
“Oh, great, but I’m in the lead for now?”
“Maybe...”

I take my food voucher and go off toward the jerk chicken counter. I’m so early, they’re not fully set up yet. I place my order and go to the bar for a beer. No one is about. Hmm. A Paragon rider tells me that Catherine is around and will surface soon. I can’t wait, I go behind the bar and grab a beer from the fridge, figuring I can pay Catherine later. I collect my fine-looking jerk lunch and with my amber beer I settle down to eat, watching the track riders and chat with the second rider back, Dan.

Lunch on the steps of the velodrome

Catherine appears with a mobile credit machine and I settle up for the beer. I tell her my tale of woe, thinking I’ve won and then having it taken away moments later.
“In fact, I’ve never won anything, really.”
“But you were first in the bar,” she observes. “Give me a minute.”
And she heads back into the bar, only to appear with a medal.
“This is for being first in the bar queue!”

Catherine bestowing the "First in Bar Queue Award"

You can’t believe how happy I am. After taking a photo, I put the medal on and keep it on all day. I was thinking earlier in the week that although I had done quite a few events this year, but I hadn’t gained a new finishers’ medal. I display my medals by hanging them on an old inner tube in my bike shed. The new medal has now taken its place and it’s very much my new favourite.