WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING IN THE MONKEY HOUSE?
This week is going to be a big week for Gorilla Cycling Club! In chronological order:
MONDAY 27th JANUARY
Thursday's rides are are up, and it is the last time we will be using the www.gorillacafe.co.uk website, so head over there now to book on:
9.30am Gravel Club with Bruno - leaving from Drayton road.
All evening rides will be leaving at 6.30pm from, and returning to our new home- The Hare and Hounds on York Road.
15-16mph Rob Anderson 25 miles around Earlswood
16-17mph Lee Tandy Winter Loop
17-18mph Damien Kimber Winter Loop variation
18-19mph Graeme Garrett Winter Loop.
TUESDAY 28th JANUARY
We hope to be able to announce our charity of the year for 2025, nominated for by you, and then voted on by your committee.
WEDNESDAY 29th JANUARY
Our usual Zwift meet up at 6.30pm this week will be just over a lap (28km) of the Braek-fast Crits and Grits circuit in a virtual Scotland. The band is on to keep all the our group together whatever your power output, so we can enjoy the chat, and this week Rob Garratt is organising a Spotify Jam (playlist) on the Zwift Whats app community group. Invites were sent out this morning, if I've missed you and you wish to ride along then follow me on the Zwift companion app and drop me a message in the Zwift WhatsApp channel.
THURSDAY 30th JANUARY
The new website will go live - check all our social media channels, and the community WhatsApp announcements for details. Neil Cocklin, Sean Miller and the team have done a fantastic job at putting this together.
Once you've joined as a member - for £25 up until end December 2025 - you'll be able to book onto the 9 rides our volunteer ride leaders have laid on for Sunday, before we all return to the Hare and Hounds for a spot of brunch and a bit of a celebration.
The Thursday rides will go out as normal .
OPENING WEEKEND
FRIDAY 31st JANUARY
The Gorilla Quiz - 7.30pm at the Kings Heath Cricket Club. You can either sort yourselves out into teams, or if you're coming on your own we can put you into a team on the night. Please can each team bring a newspaper! If you are planning on coming please join the Gorilla Quiz group in our whats app community, as we will use this to ask questions and so we can see numbers. DO NOT join if you're not coming.
Eugene Vichare and I are looking forward to seeing you there, and we are hoping to raise money for our new charity of the year. In addition to the 8 "quiz" rounds (don't worry they aren't too serious, or are they too bikey), and this year there is another "celebrity" round!, we will be auctioning off the old framed photos that had been on the toilet wall at Gorilla cafe and playing Helmets or Padded Shorts!
SATURDAY 1st FEBRUARY
A day of rest.
SUNDAY 2nd FEBRUARY
We have 9 rides all starting from and finishing at our new home - The Hare and Hounds on York Road .
12-14mph James Barber - 25 miles flat ride for new comers
14-16mph Helen Pike 35 mile social
15-16mph Rob Anderson 40 miles country lanes
16mph Alex Cull 45-50 miles South
17mph Richard Bates 35-40 rolling miles
17-18mph David Morton 35 miles around the Warwickshire lanes
17-18mph James Brown 40 hilly miles
Gravel Paul Astin 30 miles to Sandwell.
You'll be able to book onto these via the new website on Thursday.
After the rides we'd like to try and get as many people back to the Hare and Hounds for some food and a bit of a social.
If you know anyone who would like to try riding with us, or if you would, then there is a form to fill out on the new website that should allow us to give you a weeks free trial .
We hope to see you all sometime over this next week
Ride safe
Bruno and the committee