2013.02 February

Saturday 2nd February – 08.00am ride
PT, JR, CB + and John’s return to Saturday morning rides!!!!

Saturday 9th February – 08.00am ride
CB, AC, RT, MT + ST.
CB wanted to have a brek in Pulborough as the Tea Rooms were due to be closed for a while for the proprietors annual holiday, ignoring the fact that there had been a lot of rain and his plan was to cross Pulborough Brooks!
Snow descending as we headed up to the SDW, so thoughts were that it might become easier to cross to Pulborough through the snow-drifts.
As it happens the snow became rain as we descended from the ridge and we were presented with the inevitable, but with the boy attempting to ride on water – ZA would have been impressed:
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Somehow we made it through the mire:

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but the huge brek was too much and Adam took the train home whilst the rest took the road route back to Findon to arrive back just before the planned 12.00.
Distance – no satmap, no idea.

Saturday 16th February 8.00am ride.
ZA, MA, JR, RT.
JR wanted a break ride and suggested a return to the ancestral home to try it out following change of ownership. Some talk instead of Arundel or Shoreham, but we settled for the Amberley loop. Unsurprisingly the call to ride was finally well after the 10 minute rule.
Also unsurprisingly plenty of Malaysian tea tales along the way,interrupted by RT’s “blasteet” shortly after Chantry Lane.
On the way back up from North Stoke, JR was alarmed to hear ZA possibly displacing him from his favoured position at Mrs Deeks (Jean to John), especially when team vicar commented that he found it “easy to slip into Jean…” referring of course to the use of her first name rather than any other interpretation, but eliciting a request for a re-phrase from RT.
ZA had to shoot off ahead and home, and whilst MA returned to Findon to collect his car, RT & JR continued along a very wet collarbone alley and over Salvington to meet MA again at the Lingalonga.
Approx 16 miles.

Saturday 23rd February 8.00am ride
The morning after the Gala night before.
In spite of the additional port and stilton after NGN, PT CB and RT (TK absent in spite of having vowed the night before to join us) decided on a short ride to end with a brek at Julia’s kitchen as well as to take in maintenance of the Kamikaze memorial as a mark of appreciation for Mr Avery’s logistical assistance of the previous night. CB had suggested that we should visit Bloody Norse corner, but RT felt he had insufficient balance to cope with the roots and ruts involved in that route.
A very slow start, but by the time we reached Chanctonbury recovery was taking place. From Chanctonbury to Cissbury and round the East side of Cissbury to drop down to the Kamikaze memorial, which was in surprisingly good condition.
Kamikaze 20 years on!
After maintenance, a few minutes for RT to recover when he stood up again, and then the return to Findon via the Gallops and back of Roger’s farm.
After the brek we attempted to return belongings to TK, who eventually appeared fetchingly bare-topped and tousle-haired at an upstairs window confirming that he had just awakened.
Total 10.6 miles

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