Archive for the ‘2009 posts and prior’ Category

Notes on Rides so far in 2007

Saturday, July 7th, 2007

January 2007
Sat 6          7.30am Saturday ride Brek at Steyning
RT JR PT KB-S – grey and rainy, up to Cissbury car park, up towards Chanctonbury, east toward Langmead then north into the woods to descend into Steyning via Mouse lane.  Brek at Truffles, then past Bunces and up Steyning road to Langmead, SDW to Chanctonbury and back via Cissbury. 11.7 miles.
 
Sat 13        7.30am Saturday ride The Amberley Loop
RT PT MA ZA – overcast and with the wind blowing from the south, the peleton rode up through Muntham to the SDW, past Chantry car park to find a sheltered spot to replace PT’s front inner tube, after a struggle to remove the tyre.  ZA returns to Findon along SDW from there, needing to be in Eastbourne by lunch.  RT PT and MA continue down Amberley mount on the SDW, to find the Riverside tea rooms closed.  Turning south, we regain the SDW via South Stoke, being helped up the hill by the wind at the last climb.  MA battles bravely with knee pain. 17.5 miles 
 
Sat 20        7.30am Saturday ride Burpham
KB-S, RT and PT set off in strong wind and rain to climb to the SDW via Muntham, and from there to the top of Chantry Hill.  Turning south, the descent was into the wind, and pedalling had to continue.  Reaching the road at Burpham, we mended RT’s puncture and continued to Warninglid, whereupon the sunshine broke through.  We returned via the Angmering Park estate, Patching and Clapham. From Clapham church we took to the woods to reach the top of Church hill and down to Long Furlong at Tolmare, where KB-s broke for home.  PT and RT continue to Nepcroft for illicit bike hosing and bacon sarnies.  18.5 miles
 
Sat 27       7.30am Trek’n’Henfield
KB-S, MA, JR, ZA, RT and PT met in sunshine to leave at 7:55ish.  Up and over Cissbury to the Steyning Road, along towards Langmead and down the Bowl by the concrete road, with a stop for RT to repaint the memorial, and a recitation of the Memoriam Post Disequilibrium.  PT got lost at the Bramber Castle roundabout, and went through the town and over the Adur.  After regrouping at the playing field, we climbed over Golding Hill to the road and continued to Henfield on the tarmac.  A fine brek at Truffles, then down to the Downslink and back to Steyning.  Climbed over the downs by ascending Steyning Bostal to Langmead, then SDW to Cissbury and south to enter Findon via Stable Lane.  KB-S sets off for |Tolmare, JR to Tudor close, and the rest to Nepcroft for bike hosing down, and brake pad lessons for ZA.  22 miles in all, mostly after brek! 
 
February 2007 

Sat  3         7.30am Saturday ride The Amberley Loop
KB-S FL RT and PT set off in bright sunshine through the frosty morning to climb up to the SDW via Muntham, then over to Amberley to discover the tea rooms closed again.  Returning via South Stoke, we took a southerly detour to add an extra little climb, by forking right at the farm gate on the return climb.  Regaining the SDW, back to the barn and Muntham, then Collarbone Alley to leave KB-S at Tolmare, the other three returning to Findon down the Furlong.  All back to Nepcroft for tea and doughnuts.  17.6 miles, so Kim’s diversion added only 0.1 of a mile!
 
Sat  10      7.30am Trek’n’brek   AM First fixed Mark’s puncture, then MA RT KB-S AM FL ZA and PT (new cleated shoes and pedals) climbed up through Muntham to the SDW, visited the tank, and retraced the route to brek at Meadie Towers, with guest waitresses Margaret and Julie.  Grey, overcast and raining.  10 miles
 
Sat  17      7.30am Trek’n’Henfield
MA FL RT PT. Fitted new saddle to MA’s machine, and set off at 07:55 up Stable lane to SDW and Langmead.  Turn left to reach road for descent into Steyning, then over bypass on bridge to Downslink.  Fix PT’s puncture at bridge just short of Henfield, then on to Truffles (arr 09:20, 11.2 miles) for their £3.50 brek, for four of which they charged £11.20.  Back down Downslink, to Bramber roundabout then south to Annington to climb up SDW back to Langmead, round Bloody Norse corner, and turn south before Chanctonbury to return down Stable Lane, arrive 12:00.  24 miles at finish, sunny and clear.
 
Sat  24      7.30am Trek ‘n brek – MA
MA AM RT JR FL PT climbed Cissbury and continued to the Steyning Road.  Carrying straight on we encountered mud, ruts and wind but eventually circled behind Lancing Clump to descend by the College.  Crossing the A27 at the lights, we skirted east of the airfield and returned along the beach to No 10, where EN joined us to partake of a bumper brek prepared by Julie and kicked off with kedgeree.  16 miles round, with PT and MA starting from No 10, the rest starting from the Square. Overcast but not raining.
 
March 2007
 
Sat  3         7.30am Trek’n’Henfield
PT RT JR MA set off at 07:45 up Stable lane to SDW and Langmead.  Turn left to reach road for descent into Steyning, then over bypass on bridge to Downslink.  Arrived at Truffles 09:00 for their £3.50 brek with added teapot and cafetiere.  Back down Downslink, then up concrete road to Langmead, take SDW towards Chanctonbury to return down Stable Lane.  22 miles at finish, sunny and clear.
 
Sat  10      PT RT MA to France – MA buys new bike chez Didier Hermel in Audricq.  Invitation to trek’n’brek french style in forest near there on Pentecost Monday 
 
Sat  17      7.30am Trek ‘n brek – RT
PT RT MA JR FL ZA – The 4 peaks.  PT and MA on new bikes, JR on PT’s  (now JR’s) Rockhopper.  PT collects JR in Findon, and proceeda to No 10.  PT MA and JR ride from No 10 to the Square on road.  Ride up Church Hill, pursued by a horse, and over to JR’s memorial on Collarbone Alley for  repaint job and recitation of the Requiem post Desequilibrium.  Then North to the SDW by the silver barn (cutting the corner a bit) and down East to the A24.  Cross A24 and climb up to Chanctonbury – example of TEMKEK as bloke rides by with girlfriend running along beside in case puncture needs repair.  Last post attempt against southerly wind fails, so continue to Cissbury car park and down to Nepcroft for a super brek with Carole.  PT and MA then ride back to MA’s on road. 19.5 miles
 
Fri 23         Downslink ride – JR
ZA, CB, KB-S, FL, PT, MA, JR and Surrey Dave.  Depart 14:15 arr Southwater 16:20. sign says open, girl says closed. No tea.  Saddle up and push on to Cranleigh for chips (with Police escort) and leave Kim’s glasses in chippie.  Arrive Mrs Deeks 19.45ish.  EN and AP join at Mrs Deeks.  Excellent dinner at Seahorse despite lack of cheese & port – we were 10 of the 15 customers for the night (food orders till 9:30!).  36.5 miles ¨
 

Sat 24       Return from Downslink ride
Chinthurst hill – then to Cranleigh to retrieve KB-Ss glasses form the chip shop.  RT Meets us at Baynards, having left Findon at 08:00 – tea and buns at Southwater (baked Jacket and beanz for Adam!) – mend puncture for kiddie and PT simultaneously – PT JR and Surrey Dave leapfrog peloton at Steyning, regroup at base of Llama Lane – MA rides up.  74.5 miles total, so 38 miles today for us, 57 for RT!!
 
Sat 31        7.30am Saturday ride The Amberley Loop
RT PT KBS FL – overcast and with the wind blowing from the north, the peleton rode up through Muntham to the SDW, past Chantry car park and on to Amberley mount on the SDW, descending to again find the Riverside tea rooms closed.  Turning south, we regain the SDW via South Stoke, up the hill into the wind at the last climb.  Return via Collarbone Alley to leave KBS at Tolmare and descend Long Furlong to Findon. 16.6 miles
 
April 2007
 
Sat  7         7.30am Trek’n’Henfield
RT PT JR KBS Phillip T. Set off at 07:45 up Stable lane to SDW and Langmead.  Admire view over mist in Weald.  Descend concrete road then to castle roundabout and up Castle Lane to Downslink.  Arrive at Truffles at 09:10 for their £3.50 brek.  Back down Downslink, to Bramber roundabout then south to Annington to climb up SDW back to Langmead, turn south before Chanctonbury to return with a last post by RT PT and KBS from the junction down Stable Lane, arrive 12:00.  23.73 miles at finish, sunny and clear.
 

Sat 14       7.30am Trek ‘n brek – CB – Cote Street
CB PT RT JR KB-S and FL climb up church hill to descend through mud-free and bluebell carpeted Clapham woods to the A27, turn left and climb back up Cote Street.  Right turn at the top of Cote street takes us to Salvington, left on to potholey road and through car park into woods.  Follow KB-S along tricky path through woods to emerge on track by Salvington mast.  Cross Long furlong at Tolmare, and take Collarbone lane to Muntham and A24 back to Findon.  EN joins for fine brek chez CB, with spreadable turkish delight from Fortnum’s.  9.3 miles.
 
Sat 21        7.30am Saturday ride
FL and KB-S do Clapham Woods and Angmering Park, among the bluebells.  FL breaks rib.  Mrs Leroux expresses her view by telephone, forcefully.
PT goes for short ride though local woods, back by 07:15!
 
Sun 22       London Marathon – CB
 
Mon 23rd – Sat 28th  C2C ride – PT
 
May 2007 
 
Sat  5         7.30am Saturday ride
MA RT FL KB-S and PT climb Church Hill and revisit Clapham Woods for RT to mark the spot where FL broke a rib.  Down to A27/A281 junction, back along A27 and up the farm rack into Clapham Woods, returning to Findon via Church Hill after leaving KB-S to return to Rose’s cooking.  Remove barbed wire from RT’s rear tyre at Roger’s Farm.  7 miles, under cloud
 
Fri   11       Ride to Streat (Nick Way Ride) – PT
MA ZA RT FL KB-S PT JR EN – Depart Findon 2:15 and pull into North Acres at 5:45.  ZA stays to dine then drives home, after taxi duty to get us all to the pub.  Back via traditional route, up llama lane.
 
Sat  12      Return from Streat 
 
Sat  19       7.30am Saturday ride
KB-S, FL MA and RT trip to the tank, after MA rides up from the beach.  Following tea at Nepcroft, MA returns home via Cissbury, Lancing and Shoreham.
 

Sat  26      7.30am  Lingalonga
PT, RT, JR, CB and FL climb over Cissbury to the Steyning road, and proceed on to Lancing college and cross the A27 to take the old footbridge over the Adur.  Following the Downslink southwards to a dead end, after a backtrack the Adur is re-crossed via the road bridge.  South at the petrol station roundabout leads us to the beach, and w follow the coastal cycle path (allegedly opened officially today) towards Worthing.  Cutting North over Ham Bridge, we cross Broadwater green, pass the Offington Park Club and head up through the Valley to a fine brek at the Lingalonga, courtesy of Mr Roche.  FL sadly declines the brek as Mrs L wants him back early, to assist in taking the family on holiday to Rome.  After brek, all return to Findon via Cross lane.  Overcast, with rain starting just as we reach home.  16.02 miles.
 
June 2007

Sat  2         7.30am Saturday ride
RT PT MA do the Amberley loop to discover that the Tea Rooms open officially at 10 am.  Back down Collarbone Alley, RT and PT returning down Long Furlong while MA climbs and descends Church Hill with a spectacular knee-opening crash and loses mobile phone to boot.  Sadly no-one was there to sympathise.  16.5 miles, 10 more for MA..

Sat 9   Trek’n’brek Tank – JR
JR CB MA FL PT RT and EN meet in sunshine in the Square to load the LSV, RT having brought the wheelybin noisily down from Nepcroft.  EN heads off for Kithurst Hill, while the peleton climbs up through Muntham to meet ZA incoming from Kithurst.  All proceed to Kithurst, where EN meets and greets with Buck’s Fizz.  ZA walks last bit with a puncture.  Transport to Tank, where PT and MA mend MA’s snapped chain (only its first or second outing since new).  Sumptuous brek, but low salt, the repack and return to Kithurst to mend FL’s snapped chain, repack LSV and proceed to Chantry car park to mend MA’s chain again.  Return to Findon without further mishap.  10 miles. 
 
Sat 16        7.30am Saturday ride
Only KB-S out east up the World’s Only Downhill Single Track Photographer Hill for a better climb from No Mans Land and up to the Memorial. From there down to Steyning to have a go at Llama Lane before returning home and had the pleasure of Church Hill (in rain and very green chalk) – PT circles Ditchling and Wivelsfield –

Sat 23        7.30am Trek ‘n brek – Melrose Close (for KB-S)
PT pre-positioned the van at EN’s, and rode back to Findon to meet JR, RT and FL.  All set off up Long Furlong to the top of Church Hill, and then down through Clapham Woods to the A27.  Took a track westward, parallel and south of the A27 to end up in a field, climbing a gate to reach Titnore lane, then west to the roundabout to strike south, climbing Highdown.  Took in views from the top, in sunshine.  Down into Ferring, crossing the railway at a foot crossing protected by stiles, then down beside Ferring Rife to the beach.  East along the beach, then north to the Mulberry and along the main road to turn north and re-cross the railway at the College, just missing a passing steam train.  Sumptuous brek at Ewart’s, after AM joined us having biked from Findon after alarm clock malfunction, and ZA joined after having come by train from Rustington, and seen said steam train pass.  PT drove back, ZA to Station for train to London, JR to collect his car from Rustington, and RT FL and AM ride back to Findon in the sunshine.
 
Sat 30        7.30am Saturday ride
RT, KB-S, ZA and CB (and/or possibly others – please correct if you can) scaled the North Face to Chanctonbury, and crossed to Langmead.  Reports are that CB suffered simultaneous punctures, leading to suggestions that the new bike should go back to the shop as it is clearly not of merchantable quality. 

July 2007

Sat  7         7.30am Trek ‘n brek – KB-S (for EN)
RT PT and KB-S foregathered at the Square, and struck north to inspect the building works at Cranford before climbing through Muntham to the Tank, in bright sunshine.  Heading due south from the tank, across the field which so nearly robbed FL of teeth on his early ride without suspension, the trio reached Myrtle grove and took the traditional off-road climb to Lee farm and Tolmare.  EN joined us for a delightful brek, featuring bacons and sausages by Rose and scrambled eggs by Siri.   

Sat 14 7.30am Saturday ride.
KB-S, FL and MA met at the butcher’s, the latter riding from his residence in Worthing, for a morning ride that – unknown to anyone in the group – would be FL’s last ride on tubeless tyres. MA suggested Bottomley Bottom and off we went. However, we ended climbing up Chantonbury Ring along the long grassy track. At the top FL suffered his first puncture on his tubeless tyres. He produced what seemed to be a can of leftover shaving foam and sprayed it into the tyre. But in the end he had to admit defeat and put in a new tube. The ride continued to Bloody Norse corner before we headed home without any other setbacks. MA went home via Cissbury Ring and the golf course. The weather was pleasant with a bit of sun.
 
 
Sat 21        7.30am Saturday ride.
KB-S, FL, CB and MA, the latter once again biking all the way from Worthing, gathered on a dull morning. A big black cloud was hanging over Cissbury Ring. Following the advice from KB-S we headed in the opposite direction and climbed Church Hill. Through the single track with plenty of prickly brambles and burning nettles (and a whining FL despite being the only one in long jeans and long-sleeved jacket!!) we reached Clapham Wood and FL’s “Broken Rib Memorial”. There the sky opened and within five minutes we were soaked to the skin. Retracting to the porch at Clapham Church we squeezed in with two dog walkers. After 10 minutes of continues rain we decided to make our ride short and went home along A27 and up a very wet and slippery Cote Street. Wet, wet and wet                       
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

                                                                                                                                                                                                

                            

  

Posted in 2009 posts and prior, The Anals | 1 Comment »

Ride to Streat, with apologies to Medwin

Wednesday, May 16th, 2007

Friday 4th May 2.20pm. Group of 6 riders – Paul Topley, Zachary Allen, John Roche, Kim Bang-Sorensen, Francois Leroux and Richard Thomas – set off from Tudor Close in Findon Village. A little late, but not surprising with the plentiful supply of tea on offer from the Roche residence. Wet weather gear (which had been specially acquired for the C2C ride but had proven to not be required) was donned by most in view of the depressing conditions and light rain.

Route took us up Cissbury and straight on over towards the Steyning Road. At the top of the first hill we marvelled at the speed already being achieved following recent rides and our greatly improved levels of fitness. Wet weather gear generally removed following this exertion as it was proving wetter inside than out, only to have bared legs attacked by a bed of nettles that could not be avoided.

Onto the Steyning road and then down the concrete road in the Steyning bowl – an excellent adrenalin rush resulting in maximum speeds of over 40mph. However this indulgence prevented us from attending to the memorial at the bottom that had been the result of an achievement of 48mph and a sudden stop a few years ago.

Next across the river Adur and up Truleigh Hill. For once the whole group cycled all the way up, PT not stopping at all until the very top, though needless to say that the Dane got there in about half the time of the rest. A banana and sweet stop to re-energise and then off again.

The Nick Way memorial was reached at around 4.00pm, and its annual refurbishment was followed by the FGCC ode to the fallen – requiem post disequilibrium – though two passing walkers seemed a little confused by the occasion.

Past Devil’s Dyke and on to Nyetimber, where again a record was achieved with everyone being able to cycle all the way up, albeit a little slower this time. Time to stop and admire the scenery and comment on our luck with the weather during the ride.

On past the golf club at …… at which stage we seemed to encounter riders on an organised SDW ride. RT came across a rather unhappy rider who was walking his steed due to a puncture. FGCC team got into action and fixed the tyre, jokingly commenting that we hoped he could afford the bill that was being produced by Mr Roche, who was in fact sending yet another email on his PDA. A tenner was produced, but swiftly refused – we are the FGCC after all.

Then on to the Beacon where the rain started, with wet weather gear again being donned. A speedy and very wet descent to Streat, where we were granted another warm welcome by our hosts at North Acres, Valerie and John Eastwood, arriving at 6.00pm. Such a fast ride that for once we even arrived in advance of our LSV, Mr Ewart Nightingale.

An excellent B&B, but it has sadly had to close since then due to bureaucracy over fire regulations and competitive interests claiming that it was a hotel.

A great evening at The Winning Post pub in Plumpton Green, followed by a 2 mile stagger back through the unlit bridleway, but with no incidents of any note.

A proper full English Breakfast provided by our hosts accompanied by discussions varying from the state of our nation to the sadness of those who want punch and judy shows to be politically correct, and from culling of grey squirrels to the creation of weblogs – hence the FGCCblog (thank you John). Who wants to stay in a plastic hotel chain when you have such a great combination of entertainment and accomodation.

The return journey was a generally uneventful road ride along the north side of the south downs. One exception was the losing of the two continentals when the testosterone got too much and they insisted on chasing after two ladies on road bikes! Will they ever learn? The other exception was caused by the Dane taking us on yet another route that resulted in major injury to RT. Fortunately his camera survived, resulting in a fine picture of a fence.

The fence

Arrived back in Findon at 2.00pm, all agreed that it had been a particularly enjoyable ride. Thanks to Paul Topley for all the organisation.

Posted in 2009 posts and prior, Overnight rides | 2 Comments »