11.2021 November

Findon Gentlemen’s Cycling Club rides in November 2021

Saturday 6th November 08.00am ride

CB AM ZA PT RT

AM’s first off-road ride since his slicing and dicing op. Westerly wind so we headed west according to Andy’s law to be blown back on the return ride. However there was barely a noticeable wind.

Muntham, to SDW, down past the tank site and across the field to test AM on his first ride and a hard-tail bike. Round the Gallops and onto Monarch’s way and then tarmac to Arundel for a splendid brek at the Moathouse cafe and plenty of VT. Return via Warningcamp, APE and Monarch’s Way past Tolmare Farm to the village, with AM making clear his dislike of that particular route due to the ruts.

Total 20 miles and 1,571ft

Saturday 13th November 08.00am ride

ZA, AM, RK, RT

WE selected an extended Amberley loop route finishing with a brek at Findon Garden Centre for the ride today. Anticipating a leisurely ride without the e-bikers we set off as it turned out we managed to continue – late.

Up through the crematorium and over to the SDW taking the vineyard diversion and continuing on the SDW across the river to the Bury-Houghton road. Left to Houghton and then down and on to the North Stoke road. Back up to Kithurst Hill, stopping to provide much needed maintenance to the Flying Brit memorial and, naturally, to recite the FGCC ode. Continuing on we got to Chantry Lane carp park only to realise that we had a missing Mead. Waiting a while and not seeing his bright jacket or recognisable profile even in the distance concern started to build. RK had to depart as he had a flying lesson booked to be followed by birthday celebrations with his family, while ZA and RT turned back to try to find out what had happened to AM. It turned out later that while cycling back both RT and ZA were imagining the worst for a fellow gentleman who had recently undergone major surgery and were wondering what they were going to find. As it happened Andy had experienced a blasteet of the velocipedal variety rather than corporeal, and was just reassembling his wheel when we arrived. informing him of the nature of our worries AM said that his grandmother, when confronted by a child with a minor complaint, would touch the child and then say “the body’s warm so you are alright”. Needless to say that RT & ZA were hugely relieved to have not come across a  “cold body”.

Return to Findon via Church Hill and into the garden centre for a brek. However we discovered that we had managed such a leisurely Amberley loop that it took almost 4 hours to accomplish what usually takes 2 1/2  – 3 hours and the garden centre had stopped serving breakfasts. Discussion took place as to whether the likes of a baked potato would suffice and ZA kindly suggested going to the butchers to acquire bacons and sausages for a brek at Cherry Cottage. Mrs Allen was present and took over and provided a splendid feast of a brek rescuing us from our disappointment at the garden centre. The brek was naturally accompanied by a good session of putting the world to rights – thank you Zach & Margaret for a great impromptu brek.

4 hours for such a route – clearly VT was a primary factor

Total 21.5 miles and 1,731ft

ZA report on the ride:

A Peloquatre ventured forth from OPG last Saturday, intent on riding the Amberley Loop. We made our way up the Crematorium Drive, through the woods and thus up to the SDW which we followed to Amberley with a diversion to enjoy the Hidden Valley … At the jn with the Amberley – Storrington Rd we continued on the SDW, crossing the River Arun to emerge on Houghton Lane, which runs from Bury to Houghton. Turning left to join the B2139 at Houghton, we descended to cross Houghton Bridge and turned R into Stoke Rd to pick up the Amberley Loop …

As the photo below testifies, on the long ascent up to the SDW, the Club’s Official War Artist set about a thoroughgoing renovation of the Memorial nr the site of a dramatic spill suffered by The Flying Brit, c.2018. In the absence of JR, it was left to others to commend the OWA for being ‘on top of his game’.

At Chantry Post, Le Peloquatre having been reduced to a Pelotrois, realised that it was Monsieur Mead who had got left behind. M. ‘The Croc’ Kruger needing to press on to keep an appointment with his flying instructor – perhaps not unrelated to the need to ensure his state of readiness for future missions to overturn dictators in far-flung parts of the globe – the OWA & self headed back W in search of M. Mead. We encountered him completing an effective repair of a ‘blasteet’, at the turning off the SDW to the former site of the Tank. The three of us made our way to Findon Garden Centre where we learnt that breakfast is not served after 11.30 (we arrived c.11.40). Grateful not to get mixed up with somewhat premature Christmas-related events unfolding at the Garden Centre, we opted to have an impromptu Brek at Cherry Cottage, for which the wherewithal was procured from the Butchers Shop. Margaret orchestrated preparations for the Brek that ensued, over which many matters were gleefully discussed and commented upon some way into the afternoon.

As ever, it was good – in fact, very good – to be out 🚴‍♂️🍳🙂

 

Saturday 20th November 08.00am ride

PT reports:

No reports whatsoever have flooded in from Gentlemen eager to secure “Bulldog Bling” recognition for their efforts last Saturday.
yours Truly completed a short, but exclusively analogue, circuit from downtown Horsham out to Broadbridge Heath then down to Copsale on the Downslink, returning north to Horsham via Denne Hill, as follows:

TK subsequently reported:Responding to the pleas for a report from Sat 20th

Gentlemen foregathered at Pond Green, the four comprised Mr Andy Mead,  Mr Paul Mead , Zach (not Mead) and Tim ( also not Mead).

 

In order to avoid the risk of not being able to tell the Meads twins apart, Paul M had with foresight chosen not to wear a helmet, this coupled with Andys preference for on road rehabilitation and the apparent capability of both Mead steeds led to all agreeing an on road route to Teddies. A brief stop at Cherry cottage for ZA to swap to road bike and for TK to inflate his off road tyres to on road pressures, was followed by a trip down through back streets of findon valley, past the Gurka over West Worthing level crossing and through backstreets to George 5th avenue.   At no point on route did Andy seem to need to apply brakes, no stop sign or red light could slow down his progress and in traditional moses mead fashion we followed through many, many, sets of ‘parted’ traffic and ‘startled’ drivers to reach the sea front.

 

Several park runs were encountered and polite ringing of bells saw us part the crowds as we sped along the promenade to shoreham beach, over the foot bridge to Teddies, where to all our amazement ( including the Kitchen) we all settled for the smaller Tedinni meal ( Andys still in training before returning to the TedMax), much vox ensued especially regarding Cricket and the redeeming features of yorkshiremen. Refuelled we returned through Shoreham airport to shoreham beach and  along the shoreline to Worthing where the Meads (A&P) halted for another coffee leaving Zach and Tim to return to duties in findon.

Saturday 27th November 08.00am ride

MA, PT, ZA, RT with AM on a road ride.

Freezing conditions with strong North Easterly winds (42mph gusts) and only foundation members plus an almost foundation member were out.

In view of the welcoming weather a peaks route was selected to give the opportunity to descend to the village at any time if needed. The ride up to Cissbury was assisted by wind in the back, but from the car park we were then struggling against the wind, with the chill factor resulting in loss of feeling in fingers and toes.

Up to Chanctonbury to shelter briefly by the trees and then down a slippery descent to Washington car part and across the A24. At this point we decided against the prospect of climbing up Barnsfarm Hill choosing to go round the back of Windlesham and then up to the road to the gun club. Then via Collarbone Alley and Church Hill to Findon Garden Centre for a welcome brek and to recover from the onset of hypothermia.

Total only 10mile and 1,028ft

…with MA doing a longer ride to and from home than on the ride itself: total 23.1miles and 2,203ft.

Meanwhile Mr Mead had selected a tarmac route in order to reach his 100miles target for the week.

AM reports:

Having been held up earlier this am set off at approx 8. 20 and headed for LA via W. Worthing,

Goring, Ferring, E.P Rustington. Along to the footbridge @ the Arun View where I turned for home via LA seafront, Rustington, EP and Ferring.
Stopped at The Bluebird for a breakfast bite and coffee then to Worthing via Ferring, Goring, seafront, Worthing Promenade to Coffee Dave’s outside the new Swimming Pool at Splash Point.
Returned to Findon via South Farm Road, Offington and Findon Valley. To the paper shop and home via Horsham Road and the A24. Wind not as big a problem as I first thought, but b*****
cold.Very little rain.
The trusty Cateye tells me I did 30.5 miles.