06. June 2023

Findon Gentlemen’s Cycling Club rides in one 2023

Friday 2nd to Sunday 4th June Isle of Wight ride.

Day 1. Onto the island – Ryde to Newport

MA, PT, RK, JR

3.30pm start at the pub suggested by JR. Did it happen? What goes on a ride stays on a ride?

18.8 (?) miles and 850ft

Day 2 Round island ride.

MA, PT, RK

JR returned home

40 miles and 2,541ft

Day 3 Return home via Ryde

MA, PT, RK

17.5 miles and 728ft.

Saturday 3rd June 08.00am ride for those not on IOW ride

CB, ZA & RT

Time pressures necessitated a shortish ride: Lancing ring to Shoreham for bacon sarnie at the popup cafe at the airport, but it was closed. Along the seafront where CB & RT stopped at Lancing Peaches Cafe for a bacons bap whilst ZA rode on. Return via Grand Avenue and the gallops.

17.8 miles and 883 ft

Saturday 10th June 08.00am ride

Three foregathered at OPG and in recognition of his perhaps last Saturday ride for a while, route selection was left to Mr Bang-Sorensen. He chose thus:

Up Church Hill, north to Tolmare and on to the Monarch’s way. At this point Kim’s gear selection options were reduced by mechanical misfortune, and he completed the remainder of the ride in the ancien style of the Meads, i.e.in one gear.

Skirting the western flank of Blackpatch,

we reached Chantry car park and took the SDW west to Kithurst and Kims beloved “Vroom” route to Wepham down. Continuing south between Upper and Lower Barpham, we paused to admire the view

and in the click of a shutter the vista was enhanced, augmented and generally improved by the interjection of the erstwhile local representative of the (alleged) provider of said view/weather/etc:

Better with, or without? as they say at Specsavers.

After a remarkable transit of the APE, during which the usual miasmas of flying mud were replaced by clouds of dust, we regained the Monarch’s way at Michelgrove and passed to Tolmare in more dust clouds. Opting to relieve the lungs from the airborne particulates, we came down the tarmac (yes, even Kim) to partake of a bumper brek chez DeeDee.

About 15 miles (but it was HOT) and 1600 feet

Saturday 17th June 08.00am ride

Ride to Climping with brek at Rita’s diner Littlehampton harbour.

PT, MA, RK, JR, ZA, RT

A brek at the LA yacht club was proposed for yet another dry sunny day. Up through the Long Furlong field and onto Collarbone Alley. A stop to carry out some much needed maintenance to the Roche memorial and recitation of the FGCC ode. Onwards to Chantry Lane car park and then a fast and pleasantly cooling drop to Leigh Farm and up to the gallops.

There we were presented with a vast purple haze, which was initially assumed to be a field of linseed. However on closer inspection and some digital research by the TA, we learned that it was Phacelia Tancetifolia otherwise known as Fiddleneck, something that none had seeng grown as a crop. Further research revealed that although it is a weed it is an excellent beneficial-insect plant that is fast growing, suppresses other weeds and has good nitrogen retention properties preventing run-off and as a result it can be used as a green manure. A win for the farmer, nature and the environment, deserving of a 5 Llama agricultural award.

Onward via the Monarch’s Way to Arundel and then along the Ford Road with a diversion to Climbing Beach, where the effects of climate change is dramatically demonstrated by the destruction wreaked by erosion on the sea wall there just this year.

Then we headed to the yacht only to discover that it was full, so we retreated to a local workman’s american style cafe Rita’s Diner, a family cafe where we were treated royally by the granddaughter of the original Rita and others.

After the brek return journey was via the sea front, across the level crossing at East Preston and up the bridle path to The Spotted Cow in Angmering, to Highdown hill, and the traditional route via Mill Lane and the gallops.

Total 31.8 miles and 1,373 ft

Saturday 24th June 08.00am ride

RT, ZA, JR, TB, MA, PT

The e-peloton rode over from Angmering through APE prior to the Findon start.

Al fresco brek at the airport selected with route via Lancing clump. an excellent brek there tempered by having to be on guard against “The” seagull which demonstrated his boldness by trying to snatch a treat directly from a table of 4 men while they were eating their brek.

Then return via the seafront and on to a coffee stop (as requested by JR ) at Highdown – TB had turned off at the Steyne and ZA at Grand Avenue for return home.

Total 21.9 miles and 992 ft for the peloton and 27.3 miles and 1,823 ft for the e-bikers.