11. November 2023
Findon Gentlemen’s Cycling Club rides in November 2023
Saturday 4th November 08.00am ride
JR, PT, ZA & RT
Storm Ciaran was in its latter stages but there were still torrential rain and strong (50mph) south westerly gusts of wind as we set off for a mostly road ride to Ferring Country Park for a splendid brek with excellent service. Route there naturally included Ilex way for JR to once again enjoy the architecture. Fortunately the rain briefly halted a few minutes before we arrived enabling the peloton to enter the establishment in a slightly drier state.
Return journey via the sea front to observe the frothing sea and enjoy having the wind behind us, then up Grand Avenue and on to Mill Lane and the Gallops, with ZA on road bike turning off at the cemetery to follow the valley route. AM had continued elsewhere for further meandering wet ride.
Total a mere 16 miles and 336ft
Saturday 11th November 08.00 Trek ‘n Brek to Cherry Cottage
ZA, JR, TK, MB, RT
A short ride in order to try to arrive at Cherry Cottage by 10.00am. Clear skies and sunshine were a welcome relief from all the recent rain even if it was cold, but route selected to go by the least muddy tracks. A mostly analogue ride with only one bike present.
Up the A24 and up the lane to Findon Park Farm and then the track up to the top , turning left to head to Chanctonbury on the SDW. Over the top via the dew pond and down to the gas plant and back onto the SDW, across the A24 and then round the back of Windlesham. Up to Collarbone alley and Long Furlong back to the village.
The smell of freshly baked bread heralded an excellent brek provided by Mrs Allen,
Total 8.6 miles and 781ft
Saturday 18th November 08.00am ride – a wet and dry ride to Arundel
MB, JR, RT
Only 3 analogue riders assembled in the wet and very windy (south westerly) conditions that prevailed.
Up through the crew, along collarbone lane and onto the SDW to Kithurst hill. Descent to Burpham was a river in the continuing rain and slow into the wind. Finally onwards to the Moat House in Arundel. Mr Mead had been expected to join us but it turned out that the Tsetse fly condition had taken hold as he only woke up around the time we arrived in Arundel.
JR wanted to experience being blown back along the seafront, so we struggled on to LA into the headwind before the relief of subsequent wind assisted cycling. Usual route via Ferring and Sea lane to Grand avenue, West Worthing and the valley to Findon. Massive waves on the seafront.
Total 31.75 miles and 1,137ft
Saturday 25th November 08.00am ride
On a bright and frosty morning MA rode over from Angmering, TK rode over from Steyning, and PT drove down from Horsham, all with e-bikes. RT came down from Nepcroft on his analogue bike, and turned round to go and get e’d up. AM eventually turned up on road bike followed by swarm of tsetse flies.
AM took off on road, while the home peleton went out to Arundel via crem, Chantry post, Lee farm, Wepham down gallops, and Warningcamp (red route). Budd memorial still resplendent.
Fine brek with AM at the Moat, then back via Warnincamp, Wepham wood, the Dover, Angmering (MA peels off), Highdown, Durrington, Mill lane, Gallops, Bost Hill and superhighway. PT did 23.51 miles, but TK did more, and it is suspected that AM did more still.
A little later at 12:40, ZA set out for a ride over to Goring, within the “Qualifying Regulations (Members Resident at least partially abroad) Post-Covid Supplementary Rules 2023” which were amended to require rides to start before 1pm local time on a Saturday, regardless of location. This change is the “Qualifying Regulations (Members Resident at least partially abroad) Post-Covid Supplementary Rules 2023 Amend