The Findon Gentlemen's Cycling Club

Findon Gentlemen’s Cycling Club rides in September 2024

Saturday 7th September 08.00 am ride

A peleton of seven (MB PT RK RT TB TK and ZA) departed OPG to brek at the airport, via Coombs:

An interesting discussion was had at Coomb Farm with Jenny Passmore, 4th generation farmer of the land. Apples, church services, farming in Zim, Passmores farming here since 1903.

Arriving at the airport, three WWII fighters were parked up:

TB peeled off at the Canadian memorial to continue East on the sea front.

Meanwhile, in other parts;

JR completed a 27 mile sweep through Essex Girl country (OS maps do not show locations of disappointed young ladies, as it would swamp the map):

CB was again out in the rumpled bit of Italy, with a ride of 21 miles and 1500 feet:

Saturday 14th September 08.00am ride

Only four out today, and mostly on their respective tods.  Sheep fair made many MUA.

MA briefly appeared, ninja-like, at OPG to say hello to Tommy.  MA then departed for Angmering, and Tommy headed north (Llama and Spithandle Lanes) to Henfield, where he and PT enjoyed a fine brek at the Old Post Office.

PT’s route from Horsham to Henfield was on road to Copsale, then via the Downslink, returning via Partridge Green, Dial Post, Shipley, Southwater and Broadbridge Heath.  A bright but cool morning.

Tommy’s route has not yet shown up on Strava, but is believed to be: OPG, Llama Lane, Spithandle Lane, Horsmonden commom to Henfield, back down the Downslink to the wooden bridge and then over a newly resurfaced Lancing Clump.

Zach was out and about riding in Somerset, recording his first ride on Strava.  A fine effort of 25 miles and about 1200 feet:

Friday 20th/Saturday 21st September Go West Ride

Day 1.  TK, JR, MA, ZA & RT gathered together at OPG at 09.15 and set off to Arundel to meet PT at the station there, via Tolmare and the Monarch’s Way. Although we intended to only have a coffee stop there it morphed into a mini-brek with the presence of Team Chaplain ensuring that we were particularly well attended to.

Fully refreshed we headed off on an excellent route planned by our Team Cartographer, which took us up through Rewell Wood and then past Slindon and into Eartham Wood and then North Wood, where we came to the Monarch’s Way route that we follow each year. Along Selhurst Park Road and up north through woods to get onto Droke Lane for us to head west through East Dean, Charlton and to Singleton where we halted for lunch at the Partridge Pub.  At this point Team Chaplain headed off to Chichester to catch a train back to Worthing.  An excellent lunch with well kept Harveys in the sunshine made for a perfect setting for plenty of VT.

Onwards in a westerly direction with our PM, Mr Kersley, charging on ahead with the spare Satmap.  However, just before Binderton, TK followed an optional route down onto the Centurion Way that had been marked for a possible tea stop if ZA had still been with us. There followed a barcle as PT and MA followed TK to see if they could find him and JR & RT continued along the road to the next crossing point in case TK came up that way. PT and MA completed the circuit round to JR & RT but no TK seen.  Phone communications took place and TK emerged along the intended route.  It transpired that there was a section of the Centurion Way that split and TK took one and waited for everyone and the others went the other way.

Up Binderton Lane and then west up a long hill across a road and continuing round the edge of the Kingsley Nature reserve and eventually to Walderton.  Then round the north side of Lordington Copse and to Stanstead Park.  Down through Southleigh Forest and on to Emsworth Common Road at which point RT continued straight on through the woods to Emsworth to catch a train back to Worthing.

The remaining peloton continued up Comley Hill and to the overnight stop.  TK was afflicted by a puncture rendering his rear sqidgy, so sped on in the hope of reaching the welcoming embrace of the Travelodge ere all support was lost.  Sadly, Boyle’s law prevailed and the last few yards were walked.  The tube was repaired in a flurry of inuendo and double entendre as befits the Sid James Version.

Total 35 miles and 2,924ft for the peloton and 37miles and 3,043ft for RT

Day 2.  JR MA PT and TK assembled and headed towards the Bunblebee, where TB hove into view to join the peleton for brek.

Starting with a perilous stretch of main road, we managed to annoy the traffic until turning off to the north, past Hampshire’s oil well. Passing east of Horndean, down a steep and rough track which tested TB’s rear brake to the limit, then by pleasant minor road to Chalton.  Off-road then along a metalled track to skirt the west side of the Queen Elisabeth Country Park and cross under the A3, then the long climb up Butser Hill.  This was alleviated by a stop half way up to mend again the Kersley rear.  At the top, we elected to head west along the ridge, then turn north over Wether Down to drop down Salt Hill.  We followed the valley bottom to Whitewool farm, then climbed the east side of Old Winchester Hill.  The route then took a sweeping descent on road to join a disused railway track just before Warnford Park.

While negociating a steep rough track through the woods to reach the railway trackbed, PT was summonned by his carer (aka the memsahib), wh was somewhat agitated by having lost her keys and thus been locket out of the house.  Gentlemen may cast their minds back to a similar incident on the IoW ride, when MB was able to remotely solve a similar uxorial difficulty.  PT however, despite a career spent at the cutting edge of technology, suffers from Luddite tendencies which have prevented the conversion of his house to remote control, and so the only crumb of comfort that could be proffered to the distraught lady was a promise to come straight back, and forgo the restorative lunchtime libations customary on such rides.  Without even taking leave of the peleton in the proper manner (for which PT can only throw himself metaphorically prostrate in supplication to the peleton for its forgiveness)  PT made off for Fareham at all speed down the railway track so thoughtfully provided by that indefatigable friend of the mountain biker, Dr Beeching.

Once PT had entrained, word came from the peleton that they too had eschewed the luncheon stop (if this was done in sympathy, then I thank you all for this consideration) and made good time to Fareham and were following on the next train.

Meanwhile our CCTV donned his away strip and made for St Mary’s, Goring, where no doubt the congregation was soothed by a CCTV recently refreshed by a bout of vt:

10.46 miles and 443 feet .

Saturday 28th September 08.00 am ride

A fine peleton of seven assembled on OPG, MA (dark blue) arriving from Angmering and TK (turquoise) from Steyning.  AM was impeded by the flies, but was summoned telephonically to the brek venue.  Jason, back after a spell out of the saddle, is welcomed to his second year with the FGCC.

Brek at the airport was decided, and the peleton (red) headed off over to Cissbury and Coombes, then down the Downslink and over the wooden bridge.  AM joined us on the airport perimeter track and executed a deft U-turn to join the peleton for brek.  MB preceded the peleton back to Findon, having curtailed his brek in the face of domestic exigencies.

The route back was over Lancing clump, missing out the unsurfaced stretch from the School gates (this must be the part Tommy had previously reported to have been upgraded, since the remainder evinces no improvement):

On the return leg, a split peleton ensued when ZA MA and PT climbed up to the trig point to admire views of Leith Hill, Truleigh Hill, Bembridge Down IoW and Bignor Hill, while TK RK and JT took the traditional route.  JT then sped off for a rapid return, leaving a peleton of five to make the hurtle back into Findon.

MA took circuitous routes to and from Findon at the start and the end of the “Findon to Findon” bit, and consequently he covered more miles going to/from (18.7 out of his total of 35.63) than PT covered (17.36) doing the ride.  Taking the “Bling of the Road” medal seriously, eh?