11. November 2024
FGCC rides in November 2024
Saturday 2nd November 08.00am ride
PT, ZA, MA, RT with AM on road. TB part ride but a major blasteet at Chanctonbury made him walk home.
Teddies, Shoreham, selected for the brek location as we hadn’t been there for a long time and there was an easterly wind. Route via the SDW off-shoot that goes down to Steyning in order to be able to enjoy some autumn colours, Stable lane and up to the SDW, branching off north to take the track down to Mouse Lane. Into Steyning and round past the church and up Roman Road and Castle Lane onto the Downslink. Tarried to inspect the information boards at the site of Bramber station:
Arriving at Teddies we came across a Mead supping a takeaway coffee and he joined the peloton for the brek. Return journey via Lancing clump whilst Mr Mead headed for the Fort and return along the seafront.
We had been anticipating that TB would catch us up to join at the brek, but message received to the effect that he had suffered a major blow out of his rear at Chanctonbury and had to return home. Hopefully it was a puncture.
Total 21.8 miles and 1,434ft.
Later JR rode out to Ferring, but no reports of alarums or excursions on his ride:
Main peleton – red
MA – blue
JR = green
Saturday 9th November 08.00am ride
A pelefive of MA, RK, RT, PT and ZA assembled at OPG on a grey and misty morning. Congratulating RK on his birthday, we learned that he was in the frame to become a Grandfather either that very day or soon after, the (as yet unnamed) grandchild having been commissioned for delivery last Thursday, but delayed (no doubt due to Labour tax hikes, covid or Brexit) and now overdue. Celebrations wee also extended to the CCTV, whose birthday is customarily marked by pyrotechnics.
As there had been no actual falling-down-type rain in recent days, ZA ventured to suggest a northerly excursion to Dial Post, which the peleton endorsed. Peleton in red, MA in blue:
Stable Lane to Chanctonbury then down to Buncton crossrads and over the A283, north through Wiston and along the bridleway to Woodman’s Farm. Then turn right onto Kim”s favourite footpath through the woods. ZA’s theory of relative mudlessness was comprehensively debunked, as the peleton squelched onward and emerged eventually onto tarmac. The downhill tarmac bits allowed speeds to be reached which were sufficient to demonstrate the existence of centrifugal force, as it overcame the adhesion between mud and tyre.
The birthday boys stood us a fine brek, although the chorus of “Happy birthday to you” was desultory.
After a mad dash across the A24, we headed west through the Knepp estate. The rewilding has allowed the native mud of the Weald to flourish, and soon we were covered again by adhering masses and flying clobs (technical terms). PT chose this moment to develop a blasteet, and was able to fully avail himself of the healing properties of the Wealden clay by getting exposed areas of skin thoroughly caked. As PT replaced the tube with a new one, Gentlemen repaired and MA expertly rewound the blasteet victim in an exemplary show of solidarity.
Steady progress south brought us past Thakeham Church and along a gentrified bridleway to the north end of Strawberry Lane. Cruising down to the south end, we eventually crossed the A283 again when drivers took pity on us and slowed. Then to Barns Farm and the long climb up Sullington Hill to the SDW. MA peeled off at this point to head west to Lee Farm, Wepham Down the south through the APE. The now pelefour returned to Findon via the gun club, Puckamuck, and the (turnip) field to Long Furlong.
A fine day out, MA covering just under 35 miles and the rest about 21.
Note – adding these rides to the Bulldog Bling table has brought the total qualifying distance ridden this year to over 8,500 miles.
TAMITS:
ZA – “Being one of the birthday boys, I’d like to go for a ride through the Knepp estate. It hasn’t rained for quite a while so it should be fairly dry”
Saturday 16th November 08.00am ride
PT, JR, ZA, RT and MA. AM later on road.
Mr Avery appeared at OPG for the start but then returned to Angmering due to limited time.
Brek location the Harbour Lights in LA selected with ETA set for 10.00am. AM set off down to the coast on road taking a long weaving route to get there by then.
The main peloton set off up School Hill and onto the turnip field where Team Chaplain had a little lie down and disappeared amongst the crop – at the brek stop he discovered that he had lost his bike lock in the field, but managed to find it again when he returned later.

Up to the high barn and onto the SDW to Kithurst, then descending the long drop to Peppering farm.

Then on past Burpham to the A27 and onto the Ford Road via the bypass. At the junction with the A259 PT decided to have a slow lie down much to the surprise of the driver of an adjacent vehicle.
Met AM at the Harbour Lights with fine brek taken there. With VT extending the time at the brek, ZA and RT needed to get going again leaving the rump of the peloton to solve the problems of the world.
ZA & RT return route via sea front, A259 and gallops, PT & JR via sea front and then a winding route including cutting through the undergrowth of the Ferring Gap, Goring, Durrington and A24.
PT and JR – red
RT and ZA – blue
MA – green
Saturday 23rd November 08.00am ride
Richard and Mark (both red) braved the wind, Richard completing a 15-mile 4 peaks:
The wind on the ride up to Cissbury and on towards the Steyning road was fairly strong but nothing like as had been expressed in the media, though certainly helpful on the gravel track up to the Langmead memorial, further assisted by a new section of “motorway” there. Similarly the wind on ride up to Chanctonbury was not too much.
And the drop to Chanctonbury was made much easier due to the track having been graded, rolled and gritted, so any fears of being blown over when navigating deep ruts proved unjustified.
Across the A24 and up towards the High Barn firstly in the shelter of the woods, but then when getting to the top and most exposed section the rain started to pour and the wind whipped up making riding extremely challenging, especially when having to turn south and into the wind – thankfully e-powered bike had been selected this morning.
However the rain soon stopped and all clothing quickly dried. The narrow track above Tolmere was challenging due to gusts of wind, but the A280 was almost empty making for an easy crossing for once. Honeysuckle Lane, the Bostal, the motorway and back to Findon.
Total 15 miles and 1500ft.
Zach (blue) was out slightly later, for a 10 mile hop over Highdown to St Mary’s, Goring
Andy was out for a ride later, but details are at present shrouded in the mists.
Mark made a short 10-mile flattish circuit between York and Selby, on a “trusty rusty analogue”, presumably sourced from the family in’t North.
Total 10.4 miles and 131ft
Saturday 30th November 08.00am ride
JR writes: