08. August 2025

FGCC rides in August 2025

Saturday 2nd August 08.00am ride

Six convened at OPG (JR MA NG PT TK and ZA), MA riding PT’s analogue in the continuing absence of his own e-steed (still hors de combat after last weekend’s motor failure). A short off-road circuit of about ten miles, ending with brek at the revamped Findon Garden Centre.

All rode up to Cissbury car park, but to save wear on the Avery knees, the power of PT’s cube was harnessed to tow Markfrom Lychpole farm to the Langmead memorial. There we chatted with Mr Michael Langmead (aged 89), whose parents and grandparents are commemorated.

All rode on to the cattle grid at Chanctonbury, where the tow rope was again deployed to haul MA up to the ring. All downhill from there to the A24, then through the village to FGC.

JR writes:

“Zach, Paul, Mark, Tim and Nigel ventured out from OPG at 08.10 – according to the clock in the butcher’s (for many years now the official time piece used to calibrate our own lesser mechanisms). Given that Mark was temporarily ‘sans electro-motive-force’ an analogue replacement had been provided kindly by the TM.

All went well but for the challenges of those upward slants in the road so strenuously denied by Andy Mead some 30 odd years ago. The appliance of science, in the form of a tow rope cleverly interconnecting Paul and Mark ensured that both met the challenge provided by gravity.

The peloton scaled Nepcote Lane to Cissbury, then the descent to link up with the BW to the dew pond below that non-hill, and on to Lychpole Farm and from there to the Langmead Memorial.

Here we met that memorial’s founder in the form of 90 year old Michael Langmead who we learned ventures up there frequently with his young lady carer to tend that memorial. His kind carer carefully watered all the plants at the site and added new ones. Such inspirational guidance is a lesson to us all, so that when we all have carers, we too must instruct them to tend our various memorials, or it may be cheaper to just ask Richard’s carer to carry the paints for him.

For many years we have scratched our heads to think who could possibly fill the shoes of our late club president, Sir Colin (Lord) Cowdrey. I think that, in Michael Langmead we have found that guiding force and I shall be proposing him as our honorary president at the next overdue EPM..

Oh, and afterwards it was on to Chanctonbury, down to Findon and brek at the garden centre.”

Saturday 9th August T&B Nepcroft

A bumper turnout of 11 for the Thomas’ birthday brek at Nepcroft, with some bike-swapping as MA rides Richard’s bike. Tim and Mark collected Philip from Nepcroft, and joined Roy, John C, Andy, Matthew, Nigel, Tommy, Zach and Paul for a reprise of the short loop to Cissbury, round Lychpole Farm, up to Langmead memorial and over to Chanctonbury before returning to Findon along the A24, 11 miles and 1069 feet climbed.

The peleton then repaired to Nepcroft for a brek to celebrate Richard and Philip’s birthday, a splendid feast laid on by Carole and Margarte, assisted by Nala in a puppyish capacity.

Meanwhile, John R represented us all in Norfolk, completing a 10 mile ride below sea level. First time a negative amount of climb has been recorded.

Saturday 16th August 08.00am ride

MA, AM, ZA brek at Teddies.

Route up to Cissbury, then north and onto the SDW to Langmead. A fast drop down the concrete road and Maudlin Road to Bramber, and then the Downs Link to Shoreham to enjoy a brek and VT at Teddies.

Return route along the seafront with a coffee stop at Lancing beach to meet younger Avery’s,but sans Team Chaplain who continued on home. Remainder of the route was to the Canadian Memorial, up Grand Avenue and via West Worthing, TAB, Mill Lane, the Gallops and Rogers Farm.

23 miles and 914 ft

RK.

Meanwhile in the wilds of Hertfordshire the Croc headed out west on Cresswell Green road with a little detour to his local airfield, no doubt as part of preparation for his next mission, then another little detour 2 sides of a triangle firstly towards Verulanium ensuring that he would lose anyone trying to track him before continuing in a north and north westerly direction that took him up past Woodwells Cemetery and country lanes past Great Bradwins Wood to Whipsnade.

Return route firstly in a south easterly direction to Markyate and then south to join most of his outward route.

13.5 miles and 1600ft

Saturday 23rd August 08.00am ride

RK, JC

A peletwo turned up at OPG at the appointed time and set off for Shoreham Airport. Up to Cissburry and then straight on east to the Coombes. Onto the Downslink and then across the footbridge to the Airport. At some point, in his eagerness to do a gate, JC gave up and had a little lie down instead.

Return route was up past Lancing College and the clump and then up to Langmead and the SDW, then turning south and dropping down Stable Lane back to the village.

Total 18 miles and 1,300 ft.

Meanwhile RT managed a 2.6 mile 5 weeks post hip op hop round the village, and Nigel completed a virtual 5 mile ride in the South Pacific, the latter half being in the sea!

Saturday 30th August 08.00am ride

PT, JT, AM, MB, ZA, RT

5 e-bikes and 1 analogue (JT) assembled at OPG acknowledging a number of firsts and a last. First ride for MB on his new e-bike, first ride for RT with his replacement hip, first ride for JT since long recovery from rotator cuff injury and last ride for AM before forthcoming knee replacement ride. Failing joints won’t stop gentlemen of the FGCC from riding!

Route to Arundel via Muntham, SDW, Burpham road and into Arundel, a mostly gravel and tarmac route due to the recent heavy rain.

On the Burpham Road ZA announced that he was experiencing a blasteet. The typical FGCC teamwork wet to work to fix the problem with two large thorns being extracted from the tyre. JT expressed amazement at the speed of tyre removal demonstrated by our Team Mechanic using the special tyre removal tool (a “Tyre Glider”). Further technical advances in the form of TM’s pocket pump led JT to reckon that his compressed gas inflator was now old technology.

However, demonstrating that some things don’t change ZA produced a replacement inner tube with a schrader valve rather than the necessary Presta. There’s a(nother) medal in there somewhere.

Arrived in Arundel at the Moat House to discover that unusually there was no space for us so take away bacons and mushroom baguettes were acquired for an al fresco brek by the river, a throwback to the Covid years….

Return route via Warningcamp, Dover Lane, Angmering, Highdown, Mill Lane and the Gallops, with RT encouraging MB to fully experience turbo setting on his new bike to climb the steepest part of Highdown.

Total 26 miles and 1,680 ft.

TAMITS: ZA having an incorrect spare inner tube.