2015.09 September

FGCC rides in September

Saturday 5th September 08.00am ride
RK, RT
A longer ride was proposed to assist with RK’s training in readiness for his forthcoming Hindhead to Land’s End charity ride.
Route via Muntham, SDW, Kithurst Hill and Amberley mount to the challenge of Bury Hill. Half way up, on the steepest section when RT was thinking “why am I doing this, shall I walk” he was rescued by a “blasteet”. After the rest afforded by this event we continued onward and upward, across the A29 and just at the top of the hill turned sharp left along a bridle path to Whiteways cross roads cafe car park. On the road to Arundel where we decided to give the traditional brek stop another chance – although the offering was good value and they have discovered tea pots again it took forever to arrive.
Usual route to Poling, Angmering and Highdown, but just before the steep section we turned right instead of left and went down the track and across the A27 to join the National cycle south coast route down to the coast along Sea Lane. Back up Grand Avenue, West Worthing, TAB and the gallops to Findon.
Total 29 miles?

Saturday 12th September 08.00am ride.
PT, RT and later ZA.
A reduced peleton of adjust RT and PT set off past Nepcote green and over Cissbury to cross the Steyning road and continue towards lancing clump. Branching left we descended down through Coombes by the church, and proceeded south along the river road towards the recent air crash site. Finding further southerly progress blocked, we turned left and crossed the Adur on the A27 flyover and then descended into Shoreham via the Amsterdam, to meet up with the Team Vicar at St Mary’s church in the centre of Shoreham. After a few minutes inspecting the church, the now augmented peleton repaired to Truffles for a light breakfast, during which the conversation turned to the innate grumpiness of elderly gentlemen and how there should be a special font or typeface by means of which one could give physical expression to grumpy sentiments. This conversation having fulfilled the Team Vicar’s requirement for a session of talking b*****ks, we set off up the downslink to the bridge, after which ZA veered to the right to go and visit churches in Bramber, while RT and PT climbed back up the SDW to Langmead, Cissbury car park and down to the sheep fair where we were able to hamper Kim and John in their respective commercial endeavours.
Total 18 miles?

Saturday 17th September 08.00am ride.
RK
Billy’s back ride. Solo four peaks ride – 10 miles?

Saturday 24th September 08.00am ride
RK, RT
RK’s second attempt at a memorial.
Up to Cissbury, towards Llama lane and fork right to SDW and Langmead. As we descended the gravel track RK decided to make another poor attempt at gaining a memorial by trying to scratch his ankle whilst sliding through the gravel – not advised. Balance restored we carried on the SDW but then through the field towards Lancing hill, when RK had to stop because his saddle had become detached. Re-installed seat and we carried on, but at the top of Lancing Hill his saddle fell off again so a more secure method was needed to fix it. After searching around for wire or other materials, RT’s Jagermeister lanyard came to the rescue and the saddle was bound securely onto it’s frame. RT suggested that we proceed to the Giant bike shop in Shoreham to acquire a new saddle, but keeping to the make-do-and-mend ethos within the FGCC (viz African hand dryer, everlasting tyres, etc) RK’s immediate reaction was that it was now fine and why should he get a new saddle.
Route continued down through the airfield, and along the sea front, but at the junction with Ham Road, RT decided to also make an attempt at a new memorial by falling off his bike and gaining a few extra stones in his knee, courtesy of some female who decided that walking straight in front of RK’s bike was a good idea leading him to halt suddenly. (News of this incident was received by MA with a very broad grin the following week who regarded it as long overdue rough justice following an event on the IOW a couple of decades ago in which he suffered at the hand of RT).
Back via West Worthing and to the ancestral home for a brek, and a general approval of the standards there, though inevitably not up to the standard of Julia’s.
Total 18 miles?