09. September 2025

Findon Gentlemen’s Cycling Club rides in September 2025.

Saturday 6th September 08.00am ride

First, MB’s sagging rear end was addressed with a shock pump.

The route of the peleton (JC MB PT RT) is shown in red, ZA in green peeled off at the wooden bridge, JR and TB rode independently to the Hummingbird and accompanied the peleton home.  TB peeled off at the Becket, MB peeled off at the Gallops, RT and JC accompanied PT and JR to Salvington coffee shop but did not stop for coffee, fortuitously missing a chorus of barking dogs.

PT recorded 20.75 miles and 997 feet climbed, in sunshine.  PT had a little lie down at the first gate at the top of Coombs, but luckily bounced.

Evidently jealous of the cossetting given to MB’s rear, in an attention-seeking ploy ZA’s rear shock disembarrassed itself of a quantity of sludgy oil at the top of the climb by Lychpole Farm.  No treatment was given, but the suspension seemed to be operational and ZA soldiered on, albeit with reduced damping giving a bouncy ride.  Probably one for the mender’s.

Saturday 13th September 08.00am ride

Sheep Fair day with a strong  FGCC presence (TK, JT, JR) ensuring that everything was running properly and others abroad so no rides to mention other than the FD in Denmark with his daily (?) 6 mile ride to then launch himself into the eastern regions of the Baltic.

Saturday 20th September The Aviator’s Trek & Brek

TB, TK, MB, ZA

Destination Shoreham Airport where TB hosted the brek.

TK reports:

MB / TK / TB led by ZA ( foundation member) left pond green , to gallops farm , to Buddington bottom , whereupon non foundation members were treated to a brief historical lecture into the former residents of Buddington ..
We then made our way to Chanctonbury , circumnavigating it before TKs suggestion regarding the history of the site was ratified by the club historian … making our way west to Langmead and then past the model aircraft landing strip taking a turning left to Coombes farm – past the sunflower field .. at Coombes headed south down the road to brek at Shoreham airport , very kindly hosted by Tommy Brown who had recently blown a safe , oops sorry , had a birthday …
Refreshed we returned via Lancing Clump and ascended to the trig point overlooking Sompting, on attempting to navigate riders through a gate ZA lost use of his ‘unnecessary’ bike stand as it failed ( we think under lateral flexure..) . Witnesses to the event will regard the rather sad and broken look on all our faces, how we rejoiced when Zach proclaimed he would replace it ..
We proceeded home climbing up adjacent by Cissbury and down the final Ewart mile to Findon.
Total 19miles and probably around 1200ft.

Meanwhile JR  was continuing his researches of flat routes around the country, cycling along the Grand Union Canal.

JR adds:

The Saturday portion of my ride found me leaving spoils of Northampton to tackle NCN 539 to reestablish contact with the Grand Union Canal, navigating this as far as Long Buckby before heading north towards Rugby and so then going via Brandon to Coventry
Total mileage 35 miles, elevation questionable

Whilst abroad CB was showing us all what a proper ride should be by cycling a route with a 1,500ft climb over a mere 9.5 miles, with a short steep 70m descent only to get to a dead end (?) and have to climb back up again.

CB adds:

I planned a short ride only to stretch my legs in prep for the Go West ride and short as I planned a long hilly run on Sunday.  Leaving home at 420m above sea level i descended to Colmurano and at the old Roman wash station I headed down to the Vallenzuolo stream ‘off road’ only to find that the path had been closed off just after the stream for the grape vendemmia (wine grape harvest).  I returned to the old Roman wash station and followed the road down to passo colmurano before climbing up Castelrotto (broken castle road) towards Ripe.  Through the small medieval town I took a side road that has been closed for some time to see whether any repairs had been effected.  It was passable on gravel and would be also with the car.  Continuing up to Casagatti (house of the cats and officially a frazione (hamlet) of San ginesio) and then home.  A total of a meagre 15.18km with 449 metres of climbing.

 

 

Fri 26th/Sat 27th The go there ride TK

Friday – TB TK JR JC PT CB

A logistical triumph saw the peleton rendezvous at the RSPB Wiggonholt at about 09:45, all bar PT and JR having ridden over from Findon (route tbc by one of that group) after loading bags in JR’s Landy, PT having come by train to Pulborough to be met and disembarrassed of luggage by JR, and then ridden to the rv point.  From there, after various comestibles had been despatched,  JR set off with the luggage to Rowlands Castle with the intention of riding back down the planned route to the lunch stop.

The remaining pelefive headed through the woods to the road and Greatham Bridge and a mix of roads, lanes and tracks to arrive at South Harting, where John R arrived to join us for lunch at the White Hart.  JR heroically embarked on his golden gallon, easily slipping down number 1.

Fom there a pelesix climbed up to the SDW and a proceeded for a short stretch along it, until the long downhill to Rowlands Castle, where Tommy peeled off for Havant and a train home. The remains of the peleton repaired to the Castle Inn to inspect its menu and confirming our pick for dinner.  From there we proceded in the rain to the Travelodge and, with rooms allocated, we agreed to meet in the lobby at 6:15 for the walk to the Castle Inn (in slight drizzle), stopping off at the Robin Hood to complete the perusal of the town’s hostelries.  One pint was enough to confirm our original choice.

Arriving at the Castle again, it was noticed that sardines were on the menu.  Remembering the sardines presented to CB on the Somme trip (10 April 2024), speculation ensued as to whether the tin would be opened, and to what extent.  As it turned out, CB decided against risking the sardines, and was left with a severe case of “sardine envy” as Tim tucked in.

PT covered 35.2 miles and climbed 2009 feet.  The Findon contingent will have done about 9 miles and 500 feet more.

Saturday – TK JR JC PT CB

Departing the Travelodge we homed in on the Bumblebee for a fine brek.  Fortified, JR set off for the Travelodge to collect the Landy and drive it to Chichester, while the remaining pelefour took a mainly south-easterly route on lanes to Aldsworth and Funtington, passing the Racton monument.  On to West Ashling, crossing the A27 and then the railway just east of Bosham station.

In search of a coffee stop, we followed the north bank of Bosham harbour and found a stop, but bike parking was difficult so we repaired north to the “Pop !n”, an alternative tea room offering garden facilities.  While negociating the drinks order, TK fell into conversation with ladies in the cafe, and it transpired that one such was a cousin of our Far Eastern Ambassador, Mark T.  The gracious lady deigned to pose with Gentlemen for a commemorative image to be recorded, to mark the smallness of the world:

Heading south, we rode the causeway across the harbour

and progressed south to the ferry pick-up point for a short cruise up and downriver.

JR met us at the ferry terminal on the Itchenor side, having LSVd the bags from the Travelodge to Chichester and ridden down the canalside.  Lunch was taken at the Ship Inn at Itchenor, where PT excelled at locking the bikes up by failing to secure one end of the locking cable.  No bikes were lost, but the inevitable medal awaits.

The remainder of the route was on road, save for a cycle track bypass of Apuldram, which was a surprise both to the peleton and to the Ordnance Survey.  Entering Chichester we encountered JR’s landrover parked in a bush.  JR gracefully delivered PT’s bag to the station for onward travel to Horsham, and then headed off to Findon.  The remaining pelethree entrained for Worthing.

PT covered 23.8 miles and climbed 287 feet

ZA was also out on the Saturday, completing a ride of 8 miles along the Stroudwater Canal towpath into town to enjoy the Stroud Farmers’ Market;