I set off at 11.30pm last night for my rendezvous with Paul T at Rusper at 1am. The night rides I've done before have been with others so there's been a bit of noise from chat and the lights from other bikes as well as mine lighting up the little bit you're riding in. Last night after Reigate and turning in to the lanes at Reigate Heath and it was just me. Quite spooky
when there is absolutely no noise apart from the wind in your ears, everywhere is completely pitch black and the only light is the bit in front of your wheel. A couple of times I thought I heard something behind me, was only the wind passing my ears but the tone varied, and when I looked back to check if there was a car coming there was nothing. I mean nothing, so dark I couldn't even see me own back 
Up to Rusper and there was a couple of bright lights as Mr.T was there waiting. Was nice to hook up and not continue to be just one small blob of light in the darkness as we rode side by side with no worry about finding cars out there
.Paul had sorted a nice route down which was all unlit lanes but fairly direct running sort of parallel to the A23, going through Colgate, Slaugham, Ansty and Hassocks to Ditchling. up and over Ditchling Beacon is complete darkness, which makes it seem shorter, and then fly down the other side to Brighton and our stop at Buddies 24 hour cafe arriving at 3am.
Buddies had it's usual mix of night dwellers, plus a couple in lycra. For those not in lycra the dress code was short tight dresses for the young women and glassy-eyed slightly gormless expressions for the young men.
After some grub, bowl of spag bol for me, we set off for home at 4am with it still dark, although there was a smidge of light just across the sea visible. For the return home as we had to get back for the Southern Counties 10 TT we took a direct route up the A23 to Handcross. At that time of night the road's pretty much empty and it's a bit flatter than the lanes and would save our legs a bit. Lanes navigation in the dark slows the pace a bit too so may have made us tighter for time.
Paul was suffering a bit so I towed him all the way up the A23 and then from Handcross we turned in to the lanes as the light was up and we cut across to Horsham. Back at Horsham, about 5.30am, and we stopped at Paul's house for a cuppa and for him to grab his skinsuit and his TT bike, and then on to the HQ.
On the ride to the HQ at Broadbridge Heath the mist was really low and we thought it a bit dodgy but the sun was burning it off quickly and in the half hour or so 'til our start times it had gone completely. Nice to see Mark McL at the HQ again as I haven't seen him for a bit, and sign in and off to the start to see Jon H and Tim who were pushing off today. Checked my computer at the start and my "warm up" for the 10 had been 90 miles and now straight in to a 10 on a road bike with not a single bit of aero kit, this could be interesting
.Bit of banter with Frank the timekeeper and a nice shove from Jon
and I was off. I rode it pretty well considering (it was a good morning for a TT), on the hoods all the time and trying to keep low, and was only caught by my minute man and no-one else. As soon as I crossed the line it was straight in to a little gear and spin back to HQ.Back there and tea, cake and chat. Ian had done another good ride and clipped a second off his PB (24.07), but unfortunately Rob had had an accident
(unclear what happened but Rob's not a risk taker on the bike so perhaps a slipped handlebar or grabbing brake as no-one else was involved - just guessing though) and was a DNF. Ian and Jo went off to find him and hopefully it's nothing more than a few scratches. I did a 26.07 (shame I was slowed to a stop by a lorry at one roundabout) beating Paul who's time went up initially as 28.14 but he said it was 26.14 with Mark fastest ACC of the morning in 23.18.After a bit more chat and it was back on the bike for the 30 mile ride home
. Back to the lane where the start was and then the steep climb up to Rusper (ouch) and back through the lanes on the reverse of the club run. I was feeling a bit tired by now and had a flat spell at Leigh for about 15 minutes but then perked up again.Home with just under 8 hours and 135 miles on the clock. I'd been up since 6.30am the previous day by now apart from about a half hour kip in the evening so was dog tired and slept through the Giro, fortunately having had the foresight to set the video so just about to stick it on and enjoy their suffering now
.Great "day" and ride, interesting to mix a long night ride and race in one trip but can honestly say it won't be a regular thing! Sorry no pics, it was too dark
