BRIGHTON (AND BACK) CLUB RUN 25th JUNE 2011

[Snoop Doug]

best captain's write up I've read for yonks - good stuff thanks

[Phil H]

Turned up at 9:50 to "lead" the 20mph group. At 9:58 with no shows, I was thinking of sneaking back to bed when the reprobates began to arrive. Keith, Rogan, Ilya and John. Keith and Rogan were only out for a short one so we let them tow us out through Merstham and beyond. Up to Bletchingly it became clear that I'd left my climbing legs in the pub the night before.

Down to three and using my navigational skill, I managed to land us on a longer than intended section of the A264. Don't get on with the A264. Short break at Turner's Hill then onwards with Ilya doing much of the work on the front. Got to the base of the Beacon - where we saw Jon's group - with an average of 19.1mph. Not bad for a group of 3 into a headwind. It didn't improve from there though - I blame the traffic lights. Bit of a chat at the bottom of the descent with a nice chap in a Range Rover. Another stereotype busted. Hove into Brighton (?) about 2.5 hours after leaving Coulsdon but with many traffic things still to negotiate.

Normal route back with a reasonably enthusiastic group. Many of them diverted to Box at Newdigate. Finished up riding in with Rob & John (after a puncture) right on the edge of bonking. Just reached Nona's to get cake to get me back up the hill. Developed a slow puncture about 2 miles from home but nursed it - out of laziness. Ought to go and see to the damage.

[Jon C C on a Bianchi]

[img]http://i55.tinypic.com/2z599ia.jpg[/img]

the view from my balcony - 17s wait cheerfully as I fill my water bottle

[img]http://i51.tinypic.com/2ccl3k8.jpg[/img]

Lucy, pretending to help for the camera when in fact she's protecting her newly manicured nails!

[img]http://i51.tinypic.com/2gtwysx.jpg[/img]

Turner's Hill - Ron, Alan, Robyn, JP, Lindsey, and Peter.

[Jon C C on a Bianchi]

[img]http://i55.tinypic.com/16j31o3.jpg[/img]

Look at all that GOLD, BLACK and WHITE!!! Really great to see so many turn out proudly wearing the ACC kit.

George, John, Del, Ron, Phil, Mark and Tim.

Nice one! Brought tears to my eyes!

[Jon C C on a Bianchi]

[img]http://i54.tinypic.com/14jb0a8.jpg[/img]

Martin 'helping' Marcus pump up his inner tube!

[Dombo]

[quote="Jon C C on a Bianchi"]...1 bottle of cabernet sauvignon, and several cans of carling

[Tim Coales]

15mph Group Brighton Report

I just spent over 1.5 hours really enjoying myself writing a report of the 15mph ride to Brighton and back, and then in my final paragraph, not having saved a draft (will I ever learn), my laptop crashed

Oh well...

I can't remember it all, and I don't have time to repeat the attempt, just to say that I joined John Czerobay, Phil Nash, Mark Leedham, Alan, Wayne, George (the younger) and Carmen (SLH) on a great ride to Brighton. We left shortly after 8.20am with a few spots of rain in the breeze. We had one puncture and a problem with an Exustar (look pattern) pedal at Smallfield (20minutes). We stopped for Tea and cakes at Greggs in Hayward's Heath (40 minutes) and still got up Ditchling Beacon before the rest of ACC!

Nice fish, chips and mushy peas at the Regency, washed down with a pint of orange and lemonade and a latte at the Regency. (Very nice today, Amy) Honoured by Cap'n Johns presence at my table, I thought I'd return the favour by accompanying him on his return route via Shoreham, Steyning and Partridge Green. 15 of us set off, but the elastic stretched until I ended up pacing the 15's who were cycling back some 300m behind the others. At Patridge Green John Cz and I missed the right turn. The rest of the group made it as someone called out to them. John and I had to wait to turn around due to traffic. We reached the junction and turned left, but the others were out of sight. We came back on our own via Cowfold, Lower Beeding, Hammerponds Rd, Grouse Rd, Colgate, Faygate, Rusper. Stopped at Newdigate for water, bananas and a plain chocolate Bounty - definately from Paradise at that point in the ride, although we resisted a 2nd round of chips (Rachel B!).

Got back to Nonna Rosas about 6.15pm.

Thx for everyone's company. Especially to John Cz for keeping me going in the bad bit over St. Leonard's Forest when I was desparate for water, although the constant invitations into pubs had to be resisted I wouldn't have just drunk water if I'd gone in and then it would have ended in disaster

Thx also to Angelo and the crew at Nonnas for staying open late for us too, much obliged

[Keith]

[quote="Phil the Pie"]
..... I was thinking of sneaking back to bed when the reprobates began to arrive. Keith, Rogan, Ilya and John.

[Rogan]

Was enjoying a nice steady ride until some reprobate sent me up Chalkpit

[quote="Dombo"][quote="Jon C C on a Bianchi"]...1 bottle of cabernet sauvignon, and several cans of carling

[Jon C C on a Bianchi]

[quote="Snoop Doug"]best captain's write up I've read for yonks - good stuff thanks

[Marty]

[quote="Jon C C on a Bianchi"][img]http://i54.tinypic.com/14jb0a8.jpg[/img]

Martin 'helping' Marcus pump up his inner tube!

[RachelB]

[quote="Jon C C on a Bianchi"]Phew!! What a ride - just over 111 miles - and completely knackered!


we lost JohnCz and Tim (all on? yes! but they weren't ), then Alan (all on? yes! he wasn't), then Del (just going for a pee and never seen again ),perhaps we need race radios? then JohnS bailed out for the train.

Commodore, has it ever occured to you that perhaps "YOUR" being dropped

oh and some bloke slapped my arse as I was riding up the Merstham drag!! we'll I hope he got a thrill out of it! I did

Maybe thats where it got it's name - at your age, I wouldn't complain

All in all another great day out - thanks to everyone who made it so Let's do it again next month

[RachelB]

[quote="Tim Coales"]15mph Group Brighton Report

I just spent over 1.5 hours really enjoying myself writing a report of the 15mph ride to Brighton and back, and then in my final paragraph, not having saved a draft (will I ever learn), my laptop crashed

Oh well...

I can't remember it all, and I don't have time to repeat the attempt, So how was it Would you do it all again


Stopped at Newdigate for water, bananas and a plain chocolate Bounty - definately from Paradise at that point in the ride, although we resisted a 2nd round of chips (Rachel B!). - if you mix chips with, Marathon or Snickers as they are now known, - which I did, it all tastes so much better,

Got back to Nonna Rosas about 6.15pm.

Thx for everyone's company. Especially to John Cz for keeping me going in the bad bit over St. Leonard's Forest when I was desparate for water, although the constant invitations into pubs had to be resisted I wouldn't have just drunk water if I'd gone in and then it would have ended in disaster

Thx also to Angelo and the crew at Nonnas for staying open late for us too, much obliged

[John G]

[quote="Phil the Pie"]Turned up at 9:50 to "lead" the 20mph group. At 9:58 with no shows, I was thinking of sneaking back to bed when the reprobates began to arrive. Keith, Rogan, Ilya and John. Keith and Rogan were only out for a short one so we let them tow us out through Merstham and beyond. Up to Bletchingly it became clear that I'd left my climbing legs in the pub the night before.

Down to three and using my navigational skill, I managed to land us on a longer than intended section of the A264. Don't get on with the A264. Short break at Turner's Hill then onwards with Ilya doing much of the work on the front. Got to the base of the Beacon - where we saw Jon's group - with an average of 19.1mph. Not bad for a group of 3 into a headwind. It didn't improve from there though - I blame the traffic lights. Bit of a chat at the bottom of the descent with a nice chap in a Range Rover. Another stereotype busted. Hove into Brighton (?) about 2.5 hours after leaving Coulsdon but with many traffic things still to negotiate.

Normal route back with a reasonably enthusiastic group. Many of them diverted to Box at Newdigate. Finished up riding in with Rob & John (after a puncture) right on the edge of bonking. Just reached Nona's to get cake to get me back up the hill. Developed a slow puncture about 2 miles from home but nursed it - out of laziness. Ought to go and see to the damage.