BRIGHTON (AND BACK) CLUB RUN 21st MAY 2011

[Marcus]

[quote="CaroleH"]Good company, good banter - although Marcus - you do need to sort out your water works!!! As for Earl - did you get that massage?
Carole H

[Wanderer]

An 8:20 start is a bit too close to dawn, in my view, but it's amazing how ACC comes out in droves when there's a more challenging ride, the sun is out and the sky's blue. Still, ten of us had managed to get out of bed early enough, and a fine bunch it was: Riina, Nicky (getting some miles on the new Bianchi, having already sold that flash tri-bike she bought on Ebay a few weeks ago), Lorraine, Graham, Alan, George, Murray, Mark and Roy.

I see another of the teams also later turned off the A23 opposite the church on the drop into Merstham to take the back way - and by far the more pleasant way - to the Bletchingley crossroads, but unfortunately Graham hit the same pothole as others did just north of Smallfield, blowing front and rear. Gamely, he decided not to hold us back while he mended the second one, expecting to pick us up again at Turners Hill, but unfortunately although I waited there for a bit he didn't appear again, although I think I can see him at the back of one of Jon's pics there later, and Marcus was saying that they picked him up when they had to stop for punctures at the same spot. Come on Surrey County Council, get filling these things.

Having sent the 15s on while waiting for Graham, I enventually hitched a lift with Amy's ladies, and caught up with Roy, then Riina and Nicky, who had dropped off the main bunch on the other side of Lindfield. Coached and cajoled, we crested Ditchling to find the rest of the 15s in various guises of the recovery position, and as we waited for Roy to come over the top, the main bunch headed on into Brighton on Amy's route, so I took our stragglers down the under the A27 dip instead. What beats the thrill of doing mid-40s downhill on two strips of rubber one inch thick?

So well done everyone.

Is it just me, or are their powers of mental arithmetic behind the Regency bar different from mine? Must be a service charge. Still, think what you'd pay in London and, as always, it hit the spot.

When I looked behind, it was a pretty large slow bunch coming up the Drive on the start of the drag up to Devil's Dyke, but the breakaway made it a more manageable size, and it was a tight and friendly group on the way back, with a few of the 15s - Mark, even with his bad knee, Murray and George - along with Serena and Bridget, Nigel, Nic and another photographer - sorry didn't catch your name, but we're waiting for publication of the pics, although I think Serena and Bridget are threatening super-injunctions - and one or two others whose names I didn't catch either, but you know who you were and we were all extremely grateful of your company. Disappointment at Rusper to find the sweetshop just closed and no respite for the flagging energy levels, so instead we cleared out the shelves in Newdigate, with George finding a new lease of life with five quid's worth of sugar inside him.

And he clearly believes he won the race with you to Nonna's, Bridget.

Good to see Jon's team there, and the coffee and walnut cake filled the gap now left by only the one bag of jelly babies at Newdigate.

Talk about sad. I needed to go on 200 yards past home and turn around so that I could just clock the first 100 miler of the season. Well, at least I might have legs for the sportive now.

A great day out - thanks for the company, and well done everyone in my group(s). Sorry if I've omitted names, but you know who you were and you can remind me next time you see me.

John

[Iliya]

[quote="Wanderer"]Nic and another photographer - sorry didn't catch your name, but we're waiting for publication of the pics, although I think Serena and Bridget are threatening super-injunctions

[Sylv]

[quote="Andrew G"]The Night Shift.