South Downs Way

[Wal]

I might be interested - just have to check my calendar.

[Tim Coales]

Marco, I'd be up for a go at this. I bought a SDW map a couple of years back with a view to it but...

Maybe we could rope Phil Nash in too!

[ciad]

I have been meaning to do it for years, so definately up for it

[Phil N]

Rope me in indeed!!!!!!!!!

When are you thinking of doing it?

Always wanted to do SDW and it's an excuse to get the MTB out of the loft again! Now that I have turned into a Roadie!

Phil.

I used to really like your sunday MTB rides Marco - seems so long ago now!

[Alex P]

Marco when are you thinking of doing this?

I was talking about it on the club run today and there were several interested parties...

[Dr Frigo]

Marco is very keen to do this too. We were thinking of the weekend of 2-3 September.

And seeing as we're on Memory Lane ... how about Marco, Joel and Monty racing cyclo-cross in Shirley Hills promoted by ACC!

[img]http://www.londonxleague.co.uk/2000-1/londonxLeague/londonxleague2000/addiscombe/addis.JPG[/img] [img]http://www.londonxleague.co.uk/2000-1/londonxLeague/londonxleague2000/addiscombe/hill.JPG[/img] [img]http://www.londonxleague.co.uk/2000-1/londonxLeague/londonxleague2000/shirley_hills99/marco.jpg[/img]
http://www.londonxleague.co.uk/2000-1/l ... nd8_2.html

http://www.londonxleague.co.uk/2000-1/l ... ound4.html


... and those shorts

http://www.londonxleague.co.uk/2000-1/l ... nd6_2.html

[Grahame]

I can't do September

Could we delay it until the 7th/8th of October? Then I could come out to play, and enjoy the benefits of my altitude based performance boost.

[Grahame]

Ok, it was worth a try.

Have fun with it.

[Dr Frigo]

I don't mind delaying to another later weekend in sept, as now my mum will be visiting me on the dates i initially mentioned (2-3 sept).

[Wal]

2nd/3rd Sept works well for me; if not, the next weekend I can manage is the 14th/15th.

Actually, my first preference would be for the 26th of August.

[Tim Coales]

A few us had a little chat about possible dates for SDW after the Committee meeting last night. There's a number of ACC events already happening in September which will probably involve some of those who have expressed interest:

On Saturday 2nd September, there's an ACC summer social event being arranged at Chatsworth Hall. This may or may not feature a band of live ACC Artists etc. I only get back from my hols earlier that day so that weekends is out for me.

Saturday 9th Sept is the ACC open 10 promotion, which some of us will be helping at.

Saturday 16th Sept is the President's 10 which I'm Promoting.

Sunday 24th September is the ACC Road Race and last ever event at Eastway.

So it looks like we might have to have a couple of trips on different dates as Marco suggested. One point - the chalk can be as clippery as ice when it's wet as found out on the stretch near Jevington a couple of years ago - I couldn't even keep upright on my feet!

[Bo-Gilly]

If theres any insomniacs who fancy the South Downs Way w/e 23-24 sept then you could try http://trailbreak.co.uk/maxx_exp/

[Wal]

I just love resurrecting old threads...

So, anyone keen to have a crack at SDW this spring/early summer? I'd be looking to do it in one day.

Also, as far as I can gather it's been a while since anyone did the Croydon to Brighton off road ride. Anyone up for this as well? If we're feeling particularly masochistic we could do SDW on the Saturday and C-B on Sunday...I don't think so!!!

[Dombo]

I have done SDW in a day on two occasions, both early June to get the most daylight, starting early at Winchester and reaching Eastbourne by about 6pm.

It is a brute of a ride, long draggy uphills and short fast downhills that give no chance to recover. The worst leg is the final 25 from Lewes which seems to be almost entirely uphill. At just under 100 miles total we found it best psychologically to break the distance into 25 mile plugs, eg CSS to the caff or a normal Sunday morning mtb jaunt around Leith, Holmbury, Pitch etc. That works until 50 miles when you suddenly seem to be counting 10 mile plugs, then fractions as you hit the final 5 to go.

Take lots of food and drink powder, salted peanuts to ward off cramp, and a 3litre camelbak. Line tyres with kevlar Panaracer flataways too as the beginning is very flinty.

I won't be doing it this year but definitely interested in off road Croydon to Brighton.

SDW was my big ride of 2005 and 2006, for this year I've decided to relax, get a road bike and do the Dragon and Etape Anglais instead!!

Any advice on sportive training greatly appreciated by this hairy-legged newbie.

[Wal]

I have a spare hardtail that I'm willing to loan for the ride. It's a few years old but is reasonably light (just under 24lbs) and runs great after I spent a couple of hundred quid rejuvenating it last year.