Brighton Ride Sunday 4 November

[Snoop Doug]

Sounds fun but I'll be bathing in the glory of the ACC Super stars at the SCCU lunch

[mrP(Boonen)VT]

Enjoy, and bring home the Rawson Shield

[huw williams]

"Agree, I'm winding down, so just follow down at a comfortable pace and a steady ride back"

BOLL***S!

Last year we had similar intentions - I got behind a bendix foodmixer on wheels on the Gatwick bypass and nailed it all the way to Crawley at 35mph

The rest was a game of high speed chess all the way to Brighton, jumping from the back of one car to the next.

It's just too much fun

[mrP(Boonen)VT]

Don't worry Andrew, I'll be on my "training" bike.

[Andrew G]

Hey I'm not worried I'll bring out the race bike while the weather's still nice. It's still not as good as your "training bike" but hey-ho.

Huw, there is no way I'm doing a CBC at 21s in November! I'll just chuck nails in front of Paul if he gets too carried away . Ask Toks I'm LSD in winter.

If anyone else is thinking of coming on this and wants us to wait at CSS then post here or we won't know.

[Chris K]

up and about bright and early, will join you both see you @ CSS

[Andrew G]

What a day.

Paul T, Chris K, Rob T, Ben ?, and moi at CSS. We all seem to have got in the mood by drafting various cars down the Brighton Road to get there.

Main A roads down which would normally be a bit dull, but with all the vintage cars out and police waving you through some of the red lights it's great. You get waved through lights on hills as a lot of the cars would never get started again otherwise.

We picked a number of cars on the way down flicking on and off various vehicles so as not to annoy anyone by sitting there all the way down. In between a steady paced ride we were regularly spinning along at about 22mph just by flicking pedals over occaisionally.

At one point I jumped on a more lively car and Chris joined me. This one was going well and we were flying along. I looked at my speedo and was doing 33mph and the pace was picking up. I swung off at this point as I didn't want to kill myself, and wasn't riding right on the bumper as these cars have no brake lights and when they steer it tends to be a bit more of an immediate swing than the more gradual movement of modern cars. Chris also dropped off as we were the only two to catch this ride and were now miles up the road from the others .

Highlight of the trip down was this chap in full tweed and plus-fours on a motorised trike. It was basically a sit up and beg tricycle with a motor attached. It also had pedals which he had to use on hills to keep it ticking over. Problem was it only had one gear and pedalling involved him spinning like his legs were going to fall off.

It was very funny, but he was a really nice bloke and looked to be having a top day. We'd pull away from him on hills and drags, and then when he'd got it wound up he'd catch us on the flats. As we then passed him as the road tipped up and he started spinning the pedals like a loon he'd call out, "only one gear" in a pained cry.

We got a bit split on the final run in to Brighton, Rob and Chris had pulled ahead on a hill and missed us when they were waiting as we were drafting a big van . Eventually hooked up at the cafe and sat on the seafront in the surprisingly warm sun, a beautiful day.

On the run back Paul took us along the seafront saying we'll head out towards Worthing. The rest of us all simultaneously raised eyebrows and shook heads.

We kept the sea on our left until Lancing where we turned inland to start taking the same route back that we had done from the Bognor run earlier this year. This is a really nice ride back on a very rolling road that makes perfect training, lots of lumps and drags and some good spinning/power flats.

As Chris and I had recognised the route Paul was clearly concerned at having to hand over some money, so took us on a few deviations after Steyening to make sure we stood no chance. Paul has previously offered £10 to anyone who can retrace the exact route you take on one of these rides (satnav not permitted) but with his OS knowledge of the south east lanes it ain't easy, and he'll change the route if he thinks you've got it .

We then picked up the CR route for the finish. Everyone took turns all day to share the work.

Just over 6hrs riding, 110 miles, and an average a touch under 18mph. A truly fantastic day. Thanks a lot everyone from a knackered but happy soul.

[Stu Merckx Man]

thats a pretty good average for a 6 hour ride, crikey!! well done lads. and good write up andrew

[Andrew G]

[quote="Stu Merckx Man"]thats a pretty good average for a 6 hour ride, crikey!! well done lads. and good write up andrew

[Kasper]

Hats off Guys for another successful ACC London to Brighton to London ride.

How many is that now this year?

Only made it down and back once this year with the Addiscombe, but a thoroughly enjoyable day it was. Lunch on the seafront included.
Cheers Monty!

Unfortunately after yesterdays excursion with the training group thought this would be a ride too far for one such as myself.

However well done to all who rode. Saw all the cars this morning on my way to the gym in Purley. Cue much tooting and waving of arms astride my Vespa 50cc scooter. Great atmosphere and people lining Brighton Road just like in France for the Tour.

Did you see the guy on the Penny Farthing anyone? Amazing if he made it all the way to Brighton on one of those contraptions. Looked painful from my viewpoint but the old chap in the saddle didn't seem to have a care in the world and was grinning and waving with the rest of them.

Was it Ben Dangerous who rode today, by any chance, he of the training group hanger-on-er type???

[Andrew G]

Kasper - 4 CBC for me this year (so far) and never the same route there or back, also a Bognor and back.

Don't know which Ben, but he is a fairly useful fella on a Trek who seemed to cope better with the hills than motoring on the flat. I was also extremely jealous of the longs he had on today. Retro Carerra (sp?) in black with a full length wide "Carerra denim" band down the outside if the leg, splediferous .

[Kasper]

Sounds like Ben Dangerous to me. As Marco will tell you he was so called because he pulled out into a caravan and just bounced off!!! No cuts or scrapes involved!! Marvellous huh?

[quote]Retro Carerra (sp?) in black with a full length wide "Carerra denim" band down the outside if the leg, splediferous .

[mrP(Boonen)VT]

Absolutely top day with an added extra to the usual CBC.

Nice to sit on the back of the cars at 22-25mph, and have a chat with the passengers.....most of them turned round and took pictures of US.

Glorious sunshine on the beach where we had lunch, then headed back a longer way round as Andrew complained he'd only done 45 miles, so across to Bournemouth (well Lancing if you will) then up the River Adur Valley in the lanes - nice and car free for miles.

With no big climb today as we went over Clayton, not Ditchling, the constant draggy ups began to take their toll and Rusper was a hill too far for me. Regruouped at the top (thanks guys) and barrelled on home - OK on the flatter bits, but struggling on the rises.

Overall 106 miles, 17.9avge - none too shabby.

Fantastic day out.

[Ben]

It was great fun yesterday, thoroughly enjoyable. I took up the last carriage and got towed there and back, thanks guys. The route was excellent and I even got free refreshments, when running low on the way back.
What's the next ride ?

[mrP(Boonen)VT]

I'm taking a few weeks off - seriously.

When I get back in December, I'll be taking some long rides again.