1 ride, 2 falls, 5 hours and lots of cloud...

[Stu Merckx Man]

i did my first solo brighton and back ride today.

i set off at 9:30 am, i decided to follow the club run until the duel carriage way, then i would go straight over one of the round abouts and keep heading south along a nice looking route i had on my map.

the fog was very thick for almost the whole ride, and it was freeezing.

i had my first crash just after leigh. the road looked as though it was just wet, and before i new it i lost my front wheel round a bend...wow that was very slippery wet road! i got up un hurt, just a banged elbow, no road burn. i pulled away and turn one revolution of the pedal and both wheels just slide out from under me, and down i went again...frustrated i lay there a few seconds and took note of the tarmac, and found the reasons for my falls, it was covered in sheet ice, not water

i walked for a bit until i got to un icey road and carried on.

after 46 miles i got to brighton, and my granny's house, where i had some lunch and tea, then i set off home. i thought i knew a short cut from ditchling, so i was going on a route that was off my map. unfortunately the fog was so thick i didnt recognise anything or any roads. instead i was forced to just follow signs for villages i knew were in a northerly direction.
this worked pretty well and kept me on the main roads where there was no ice, unfortunately lots of cars.

after passing through lots of villages i came to a long road, and as there didnt seam to be any more habitation on the road i was now lost, un able to get my bearings because of the fog...i was tired, cold wet and hungry, but when all seamed lost i heard the most beautiful sound in the world... the M25. it was like a light house reaching out to me telling me i was nearly there!

i passed under it and then knew where i was, so i headed to redhill and then home with 93 miles on the clock.

stu

[Sylv]

Wow i'm glad i chose to do some last minute xmas shopping over going out for a ride like i was contemplating [img]http://www.londoncyclesport.com/forum/smilies/smile_smiley.gif[/img]

[Andrew G]

Nice one Stu. I didn't brave the fog or cold today so stayed indoors and swapped bottom brackets and chainsets on my commuting bike instead.

Glad you weren't hurt on the ice, or get attacked by any monsters lurking in the mist, although I hope you had a rear light on as visibility was pretty crap in places. I dread to think what it was like on The Beacon today.

[Stu Merckx Man]

yeh i took a rear light, and pinned one to my jersey.

at the top of ditchling it was a clear winters day and nice and warm, all the cloud was sitting below it, kind of stuck between the north and south downs, and it was freeezing down there!

[Stu Merckx Man]

top man sean...good to see some of us were out then

[Stu Merckx Man]

ah yeh cheers sean!

[Toks]

[quote="Stu Merckx Man"]i did my first solo brighton and back ride today.

i set off at 9:30 am, i decided to follow the club run until the duel carriage way, then i would go straight over one of the round abouts and keep heading south along a nice looking route i had on my map.

the fog was very thick for almost the whole ride, and it was freeezing

[Jon C C on a Bianchi]

RESPECT! IMPRESSED OR WHAT?!

What a bleeding amazing achievement given the weather today. Emperor penguins eat your heart out. Despite being well wrapped up I HAVE NEVER BEEN SO COLD ON A BIKE EVER! How the hell did you do it, Stu?

My head was so cold it ached! I was actually starting to halucinate. No really. My head felt like it was floating away from by body. Really weird. Vision, hearing, everything kaput!

I couldn't feel a thing apart from my feet. (BTW SEALSKIN SOCKS ROCK! (An absoulte must buy)). Chipstead Valley has got to have been the coldest place in Europe this morning. I had to get the train home after a pathetic SEVEN MILES!

Chapeau!

[Stu Merckx Man]

jon, i love riding in the cold, especially if it really clear and crisp!...i have a strange liking for dressing up and facing the elements

if you want to know what i wore to keep reasonably toasty- santini leggings, gore windstopper gloves, the addiscombe cap under the helmet, and a scarf (brilliant for pulling over the face and ears when going down those cold hills!
for the body- a long jon top that i cut the sleaves off, then a santini long sleeve jersey, and then the addiscombe short sleave jersey over that.

forget all this expensive assos windproof stuff, just cheap layers

[Andrew G]

I like riding on a nice winter's day too Stu, everything seems over sharp on a nice crisp clear day. Just have to get the clothing right.

BTW Buff's work well for keeping your ears/head/face warm on the descents, really quick and easy to pull up or shove down.

I think the speed you cycle at helps keep you warm as well.

[Jon C C on a Bianchi]

I'm normally out there whatever the weather throws at me. never miss. not even in the depths of winter; it's snowed, it's sleeted, it's hailed. it just got to me today in a way it's never done before. that icy, wet fog - hideous, and by the way the faster I rode the colder I got. (Andrew, you are a cheeky git!)

it was the head that did for me. just wore my helmet which was stupid. next time scarf, woolly hat, ear muffs, balaclava. and what are buffs???

[Jon C C on a Bianchi]

Sean

I had two pairs of socks on.

[huw williams]

I did 60 miles yesterday

Started off in thick freezing fog in Croydon - passed two MTBers on the road after Purley who on seeing my ACC kit started shouting "Paul, Paul"

Oh the indignity - I was either being mistaken for Tunnell or Dewis, I didn't know which was worse - I know I've been off the bike for a month but surely I wasn't riding THAT BADLY

Anyway one of 'em did a big effort to catch me up and it turned out to be Marco, on his way to Farthing Down with Bob for a brief off-road sojourn.

In the 60 miles that followed I dIdn't see a single other rider out from any club

By the time I got to Merstham the sun was breaking through and I had to strip a couple of layers off but then after Reigate in the lanes towards Brockham it got seriously bad - freezing mist and the roads were like an ice rink. Every corner was risking a crash and punctures were inevitable (I got two despite newish tyres). Box Hill was deathly silent - not a single car up or down - eerie

After Chipstead valley I did a couple of the climbs that go up to Fanny's to make the ride longer but each time I came back down the temperature seemed to be getting lower and I was risking a crash so I went home

One of those 'character building' rides you hear about

Stu - is your bike a mess, that's about the worst condition my bike and kit have been in for years. After xmas we'll have to show you the best route to Brighton and back

[Stu Merckx Man]

my bikes always a mess huw...if anything it came out of the ride cleaner!

[mrP(Boonen)VT]

[quote]In the 60 miles that followed I dIdn't see a single other rider out from any club