Rye & Back...is back! - 2nd May

[Graham O]

Can't make this chaps....Enjoy all those miles..

[George]

Are you back yet?

[George]

Still not back then

[Andrew G]

Got back just after 7 George .

The sun smiled on us, and we smiled back at it.

A good group of 8 of us (I think) although 2 joined us at the lights after Titsey. We didn't see Del, hope we didn't just miss you.

Surprisingly my legs didn't feel too bad from the off as I hadn't touched a bike since the ACC 25 last week. An uneventful run down with a slight route change I decided on to take us through the very nice historic town of Battle on the way, this had the added advantage of not getting caught out on the lap of the Darwell Reservoir again and meant we didn't do a bundle of pointless miles - not that there is such a thing obviously.

I was asked if I picked routes according to the place names on the way. I don't really but there's so many great names in English villages it's difficult to avoid some, but when you see a village called Cock Marling on a map you have to pay it a visit . We escaped with our cocks unmarled and then on to the final run in to Rye down a fast slight descent. The pace wound up and Nick suffered a bit as he'd been flagging a bit on some of the climbs just before. He'd said it would be his longest ride and intended to train back so we eased and made sure we all arrived together.

I couldn't quite remember where the Italian restaurant was so we did a few laps of town before finding it. This included the must do ride up the steep cobbled hill. Well it's not so much cobbled as big pebbles set in cement so unbelievable bumpy and tough. There's a smoother bit to the side we rode but as I was nearing the top there were a couple walking ahead a bit too slowly so I went to the pebbles. Oops, after a while the front wheel got stuck in a gap and I came to an immediate halt. Cue slow topple sideways as I didn't get my cleat out in time. A bit embarrassing and as I put my hand down it was right on a pebble which hurt a bit. Having got home and taken my mitt off there's a bit of a bruise but no damage done, I might just have to be a little less childish than intended at Leith hill on Monday.

After lunch and I went through a bad patch for about 15 miles. My legs always seize up with a longer stop and the start of the return journey is straight up a short but steepish hill before then going up The Stocks, a 15%er. I basically drifted off the back on the climbs and then got back on but lurked at the back until my legs perked up a bit and the pasta kicked in.

Mike's chain broke about 5 miles from Tonbridge so we had a 10 minute stop while he shortened it, but this meant he only had the small ring now so decided to get the train from Tonbridge.

A nice wind up (roads and the pace a bit) through Penshurst and then up past Chartwell to Westerham and back home.

An excellent day, fantastic company.

I must say a huge thank you to Hal for assisting with directions, and he basically towed everyone home just about all the way sitting up front and knocking out the tempo. It's no surprise he was a top 10 finisher in a number of UK Sportives last year.

Due to not getting lost and missing the Darwell loop I only had c130 miles on the ODO.

[Hal]

I was planning a big day out on my tod this weekend but decided to join the Rye posse instead. A nice steady ride down in the sunshine, traffic was a bit heavy to start with but eased once we got passed Uckfield.

The lunch stop was good. It really makes long mileage days easy having a good rest and a load of food in the middle of the day.

Got to stretch my legs a bit on the way home as the others let me ride on the front which was a great way to have a bit of a work out.

Arrived home with 133 (ave 16.5) on the clock and still feeling quite spritly.

H

[Nicolas]

Thanks guys for this fantastic ride! I went on my own way from the lunch stop as my legs were feeling weak, to Hastings and back to Battle to catch a train home (yes George, I love trains ). The coast road to Hastings was brutal with a few interminable (at 12mph!) straight miles directly into a strong headwind followed by a killer hill (Battery Hill I think) and then down into Hastings. Missed the century for 3 miles as I had clocked 97 miles when arriving home!

Excellent ride, but still a lot of endurance training to do for me!! (isn't it what I was supposed to do this winter ??)

[Mike I]

Great ride this, as far as it went for me, and most agreeable company as usual. I did about 150 miles (117 of them on the bike) and got home at about 6.30. Had some Young's Hop-flavoured Recovery Drink when I got home, and the legs felt pretty good today.

[adrian]

Yes, a splendid day out yesterday in near-perfect weather. I was half expecting to blow up at some point, this being a longer ride than I've done for quite a while, but it never really happened. I was glad of the pasta and a nice sit-down in Rye, and was grizzling and whingeing a bit on the last few climbs on the way back, but felt pretty good most of the day.

145.5 miles for me, at 16.5 average. That's now 4,000 miles on these GP4000Ss without a puncture.

I didn't even get a b****king when I got in - au contraire, Mrs A had made a fabada asturiana and listened patiently to my gibbering.

Thanks to for excellent organisation and stewardship, to Hal for the tow home, and to Apples, Ben, Mark, Mike, Nic, Paul for a great day.

I'll post the few pictures I took on my phone when I find my dongle.

[Del]

[quote="Andrew G"]Got back just after 7 George .

The sun smiled on us, and we smiled back at it.

A good group of 8 of us (I think) although 2 joined us at the lights after Titsey. We didn't see Del, hope we didn't just miss you.

[Marek]

[quote="adrian"]
I didn't even get a b****king when I got in - au contraire, Mrs A had made a fabada asturiana and listened patiently to my gibbering.

Some photos as promised to give you an idea of the weather and the day in general.

Top of Ashdown Forest:

[img]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3591/3501890270_d749147a53_b.jpg[/img]

Regroup at Netherfield:

[img]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3341/3501891012_bd15c30fdf_b.jpg[/img]

[img]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3400/3501890648_13b31e71c0_b.jpg[/img]

Fabada asturiana :

[img]http://recetasdecocinablog.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/fabada_asturiana2.jpg[/img]

[quote]Famous last words?

[Apples]

A very enjoyable day out in the sunshine.

Thanks to for organising and mapreading . Also to Hal for towing us all home

Got home about 7:30 and was allowed to put my feet up for the rest of the evening.

I had hoped to get out on my mountain bike monday morning but decided that might be pushing my luck .

[Mike I]

[quote]I had hoped to get out on my mountain bike monday morning but decided that might be pushing my luck .

[Apples]

[quote]Hal and I were both in B&Q Purley Way yesterday morning. Draw your own conclusions.