Brighton Ride 23/05

[Marky Mark]

Many thanks to our leader Amy for the better route to Brighton.

Nice varied bunch of keen seaside hunters, nice to see Robh out during the daylight hours, hope the bright light in the sky didn't hurt too much . No troubles for us apart from Amys friend 'Lasagne' with a ring selection problem, oh er misses! we even managed to pick up (adopt) a guy on a fixie who was lost in the lanes looking for Brighton.

Well the knee survived to my great pleasure and I live to fight another day, I'm having it looked at again tomorrow just to be sure but I think it will be ok for the TT Saturday morning.......c'mon.

Even had a good train ride home, winning some great offers at the ticket office with BOGOF and gold card reductions, they nearly had to pay us to get on the train.

Very Agreeable day, actually a very agreeble weekend.

Marky Mark

[Amy]

I hadn't realised we'd actually acquired another member on the way down!

As for Antonio, I heard from a mutual friend why he was having problems.... lucozade in his drinks bottles! Fizzes up and coats everything in a sticky mess. Don't think he'll try that again

I'm also going to make sure he reads the CR code of conduct as he'll have to get the hang of riding in a proper group unlike his old club!

Anyway glad you liked the route out, Marky Mark.

[mlocke]

I arrived at CSS at 9am and decided that I couldn’t be bothered to wait for some quicker groups to come along and went with Monty’s 17’s group.

Nice ride with a large group and some interesting diversions to get us to Turners Hill.

At the top of Turners we met up with the 19’s so I decided to wait finish the rest of the trip to Brighton with these guys.

Pace to the bottom of Ditchling was steady and the group got caught behind traffic in Ditchling itself I however got thorugh.. Now to go and attack to get to the top first? Decided against it as wanted a fair fight.

I do like a good hill and Ditchling is a good one I think. Within a few metres of the road pointing towards the heavens the group had been split to leave just the shadow, followed by myself followed by Rich. At about half way Rich disappeared out the back (at the top explaining he’d dropped his chain) which left just myself and Steve. For the KoM honours.

Sitting behind steady Steve I was feeling comfortable and at the half way point when the climb opens out to the view, just when you think the pain is going to end unless you know the climb, I put in a ‘devastating attack’ © Stu  and gained a couple of metres. Still feeling comfortable I thought I had it. Then strangely despite my legs still feeling good, though in agony…… my arms fell off. I found it difficult to control the bike they were that tired. Steady Steve just cruised onto my wheel and off into the distance to take the spoils.

At the top my arms took several minutes to regain any feeling – can only assume it’s the swimming?

The ride back down the other side confirmed that I need to change from a compact to a bigger chain ring as in the biggest gear it was difficult to get above 35mph which was needed to get onto Steve & Rich’s wheel.

Good food & company in the café and then for the return to do it all again.

Aprehensively I went with Stu, George, Sylv, Rich and Steve. During the departure from Brighton they were gone. Thanskfully they waited at the roundabout and it pretty much stayed together from there though I was hanging in for the most part.

Ride back through the reverse club run route was stupidly fast considering we had 809 miles in the legs already, rarely dropping below 22mph and if it did Stu or Sylv would attack.

At Merstham the elastic broke, my legs fell off and I considered calling a cab.

Cracking day out, one of my most satisfying brighton runs to date.

Averaged 17.5mph to Brighton and nearly 20mph on the return for an overall average of 18.1mph which includes a steady warmup.

[mlocke]

Oh and Stu, Sylv and George riding down in 1h 40m

[Marky Mark]

[quote="mlocke"]Oh and Stu, Sylv and George riding down in 1h 40m

[Sylv]

I think that's about right, the Garmin file shows exactly 2h from home (15 min ride to CSS), and includes a bit of wandering in Redhill finding the bike shop. I had 255w average as I entered Brighton. REmember we didn't go up Ditchling though.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/6038046

I was hoping to maybe see Ian Leitch on his way to the SDW double on Ditchling - 202 miles in 18h 03 ... http://www.bikemagic.com/news/article/mps/uan/7025

Now Steve Heading is having a go! ... http://www.bikemagic.com/news/article/mps/uan/7029

[Robh]

Thanks for a nice route Amy. The route you took us on as I mentioned whilst riding is on my doorstep so I know it very well.

[quote="Marky Mark"]nice to see Robh out during the daylight hours, hope the bright light in the sky didn't hurt too much .