The 2012-2013 Hastings winter chain gang kicked off with some great seasonal weather! The new meet in the shelter on Bexhill sea front opposite Bethune Road proved to be a very good choice as we met on the leeward side of a strong prevailing wind carrying some rain drops. But as per our anticipation from the weather radar we had a dry but rather windy ride. It seemed quite a leisurely start (a good thing past the De La Warr Pavilion and after turning left) as people chatted but the pace soon picked up and by the left turn in to South Cliff the 13 riders were sorted in to a faster group a few in no mans land and the gruppetto mopping up at the back.
It was hard work going out. Steve Curtis cut in to the headwind for the gruppetto to start with before Jon Molton towed us all out to the turn, picking up a few of the riders dropped from the faster group. Jon would usually be mixing it near the front but has had chest infections for much of the summer and is not his normal fit self.
Apparently the faster group even managed a few spells of through and off! We need more of that on these fast training rides with everyone taking a turn on the front, even if just for short spells, and not selfishly being wheel sucking leeches all the time!
At the turn the fast guys waited on the side of the road, in future please pull off a few yards earlier on to the large area of concrete in front of the gate so we are well off the road.
It was a joy to ride back with the wind, but would have been better just two days short of the full moon if it had been a cloud free sky. Everyone reassembled at the Bexhill traffic lights by the library before we went our separate ways. Three of the guys had a ride back to Eastbourne in to the head wind again, quite unfair that they get extra training miles in .........
Four of us enjoyed putting the world to rights in The Dolphin and then my return ride home along the prom around ten was a struggle in to the wind but benefitted from the sight of a near full moon across the sea in a clearing sky, glorious.
Chris Parker
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