Harrow Sunday Club Ride- Sun 1st Feb :Snowy Start & Climbing Hills, but losing Height!

Opening the front door to leave for the harrow, I was greeted by blustery snow fall. 'Bring it on I thought'.
Rounding the corner at the harrow, I saw Andy Ashbey getting his bike out of his car. Nobody at the bench made me think that we'd be riding as a twosome, when a whistle & bellow of 'Oi, over here' came from the other side of the road, where Jon S, Nick S & Hight H were all sheltering in the phone box from the snow.
A moment later Nigel T whizzed past, thinking that he had missed us and seeming intent on catching us. Luckily he heard our shouts, and turned around. As we waited for Andy to cross the road, Malcolm D rolled up too!
We set off Eastwards on a route that some of rode a few weeks ago, with quiet roads, good surfaces & plenty of hills for keeping warm! The snow continued to fall as we set off along the ridge, showing a spattering of white on the pavements, but the roads remained clear. We needn't have worried as the snow stopped before we had even reached Ore, and a chink of blue sky appeared overhead.As we rounded the corner at the helipad on Fairlight road, on our way to Battery Hill, a loud bang rang out.Was it an outraged farmer taking pot shots at the pedal powered brigade as we passed by? Surely bike rage hadn't escalated beyond swearing & spitting!
Alas, it was Andy A's rear tyre exploding, that had us all diving for cover. Unfortunately it was game over for Andy today, as the side wall had large tear in it, but  on the plus side we hadn't reached Battery Hill before it happened.
A cautious descent followed, with everyone on the brakes on the rapidly deteriorating surface on Battery Hill. Rosemary Lane led us through to Pett, and Panel Lane ( a slighty iffy debris strewn surface, due to the rain). A sensible single file approach was all that was required, and we were soon at Winchelsea enjoying the newly surfaced float lane.The next climb was Ludley Hill, that took us in the direction of Peasmarsh. We paused at the top & waited for Hight H to catch up. Through Peasmarsh next into the cold Northerly wind, up to Northiam on our way to the cafe at Bodiam Castle. Hight was off the the pace on the hills today, which took us by surprise, as his fitness of late has been going from strength to strength.We all suffer these days, and today was his turn. Malcolm joked at one point that ' Every time we gain elevation, we seem to lose Hight. Boom, Boom!'
Mark Ingram joined us at the cafe, after battling the headwind from Peasmarsh alone, riding with us until Robertsbridge, before cutting off back home.
We continued through Robertsbridge, on our way towards Brightling, turning left at the 'Jack Fuller' pub, taking in the gruelling, short, sharp climb up to the chapel at hollingrove. A left here took us through the undulating lanes around Darwell, over the railway crossing & up the long ascent of Eatenden Lane to Netherfield. The final sharp climb of Netherfield Hill took us through Battle high street ( A sympathetic salute to Lee S, as we passed his house) and back to the harrow. 50 miles, started in the snow, ridden in sunshine, through glorious countryside & with great company. Perfect!

Until next week, J.V