Part Deux - BBR "Last call for EasyJet flight EZY 2051 to Allicante...."

Normans Bay - 06:28 a.m

"Morning sweetie, why don't you have an extra 10 minutes in bed while I fix breakfast for you? - boiled eggs o.k". Now, I've washed and polished your bike and oiled the chain, and your cycle clothes are warming on the radiator............"

Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Bzzzzzzzzzzz

"Oh, sh*t, what's happening.....Oh, what a lovely dream....."

 I stumbled out of bed, lifted a corner of the blind and thought "No way, Jose".  The waves were crashing onto the beach in a rhythmical pattern and freezing momentarily before, with a 'schlepping' sound, being dragged back home by the invisible, irresistible force of the tide.  The rain was pounding the windows; sounding like handfuls of gravel being thrown out of an angry fist.  I reset the the clock for 07:30, snuggled  under the blankets and then the guilt 'kicked in':  'just suppose someone does wait for me at the crossing'; after all I did get Steve C to send out an email informing everyone of my my intentions.  I went through a mental list of all the regular Pre BBR ers to see who might be keen (daft) enough to venture out in these conditions. There were only two possibles I concluded: Neil and Tom. Neil did meet up with me two Saturdays ago in sub-zero conditions and would no doubt have made the effort today if he wasn't planning to do other things because it's his birthday today.  That just left Tom.  I always think It's best to consider the worse case scenario which is: Tom standing in the rain, freezing to death and cursing me for my lack of attendance - never mind, I'm sure he will get over it, I turned over and tried to get some more sleep.

09:45 - Di Paulos

Full house! everyone and their uncle/aunt seemed to be in attendance - new comers , old comers, young , old - you name it.  I was sitting next to a new 'face'.  I seized the opportunity when he went to the toilet.

"Who's that?", I said to Mal C.

"That's Sidney", he replied.

"You know him then?"

"Well I do, but I didn't know his name was Sidney,I wondered what his name was!", he said.

"But you said his name was Sidney!", I replied.

I looked across at Tom.

"This is straight out of a 'Two Ronnies' sketch", I said

Later on in the ride I got to know Terry and it turns out he's from my 'manor' (loosely speaking - I'm a Londoner, but was living in Kent before coming  to East Sussex), in fact the first pub he drank in when he was a lad was the Imperial Arms, Chislehurst which was where I met Vicki! - small world.  He is a very experienced rider and has a history of riding in Europe; including iconic climbs in France and the Roubaix cobbles.  He was explaining that he had a bad fall on the cobbles in Belgium and was out of action for a long time and has only been riding again for about a year or so.

 I must admit to feeling a sense of pride and belonging as we 'attacked' the De La Warre roundabout en masse.  I feel untouchable when part of a large group, after all what can the motorist do when confronted with 20 cyclists? - plough us all down? I think not, although this is of course a not totally impossible to imagine scenario when seeing the anger from some motorists; quite a few of whom seem to really hate us.

The author puts on a brave face for Starbucks.

The new winter route seems to work really well with just the right amount of challenge.  We re-grouped at several points; my favourite being at the top of Boreham Hill - everyone looks happier to be at the top rather than the bottom.  It is a while since I have being around the Bodle Street area and I always associate it with the Hard Riders T.T.  (those who did the Eastbourne Sportive with me last year will remember that I should have taken the right off the Herstmonceaux Road, but somehow shot past it and there are some members of the club who have been unable to forgive me for what they perceived as cheating.) New to cycling three years ago I was 'conned' into taking part by Col. Parker who said it was 'fairly straight forward' and I still remember well the feeling of arriving back at the HQ a full 5 minutes after everyone else!.  To be far to Chris to take part in a TT at the beginning of your cycling 'career' was good advice, it means only one thing: you are going to get a lot quicker - the second year I came in 9 minutes faster and not last!

At...............Duncan and his two boys bad us farewell and the rest of us headed to Starbucks.  Chris had suggested this due to the high turnout and his concerns that we couldn't easily be accommodated at Chilley farm, or the Pevensey Bakery.

I chose an 'All-day Breakfast Bun' and a 'small' (cleverly re branded as a 'tall') Cappuccino at the bargain price of £6.60 - although on placing my order it was difficult to be heard above the constant PA announcements giving information on imminent flight departures.  I know I'm being facetious but iIdo find these kind of places sterile, perfunctory and soulless, and reminiscent of 'Billi' the EasyJet departure lounge at Bordeaux airport.
I would prefer that we split into two groups - one heading for the Bakery with an over-spill at the Pevensey Diner, or excet that we have a long wait at Chilley if there is a lot of us.

Anyway, be interesting to see how things 'pan out' next week.

Peter Buss