I was down for the Early Bird meet at 08:00 to chat to the early bird lads before they set off to leave me for a peaceful read of the papers and a bacon butty. Back home to get a bike and return to the Bridge Café for coffee and toast and chat with those having a cuppa before the Bacon Butty Run set off at 10:00. A good group of nine set off, three regulars, three occasionals and three first timers, a nice mix. These rides are great for those loosening legs before a hard ride on Sunday (ESCA 50 mile TT for me) and are suitable for those not used to club runs and interested in seeing what they might be like. Barney and Sue made a rare appearance having an easy ride (very easy for them!) before starting an 8 day Strava challenge on Sunday: 8000m of climbing in 8 days. Both are well in to road racing etc so great to have them along to chat and share their knowledge, particularly with new comers to club cycling.
We did the usual route with me riding and chatting with the back markers after Whydown as some went ahead, no problem when you reassemble at set points. Sue had been chatting to me then set off to catch those ahead. When we regrouped at Kiln Lane Sue was missing!!!! This is a classic when someone not familiar with a route leaves people behind and sets off to catch an out of sight front group without knowing a turn, but normally someone should wait at any turn to direct those who are out of sight, a system that has worked very well for over a century. Usually we regroup at the T junction before we get in to Hooe since as a rule we fork left to go past the Red Lion to get off the rat run, newbies would not know that, so that would have prevented Sue going awol. Barney set off to find her and the rest of us continued and regrouped in the car park of the Lamb Wartling after the tough little ascent of Horsewalk.
As we chatted Barney and Sue reappeared! One of our first timers had to get back to work in the afternoon so we decided to stick as a group going directly back via Normans Bay and have coffee in Bexhill for a change. Eight of us ended up in a prime position in the sun on the sea front outside the Sovereign Cafe, which does some of the very best cheese scones around. First timer Rob joined me in sampling the top class cheese scones with Tim on his first every club run being true to brand having a bacon butty. We heard all about Peter's training camp in Majorca, he is a regular visitor out there and now he is in to cycling had hired a very well equipped carbon framed bike to get some sunny miles in. Majorca is always very busy with cycle training camps in the early part of the year as Brits in particular escape our winter to get pre season miles in. Now it is racing season the number of cyclists is probably down, so does that mean more good quality bikes available to hire?
Had we gone to Chilley Farm, top class cheese straws for those not in to bacon, we may well have met up with the returning early birders as we have done in the past, but obviously not this week as we changed plans to suit the group.
With racing and other things on I cannot do regular Saturday morning Bacon Butty / Cheese Scone Runs but there is no reason why others cannot get together. A designated leader would be ideal if any one was prepared to commit but some weeks several have met and done their own thing together. When I am not out if I know early enough I can try and put anyone who wants to ride in touch with each other.
Chris Parker
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