Bothy adventures in the Lake District and trail riding in North Yorkshire

It was about two years ago that my younger brother introduced me to the world of the Mountain Bothy Association http://www.mountainbothies.org.uk/index.asp.In some of the most remote parts of the UK there are basic shelters which provide a refuge from the elements to anyone who passes or stays the night. These are free but you can become a member for a small fee to contribute towards the upkeep. You need to be self sufficient if staying and take fuel for the fire. There
is no heating and there is always chance of meeting other intrepid adventurers. This is one step up from camping but is not for those of a nervous disposition if you have nightmares of staying in a deserted hut on the moors or in the woods!

Having built my mountain bike up this summer from an inherited Cove stiffee frame and tested it on the South Downs and around Bewl Water I wanted to get more adventurous. So when my brother suggested a biking trip I knew there would be a bothy or two involved.
We drove to the Lake District and after finding the only shop in the village we stocked up with the essentials - Port and cheese! and as dusk fell drove to the head of the valley and put our bikes together. It was at this point that my brother discovered the perils of keeping your bike in the loft as a mouse had chewed through his rear brake cable. As the light faded and the temperature dropped, we had an hours ride ahead of us with heavy packs weighed down by 5kg coal for the fire. In a scene from Apocalypse Now, two helicopters buzzed over the ridge silhouetted against the clear night sky and disappeared up the valley to drop off what we later discovered were trees to reforest the slopes. As silence returned and the cloak of darkness wrapped itself around the hills we set off towards the bothy at Mosedale Cottage. Stars started to pin prick the sky and our eyes started to adjust to the gloom. Passing by a deserted hill farm we had to push the bikes up and over the head of the valley. Riding was difficult with boggy ground and streams but our lights picked out the path and soon the bothy appeared ahead with its whitewashed walls standing out. I was so happy to finally get my pack and the coal off my back. We had the bothy to ourselves and soon had the stove alight. It was very tidy inside with several armchairs (don't expect to find such luxury in any other bothies). The previous occupants had left coal and candles. We ate like kings and supped the Port from mugs. As it started to snow lightly we slept infront of the fire and woke to find a clear morning.On the ride back down we were treated to a wild stag and two hinds on the ridge above. I don't know who was more surprised.We found a bike shop and repaired the brake before heading on to Ambleside for a 22km loop. Riding light we followed bridal paths across the hills and passed several riders . Around us the sky's darkened and we skirted the edge of a hail shower to make it back to the car as the light faded. It was then a drive to Honister Pass with a pit stop for beers. Leaving the car at the slate mine we took the decision to leave the bikes and walk up to Warnscale Head bothy. This overlooks Buttermere and is a rebuilt stone hut on the side of the mountain. It took two hours to get there and as we were about to climb back up in search of it, I 
found it around a rocky outcrop. No armchairs this time just a 12ft x 8ft hut with stone sleeping platforms. Luckily we were alone again and another bag of coal was duly lit. Open fire this time which was very smokey to start but soon heated us. Yes there was more Port naturally and candles giving it the feel of a hobbit house! Daylight gave us stunning views and showed us where we had strayed from the path. Our return only took an hour and we headed to To Ullswater to ride HIghstreet. This promised a long ridge ride after a tough climb and as we left the carpark the top of the hills were shrouded in low cloud and it looked like we would see some snow. The ride soon became a slog over streams and walls and even saw us carrying bikes up a steep bank for a short distance. This was shaping up to be the 'epic' ride my brother had promised. We pushed up,up,up towards the cloud and across the snow line. Descending walkers said it was icy on the top and thought we we brave/crazy to be wearing cycle longs. Into a world of white where the grass was encased in ice and the ground crunched beneath our wheels. It levelled out and we turned for the summit with a last push to the top. Stopping briefly to put on an extra layer and bite into an energy bar we turned for the descent back to the ridge. This was proper mountain biking against the elements and there was a huge grin on my face as I skidded and bumped my way down. Following the ridge along the old Roman road we kept the height but unfortunately did not get the magnificent views because of the cloud. For the whole 5 mile traverse we saw no one but saw tracks in the snow. Dropping beneath the cloud we glimpsed the lake and turned towards the car. There was a sweeping grassy track with jumps to get the pulse racing then another slog up and over in the dark, to drop into the valley. Riding at night down the mountain track focuses your mind and was the highlight for me. I was thankful for putting my light on the bike as an afterthought! Tired and with cold and wet feet I was pleased for the heater and dry socks. Then we drove to North Yorkshire to stay wih my brother in law and squeezed in a visit to the trail centre at Dalby forest near Malton. This had been used for a World Cup x country race so we had high hopes. It did not disappoint and a three hour single track ride gave us a real taste of the course through some amazing scenery. The tracks are in good condition and well thought out to give something for all levels. There is a decent bike shop and a cafe to complete the experience. I recommend this to all. It was like riding Bedgebury x 10 and only cost £4 to get into.

So the Lakes were a challenge and lived up to the epic ride promised. The cooked breakfasts were excellent, the bothies wild and remote, the beer was cheap
and the welcome everywhere warm. Dalby forest delivered and my feet did eventually dry out.

Jon Stainsby

HSLCC Chaingang 27 November

In comparison to recent weeks, this Wednesday evening was relatively warm at around 7 degrees C.  It was not much drier, with in places a heavy mist that was almost drizzle and some rain on my ride home afterwards.  Roads were wet but mostly puddle-free.  However, there was no wind to speak of, so any improved times would solely be down to leg power!

14 riders assembled at the shelter, all waiting for Steve to arrive and lead us out.  At 19:36 (tut, tut) it was decided to leave without him, so off we went with two more late arrivals doing quick u-turns to join the peloton.  We made good progress past the De La Warr, along Western Parade, South Cliff and on to Cooden Drive, largely staying as a single group.  Herbrand Walk saw the faster riders stretch away from me and a few others.  The top of Spooky Hill was the mistiest place on the ride, my front light shining a solid cone of smoky light and my front tyre throwing bright beads of water into the beam.

The return leg began without much delay with another neat peloton streaking through the marshes (great fun), with the faster crew not getting away from me and Kie until Herbrand Walk.  The array of flashing & strobing red lights, reflecting off the shiny wet road, looked like one of those strange deep sea creatures you occasionally see photographs of, with odd reflective limbs & luminous blobs waggling to lure unwary prey.  And then they were gone from sight until we rejoined Cooden Drive.

It's frustrating not to have the legs to keep up but I think I'm getting a bit faster.  I enjoy the ride regardless and it feels good to reach the traffic lights knowing you've pushed yourself and that I, hopefully, will be stronger next time.  I thought the group discipline was good, with lots of loud clear calls alerting others to hazards and generally making our presence more apparent.

I saw Kate, Kie, Simon & Tom and Strava tells me there was also Barney, Nigel, Mike, John & Peter.  I met Stuart at the end and thought him a man of great taste & intelligence.  Hope to meet you all again next week!

PostScript - Aldi-special kit review
Kie & I (aka the 'Smith Boys') were both modelling Aldi's bib longs.  I thought the material and seat pad felt thin but in use I've found them warm & comfortable.  Good value at £30.  I also wore the wool cycling socks and I think they are excellent - warm without being too hot and very comfortable.  I can't remember the price but I think it was less than £4 a pair.

Neil Smith

Merida Brass Monkeys Winter Enduro Series Round 1

This was the first of a four round series, organised by the Army Cycling Union, and was also to become my introduction to bicycle racing. Now, for the benefit of those who are unfamiliar with enduro off road racing (as I was until today) it seems, it is much the same as a cross country race with the main difference being that the terrain is far more technical than that demanded in a XC race. You'll see a great deal of very technical and narrow single track, with occasional fire roads to link it all up.  The course chosen for this race was peppered with exposed tree roots, some off camber and lots of short but steep technical descents/climbs, quite challenging all in all and plenty of "offs" to be seen. Although just one off for myself as my chain slipped when I grabbed a bunch of gears for a climb.

For this race in the series the laps were 7 miles long and there was a choice of two or four hours or, a one hour for beginners and a three hour for the hardcore vets. All plus one lap. This event was a sell out with over 500 riders in attendance.

I was to set off on the two hour with a friend Toby. The three hour event had started one hour earlier and the four just another hour before that.  We headed out to the start line with a keen 10 minutes to spare, only when we arrived we found the rest of the two hour field were an awful lot keener than we anticipated.   So we started off quite a bit further back than we would have liked! Lesson learnt.

The first lap was really just one big lesson for me, and somewhat a bit of a scolding for starting so far back. It was very tough to overtake once in the wooded single track, and with so many guys and girls in front, all wheel to wheel, as soon as one fell or another struggled to push through a technical section this would cause a bottle neck. This in turn also meant that the inertia gained from a descent could rarely be carried up the following hill. As the field started to spread out over the coming laps things did improve. This was a good thing for me because I felt quite empty after lap one and since I would probably be out for a third lap I needed to find a more comfortable pace and get back to carrying my speed through corners and over climbs. (Why do people drag their brakes going down hills only to then peddle harder up the other side?).  Toby had made some significant progress through the pack and gained some valuable time back. Overall he finished his third lap in 62nd place in a category of 95, some 12 minutes ahead of me in 73rd.  I'm pleased to have taken part today and I'm happy to walk away with my first race under my belt. But more importantly I've gained some valuable (if not frustrating) lessons that rookie racers like me need to learn and I'll be taking these forward with me to my next race. Unfortunately I can't attend the second round due to unavoidable commitments but I'm hoping to get out for the third round in January.  Tickets on sale if anyone fancies a go to http://armycyclingunion.co.uk/?page_id=24

Matt Schubert

22/11 HSLCC Friday Night Ride- Through And Off

Kie Makes It Look Easy!

Great to see young Kie Smith out with us on the Friday night ride on a cold but almost windless night. It was an extremely dark evening with no moon light getting through the thick overhead cloud. The decent down battery hill was particularly scary for Kie who had never done it before and has only a mediocre front light. On reaching the flat road near Pett level we realised that Nigel wasn't with us. just then I received a text telling me he had punctured and would be back with us in five minutes. We decided to ride back to him to give him some extra light and moral support while fixing the puncture. As we rode up 'little Battery' I think we were all hoping that he had punctured near the bottom of the hill and not the top, LOL. fortunately this turned out to be the case and as we arrived, Nigel was just packing up his tools. Turns out he had ridden into a nasty pothole, this had caused a blow-out but unfortunately it had also put a dent in the front wheel. Nigel was gutted by this , as only a couple of weeks ago he was singing the praises of his new wheel set having had the wheels hand-built at Handsome Bikes. Despite the wheel damage Nigel was able to ride and we pressed on through to Rye, once again deciding to give the reserve a miss due to the stones we assume still cover the path (I will try to get down there in the next week or so to check it out). It being kie's first Friday night ride and with only a basic front light we decided to do 'through and off' all the way up the long drag to Broad Oak. Simon took control and we rode together trying to keep a fair pace with riders riding briefly at the front before the rider from the back came through to take over. This was something new to me and used to struggling at the back I actually went too fast on the one downhill section (gravity assisted) of the road as well as failing to prevent the usual habitat of speeding up at the end when the lights of Broad Oak appeared.This is something we will need to work on as a group to improve but It was good fun and did make the long drag seem shorter than normal. From here it was back to standard riding as we swept on down the silky smooth road decent from Broad Oak through Brede. Myself Simon and Kie were again thwarted by the temporary traffic lights which are still present down at the bridge before the turning. Kie is riding better and better each week and dropped me before we had even gotten to the base of Stonestile and was soon gone and out of sight.

20/11 HSLCC Chaingang

I watched the temperature steadily drop through the afternoon from 5 or 6 degrees to 1.2... Oh dear, would this mean an icy ride, a nice back-end slip on a bend across the marshes, or losing the front on the sharp left opposite the Cooden Beach Hotel? Only one way to find out and besides, I had a new front light and jacket to test.

My Second HSLCC chaingang (Neil Smith)

Eleven intrepid souls gathered in the cold, now accompanied by light sleety rain and a gusty north-westerly breeze. I counted two single-speed bikes and lots of steel frames, but I think no carbon frames - a bit of a surprise. Riding an aluminium bike, for once, felt quite exotic. Roads were wet and had plenty of standing water, especially on the marsh section, but it was quite manageable. I'm still learning names, but I recall meeting Tom, Steve, Barney, Simon - and Ivan who was telling a story about cycling from Cornwall via Bristol with only one knee. Maybe I heard that wrong. Apologies to the others whose names I was told but which I cannot remember. If you need this report as an alibi, you'd better tell Steve quick.

Six riders built a decent lead on the outward leg and I settled into a smaller (and slower) group that did its best to catch them. I got dropped on Spooky Hill but I managed to reel in one rider before the roundabout. We were all eager to set off again before we got cold, so it was a quick turnaround to start the homeward leg. My cunning plan was to set off quickly and build an unassailable lead. This lasted a few minutes before the express group whistled by and swooped up the west slope of Spooky Hill (why is it called that?).

Simon and I fell into a friendly duel, interrupted in part by the Cooden level-crossing. He rode a lovely looking Genesis Flyer single speed (fixie?). I let him pass me several times so I could get a better look. The last leg along Cooden Drive saw us steadily increase pace as we passed the chap in the tartan cap (who IS he?) and negotiated fire engines on the upward slope. The downward slope provided relief from the smell of the house fire and for also from protesting legs. I think the rain had stopped some while back but I'd not really noticed until we stopped at the Sackville Road lights, with me panting over my handlebars after making a big effort. The fast group had caught their breath and were busy chatting as I pulled away to ride home the long way after an enjoyable session.

By the way, the new front light was great. It makes a difference if you can can see where you are going... It's a Moon 500. A good strong beam and decent spread, with four power settings and a flashing mode (too bright). The coat also performed well. It's an Altura Night Vision and it was perfect for the weather last night. I particularly like the waterproof front pocket that will easily hold a phone and money. There is a good-size rear pocket and a small round rear light neatly stitched into the zip flap. My old coat was also an Altura that has lasted 10 years, although it seems very old fashioned compared to the new coat. Both bits of kit recommended.



Regards, Neil Smith

Ivan's Navigation Nightmare!

As you may know, Ivan had been away on a decorating job in Cornwall and was planning on riding the whole 270 miles back in ONE day. Things did not go to plan!

Ivan, Glad To Be Back On The Chaingang!

As he set off  from Bude following a paper map, the weather was dry and his progress was good for the first 20 miles. At some point he realised he was lost and had no idea where he was. hoping to identify a location from the map  he kept going for the next 20 miles enjoying a one and a half mile decent down an impressive hill before deciding he really should ask someone for directions. A couple of newspaper delivery girls informed him he was totally off the map and was going in completely the wrong direction, there was no other option except to cycle 20 miles back the way he come, including going back up the long hill. Finally back on the correct route, Ivan continued on his journey and plodded on mile after mile. By now the rain was falling steadily. The route was all on main roads and Ivan was terrified of being hit by one of the many cars that were passing  a foot or so from his head at 60 mph. He tried not to think about the traffic and  carried on but once more managed to get himself lost , this resulted in another wasted 20 miles. On reaching Honiton his knee was giving him all sorts of bother , he couldn't ride at more than 10 miles per hour and was hobbling like an old man whenever he tried walking to ease his knee. He struggled on for another 20 miles, until having reached the impressive total mileage of 170 miles he had to admit defeat and phoned his cousin for a lift to the nearest train station. Finally able to relax while sitting there watching the countryside flash past Ivan had a sort of epiphany and has come to the conclusion that its pointless doing these endlessly long rides, there is more fun to be had just do shorter distances. 

17/11 ESCA Reliability Trial

This was the annual ESCA reliability trial. This event is like a gathering of the clans with over 200 riders from many well known local clubs including: Eastbourne Rovers, lewes Wanders, Sussex Nomads, East Grinsted CC,Southborough Wheelers, In gear RT, and Worthing Excelsior.Unfortunately our club representatives were surprisingly few in number with only myself, Lee, Malcolm D and Tom.This is one of Chris Parker's favourite annual events and he was gutted to have to miss it due to feeling unwell. As we drove towards the head quarters at East Hoathley we were passed by impressively large petatons of riders who had already been set off. Having signed in we set off on our much smaller mini pelaton of just the four of us together with a couple of Eastbourne Rovers who had chosen not to ride with the main Rovers pack. The first ten miles were fast and easy as we set out on main roads towards Hailsham and on into the marsh at Rickney for the first check point. From here we changed direction, and soon it was more up and down as we headed North towards the high point at Brightling. Any idea that things would get easier from here were very misplaced as from here on we were either going up or going down steep hills, there were very few flat sections.There were some dodgy little lanes to negotiate , even Malcolm was getting a bit scared as sometimes were were descending on bits of unbroken tarmac only a foot a so across sandwiched between wet slippery mud on one side and large potholes on the other. There was very little room for error and I remembered how last year one rider came off and broke his pelvis. For the first time this Autumn I realised that winter really is upon us and its time to give the small technical

At The First Check point- Easy So Far!

lanes a miss until next spring Road conditions stated to improve once we passed Wadhusrt where there was a wonderful fast but safe decent past the railway station followed by a 'dogs leg' up a steady incline to the last of the four checkpoints. The rest of the ride from here was fantastic with lots of steadily climbing and fast safe descents through places such as Tidebrook, Mayfield and Cross in hand. With only 10 miles to go we all felt good. A lot more riders seemed to be around us now and I was quite pleased to note that I was able to beat about half the riders up the climbs and with gravity on my side beat more than that on the fast descents. All day the light was very poor, I noticed that a lot of riders (Like myself) are now equipped with powerful flashing front and back lights for day use. As the route ascended up a long main road  drag past Mayfield, it was quite a spectacle seeing what looked like an endless string of flashing red lights blinking their way up the hill. Despite it being a main road, we cyclists owned it and the car drivers had no choice but to stay behind us until we reached the crest of the hill .The final two miles were all fast descending as we shot back down to East Hoathley, only to miss the final check point which we had assumed would be in the pavilion. Doubling back to sign in, we fluffed things up and realised too late that we had come in five minutes too early so looks like we are unreliable again. This was a fantastic event, those who didn't come with us really missed out.
I have modified the best two thirds of this route into a new 70 miler so those who missed it may get a chance to do it sometime next year once the roads dry out.

HSLCC Friday Night Ride 15/11

What Do You Mean We Must Stay Together?

Last week  following some foul weather,the ever reliable Simon G was the only rider who turned out for the Friday night ride. With cold but calm weather it was a certainty that Simon would not be on his own tonight. However, with both Ivan and Steve B nursing knee problems, and Nigel out on the London to Brighton night run, it was only myself, Marcus and Jon S that were able to join him. Dropping down Battery Hill I was grateful for the extra 200 lumens that my new front light was throwing across the tarmac helping me get my one and only Strava achievement of the evening on 'Little Battery'. Deciding to avoid the harbour reserve path due to all the pebbles that we assume the council/sustrans have failed to clear up we headed in good peloton formation along the main road. Jon, Marcus and Simon are all stronger than me so I was grateful to stay behind them and leave them to swop front man between themselves. Reaching Rye I was looking forward to easing up a little rather than fighting to stay with them but they were having none of this and insisted that as we were low on numbers we would stay together instead, groan!!! Its amazing how much more effort you need to go one or two mph faster than normal up that long drag and it was a relief to reach the top, stopping for only a few seconds to remove my woolly gloves that were causing my hands to over heat. Having swapped the saddle for one with less set back my Defy felt more stable than normal and we all swooped down past Broad Oak and past Brede, Marcus was convinced he was heading for a PB on the decent but this was thwarted when we were caught by the temporary traffic lights at the bottom. With close to a full moon lighting our way we had a good safe approach to Stonestile before I had to ask one more effort of my aching muscles to get to the top and finally get some relief, LOL.

HSLCC Weds Chaingang- Year Of The Newbies

Nigel And Kie, Newbies No More!

After some difficult weeks battling into the wind on the way out followed by Strava busting wind on our backs during the return leg, it was a relief to ride in cooler but much calmer conditions. Although we have missed a couple of riders unable to ride with us this season (in particular chaingang master Chris Watson) we have gained more new riders than we have lost. Kie and Nigel are two of them. Kie is so new that he has not been able to build up a winter kit yet and is still riding in shorts and summer jersey (brrrr). Despite the cold this was his best performance so far and Kie was able to lead the slow group most of the way out to Pevensey. Nigel was as strong as ever and despite riding one of the heavier bikes in the club, he can now mix with the'big' boys in the fast group.We haven't seen much of Matt this season leaving Stuart and Sean as arguably the strongest riders of the front group on this calm evening. Our little post ride pub group has grown steadily with seven off us retiring to the Anchor pub in George street to peruse the designs for our new club kit sent to us from Chris W

Wiggle Hellfire Sportive 10 November

Through Strava, I've met a great bunch of cyclists that loosely style themselves as the Road Junkies.  We thought we'd fit in a final sportive this year before grinding out the winter miles on local roads.  This sportive fitted the bill nicely - we settled on the standard course of 54 miles, but there were short (23 miles) and epic (86 miles) options to suit your taste.

Starting at the Kent Showground at Maidstone, we set off down a steep, narrow, muddy, wet, rutted, pot-holed, slippery track - in single file - unable to pedal and shivering on the bars like jellies in the fridge.  Mix in a good number of riders fixing punctures, straightening wheels, gluing broken frames and setting fractured limbs (ok, slight exaggeration) and you'll get the picture nicely.  I'm afraid these road conditions were too frequent for my liking throughout the ride, although I felt a little smug as I rode through the chaos on 25mm winter tyres, but slightly envious of those on mountain bikes.  The upside is that we met very little traffic, but when we did it made passing difficult for all involved and on occasion tempers frayed.  I wonder if wider roads might be safer even if traffic speeds are higher?

To be fair, there were plenty of better roads on the route and the cool wind was fairly light.  The sun was shining as brightly as it can in November.  The late autumn colour in the cherry orchards and chestnut coppices was stunning, a real visual treat.  After the deluges of the recent Wiggle South Downs sportive, I was grateful that the only water was on the roads and none was falling from above, although some roads were completely flooded in places.

As for my companions, they dropped me after about 10km.  My excuse?  I tried a 'cube shot' energy block with caffeine and I think it disagreed with me quite violently.  My heart rate shot up, I felt sick & faint.  I nearly jacked it in at the feed station, but pride wouldn't allow it.  I felt well enough to continue after some rest, water and jelly beans, but I struggled over the rest of the ride and came in 30 minutes behind them, feeling disappointed.  A long solo ride whilst feeling crap was not the plan!  Has anyone else had this problem?

The Wiggle events do seem well organised.  Signing on is efficient, signage is generally good, the feed station was well stocked and I got a medal (woohoo) and goody bag.  I understand why they choose the roads they do but I wonder if it's always the best strategy to include a large amount of C (D?) roads in poor condition.  I think they're a bit pricey - £20 or so would be better value - but overall, despite the grumbles and self-inflicted discomfort, it was a good morning out

Neil Smith

6 November - Neil's First Wednesday Chaingang

I've been flirting with trying a club ride for most of the year.  This Wednesday I finally made it, although my enthusiasm was tempered by the weather forecast.  Winds of 25 to 45mph were expected, with a chance of rain.  Perfect conditions for a debut in the chain gang then...

Meeting club members for the first time can be a daunting prospect.  Would people be friendly? Would I be the only person with mudguards? And would I be the only 'enthusiast' to turn up on that stormy evening?  The answers were one yes and two nos - people were great, very approachable; a fair sprinkling of folk had mudguards & I guess 15 or so riders were in attendance.

The two features of the outward leg to the Pevensey roundabout were a stiff, blustery headwind and, once clear of the last street lights on Herbrand Walk, the darkness of the marshes.  I thought my front light was reasonably bright.  How wrong I was!  I couldn't see a thing but thankfully I was riding nip & tuck with a gent riding a nice carbon fibre Giant and an even nicer front arc light that lit my way very nicely.  I returned the favour by dazzling him with my rear light.

Having drawn breath & gathered in all the stragglers, we launched into the wind-assisted return leg.  The thought of surfing the gale homeward had kept me going on the way out, so I set off at the front, thinking I could perhaps build up a small lead.  I flew blindly into bends, my legs enjoying the relief of spinning with little resistance.  Where was everyone?  Soon enough, a pool of light started to grow around me as the H&StLCC express train reeled me in and then swished by.  There are clearly some fast riders in the group, with a range of abilities in between them and, er, me.  I fell into friendly competition with Kate (another newbie), doing my best to hold her off until I ran out of legs on Cooden Drive.

I enjoyed the ride.  It's a shortish but intense workout that gives you the chance to really push yourself, if that's what you want, in good company.  People decide on the pace they want to ride at and there is no pressure to meet a set speed.  I'm looking forward to riding with the club again in less extreme conditions.  My one piece of advice is to make sure you've got a good front light!

Neil Smith

The Lone Warrior

The 'Troll' Puts Stonestile To Shame!

With 2 out of 3 forecasts predicting a dry night I was a bit surprised to find myself being lone chain-ganger.I wanted to ride what with Saturday looking grim and Sundays ride will be short so I can get to the Remembrance ceremony.Riding on your own in the dark certainly sharpens your senses and this was enhanced by coming across 2 lads in the gloom at the bottom of Stonestile with their car parked jauntily in the hedge.I was rather relieved when on enquiring they said they where ok as I didn't really fancy stopping.The rest of the climb up Stonestile reminded me a bit of Trollsfjord in Norway where some of the shapes and shadows get your mind a bit more active than it needs to be.Just an aside I Have signed up for the Tour of Flanders Challenge next April.Well it didn't rain and I am glad I got out,hope to see you all
, Simon G

Fri Night Ride 1/11-Wet, Wet Wet (aka Metin, Marcus and Nigel)

Despite heavy rain forecast for 8pm I left home just after 7pm and
headed for Fairlight lodge. I accepted that there might be rain
somewhere at 8pm, but my hopeless optimism assured me that not a drop
would fall in the Fairlight/ Rye/ Broad Oak area.
I was the only cyclist when I arrived at the lodge. As I waited I
watched small specks of rain passing though my light's beam, “it's not
raining - it'll pass” I told myself.
At 29 minutes past and still alone I was contemplating that maybe the
forecast was correct and everyone had more sense. Then Marcus turned up,
shortly followed by Metin. Read into that what you will.
As the roads were damp and it was only the three of us we decided to do
the usual route, but take it easy and stick together.
Marcus was up front as we crossed the brow of Battery Hill, but with
Metin and myself making use of our brakes for a cautious descent Marcus
soon disappeared into the distance. I pondered if Marcus had the best
tyres; failing brakes; or the biggest balls ? Once we'd regrouped on the
Pett Level Road I asked and Marcus explained his “brake aversion“ as
wasted energy (which I interpreted as bigger balls as wasting energy or
not I was too much of a wimp to go any faster on a wet descent).
Thanks to Steve's earlier email we knew the path through the nature
reserve was still covered in stones from the recent bad weather, so we
took the main road to Rye.
Although I was still ignoring the rain and in denial I could tell that
Metin, as he donned his waterproofs in Rye, was accepting the cold wet
truth. “He'll get too hot in those”, I told myself.
Minutes later on the Udimore road, like the Vietnam scene from Forest
Gump, it began to rain, “stinging rain...and big old fat rain. Rain that
flew in sideways. And sometimes rain even seemed to come straight up
from underneath”
Layers of water flowed over the road, pot holes hid in puddles, and one
of these bit Metin's front tube resulting in a pinch puncture. While
Metin changed the tube in particularly cold sideways rain any warmth
Marcus and myself had generated so far on the ride disappeared, I
suspected Metin was substantially warmer in his waterproofs.
Keen to try out my new Lezyne pump and warm myself up (and like a true
gent) I offered to inflate Metin's tyre, delaying us even further as
after inflation I let all the air out again by inadvertently unscrewing
the valve core from the stem when removing the pump.
Marcus and I were cold and wet by the time the ride resumed, and we used
opposite tactics to generate heat, Marcus pulling a high gear to get the
blood pumping, myself in a low gear to spin some heat into myself. I
noted Metin cycling normally, warm (and smug?) in his waterproofs.
Any heat we'd regenerated by the time we reached the Broad Oak cross
roads was lost during the descent. I formed an aerodynamic shape, not to
speed my descent but to minimise exposure to the cold air blowing
through my wet clothes.
The monsoon eased a little but the water from it still flowed off the
fields and across the road in centimetre thick sheets, so we skipped the
Doleham lane cut though and stuck to the main river (formerly known as
the A28).
I usually dread Stonestile but as a heat generating opportunity I was
keen to get there on this ride, there were a few impromptu fords to
negotiate on the approach but once we were above the water table we
blasted up the main climb.
We may have got cold and very wet but the feeling at the top of
Stonestile, while we gasped for breath and emitted steam, was strangely
and immensely satisfying - it felt like we'd taken on Nature and won.
Marcus summed up the ride up in two words, “character building”.

Nigel

3/11 Club Ride to Horam

Dont Look So Worried Malcolm, Its Only A Club Ride!

Tom 'Audax' Norris Joins Us For A Club Ride For The First Time

Today's club ride led by Chris P took us out to one of our top cafe stops, the 'lakeside' at Horam. Chris has a number of different routes to get to there but I must say that of all the ones I have been on, this was the best and longest. The route had a lot of up and down on quiet roads which were in surprisingly good conditions. The section through Bodle Street Green, Rushlake Green and Cowbeech were particularly enjoyable. With us on his first ever club ride was Tom 'audax' Norris from the Weds chaingang/timetrials .Normally Tom is well ahead of me but today he was slightly off the pace, not helped by riding an old comfortable but heavy steel Peugeot  road bike from the nineties. Another newbie with us was Malcolm C, this was only his second club ride. Malcolm had already done a fast 'bacon butty' ride the day before so to come out for another 60 miles was pretty heroic! All day we were buffeted by some strong gusts but once we left the (as always excellent ) cafe we had the wind at our backs almost all the way back. Just like at last weeks reliability trial ,I felt  unusually good on the bike and once we got to familiar roads decided to push a little harder and left Chris and Malcolm C behind with just Malc D staying with me. Thanks to Chris for yet again mapping out in his computer like brain an excellent route. I have saved this as a gpx file so we can repeat it again on a day when Chris is not available.