Ten rolled off a few minutes after 10:00 but one rider was faffing about outside the cafe as everyone set off at an easy initial roll off pace. After waiting over the road for Mr Faff for a bit I could not afford to delay longer without any signal as to why the hold up so I set off in pursuit of the disappearing bunch and assumed it was Peter B2 who had said he was going straight home, having ridden the Pre BBR and needing to get back early after a coffee and chat with everyone else.
I always try and have a rolling regroup (sometimes a halt is required if some riders are a bit behind, or someone has been faffing outside the cafe rather than getting a move on) straight after we turn left just north of Cooden station so that a decision can be made if we need to split in to two groups that go their own way if the Gruppetto is going to be well off the pace. But everyone had gone on ahead and were waiting at the left turn where you rejoin the main road. There was no sign of Mr Faff chasing us down so I called roll on and advised that Peter B3, the tenth rider, would be cutting off to do his own thing.
At the regroup just north of Hooe I realised that Peter B1 was missing. I had assumed his mucker, Neil, who was leading from the front would have realised his riding pal was absent, they had even been on the Pre BBR together. But no, Neil had forged ahead without giving Peter B1 a second thought! I could only conclude that Lord Buss (Peter B1) had got his ermine a tad dirty on the earlier ride, and his coronet was needing a polish, hence the long faff outside Di Paolo's sorting out his regalia? Neil thought his lordship might have changed his mind and gone straight home?
Neil lead from the front again, at times well off the front but it was good to see young Fabien hold his wheel very well. Strava (see the P.S) Queen Sue, of many local sections so I am told, was doing just the right pace for Caroline to hold her wheel on the way to the Boreham Street regroup.
Soon after the Rushlake Green regroup Andy, Caroline and I almost had a three up team trial routine worked out in to the wind down to Cowbeech. Neil had waited up with everyone at the left turn to Herstmonceux and they had checked out who was planning to go straight home, but as agreed before we started at Di Paolo's the others would head for Pevensey Bakery.
The right turn off the main road to Wartling was a little hairy. I was at the front of a small group and was trying to look behind to see a break in the traffic to signal and pull out mid lane. It was a bit late before there was space behind a flat bed truck that had just gone past us then braked. I shouted EASY to warn those behind that I had to brake as I was pulling out to turn. Not sure why but the truck driver shouted out of his open window **** off at me. May be he thought I was criticising him from overtaking then pulling in sharply and braking just in front of me, so he thought I as shouting EASY at him? Ah well .......
I am not sure what was happening behind me before the junction (stiff neck means glancing behind does not enable me to see a long way back) but ideally the back marker of a line of riders spots a gap in the traffic, signals and pulls out mid lane to protect those ahead from overtaking traffic in the approach to a right turn. One junction where this really needs to be done well on a club run is on the A22 when you come down from Gun Hill, turn left and you do a short stretch on the main road before the right turn to St Bede's school, it can be a bit hairy when there is a lot of fast traffic. A good back marker can help protect the riders ahead from fast cars that do not see the rider at the front of the line signalling right.
Andy tried to get Eddie (a YMIL and not a MAMIL on a very strong BBR debut) Fabien and me to do through and off along the level to Pevensey roundabout in to the strong head wind. It is difficult to talk and hear any calls as strong wind rushes past your ears so we abandoned the attempt since we were starting to ride stop / start yoyo pace at times which increases the risk of touching wheels. You need a smooth consistent pace at all times with the lead pulling off to the agreed side, which depends on circumstances, as the train keeps in a straight line.
Only four of the nine riders went to Pevensey cafe, a good job since only one table was free. But there were five bikes outside? Mystery solved, after taking so long readjusting his regalia Lord Buss had decided not to chase after us and his lordship had taken a short cut to the cafe.
Another most enjoyable BBR with a good turn out on the same day as many regulars were on the Snargate Social.
Chris Parker
P.S. it seems the Bexhill Strava bike thief has a cousin in Tunbridge Wells. One of the SDW lads had not ridden since October, until two weeks ago. A few days after his first ride following his winter break he went to his shed to find his two top range bikes had been stolen but his training bike, and kids bikes were still there. His conclusion was that his Strava upload had inspired the unwanted visitor to his shed....... So make sure you use the Strava security / privacy settings, especially if you live in Bexhill which a year or so ago saw a spate of shed / garage bike thefts from those that (coincidently?) use Strava.
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