Early bird report & bacon butty run

A great early bird ride today (sat 12 feb). The weather was wetter than the forecast predicted but it did slowly clear up. We took a steady pace (five riders), not too fast and still felt good after completing the 50 mile 'high and over' route. Good to see duncan out on his first early bird ride and good to see how well he is riding especially on his new specialized.
SC

After a bit of a lie in and a trip to the Post Office to pick up my parcel from Ribble I met Pete C a little later than usual and we set out for Pevensey. I had two punctures on the way out, good job the parcel contained two sets of tyres. The small breakfast in Pevensey Bakery is soooooo good at £3.60 with coffee. We rode straight back and happened to meet up with the early birds as they rolled out of the Cafe on the Beach at Glynde Gap. I rode back with them then locked my bike up by the library in good time for the Man Utd v Man City game where Pete and Dave D joined me for a fantastic winner from Wayne Rooney. Must do a few more miles one of these Saturdays ....
Chris Parker

weds chaingang 9 feb - runs on 12 & 13

A perfect chaingang tonight. No wind at all and a pleasant temperature.A good turn out of 12 riders including Dave from Eastbourne Rovers who met us on the way out. Good to see how much Duncan has improved over the last few weeks; I couldnt keep up with him on the first part of the route. Simon G lost his rear light at the start of the ride at bulverhythe road and had to work hard to catch up. At the end of the ride Matt lost his rear light after hitting a bump on the way up galley hill, looks light the clips on this modern rear LEDS are not as good as they should be!
S.C

Saturday 12 Feb:
Ride 1 - Early Bird meet 8.00am for 50 miles. Contact Steve Curtis for details
Ride 2 - Chris Parker is on for a 10.00am bacon butty run with a twist - ending up at Yates for the 12.30 Man Utd v Man City game with the bikes locked up outside. Text for meet details.

Sunday 13 Feb: Harrow at 9.00am to leave at 9.10am

Social Friday 25 February 2011

I have booked the Cafe at 12 Claremont, Hastings (TN34 1HA) next to the Library for a gathering on Friday 25 February, 7.30pm for 8.00pm. It is £12 a head with a buffet meal so we can mingle and chat. They did us a really good spread two years ago with a good selection of savouries and a desert. Drinks are bought at the counter, the coffee is good and there is bottled beer etc.

At 9.00pm we will do the Trophies, which should not take too long, then we mingle further and finish before 10.00pm when some may go on elsewhere.

Many thanks for the replies to my e-mail of 26 January. I think we should be able to make it to at least 20 people to make it viable but I need all of you to jolly up your cycling pals and also get other halves along.

I need names and numbers confirmed, please drop me a line as soon as possible and ideally before Monday 14 February. If we only get to 16 or so we may well just have an Indian as we did last year since there is a minimum charge for use of the Cafe.

Chris Parker

Sunday Run 6 February - Runs on 12 & 13

Four of us set out to Battle turned off at Telham to Catsfield and took Skinners Lane (?) to Ninfield. We lost a fair bit of time on a puncture. When cleaning your bike it is always worth checking for any flints that might be lurking and going to cause a problem later on and if the rubber is past its best order more tyres. At Hertsmonceux we cut off to Cowbeeech, Vines Cross, Horam, Gunn Hill, Michelham Priory and then did the usual run back through Hankham and Normans Bay. After 43 miles I was keen to show people one of the great cafes in St Leonards, at Love Market on the junction of London Road and Norman Road. We had a leisurely brunch with Steve C and Paul K being rather impressed with the place - ask for reviews and try it out. I usually just have a light meal there but I must go there for a Sunday roast soon.

Chris Parker

Saturday 12 Feb:
Ride 1 - Early Bird meet 8.00am for 50 miles. Contact Steve Curtis for details
Ride 2 - Chris Parker is on for a 10.00am bacon butty run with a twist - ending up at Yates for the 12.30 Man Utd v Man City game with the bikes locked up outside. Text for meet details.

Sunday 13 Feb: Harrow at 9.00am to leave at 9.10am

Friday & Wednesday chaingangs

Friday 4 February: A very windy but mild chaingang tonight. Five riders braved the wind. It was a fast run as we had the wind behind us on the way out and some shelter from it on the way back.
S.C

Wednesday 2 February: Seven of us set out in to a strong south westerly. Paul HH from Eastbourne joined in at the De La Warr and helped Ivan drive the leading group in to the wind. After just a few weeks Duncan F has already got stronger and shared the work with Chris P at the back on the way out. The rain pretty much held off on the pacy run back but those that popped in to the Dolphin to rehydrate got wet going home.
Chris Parker

Grimpeurs du Sud - South Downs National Park 100 Audax Jan 30th

Simon T and myself got a last minute entry in for this Audax event on Sunday. Weather was glorious sunshine but icy cold. There were only about 40 riders, half the time we had wheels to follow the rest we were riding on our own using the route sheet to navigate and so I mistakenly led us up the steeper side of High and Over, where we found a bunch of riders we'd passed earlier on a frost covered descent had come the shorter easier way and reached the checkpoint ahead of us! We did 122k / 76 miles in the end and climbed 2007 m / 6585 ft, criss-crossing the Downs; Butt's Brow twice, Birling Gap, Beachy Head, Exceat Hill, East Dean, Wannock, High and Over twice, Bo Peep with gradients of 19% and Firle Beacon. These last two still had frost on the road which made our wheels slip if we stood up! Most of the proper Audax riders had super low gears to spin but somehow we managed to sit down, grind up and ride back down again without sliding too much on the frost. Some of the others were walking down Firle and apparently one chap did fall off. Atmosphere was very friendly with two excellent feedstops run by Brian "El Supremo" Hudson. Legs were hurting halfway round and for a day or so after but a great time. Saw some beautiful new bits of the downs I wouldnt normally bother to ride like Butt's Brow at 16% and Bo Peep - just stupidly steep climbs that end in a carpark, where we stamped our route card or had our feed then rode back down again. At Bo Peep we saw half a dozen blokes with very long skateboards getting ready to street-luge (tombstone?) down the steep twisty frosty bits! Reassuring to know there's someone crazier than us . . .
Cw

Sunday Run 30 Jan, Audax and Run on 6 Feb

It was a glorious but slightly cold morning with a good frost on cars and the likelihood of a bit of ice on the lanes. With some north and east in the wind we decided to set up a return run with the wind on our backs. Four of us were joined by two Bayeux tops on the way up Brede Hill then through Udimore to Rye. It is one of my favorite rides along that ridge with great views inland and out to sea. Peter Fox had over 1000 miles in his legs from a three week Jim Gowan training camp in Fuerteventura but was a bit off colour (despite the tan!) so he turned back home. Rather than the steep climb out of Rye on the main road we went through Houghton Green to just short of Wittersham where we turned off to Ebony, Reading Street and almost in to Appledore before doing one lap of the Kennardington road race circuit. There was a bit of side in the wind on the fast run back to Rye, Winchelsea Beach and then a direct attack (or grovel in my case) up Battery Hill to the Fairlight cafe and make friends with Alvin the puppy again who only started yapping once Malcolm D did his bank robber impression on the way out with his balaclava.

Whilst we were on the Run Chris Watson and Simon Tyler were planning to ride an Audax but I have not heard how it went. Audax have been running for many years, predating Sportives and a lot cheaper, with the ultimate goal of qualifying for the Paris-Brest-Paris which I believe both Peter Baker and Peter Fox have done in the past i.e. only something for the hard men!

Saturday 5 February: It looks as though I will be playing hockey so I am unlikely to do a bacon butty run but that does not stop others palling up.

Sunday 6 February: Harrow at 9.00am to depart by 9.10am.

Chris Parker