lazybloke
Considering a new username
- Location
- Leafy Surrey
Assuming I've got the right date, is anyone going London to Shoreham tonight?
I'll be the guy with one Day-Glo yellow pannier.
I'll be the guy with one Day-Glo yellow pannier.
Just eating a bowl of delicious al dente pasta before riding down to the station....at Shoreham! Train to VicAssuming I've got the right date, is anyone going London to Shoreham tonight?
I'll be the guy with one Day-Glo yellow pannier.
Pay no mind. I was tempted to reply to those on Waterloo Bridge who referred to us as 'cycle******s', but frankly the likes of these people just lack the flair to carry it off. And remember the lightweights will be in bed when our night's barely started!I didn't even get out of Waterloo Station before being accosted by a group of lads who declared lycra to be "grotesque"!
The drunks in London were right about one thing though; lycra isn't the best look!
Great report as always StuJenny's debut as night ride leader. She carried it off with aplomb, though delegated the safety talk to Ross (despite her protestations, I'm sure she'd have nailed it). Back a few months ago, after the Reading ride she'd harboured some doubts. Those proved groundless. Nice one, J! Now, if you could ensure a dry morning with an easterly next time…
But back to the beginning. Praise be, an entirely uneventful post-work trip up. Late shift actually made a few minutes, no distruption to services into Waterloo, service bang on time. Crossed paths with @CharlieB (having his traditional coffee & fag) before we went down to a more-quiet-than-usual NT where a mix of faces old and new awaited. @Mr Orange had fashion competition from Mr Even More Orange (who, along with his friends, rode back to Southampton in the morning..130 miles, chapeau). Usual-ish route down through Kennington and Stockwell 'enlivened' by multiple suicidal ninjas with no situational awareness & aforementioned (illegal, he wasn't pedalling) e-bike sound system. Also with no lights and seemingly nothing much between the ears.
We were following Adam's route from 2019, and he'd managed to find a way south that didn't involve Portnalls Road or Farthing Down but was, still, naturally, lumpy. Adam doesn't do flat and neither does Surrey & Sussex. Not entirely convinced these roads were a better option, but they were different. Some of the new riders were somewhat confused about the 'car up/car down' thing & needed to be reminded about the correct method- for this group at least. I felt obliged to say that calling 'rough road' was entirely unnecessary. We're in Britain, that's a given…
For most of the night, we were enveloped in damp. Not raining, but a thick mist. Not unpleasant, atmospheric for the photos, but damp nonetheless. By the time we got to the scout hut (3.15-3.30ish) I think most were hoping for the dawn to burn it off. Chris and team did their usual exemplary job in catering for us, plus we got gently ribbed about not staying outside. Just after 4.30, we were on our way again. Some of those calories quickly got burnt off, as we headed up Turners Hill. From there, we swung west, through Handross and Lower Beeding, with more sustained lumpiness and some very nasty little rises, then south again, through Partridge Green to Steyning. From there, down to the A27 just north of the airport, across that always-busy crossing, and east through Shoreham. Yes, through Shoreham, our breakfast stop was technically in Southwick. As is Shoreham Power Station (suck it up, pedants!). Jenny had opted to follow the Sustrans route options rather than the A259. In this case, route one was definitely the better option. I've been up and down that stretch enough times to know it's perfectly OK by bike 24/7, and when we did cross the 259 it was very quiet indeed. As it was, the chosen route needed rather a lot of waymarkers and the front of the ride ended up with a bit of a wait to regather the group due to a puncture (only the second of the ride). That, and it was 7.30 and they weren't supposed to be open until 8.00. Jenny had to field multiple calls from waymarkers concerned they'd been left (oh yea of little faith....and many of us have waited longer, in worse places, on these rides).
Regathered, over the awkward pedestrian route over the harbour dry docks and round to Carats, of which I had heard good things. They were right. Friendly efficient service, decent breakfast- not top-notch but more than passable. Gordon and Nigel (@Shadow) had formed a breakaway and already cleaned their plates by the time we got there. Suitably refuelled, I left at about 9.45, intending to ride home. Forecast was 'cloud'. Forecast was wrong. Pace was fine, I'd have been home in a little over three hours, and early conditions were pleasant. Still damp, but nothing more. Bombing along nicely at 12-15 mph average, fatigue not evident. Then it started raining. By the time I got to Littlehampton (where I'd have had to change trains anyway) I was soaked and didn't feel like another two hours plus in that. So a 45 minute wait for the next train west it was.
Thanks everyone, hoping the early forecasts for this Friday are overly pessimistic!
As Gordon put it, 'Car up your a**e, car down your throat'!Car Front. Car Back. It makes a lot more sense 😡
I feel like I should get the Campaign for clear English involved in this one!
The back of the peloton discovered that what looked like a potential brawl was actually some yoof batting for The Fridays and seeing off the Young American who had nonchalantly tossed a glass at the front group....Pay no mind. I was tempted to reply to those on Waterloo Bridge who referred to us as 'cycle******s', but frankly the likes of these people just lack the flair to carry it off. And remember the lightweights will be in bed when our night's barely started!
Oh come on - where's the romance of being obscure?!!Car Front. Car Back. It makes a lot more sense 😡
I feel like I should get the Campaign for clear English involved in this one!
Lovely report @Shadow and I enjoyed our last stretch together.p.s. hoping someone can post/send a link of the last 5 km, so I can see where the ride should have gone between the toll bridge and the beach!