FNRttC Friday Night Ride to the Coast - Felpham October 10th

[frank9755]

Oh - one more thing. How do those of you who like the feel of the wind over your scalp keep warm in the wet? I briefly tried the buff-round-the-head look à @laclaud, but (a) it was uncomfortable, and (b) I got cold, reinforcing my possibly overthought decision not to bring my one and only (baseball) cap. I eventually wound up with the "just get wet" option, but my locks are not as flowing as some people's, so it did lead to a fair amount of windchill.

Err, by wearing a cycling cap! Invented for that purpose, and works wonderfully well. Even when the cap gets completely soaked, it still keeps the wind out. Makes an enormous difference. Any cap will do, but you can get winter weight ones made of thicker material if a simple cotton one isn't enough.

 

[redredrobin]

just adding my thanks to all Fridays from an infrequent attender. First time to Felpham, lovely ride through fog and tree lined lanes, great view across the downs and into the Arun valley, top breakfast too. Glad not to need the TECs myself last night but brilliant to know you are there. Got my clothing choices about right at last. A bit late, but perhaps I'm starting to get the hang of this. fnrttc is indeed a very special thing.

 

[robjh]

I really enjoyed this ride. The weather was kinder to us than many had been expecting, and we were spoilt all the way to Horsham. We don't look upwards much on these rides - for good reason, we are keeping an eye on the road surface and the bike in front - but above the trees there was a big blue-ish moon glowing through the wispy clouds that gave a brightness to the sky, and even when the worst of the rain lashed down around Pulborough at 6 a.m. it was shorter and less torrential than it could have been, and the lightning flashes stayed in the distance. It got cold but never too cold, and my waterproofs kept me dry enough - just. And the reward after that final hard rainstorm was the glory of the South Downs in first light, the mist hanging on the slopes as we slogged up Bury Hill.

A few favourite bits :
the quiet lanes from Chipstead to Reigate Hill, then Lonesome Lane and through Ifield Wood; Reigate Hill; wierdly, chasing through the dark and heavy rain on the A29 after the red lights in front; and Bury Hill itself. Then first sight of the sea at Felpham in a bright sunny morning moment.

I caught the train back to London with @Mice, @Michael Adu , @itsbruce , @swarm_catcher and @thom , met my Dad for a chat and coffee at Victoria, then took another train from Liverpool Street and finally got through my front door at 4 o'clock. I still felt wide awake but Mrs rjh said I was shlurring my speech with tirednesh so I gave in and hit the bed for a couple of hours.

Thanks as always to Simon for making it happen.

A few photos :

 

[itsbruce]

Various problems kept me away from FNRttC rides for over a year. Lovely to be back and see familiar faces. Was an interesting experience as it's the first time I've not ridden fixed on one of these (I did go up Bury hill a bit faster this time than before, must be said). Looking forward to the Southend ride and not just because the cast will be off my left arm by then

 

[itsbruce]

And some pictures

 

[ianrauk]

Various problems kept me away from FNRttC rides for over a year. Lovely to be back and see familiar faces. Was an interesting experience as it's the first time I've not ridden fixed on one of these (I did go up Bury hill a bit faster this time than before, must be said). Looking forward to the Southend ride and not just because the cast will be off my left arm by then

Good to see you Bruce.
It was also great to see a couple other peeps that we haven't seen for a long while @RichP & @Nigel182

 

[User10571]

Is that Doctor Cake in your third and seventh photo, Bruce?

 

[itsbruce]

View attachment 58891

There is something epic (possiby mythic) and entirely FNRttC about this picture. Definitely worthy of a caption competition.

 

[User10571]

View attachment 58891

There is something epic (possiby mythic) and entirely FNRttC about this picture. Definitely worthy of a caption competition.

RIBA
Remember, I'm the b***dy architect!

 

[dellzeqq]

I can tell you what I was saying at the time the photo was taken.

'We're going this way. And you're going that way'

 

[slowmotion]

 

[srw]

Yours? I received this photo together with a ransom note written in Scrabble letters. Let me know if you own the kidnapped glove.

 

[ianrauk]

View attachment 58917

Yours? I received this photo together with a ransom note written in Scrabble letters. Let me know if you own the kidnapped glove.

@RichP

 

[rich p]

View attachment 58917

Yours? I received this photo together with a ransom note written in Scrabble letters. Let me know if you own the kidnapped glove.

@RichP

Yes indeed it's mine!
I'll need to get it's mate out of the dustbin now.
I'll pm you my address @srw , if you would be so kind to pop it in the post

 

[mmmmartin]

The *Other FNRttC* event at the same time as the Felpham ride suffered a similar soaking today. Only 500m of ascent fortunately but it was straight after breakfast and in cold torrents of rain and wind.
At one point we sheltered in a bus stop and I fell asleep.
Our spirits rose at lunch when we stared at the rain hammering down from the warmth of a bar that turned out to do a very respectable three course lunch with wine and coffee for €10, and then turned out to be a hotel, to boot. We settled in for a long wait to be served and looked forward to an extremely easy day.
Alas the service was efficiency itself and the rain stopped. While I pointed out that the roads were still covered in water, and secretly rejoiced in the fact that @Gordon P couldn't come on this trip because he's a tough old bird and would have had no nonsense about sitting out a mere monsoon by staying in a convenient hotel, @ianmac62 was donning windproofs and loading up the bike.
So out we went, it was uphill a bit, then it rained and we found a bus stop, then it was downhill, then, eventually, we arrived in León.
I am - yet again - hoping for an easy day tomorrow. When will it ever come? Still, all good training for Patagonia I suppose.