England : East Sussex L2B Veteran Car Run Sunday 3 November 2013
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U
User10571
Guest
A good ride in fine company, with all those taking part in the event in seemingly high spirits - probably of the petroleum sort.
Trickedem's multiple punctures meant that he never managed to leave the borders of Croydonia - at least not by bike.
Our core group of five - Ross, Adrian, Tim Hall, Grant and your humble reporter stayed, for the most part, together,
Straying from time to time into the company of some Pollards Hill Cyclists, and other faces familiar from previous rides.
Brunch in Crawley was had at the very agreeable Portugese cafe who's speciality, as I understand it, are custard tarts.
It was unusually enhanced by the presence of a not entirely unattractive model, engaging in professional activities during a fashion photo shoot just outside said establishment.
The Cedar of Lebanon in Cuckfield (pronounced Cook-Field, as I discovered today) was as magnificent as ever.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/25514190@N00/6929661750/
If I've reached the point that I'm telling you about how magnificent a tree was, you can safely assume the ride was fairly uneventful - albeit most enjoyable.
Oh! - Adrian, in an uncharacteristic fit of Good Samaritainship, donated an inner tube to a cyclist from abroad, who was walking with his bike along that thankless bike path adjacent to the A23 just south of Pycombe, as one of the two tubes fitted to his bike no longer had the capacity to contain air, and he had no spare.
Personally, I would've pushed him in the ditch and shot his bike.... errrrr...... or should that be the other way round?
For those who's Sunday evenings are starved of excitement and intrigue, you might be interested to know that my steed today was the ally/soot Bianchi, with gears for which I was thankful given the mostly againsterly we tussled with for much of the day.
Thanks, offered to those I rode with.
Trickedem's multiple punctures meant that he never managed to leave the borders of Croydonia - at least not by bike.
Our core group of five - Ross, Adrian, Tim Hall, Grant and your humble reporter stayed, for the most part, together,
Straying from time to time into the company of some Pollards Hill Cyclists, and other faces familiar from previous rides.
Brunch in Crawley was had at the very agreeable Portugese cafe who's speciality, as I understand it, are custard tarts.
It was unusually enhanced by the presence of a not entirely unattractive model, engaging in professional activities during a fashion photo shoot just outside said establishment.
The Cedar of Lebanon in Cuckfield (pronounced Cook-Field, as I discovered today) was as magnificent as ever.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/25514190@N00/6929661750/
If I've reached the point that I'm telling you about how magnificent a tree was, you can safely assume the ride was fairly uneventful - albeit most enjoyable.
Oh! - Adrian, in an uncharacteristic fit of Good Samaritainship, donated an inner tube to a cyclist from abroad, who was walking with his bike along that thankless bike path adjacent to the A23 just south of Pycombe, as one of the two tubes fitted to his bike no longer had the capacity to contain air, and he had no spare.
Personally, I would've pushed him in the ditch and shot his bike.... errrrr...... or should that be the other way round?
For those who's Sunday evenings are starved of excitement and intrigue, you might be interested to know that my steed today was the ally/soot Bianchi, with gears for which I was thankful given the mostly againsterly we tussled with for much of the day.
Thanks, offered to those I rode with.
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rb58
Enigma
- Location
- Bexley, Kent
A lovely ride in good company. Thanks all. The thing that gets me about this ride is the cheery disposition of, well, just about everyone. Drivers, cyclists, spectators, marshals. Everyone really. The weather was fine, although the wind coming from the west was both chilly and challenging at times. The custard tart in Crawley was splendid - the same can't be said for the scrambled egg and beans I'm afraid!
I headed west not long after Burgess Hill as I wanted to make this my November century ride, but also try and get home before the threatened rain arrived. I headed west (into that wind again) until I reached the usual SMRBtH route and then cut north. My rear light decided to make a break for freedom along one of the lanes and as I stopped to pick it up the cloud opened and it rained really hard for 3 or 4 minutes. Fortunately I was in one of those green tunnels and the trees were a fine shelter until the rain passed. I saw no more rain on the journey home, although there were quite a few wet roads. I passed through Handcross and waved to quite a few cars still heading towards Brighton, and there were three or four cars being attended to by various RAC and other assorted mechanics at the top of the hill outside Crawley. From there I headed East and had the benefit of a nice tailwind most of the rest of the way home, although it didn't help me much as I ground my way over Toys Hill.
Home just as it was turning dark, in perfect time for family dinner.
Ace day all round. Thanks everyone.
Ross
I headed west not long after Burgess Hill as I wanted to make this my November century ride, but also try and get home before the threatened rain arrived. I headed west (into that wind again) until I reached the usual SMRBtH route and then cut north. My rear light decided to make a break for freedom along one of the lanes and as I stopped to pick it up the cloud opened and it rained really hard for 3 or 4 minutes. Fortunately I was in one of those green tunnels and the trees were a fine shelter until the rain passed. I saw no more rain on the journey home, although there were quite a few wet roads. I passed through Handcross and waved to quite a few cars still heading towards Brighton, and there were three or four cars being attended to by various RAC and other assorted mechanics at the top of the hill outside Crawley. From there I headed East and had the benefit of a nice tailwind most of the rest of the way home, although it didn't help me much as I ground my way over Toys Hill.
Home just as it was turning dark, in perfect time for family dinner.
Ace day all round. Thanks everyone.
Ross
U
User10571
Guest
Hello,
My post is rife with irony in matters which include Adrian as well as those which don't.
Your defence of Adrian is laudable - but in this instance unwarranted
U
User10571
Guest
No
U
User10571
Guest
Why?
Top ride, even though my knees thought otherwise on a couple of occasions.
The custard tart in question is "pastel de nata", which is what I almost called it. The Portuguese waitress called it custard tart...
Adrian on being offered money for the donated tube: "I'd rather give a tube away than have to fix one myself".
The custard tart in question is "pastel de nata", which is what I almost called it. The Portuguese waitress called it custard tart...
Adrian on being offered money for the donated tube: "I'd rather give a tube away than have to fix one myself".
StuAff
Silencing his legs regularly
- Location
- Portsmouth
Sounds like a most excellent day. Weather forecast didn't look terribly good for riding there and back from Pompey, and as it happens other business prevented me doing this. Ho hum, I will be visiting Brighton in a couple of weeks anyway.
Pastel de nata...must try those sometime.
Pastel de nata...must try those sometime.
U
User10571
Guest
I have no idea what that means
bobcolover
Guru
- Location
- south london
great day; great ride; great company; great fish n chips on the pier;
who could ask for more?
thanks to all
bob
[and chippy cyclist]
who could ask for more?
thanks to all
bob
[and chippy cyclist]
Wobblers
Euthermic
- Location
- Minkowski Space
2747425 said:
It's not like you to ask - usually you just say it.
A glorious day despite Tim's troubles telegraphed to Adrian & User10571 barely 800 yards into the ride and their return in true International Rescue mode.
I was on a tight schedule needing to be back in London by 4pm so I pressed on. What a glorious day for a ride. For once I had the right level of clothing so I was warm and was soon drafting the old crocks which nicely put paid to the wind issue. Indeed I was a bit of a stalker all the way with some interesting chats with the back seat passengers. Arrived in Crawley at 10:30 well ahead I forsook Adrian's indulgence in foreign tarts for true enormous British Burgers being baked to raise dosh for the Scouts.
The second half was even better belting along the rolling country and matching wheeze by wheeze the ascents. All was going brilliantly (though upset to see pub in Ansty where we all stopped in 2010 had gone). Instead I adjourned to the Jack & Jill just short of Pycombe. A pint of Ram never tasted better as I set off triumphantly to the last 6 or 7 miles into Brighton with plenty of time in hand.
My cunning plan (having done the A23 cycle path) was to do the A23 itself. I waited on the slip road for a suitable slow veteran and slipped in behind for cover. It went well for 100 yards when the front went flat. I managed to struggle to a lay-by for repairs. Folks who have witnessed my tyre and tube changing skills please turn away now. I struggled, and struggled and finally got the tyre and new tube on. Only to find my brand new shiny Zefal was more out of puff than me. Dismantling it showed what a shoddy job it was. So there I was stranded. Ade had chickened out down the cycle path to aid Jonny Foreigner leaving us true Brits to languish on the A23 itself. So had most of the riders. Eventually I saw two other idiots and madly tried to flag them down. But they were heads down and traffic noise drowned out my pathetic screams. I waited and waited. Then another two. This required decisive action. Out into the inside lane. They had a choice - me or the fast lane. They chose wisely and I managed to borrow a pump and limp into Brighton. Thank you whoever you were.
I then decided to go down the "wrong" side of Madeira Drive and as there were no crossing points our beloved FNRttC cafe was frustratingly out of reach. Reluctantly, I retired and got the 3pm train home. A great day. Anyone want a Zefal double action non-pump?
I was on a tight schedule needing to be back in London by 4pm so I pressed on. What a glorious day for a ride. For once I had the right level of clothing so I was warm and was soon drafting the old crocks which nicely put paid to the wind issue. Indeed I was a bit of a stalker all the way with some interesting chats with the back seat passengers. Arrived in Crawley at 10:30 well ahead I forsook Adrian's indulgence in foreign tarts for true enormous British Burgers being baked to raise dosh for the Scouts.
The second half was even better belting along the rolling country and matching wheeze by wheeze the ascents. All was going brilliantly (though upset to see pub in Ansty where we all stopped in 2010 had gone). Instead I adjourned to the Jack & Jill just short of Pycombe. A pint of Ram never tasted better as I set off triumphantly to the last 6 or 7 miles into Brighton with plenty of time in hand.
My cunning plan (having done the A23 cycle path) was to do the A23 itself. I waited on the slip road for a suitable slow veteran and slipped in behind for cover. It went well for 100 yards when the front went flat. I managed to struggle to a lay-by for repairs. Folks who have witnessed my tyre and tube changing skills please turn away now. I struggled, and struggled and finally got the tyre and new tube on. Only to find my brand new shiny Zefal was more out of puff than me. Dismantling it showed what a shoddy job it was. So there I was stranded. Ade had chickened out down the cycle path to aid Jonny Foreigner leaving us true Brits to languish on the A23 itself. So had most of the riders. Eventually I saw two other idiots and madly tried to flag them down. But they were heads down and traffic noise drowned out my pathetic screams. I waited and waited. Then another two. This required decisive action. Out into the inside lane. They had a choice - me or the fast lane. They chose wisely and I managed to borrow a pump and limp into Brighton. Thank you whoever you were.
I then decided to go down the "wrong" side of Madeira Drive and as there were no crossing points our beloved FNRttC cafe was frustratingly out of reach. Reluctantly, I retired and got the 3pm train home. A great day. Anyone want a Zefal double action non-pump?
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Well, i was up late and decided to join team solo and make my way to Crawley. No one was at the Crawley meet point so pushed on to Antsy
was paced up Burgess hill and the other one before Pyecombe by the RACs finest then it was a cruise on the footpath to Brighton.
I don't usually go up Brixton hill but yesterday was fun mixing it up all the way to Steatham. Great fun all the way to the beach.
http://flic.kr/s/aHsjLS5x8d
tc
what's happend to the ticket office at the station?
was paced up Burgess hill and the other one before Pyecombe by the RACs finest then it was a cruise on the footpath to Brighton.
I don't usually go up Brixton hill but yesterday was fun mixing it up all the way to Steatham. Great fun all the way to the beach.
http://flic.kr/s/aHsjLS5x8d
tc
what's happend to the ticket office at the station?
U
User10571
Guest
You were spotted. We shouted and whistled. But our combined efforts fell on deaf ears.
You were spotted again. purchasing tickets from the new, conveniently-not-placed-anywhere--near-the-departures-board ticket machines at Brighton station (What idiot came up with that? Buy your tix and then walk 100m to see if there's a train available. Genius!).
But by that stage we had our own agenda which involved ticket purchase, barrier negotiation and train boarding.
So we kept schtum.
Nothing personal, you understand.
Re the ticket machine. There is, I later noticed, an "edited highlights" departure board over the ticket machine after all. Not the full story but better than nothing.
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