Auntie Helen
Ich bin Powerfrau!
- Location
- 47906 Kempen, Germany
I'm a doubtful for this due to the weather forecast and the vast faffage of getting there on time...
London To Brighton Veteran Car Rally Bike Chase
- Thread starter ianrauk
- Start date
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DJ
Formerly known as djtheglove
- Location
- On my bike in the smoke!!!!!!!!!!
Shame you cant make it Helen.
Is it possible for me to have your number Ian, or should I just look out for a man with a blue face, hanging around at the station with a bike?
Is it possible for me to have your number Ian, or should I just look out for a man with a blue face, hanging around at the station with a bike?
DJ
Formerly known as djtheglove
- Location
- On my bike in the smoke!!!!!!!!!!
Yep reckon it will be wet tomorrow until at least 10 am but then may be a bit drier after that. I will bring come prepared.
Mista Preston
Veteran
trying to convince myself that this ride is still a good idea even with the forecast that looks pretty awful and i have no waterproofs!?!?!
If the weather is like todays - and theres no reason why it shouldnt be. It will be a fine ride.
If we do encounter adverse weather which may make the ride disproportionately hazardous - ie strong sideways driving rain and wind - it may be wiser to bail out to nearby a train station. Otherwise its a goer...!
I will be taking the faster group to Brighton and intend to go as fast as the slowest person in the group - which no doubt will prob be me.
If we do encounter adverse weather which may make the ride disproportionately hazardous - ie strong sideways driving rain and wind - it may be wiser to bail out to nearby a train station. Otherwise its a goer...!
I will be taking the faster group to Brighton and intend to go as fast as the slowest person in the group - which no doubt will prob be me.
BentMikey
Rider of Seolferwulf
- Location
- South London
I don't think I'm going out tomorrow. Fair weather cyclist moi? Oh yes...
arallsopp
Post of The Year 2009 winner
- Location
- Bromley, Kent
Hmmmm. That's Ianrauk and bentmikey added to the drop list today.
With Gaz and AuntieH out already, this is looking doubtful for me too.
Under some domestic pressure not to go, and with riders dropping like flies, I think better to join them.
Poop.
With Gaz and AuntieH out already, this is looking doubtful for me too.
Under some domestic pressure not to go, and with riders dropping like flies, I think better to join them.
Poop.
DJ
Formerly known as djtheglove
- Location
- On my bike in the smoke!!!!!!!!!!
So who is actualy going, should I bother going to East Croydon or should I just carry on on my own?
Hi DJ
There should still be a good few people going. From Bromley/Lewisham Cyclists and from YACF. The ride leaders are still lesving from HPC & Forest Hill at the times stated. The peleton will leave East Croydon 8.15 on the dot. The ride is a blast...try not to miss it
I'm sorry I cant make this myself. A FNRttC, A very flued up pregnant Wife and this ride do not mix too well I'm afraid with the dutiful husband stakes
There should still be a good few people going. From Bromley/Lewisham Cyclists and from YACF. The ride leaders are still lesving from HPC & Forest Hill at the times stated. The peleton will leave East Croydon 8.15 on the dot. The ride is a blast...try not to miss it
I'm sorry I cant make this myself. A FNRttC, A very flued up pregnant Wife and this ride do not mix too well I'm afraid with the dutiful husband stakes
DJ
Formerly known as djtheglove
- Location
- On my bike in the smoke!!!!!!!!!!
No worries Ian it was'nt aimed at you I did gather you did the FNR thingy, was just a bit worried I would be on my own, I will go as it is a rare chance for me to do this and i have a beer booked with a cousin who lives in Brighton so that will spur me on.
Cheers.
Cheers.
it would be nice to hear from anyone who went on the ride - just to be sure they survived. I had to go out today, and decided to do most of the trip by train. That didn't stop me getting soaked to the skin, and thoroughly scared. A gust of wind blew across Clapham Common and a car driver five or six vehicles ahead of me was so spooked that he/she stopped - bringing us all to a halt. Travelling south in to the wind would have been tough going.
Having abandoned ideas of getting up at stupid o'clock for the HPC rendezvous, my alarm still went off earlier than is polite for a Sunday. Mrs. Hall's tone as it woke her was on the chilly side. Never mind. A quick breakfast tea cake and down to the station. Posters everywhere saying the trainset wasbroken in Brighton as Adrian had promised. And there was me telling Katie it wasn't. Oops.
Jan joined me at Gatwick and we met a growing peloton at East Croydon. In cluding a pair of splendid bamboo framed bikes. Want.
I tried to get clarification on the state of the trains from a helpful member of staff, but he hadn't been fully informed. A phone call to National Rail suggested there might be some trains after all.
And then William arrived with his fit looking crew from HPC. And Katie rolled up from darkest Lewisham, as cheey as ever. And Tom C doing his Pied piper impression from Greenwich. And the lovely Jane, who went home after telling me how she recently fell asleep on a bench waiting for User10571.
William's preflight briefing whilst informative didn't have the entertainment value of a FNRttC one. We set off into the wind and rain, with the fast group, of which I was one, sorting themselves out from the more leisurely riders as we went. The wind blew. The rain rained. It found its way in through carelessly fastened zips, through supposedly waterproof gloves, down legs and into shoes. It was wet. And windy.
There must have been 7 of us by the time we swept Martin up at Purley. Me, Jan, William, Greg, Martin, Paola, umm one or two others. Lots of broken down old crocks. Lots of puddles. To be fair, the rain did ease off from time to time, but it was wet, very wet. And windy. Grinding up towards Hooley from Coulsdon, Paola asked me if it was like this all the way to Brighton. "Like what?" "Uphill". Fortunately not. Plenty of waves from the old crockistas, and a bit of chatter. "Roughly when was car roof invented?" went down particularly well.
A coffee and bun were consumed at the Shell garage at Horley. A penny farthing arrived, and Greg and I examined it. I thought it was a modern replica, Greg thought it quite old. The tyres seemed to be made of stitched together Continentals.
We set off with the words "it's brightening up" proving remarkably false as the rain got worse and my hat blew off. Another stop in Crawley, coffee, bread pudding and the oldest jazz band in town.
As we rode towards Pease Pottage we overtook the penny farthing again, so I chatted to the rider:
"How old is it?"
"About 6 or 7 years"
"Oh, is it one of Joff's"
"I am Joff"
We chatted for a while about his marvellous machines and how hard they are to ride in the wind before I shot off to catch the bunch again. Paola was finding it tough going - I'm not sure if she meant to join the fast group, but she was very determined.
It rained a bit more. And blew.
And then there was a nice downhill to Staplefield, which Martin, Jan and I took with enthusiasm. Greg and some others were off the front by this stage I think. Either way, we didn't see them again.
With domestic pressures preying on my mind, dampness seeping into everywhere and the railway uncertainty, Jan and I decided to get a train back from Haywards Heath. We and Martin took a pint or two at Ansty, had a quick chat with William as his grupetto turned up. And then it stopped raining just as we left. Pictures here
Jan joined me at Gatwick and we met a growing peloton at East Croydon. In cluding a pair of splendid bamboo framed bikes. Want.
I tried to get clarification on the state of the trains from a helpful member of staff, but he hadn't been fully informed. A phone call to National Rail suggested there might be some trains after all.
And then William arrived with his fit looking crew from HPC. And Katie rolled up from darkest Lewisham, as cheey as ever. And Tom C doing his Pied piper impression from Greenwich. And the lovely Jane, who went home after telling me how she recently fell asleep on a bench waiting for User10571.
William's preflight briefing whilst informative didn't have the entertainment value of a FNRttC one. We set off into the wind and rain, with the fast group, of which I was one, sorting themselves out from the more leisurely riders as we went. The wind blew. The rain rained. It found its way in through carelessly fastened zips, through supposedly waterproof gloves, down legs and into shoes. It was wet. And windy.
There must have been 7 of us by the time we swept Martin up at Purley. Me, Jan, William, Greg, Martin, Paola, umm one or two others. Lots of broken down old crocks. Lots of puddles. To be fair, the rain did ease off from time to time, but it was wet, very wet. And windy. Grinding up towards Hooley from Coulsdon, Paola asked me if it was like this all the way to Brighton. "Like what?" "Uphill". Fortunately not. Plenty of waves from the old crockistas, and a bit of chatter. "Roughly when was car roof invented?" went down particularly well.
A coffee and bun were consumed at the Shell garage at Horley. A penny farthing arrived, and Greg and I examined it. I thought it was a modern replica, Greg thought it quite old. The tyres seemed to be made of stitched together Continentals.
We set off with the words "it's brightening up" proving remarkably false as the rain got worse and my hat blew off. Another stop in Crawley, coffee, bread pudding and the oldest jazz band in town.
As we rode towards Pease Pottage we overtook the penny farthing again, so I chatted to the rider:
"How old is it?"
"About 6 or 7 years"
"Oh, is it one of Joff's"
"I am Joff"
We chatted for a while about his marvellous machines and how hard they are to ride in the wind before I shot off to catch the bunch again. Paola was finding it tough going - I'm not sure if she meant to join the fast group, but she was very determined.
It rained a bit more. And blew.
And then there was a nice downhill to Staplefield, which Martin, Jan and I took with enthusiasm. Greg and some others were off the front by this stage I think. Either way, we didn't see them again.
With domestic pressures preying on my mind, dampness seeping into everywhere and the railway uncertainty, Jan and I decided to get a train back from Haywards Heath. We and Martin took a pint or two at Ansty, had a quick chat with William as his grupetto turned up. And then it stopped raining just as we left. Pictures here
DJ
Formerly known as djtheglove
- Location
- On my bike in the smoke!!!!!!!!!!
Well, I got up a little later than meant and rushed out the door, while stuffing some of my childrens Halloween chocolates in to my pockets, it was'nt raining too hard at this point so i thought, well this is ok!!!!
Met a completly new bunch of people at East Croydon, and once our leader arrived we assembled for what turned out to be a brief talk before setting off, we were soon amongst the cars, half of which seemed to have broken down already!! The roads were very rough and it took me a while to find a rythim, but find one I did and it was about 7 of us who emerged as er the slightly faster group! I believe most of the slower group gave up by Redhill, and who can blame them. Stopping at the garage found everyone cooling down quickly, my shoes were so full of water I was convinced I would be able to tip the water out of them, but alas it had soaked in to the lining and thus became two weights on the ends of my legs maybe it created some kind of fly wheel effect?
I rang the water out of my gloves and the heat from my head seemed to dry it out as quickly as it could get wet.
By the time we arrived at Crawley there were some tired souls, not least me who raided the scout tent for a cuppa and a bacon sarnie, again cooling down quickly we pressed on and by now the camaraderie was a must as there was not much else to keep the spirits up! I discovered a vintage car, that did about my pace and thus let it pull me along for the next few miles which did me the world of good for my progress as well as my spirits!
I stopped at a garage acrest a hill to wait for the others and duely saw some heading for a pub!! The rest of us once again assembled and voted to get to Brighton, soon after this it started to brighten, Paola was getting cramps by now, but she was stoic about getting there so once we had done the last hill over the south downs it seemed an easy sweep down to the sea front, were we saw the crashing waves on the beach and then wizzed back to the train station to get a train which would'nt involve getting a bus. I think we were all done by now. It was about 55 miles for me but honestly felt more like a hundred!!! Glad I did it though and would do it again, and a big thankyou to Will for leading us well and for knowing the train times. I would have posted this last night but my computer kept giving me grief!!
Met a completly new bunch of people at East Croydon, and once our leader arrived we assembled for what turned out to be a brief talk before setting off, we were soon amongst the cars, half of which seemed to have broken down already!! The roads were very rough and it took me a while to find a rythim, but find one I did and it was about 7 of us who emerged as er the slightly faster group! I believe most of the slower group gave up by Redhill, and who can blame them. Stopping at the garage found everyone cooling down quickly, my shoes were so full of water I was convinced I would be able to tip the water out of them, but alas it had soaked in to the lining and thus became two weights on the ends of my legs maybe it created some kind of fly wheel effect?
I rang the water out of my gloves and the heat from my head seemed to dry it out as quickly as it could get wet.
By the time we arrived at Crawley there were some tired souls, not least me who raided the scout tent for a cuppa and a bacon sarnie, again cooling down quickly we pressed on and by now the camaraderie was a must as there was not much else to keep the spirits up! I discovered a vintage car, that did about my pace and thus let it pull me along for the next few miles which did me the world of good for my progress as well as my spirits!
I stopped at a garage acrest a hill to wait for the others and duely saw some heading for a pub!! The rest of us once again assembled and voted to get to Brighton, soon after this it started to brighten, Paola was getting cramps by now, but she was stoic about getting there so once we had done the last hill over the south downs it seemed an easy sweep down to the sea front, were we saw the crashing waves on the beach and then wizzed back to the train station to get a train which would'nt involve getting a bus. I think we were all done by now. It was about 55 miles for me but honestly felt more like a hundred!!! Glad I did it though and would do it again, and a big thankyou to Will for leading us well and for knowing the train times. I would have posted this last night but my computer kept giving me grief!!
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