Brighton with the old cars - Sunday November 4 - honk honk wizz bang wheeze!
- Thread starter ianrauk
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clarion
Guru
- Location
- Exiled from Hyperborea
Good to see you there. And thanks to you & Tim for waiting for us after you'd spotted us about to leave our tea stop.
I was prepared to risk it, but he seemed more interested in vessels of 568ml capacity.
mmmmartin
Random geezer
Saw weather forecast before going to bed last night. Picked up alarm clock, which was set for 3am, being the time I was out of bed on Saturday morning to do my monthly 200k ride that had been mostly torrential rain and always cold and windy. Realised how tired I was. Turned alarm off. Spent today indoors planning January ride from Gibraltar to Madrid while watching torrential rain and - at one point even hail. Ventured out at 4pm to scrape muck off the bike. Sometimes discretion is the better part of valour.
U
User10571
Guest
And now the longer version.
Got to The Scottish Restaurant at about 0815 to find TopCat1 in the rain. Soon joined by Bob and his oppo, one of whom was on a yellow recumbent, the other from Oxfordshire. Our numbers increased with the arrival of that nice Mr Crispin and The Continuing Legend of Bermondey Bill with their parties. The lack of the Bromley Contingent was noted. Clarion and the lovely Butterfly arrived. To while away the time, Bill decided to have a puncture, so I phoned Ardian to come and spectate. He duly arrived on one of the Verdigris bikes, sporting a lovely rear mudguard molished from plastic milk cartons and cable ties. Dellz would have been green with envy. Topcat then shot off to the station to round up the stragglers. We took advantage of his absence by heading off into the drizzle. After a good few hundred metres, Bill discovered another puncture. I stopped to offer helpful advice and lend my pump while the rest of the group shot off unaware. While we were wrestling with it, TopCat1 hove into view, having deposited the station stragglers at the now deserted Scottish Restaurant, where one of them decided to have a puncture. With Bill's puncture mended (FSVO mended) we set off again, only for it to go flat after 200m. He bad me farewell and I shot off into the rain to try and catch the group.
Serious rain just as I rounded what I know as the VW building, so I sheltered for all of 30s in the carpark. Onwards and southwards, passing a baling Bob and oppo, my day dreaming rudely interrupted by Adrian hollering at me from the shelter of a handy railway bridge. He was waiting for Paulina, who had become separated from the Crispin locomotive and was refuelling on coffee. Soon we were three, weaving through the Coulsdon traffic. On the run up to Hooley, that nice Mr Crispin was waiting by a transport cafe and took Paulina under his wing again. Adrian and I headed off, with Adrian saving a FOREIGN driver from ABROAD from DEATH or at least EMBARRASMENT by warning him not to take his hundred year old jalopy down the M23.
Into Redhill, through the traditional puddle at the north end of the town, then out the other end where we spied Clarion and the lovely Butterfly, drinking tea. We regrouped and headed off, with Adrian peeling off for The Gatwick Surprise. Shortly after I too peeled off, having woken Mrs. Hall by telephone. At home I swapped Project RatBike for the Pino and collected Mrs. Hall. We sped to the High Street to meet the hordes of cyclists to find it devoid of anyone we knew. We minced around for a bit, then decided they must have gone without us, so departed. The weather had cheered up and all was good. Lots of waves and applause from the road side audience. Must be my dashing good looks. Lots of broken old cars, lots of oil on the road. Chatted to a driver of a 1904 something or other while grabbing a fuel (him petrol, me chocolate) in Burgess Hill. We agreed it had been a wet day.
Took to main road into Brighton with no bother. Gave it plenty off beans and commanded our lane with aplomb. Nearly came unstuck at the horrible mish mash of bus, cycle and taxi lanes round York Place. Inattention on my part almost had us as a bonnet ornament on a BMW.
Into Madeira Drive, fish and chips at the cafe, then up to the station where we met Ess and TopCat1, lounging wetly on the train. A Grand Day Out.
Got to The Scottish Restaurant at about 0815 to find TopCat1 in the rain. Soon joined by Bob and his oppo, one of whom was on a yellow recumbent, the other from Oxfordshire. Our numbers increased with the arrival of that nice Mr Crispin and The Continuing Legend of Bermondey Bill with their parties. The lack of the Bromley Contingent was noted. Clarion and the lovely Butterfly arrived. To while away the time, Bill decided to have a puncture, so I phoned Ardian to come and spectate. He duly arrived on one of the Verdigris bikes, sporting a lovely rear mudguard molished from plastic milk cartons and cable ties. Dellz would have been green with envy. Topcat then shot off to the station to round up the stragglers. We took advantage of his absence by heading off into the drizzle. After a good few hundred metres, Bill discovered another puncture. I stopped to offer helpful advice and lend my pump while the rest of the group shot off unaware. While we were wrestling with it, TopCat1 hove into view, having deposited the station stragglers at the now deserted Scottish Restaurant, where one of them decided to have a puncture. With Bill's puncture mended (FSVO mended) we set off again, only for it to go flat after 200m. He bad me farewell and I shot off into the rain to try and catch the group.
Serious rain just as I rounded what I know as the VW building, so I sheltered for all of 30s in the carpark. Onwards and southwards, passing a baling Bob and oppo, my day dreaming rudely interrupted by Adrian hollering at me from the shelter of a handy railway bridge. He was waiting for Paulina, who had become separated from the Crispin locomotive and was refuelling on coffee. Soon we were three, weaving through the Coulsdon traffic. On the run up to Hooley, that nice Mr Crispin was waiting by a transport cafe and took Paulina under his wing again. Adrian and I headed off, with Adrian saving a FOREIGN driver from ABROAD from DEATH or at least EMBARRASMENT by warning him not to take his hundred year old jalopy down the M23.
Into Redhill, through the traditional puddle at the north end of the town, then out the other end where we spied Clarion and the lovely Butterfly, drinking tea. We regrouped and headed off, with Adrian peeling off for The Gatwick Surprise. Shortly after I too peeled off, having woken Mrs. Hall by telephone. At home I swapped Project RatBike for the Pino and collected Mrs. Hall. We sped to the High Street to meet the hordes of cyclists to find it devoid of anyone we knew. We minced around for a bit, then decided they must have gone without us, so departed. The weather had cheered up and all was good. Lots of waves and applause from the road side audience. Must be my dashing good looks. Lots of broken old cars, lots of oil on the road. Chatted to a driver of a 1904 something or other while grabbing a fuel (him petrol, me chocolate) in Burgess Hill. We agreed it had been a wet day.
Took to main road into Brighton with no bother. Gave it plenty off beans and commanded our lane with aplomb. Nearly came unstuck at the horrible mish mash of bus, cycle and taxi lanes round York Place. Inattention on my part almost had us as a bonnet ornament on a BMW.
Into Madeira Drive, fish and chips at the cafe, then up to the station where we met Ess and TopCat1, lounging wetly on the train. A Grand Day Out.
U
User10571
Guest
clarion
Guru
- Location
- Exiled from Hyperborea
Saw her a few times, but lost touch before we hooked up with Adrian and Tim. The definition of determination, she is.
StuAff
Silencing his legs regularly
- Location
- Portsmouth
Nice one Ess!
bobcolover
Guru
- Location
- south london
Chapeau to Tim and all who made it
Thanks for the long version Tim
Steve from oxfordshire and I on my trusty kingcycle bailed/baled out at Coulsdon; too wet and cold at the extremities. We decided to inspect the river that passed for the northbound A 23 on the way back to Streatham and passed lots of broken down/ resting old crocks. In Purley Steve got undertaken by a car that splashed him from head to toe; I gather his reaction, which i did not hear myself, was [ not unsurprisingly] less than saintly. Heading back to the road under the flyover to Purley at the south end of Croydon the road was closed with tape as there had been an accident of some sort and we saw the dramatic arrival of the air ambulance and diverted around it. Back home in Streatham we exchanged soaking socks and gloves for dry ones and with my daughter in tow decided to set off for a shorter jaunt to Richmond park. Got there without too much weather trouble and did a single circuit, although the circular route in the park was strangely sparse so far as cyclists were concerned. Headed back and crumpets and tea by the fire by 3.30. Weather for the Richmond leg was cold and wettish, but nothing like the torrential apocalypse of the early morning. 42 Miles in all, which made me think we should have carried on to Brighton this morning;
But HEY
Theres always NEXT YEAR when it WILL NOT RAIN!
Bob on the yellow recumbent Kingcycle
And Steve from oxfordshire on the Genesis, interesting [ for tekkies] with Shimano front dynamo hub; rear 11 speed Shimano Alfine hub gear, Avid [wire] discs back and front, Avid brake levers on the drop handlebars with one acting as the ergo gear changer; the bike of the future? Plus points low maintenance; minus points; a visit from the p*nct*re fairy involves major wheel removal/replacement issues.
Thanks for the long version Tim
Steve from oxfordshire and I on my trusty kingcycle bailed/baled out at Coulsdon; too wet and cold at the extremities. We decided to inspect the river that passed for the northbound A 23 on the way back to Streatham and passed lots of broken down/ resting old crocks. In Purley Steve got undertaken by a car that splashed him from head to toe; I gather his reaction, which i did not hear myself, was [ not unsurprisingly] less than saintly. Heading back to the road under the flyover to Purley at the south end of Croydon the road was closed with tape as there had been an accident of some sort and we saw the dramatic arrival of the air ambulance and diverted around it. Back home in Streatham we exchanged soaking socks and gloves for dry ones and with my daughter in tow decided to set off for a shorter jaunt to Richmond park. Got there without too much weather trouble and did a single circuit, although the circular route in the park was strangely sparse so far as cyclists were concerned. Headed back and crumpets and tea by the fire by 3.30. Weather for the Richmond leg was cold and wettish, but nothing like the torrential apocalypse of the early morning. 42 Miles in all, which made me think we should have carried on to Brighton this morning;
But HEY
Theres always NEXT YEAR when it WILL NOT RAIN!
Bob on the yellow recumbent Kingcycle
And Steve from oxfordshire on the Genesis, interesting [ for tekkies] with Shimano front dynamo hub; rear 11 speed Shimano Alfine hub gear, Avid [wire] discs back and front, Avid brake levers on the drop handlebars with one acting as the ergo gear changer; the bike of the future? Plus points low maintenance; minus points; a visit from the p*nct*re fairy involves major wheel removal/replacement issues.
RiflemanSmith
Senior Member
- Location
- London UK
That was not fun!
Left at 05:30 got to Wellington Arch at 06:30 realised I was at Marble Arch so cycled to the right place.
Couldn't see any one there :-(
Cycled to Brighton on my todd rained the whole way.
I have never been so cold since I was in the army.
My hands and feet were unbelievable cold, my little fingers and the one next to them are sort of pins and needley still when you touch them!
Saw loads of people on their roadies blasting past me might have been a few CCers?
I was not ready for this ride kit and fitness wise!
What do you lot use to keep you pinkies and tootsies warm in the wet?
Left at 05:30 got to Wellington Arch at 06:30 realised I was at Marble Arch so cycled to the right place.
Couldn't see any one there :-(
Cycled to Brighton on my todd rained the whole way.
I have never been so cold since I was in the army.
My hands and feet were unbelievable cold, my little fingers and the one next to them are sort of pins and needley still when you touch them!
Saw loads of people on their roadies blasting past me might have been a few CCers?
I was not ready for this ride kit and fitness wise!
What do you lot use to keep you pinkies and tootsies warm in the wet?
defy-one
Guest
Dude! Did you eventually go to Wellington Arch? Mark,Paul and i were there for half an hour taking pics and generally hanging around as the cars crossed the main road in packs of 8
You must be made of the right stuff as we bailed at that point. Very well done and look forward to hooking up with the next time we get into London
U
