FNRttC FNRttC 7th August to Felpham near Bognor Regis 2009
- Thread starter dellzeqq
- Start date
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Aperitif
Meme bar
- Location
- ...I don't have much idea - really.
OK - so Des and I, having said our goodbyes to mike e, then subsequently to Andy and Jack (after some coffeeeeee action at NERO) were discussing wasteful shopping occuring in High Street Kensington. All of a sudden there was a wibble and a 'bendable' situation!
Best that it happened whilst we were deep in discussion about skyrides and suchlike and not at this point:
Evans was 2km away, so, "single handedly" (but with Des) we braved the Hammersmith Gyratory and crept to Chiswick for my last goodbye - cheers Des and hello Evans. The staff were on their marks for a swift getaway at 18:00. It's not the best time to be organising one's next fettle - trust me on this.
One thing after another tsk tsk...(Had my CTC card with me for a better than nothing 10% discount)
The only thing not ripped off was my old bar tape - two layers + black positioning tape for the cable runs. I huffed and puffed and borrowed a pair of scissors. (Against H & S rules to offer me a knife I guess)
I got in at 19:35 - arrived at Evans - 17:35 - ish...Better safe than...errr um very 'late'.
This got me back to the fridge, washing machine and the bed. Three beers, kit all washed, followed closely by Rip van Winkleitis. Might go for a decent ride today...
Well done mike e!
Best that it happened whilst we were deep in discussion about skyrides and suchlike and not at this point:
Evans was 2km away, so, "single handedly" (but with Des) we braved the Hammersmith Gyratory and crept to Chiswick for my last goodbye - cheers Des and hello Evans. The staff were on their marks for a swift getaway at 18:00. It's not the best time to be organising one's next fettle - trust me on this.
One thing after another tsk tsk...(Had my CTC card with me for a better than nothing 10% discount)
The only thing not ripped off was my old bar tape - two layers + black positioning tape for the cable runs. I huffed and puffed and borrowed a pair of scissors. (Against H & S rules to offer me a knife I guess)
I got in at 19:35 - arrived at Evans - 17:35 - ish...Better safe than...errr um very 'late'.
This got me back to the fridge, washing machine and the bed. Three beers, kit all washed, followed closely by Rip van Winkleitis. Might go for a decent ride today...
Well done mike e!
MacB
Lover of things that come in 3's
- Location
- Farnborough, Hampshire
Great ride, thanks Simon, though I seem to be in a minority of those wishing to kill you after the 'off road' section. Agree with Wow, it wasn't as bad as the ranges on the Solstice ride, but I had a very different bike for that one. But I've calmed down, at one point I was wishing for some miraculous progress in medical science. So that I could kill Mr Legg and then have him brought back to life so that I could kill him again.
This was the most impressive of finishes so far, that sea front just hits you and the cafe/space etc were superior. Though in my usual funk I loaded up with drinks for return. Two cans of fanta and a small bottle of water, £3.30, are they serious? Loved the ride, took it easy as only a week since my return to bike after right knee kept me off for 3 weeks. Indulged in a fair few painkillers and above the norm smokes to keep the twinges at bay. Not medically advisable but seems to work for me, psychologically at least.
My thanks to the usual suspects and met some new folks, I talk so much that the ride just seems to fly by. The return was 'different', I knew I wasn't up for too much, being defensive re the knee. Also the options diminished until route 1 via A roads, my least favourite method of travel, was all that was left. My average speed for the ride from HPC, of 75 miles, was about 12.5mph. I bailed on the return for a train after 25 miles and my average had climbed to 13.1mph. My calcs indicate that this meant those 25 were at about 15.3mph. Considering my normal speeds, the amount of climbing, how slow I go downhill(stayed behind the boys on fixed), my knee, the heat, the fact I'd already done 77miles and my lack of comfort with the traffic, bailing out for a train was a good move. It's strange that I consider only doing 105 miles a bail out, when it's not that long since I'd never done over 50 miles. Can't help the usual feeling of disgust at how easily ILB and Radius are tooling along, limiting their speed so as not to drop the likes of me. These kids need to learn some manners, the least they could do would be to pretend to look tired!!!
Mikee, well done sir, I did harbour ideas of riding back to town with you then getting a train home. But you were in better hands than mine and I suspect I would have slowed things too much. Heck of an achievement and was amazed by how good your spirits were, I think I'd have been crying long before!
Finally, Teef, OMG!!!! did those bars go in traffic? that is seriously scary, impressed you got to a shop and got mobile again, think I'd have been flummoxed.
This was the most impressive of finishes so far, that sea front just hits you and the cafe/space etc were superior. Though in my usual funk I loaded up with drinks for return. Two cans of fanta and a small bottle of water, £3.30, are they serious? Loved the ride, took it easy as only a week since my return to bike after right knee kept me off for 3 weeks. Indulged in a fair few painkillers and above the norm smokes to keep the twinges at bay. Not medically advisable but seems to work for me, psychologically at least.
My thanks to the usual suspects and met some new folks, I talk so much that the ride just seems to fly by. The return was 'different', I knew I wasn't up for too much, being defensive re the knee. Also the options diminished until route 1 via A roads, my least favourite method of travel, was all that was left. My average speed for the ride from HPC, of 75 miles, was about 12.5mph. I bailed on the return for a train after 25 miles and my average had climbed to 13.1mph. My calcs indicate that this meant those 25 were at about 15.3mph. Considering my normal speeds, the amount of climbing, how slow I go downhill(stayed behind the boys on fixed), my knee, the heat, the fact I'd already done 77miles and my lack of comfort with the traffic, bailing out for a train was a good move. It's strange that I consider only doing 105 miles a bail out, when it's not that long since I'd never done over 50 miles. Can't help the usual feeling of disgust at how easily ILB and Radius are tooling along, limiting their speed so as not to drop the likes of me. These kids need to learn some manners, the least they could do would be to pretend to look tired!!!
Mikee, well done sir, I did harbour ideas of riding back to town with you then getting a train home. But you were in better hands than mine and I suspect I would have slowed things too much. Heck of an achievement and was amazed by how good your spirits were, I think I'd have been crying long before!
Finally, Teef, OMG!!!! did those bars go in traffic? that is seriously scary, impressed you got to a shop and got mobile again, think I'd have been flummoxed.
, and to everyone for sharing a great time together. see you all next month!
Goodness! I've seen a pair of bars go while the bike was in motion, and it's a frightening thing. All thanks for your safe-keeping Mr 'Teef.
Well, apologies to Wowbagger - I did think it might be a bit hard on the wrists, but clearly I was wrong.
For so long it went so right. We wandered through southwest London (whichever way you slice it, no route out of London is a patch on Mitcham/Chipstead) and, after touching 100m above sea level for the first and only time just above Leatherhead, zoomed off the downs and along a near-deserted and moonlit A24 to Dorking and up the hill to the Blackbrook turn. Everybody looked in decent shape, and that 'relaaax' moment, on the descent to Blackbrook was all the better for realising that the breeze was getting up a bit and getting behind us.
As far as I know the only rider who didn't get to the Cabin Cafe in perfect shape was the numpty who put his foot in the water-filled hole in Rusper to see how deep it was - and then staggered on to the saturated verge to confirm that, yes, indeed, it was a burst water main....
Mark and his colleagues at the Cabin did a splendid job of getting us all sandwiched in and sandwiched up, and, after a bit of a prise to get one rider out of the cafe we rode through Horsham and its eleven junctions without and up to Tower Hill. We had a couple of retirees, people not feeling well, but the rest of us did catch a lovely sunrise (thankyou, Master Radius for the picture) on the flat road down through Coolham. And...the West Chiltington Variation, the bit of the route I wasn't keen on, seemed to come off splendidly, taking us in to Amberley where a dozen or so riders went for a little tour of the village and its hollyhocks.
So - so far so good. One rider pulled a stunt going on to the B2139 that will lead to his rustication, and, as if to prove that the road is indeed a nightmare, two boy racers came round a bend in the opposite direction with tyres squealing, causing Adrian to fear for my life. Fate was moving against us. Whether it was debris washed on to the road by the torrential rain of the night before I've no idea, but pffft! psschhht! pffft! and psschhht again as tyres expired one after another. TimO and Adrian dealt with these manfully, and BigSteev was so quick to fix his that his Doom is Sealed - TEC duties await. Once past Ford normal service resumed, and we rolled through the hydrangea heaven that is Felpham, arriving at the Boat House just before 9. I think eight punctures is twice our previous record - perhaps we've just been fortunate up to now.
So - much socialising, and much coffee drinking later I staggered on to the train with Colin, and fell in to happy discussion of the prospects for next season's Premiership. The great thing about football conversations is that there's no real neccessity to make sense, but you can't get away with that all of the time and I'm afraid my post-FNRttC impersonation of a husband was even more crap than usual. Sleep took me at about eight, but not before I'd completely failed to book a last minute holiday and dozed, slack-jawed on the sofa.
So, many thanks to TimO, Matthew, User10571, Jasper, Graham, Radius, Charlotte, ilovebikes and others whose efforts got us down there in good shape. As ever a real team effort.
Well, apologies to Wowbagger - I did think it might be a bit hard on the wrists, but clearly I was wrong.
For so long it went so right. We wandered through southwest London (whichever way you slice it, no route out of London is a patch on Mitcham/Chipstead) and, after touching 100m above sea level for the first and only time just above Leatherhead, zoomed off the downs and along a near-deserted and moonlit A24 to Dorking and up the hill to the Blackbrook turn. Everybody looked in decent shape, and that 'relaaax' moment, on the descent to Blackbrook was all the better for realising that the breeze was getting up a bit and getting behind us.
As far as I know the only rider who didn't get to the Cabin Cafe in perfect shape was the numpty who put his foot in the water-filled hole in Rusper to see how deep it was - and then staggered on to the saturated verge to confirm that, yes, indeed, it was a burst water main....
Mark and his colleagues at the Cabin did a splendid job of getting us all sandwiched in and sandwiched up, and, after a bit of a prise to get one rider out of the cafe we rode through Horsham and its eleven junctions without and up to Tower Hill. We had a couple of retirees, people not feeling well, but the rest of us did catch a lovely sunrise (thankyou, Master Radius for the picture) on the flat road down through Coolham. And...the West Chiltington Variation, the bit of the route I wasn't keen on, seemed to come off splendidly, taking us in to Amberley where a dozen or so riders went for a little tour of the village and its hollyhocks.
So - so far so good. One rider pulled a stunt going on to the B2139 that will lead to his rustication, and, as if to prove that the road is indeed a nightmare, two boy racers came round a bend in the opposite direction with tyres squealing, causing Adrian to fear for my life. Fate was moving against us. Whether it was debris washed on to the road by the torrential rain of the night before I've no idea, but pffft! psschhht! pffft! and psschhht again as tyres expired one after another. TimO and Adrian dealt with these manfully, and BigSteev was so quick to fix his that his Doom is Sealed - TEC duties await. Once past Ford normal service resumed, and we rolled through the hydrangea heaven that is Felpham, arriving at the Boat House just before 9. I think eight punctures is twice our previous record - perhaps we've just been fortunate up to now.
So - much socialising, and much coffee drinking later I staggered on to the train with Colin, and fell in to happy discussion of the prospects for next season's Premiership. The great thing about football conversations is that there's no real neccessity to make sense, but you can't get away with that all of the time and I'm afraid my post-FNRttC impersonation of a husband was even more crap than usual. Sleep took me at about eight, but not before I'd completely failed to book a last minute holiday and dozed, slack-jawed on the sofa.
So, many thanks to TimO, Matthew, User10571, Jasper, Graham, Radius, Charlotte, ilovebikes and others whose efforts got us down there in good shape. As ever a real team effort.
oh - McB. The A29 (if that's the way you came) is one of the fastest (and prettiest) roads I've ever been on, certainly in the UK. If you ever want to give yourself that 'Fausto Coppi' feeling take the train down to Bognor and ride back up again.
MacBludgeon said:
In Swansea, we call that an A-road. But it wouldn't be a proper FNRttC without Bludge entertaining thoughts of unspeakable violence towards Our Fearless Leader. The snap of you, Luke and SD looking contemplative is captured at the moment you were planning to loosen his QR. You didn't mistakenly target the wrong bike and take a sneaky hacksaw to the Veneto's handlebar by mistake, I hope?
http://www.cyclechat.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=40733
Whitstable - although you might just make out a high building in Southend. And you do see the turbines.
Oh - I forgot. Somebody (I think it was Jasper) brought the ride to the attention of the local press. Those of you who were photographed on the road to the cafe may find yourself front page news on the Bognor Regis Recorder (I can't remember the name). Anyway, a reporter who looked precisely like a reporter should look - wiry, with a jacket that had clearly knocked about a bit - turned up and took notes. Should be out on Thursday.
Whitstable - although you might just make out a high building in Southend. And you do see the turbines.
Oh - I forgot. Somebody (I think it was Jasper) brought the ride to the attention of the local press. Those of you who were photographed on the road to the cafe may find yourself front page news on the Bognor Regis Recorder (I can't remember the name). Anyway, a reporter who looked precisely like a reporter should look - wiry, with a jacket that had clearly knocked about a bit - turned up and took notes. Should be out on Thursday.
Origamist
Legendary Member
Another fantastic FNRttC. Thanks to Simon and helpers.
On my way to the meeting point, I bumped into a LELer (Brian?) at Clapham South and we rode together for all of 1km until we chose different routes to HPC and did not communicate this to each other – typical bloody cyclists...
After the obligatory roll-call and safety talk we headed off – 100 metres later we had a mishap! It appeared that a rider just ahead of me applied 3339 lbs per square inch of pressure (to put that in perspective that is approx half the force of Aperitif’s handshake) to her recently adjusted front brake lever. The result: a tarmac surfing cyclist. Thankfully both rider and bike were fine and we were quickly on our way again.
In the Cheam/Mitcham area we encountered the usual assortment of aggressive drunks ("self-gratification artists"), friendly drunks ("where are you going" repeated 6 times), unfunny drunks ("get a car"), silent drunks(...) and impatient motorists. I heard talk of a volley of eggs, but only one victim (I suspect User10571 was gallantly protecting his fellow FNRttCers when he took the force of the yolk). After the pubs kicked out, the roads emptied and we made our way to Dorking with less excitement.
There were a few punctures on the way to Faygate and this meant a few waits as the long ribbon of riders took time to regroup. The weather was cooler than I anticipated and the dips were often misty, making it damp in places – this was my unconvincing excuse for pushing the pace.
The cafe at Faygate was a welcome sight. The staff were friendly and the food was quickly on our plates. I opted for a pig sarnie - this consisted of two mattress sized slabs of bread and two fine rashers of bacon, polished off with dollop of ketchup, and washed down with a strong, sweet tea.
As we approached a hill signed at 17%, I imaginatively shouted “17% hill” to my fellow riders - the response was immediate and unexpected: a young rider who shall be left nameless (but waiting for his A-Level results) cycled straight into the muddy road edge and came a cropper. Once again, he was quickly on his bike and I suspect he only did it in order to disrupt my hill climbing rhythm...
As dawn broke, we made our way to the picturesque village of Amberley. As the pics testify, I did not manage to capture its chocolate box beauty as I was "wayfinding" at the time...
With the sun now warming things up, we had a choice to make – flint path or a walk with stiles. I was reminded of Frost’s The Road Not Taken – but I’m a pretentious twonk. As it was, I went for the former and had no problems – the bike coped with the mildly rough terrain impeccably and I only rattled loose two molars and an incisor. There was a bit of a wait at the end of the path as the bumps took their toll on a few riders, but dapper Jasper’s impromptu local history lesson was illuminating and the minutes quickly passed.
After a “circuitous” route we met up with the stile crew and headed towards Felpham. Big Steve's blow-out with only a few miles to go rivaled a pantomime hiss.
The Beach Cafe and view of the sea were both great sights. The train back was busy but we all got our bikes on. What’s more, we also remembered to get the 4 for 2 offer.
After a long, late lunch in Balham, I was walking home when I spotted Radius, ilovebikes, Aperitif, Mike E, Des et al on the return leg from Felpham. I waved and clappedhysterically enthusiastically – this resulted in a couple of them even acknowledging me! Good work, guys.
It was great to meet some new people, particularly coruskate, MacB and theclaud of this parish (and a few others whose names I have forgotten), and catching up with the usual suspects.
Pictures to follow, but I have an uncanny ability to miss a great photo moment - so expect a lot of "mess-en-scenes".
On my way to the meeting point, I bumped into a LELer (Brian?) at Clapham South and we rode together for all of 1km until we chose different routes to HPC and did not communicate this to each other – typical bloody cyclists...
After the obligatory roll-call and safety talk we headed off – 100 metres later we had a mishap! It appeared that a rider just ahead of me applied 3339 lbs per square inch of pressure (to put that in perspective that is approx half the force of Aperitif’s handshake) to her recently adjusted front brake lever. The result: a tarmac surfing cyclist. Thankfully both rider and bike were fine and we were quickly on our way again.
In the Cheam/Mitcham area we encountered the usual assortment of aggressive drunks ("self-gratification artists"), friendly drunks ("where are you going" repeated 6 times), unfunny drunks ("get a car"), silent drunks(...) and impatient motorists. I heard talk of a volley of eggs, but only one victim (I suspect User10571 was gallantly protecting his fellow FNRttCers when he took the force of the yolk). After the pubs kicked out, the roads emptied and we made our way to Dorking with less excitement.
There were a few punctures on the way to Faygate and this meant a few waits as the long ribbon of riders took time to regroup. The weather was cooler than I anticipated and the dips were often misty, making it damp in places – this was my unconvincing excuse for pushing the pace.
The cafe at Faygate was a welcome sight. The staff were friendly and the food was quickly on our plates. I opted for a pig sarnie - this consisted of two mattress sized slabs of bread and two fine rashers of bacon, polished off with dollop of ketchup, and washed down with a strong, sweet tea.
As we approached a hill signed at 17%, I imaginatively shouted “17% hill” to my fellow riders - the response was immediate and unexpected: a young rider who shall be left nameless (but waiting for his A-Level results) cycled straight into the muddy road edge and came a cropper. Once again, he was quickly on his bike and I suspect he only did it in order to disrupt my hill climbing rhythm...
As dawn broke, we made our way to the picturesque village of Amberley. As the pics testify, I did not manage to capture its chocolate box beauty as I was "wayfinding" at the time...
With the sun now warming things up, we had a choice to make – flint path or a walk with stiles. I was reminded of Frost’s The Road Not Taken – but I’m a pretentious twonk. As it was, I went for the former and had no problems – the bike coped with the mildly rough terrain impeccably and I only rattled loose two molars and an incisor. There was a bit of a wait at the end of the path as the bumps took their toll on a few riders, but dapper Jasper’s impromptu local history lesson was illuminating and the minutes quickly passed.
After a “circuitous” route we met up with the stile crew and headed towards Felpham. Big Steve's blow-out with only a few miles to go rivaled a pantomime hiss.
The Beach Cafe and view of the sea were both great sights. The train back was busy but we all got our bikes on. What’s more, we also remembered to get the 4 for 2 offer.
After a long, late lunch in Balham, I was walking home when I spotted Radius, ilovebikes, Aperitif, Mike E, Des et al on the return leg from Felpham. I waved and clapped
It was great to meet some new people, particularly coruskate, MacB and theclaud of this parish (and a few others whose names I have forgotten), and catching up with the usual suspects.
Pictures to follow, but I have an uncanny ability to miss a great photo moment - so expect a lot of "mess-en-scenes".
TarteTatin
New Member
A big thumbs up for the FNRttC and it's amazing organising crowd!
One of the perks is that it drags TheLovelyClaud out of deepest Wales to the bright lights of Norbury for the weekend.
Chances are not many people would have a subscription to the Bognor Regis Observer, but the article might appear online http://www.bognor.co.uk/
One of the perks is that it drags TheLovelyClaud out of deepest Wales to the bright lights of Norbury for the weekend.
Chances are not many people would have a subscription to the Bognor Regis Observer, but the article might appear online http://www.bognor.co.uk/
Unlike Wowbagger, I thought the Flint Path was easier than the section of the Solstice WARTY across Salisbury Plain. Aside from tanks, I think that route was longer and rougher, with bigger potholes (some large enough to loose a bike in!). The only significant difference that made the Flint Path worse, was that Salisbury Plain, is a plain, and hence rather flat, whereas the Flint Path was pretty much all downhill, so did require fairly extensive use of the brakes. Occasionally I realised I was going faster than I could have stopped myself in a reasonable time on the loose stuff, so had to slow down a bit, before I came a cropper. Other than that, I thought the Flint Path was a wheeze, and if I hadn't had a pannier, and expensive GPS and lights, I would have been tempted to see how fast I could bomb down!
O said:
A pleasure to meet you too, O. And I owe you one - you inadvertently relieved me of the final waymarking post - the one guaranteed to put you at the back of the breakfast queue. Which means that I ended up doing bugger all. I shall be more alert to my duties in future!
Look forward to the pics. Mine are technically inept, but I have been alerted to the fact that what was intended as a straightforward portrait of Big Steve is an accidental masterpiece of ambiguity in composition, in the manner of Las Meninas. No really. The FNRttC is a highbrow affair...
