JonnyBlade
Live to Ride
- Location
- Gosport-Hampshire
I was marshalling at the bottom of Beacon Hill (on an unrelated race) and enjoyed welcoming and redirecting the hundreds that came past. Great effort boys and girls
FNRttC to Brighton 13th May 2011
- Thread starter dellzeqq
- Start date
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Aperitif
Meme bar
- Location
- ...I don't have much idea - really.
Good stuff! Thank you Alex. 
Edit: Didn't realise that rich p was carrying a Walls Ice Cream backpacksac! I would have stopped you and bought one, Rich.
Edit: Didn't realise that rich p was carrying a Walls Ice Cream backpacksac! I would have stopped you and bought one, Rich.
threebikesmcginty
Corn Fed Hick...
- Location
- ...on the slake
iLB's got his cap on the wrong way round, with the peak at the front, and therefore BMX rules invalidates his ride. Innit.
Nice pics, looked like a good ride.
srw
It's a bit more complicated than that...
What you can't see in that photo is that the peak was carefully angled to be over his right eye - nang well rad. He looked like a teenage hooligan, especially when he put his shades on too.
Great ride as per, especially if you glaze over Planet Sweet - geddit. Talking of glazing over, glad you got home okay Teef 
Did anyone mention the cold at Horley? I was so cold I nearly did a reverse Captain Oates; " I'm going inside, I may be some time".
The ride from Horley to Madeira ( plan it, sweet white wine) was sublime. Warming up, with a beautiful sunrise ( apparently that happens every day, did you know that?), the edges of the horizons crisp without a hint of pollution apart from people cussing their way up the Alpe de Beacon.
The Downs always look good when the sun is low and the shadows accentuate the Rubenesque curves of the...... ( sms from srw - give it a rest Rich, you pseud )
The swoop down from the Beacon to Brighton is a great way to finish passing as we did the Chattri on the right - a War Memorial to the Indian soldiers of the First World War.
What lovely people Greg and his wife are at the cafe. A perfect example of customer service as they arranged to beers shipped over to us from the pub. Unbelievable, even if I had thought Worthington would never pas my lips again!
Good night with some old and new friends - thanks for having me! Good to meet TMNewt, srw for the first time. The old ones know who they are and don't need namechecks.
In other news, Andy A spotted a flat bit of **** in Cuckfield and iLB gave my lungs and longevity a good kicking on Portnalls Road! Great stuff Andy and good luck in Romania.
Some snaps here mainly of the triumphal great crested hill.
https://picasaweb.google.com/richardpount/FnrttcBrighton14511?authkey=Gv1sRgCPD9tM2M1_SDZQ#
Did anyone mention the cold at Horley? I was so cold I nearly did a reverse Captain Oates; " I'm going inside, I may be some time".
The ride from Horley to Madeira ( plan it, sweet white wine) was sublime. Warming up, with a beautiful sunrise ( apparently that happens every day, did you know that?), the edges of the horizons crisp without a hint of pollution apart from people cussing their way up the Alpe de Beacon.
The Downs always look good when the sun is low and the shadows accentuate the Rubenesque curves of the...... ( sms from srw - give it a rest Rich, you pseud )
The swoop down from the Beacon to Brighton is a great way to finish passing as we did the Chattri on the right - a War Memorial to the Indian soldiers of the First World War.
What lovely people Greg and his wife are at the cafe. A perfect example of customer service as they arranged to beers shipped over to us from the pub. Unbelievable, even if I had thought Worthington would never pas my lips again!
Good night with some old and new friends - thanks for having me! Good to meet TMNewt, srw for the first time. The old ones know who they are and don't need namechecks.
In other news, Andy A spotted a flat bit of **** in Cuckfield and iLB gave my lungs and longevity a good kicking on Portnalls Road! Great stuff Andy and good luck in Romania.
Some snaps here mainly of the triumphal great crested hill.
https://picasaweb.google.com/richardpount/FnrttcBrighton14511?authkey=Gv1sRgCPD9tM2M1_SDZQ#
U
User10571
Guest
That was such a good ride! 
With numbers exceeding, I think, 130 it was never going to be a fast one, but astonishingly we managed to shed W1J 7JZ (Wellington Arch traffic island) as one group - thanks in no small part to TimO putting himself and Red right in the jaws of the proverbial lion as the lights for the traffic turned to green.
Progress through the suburbs stuttered as the TECs dealt with punctures (one of which was sufficiently severe to warrant a tyre boot) and our very own rivet-poppin' Tim Hall repaired the first of three busted chains of the night, before we'd reached the first loo stop at Beddington Asda - bathed as it was in the delicate aroma of the adjacent sewage works. As an aside.... rhetorically, like.... who would think of locating a food vendor next to a kak processing factory?
The weather was kind, very kind as we lost the streetlights on Portnalls Hill. Temperature dropping only maybe a degree or two as the houses thinned out and the darkness of the night embraced us.
Some earlier inclines had shown us that some of our company were likely to be severely challenged by the likes of Portnalls, Turners and Ditchling - but chapeau to all those who gallantly attempted whatever gradients the road threw at them!
I confess to having 'forgotten' to stay on the tail end for the duration of Lonesome Lane, opting instead to 'give it some' through the delicious bends and enjoy the pitch, yaw and roll that they offer. Following which, for first time of the evening, I was warm.
The half way stop? Ummmmm........ that needs to be (and I think will be) reviewed. Suffice it to say, Planet Sweet / 130 plus riders = does not really go. Not when peeps are zipping up and down the road in all directions to keep warm while the lengthy queue outside stays just that. While their tucker is clearly ok, I remain to be convinced that they are best suited to deal with a 'volume customer'.
Turners Hill increased the heart rate of a few, as well as warming them up once we had left Planet Sweet, and was then followed by the glorious, glorious descent through Ardingly into Lindfield. Mile after mile of ear to ear grin factor is what this road delivers, and all for so little effort. Its hard not to like it. No, love it.
Slugwash lane was enchanting, as is usual, with its twists, turns and switchbacks. Plenty of manic rabbits darting between the verges. I think we were there probably a little too late in the day to spot some of the shy deer which have been seen there before.
And so... on to The Beacon, the final 'set piece' of this ride. We did it. Everyone did it. Including a (two years shy of) septuagenarian, whom I understand to be not in the peak of health. And I'd heard was picked up, put back on his bike and given a helpful shove up The Beacon on more than one occasion. Well done all!
Brighton.
Madeira Drive.
Maderia Cafe.
Sunshine.
Greg and his crew. Delivering thegreasefest breakfast to me, one of the last in the queue, forty minutes or so after he had delivered the first.
And most yummy it was too!
The rest ventures into the realms of 'too messy to put into writing....'
Thanks all, who I had the chance to enjoy an exchange with during the night.
Thanks, Charlotte for the pyjamas
<br>
<div>Can't wait until the next one.</div>
With numbers exceeding, I think, 130 it was never going to be a fast one, but astonishingly we managed to shed W1J 7JZ (Wellington Arch traffic island) as one group - thanks in no small part to TimO putting himself and Red right in the jaws of the proverbial lion as the lights for the traffic turned to green.
Progress through the suburbs stuttered as the TECs dealt with punctures (one of which was sufficiently severe to warrant a tyre boot) and our very own rivet-poppin' Tim Hall repaired the first of three busted chains of the night, before we'd reached the first loo stop at Beddington Asda - bathed as it was in the delicate aroma of the adjacent sewage works. As an aside.... rhetorically, like.... who would think of locating a food vendor next to a kak processing factory?
The weather was kind, very kind as we lost the streetlights on Portnalls Hill. Temperature dropping only maybe a degree or two as the houses thinned out and the darkness of the night embraced us.
Some earlier inclines had shown us that some of our company were likely to be severely challenged by the likes of Portnalls, Turners and Ditchling - but chapeau to all those who gallantly attempted whatever gradients the road threw at them!
I confess to having 'forgotten' to stay on the tail end for the duration of Lonesome Lane, opting instead to 'give it some' through the delicious bends and enjoy the pitch, yaw and roll that they offer. Following which, for first time of the evening, I was warm.
The half way stop? Ummmmm........ that needs to be (and I think will be) reviewed. Suffice it to say, Planet Sweet / 130 plus riders = does not really go. Not when peeps are zipping up and down the road in all directions to keep warm while the lengthy queue outside stays just that. While their tucker is clearly ok, I remain to be convinced that they are best suited to deal with a 'volume customer'.
Turners Hill increased the heart rate of a few, as well as warming them up once we had left Planet Sweet, and was then followed by the glorious, glorious descent through Ardingly into Lindfield. Mile after mile of ear to ear grin factor is what this road delivers, and all for so little effort. Its hard not to like it. No, love it.
Slugwash lane was enchanting, as is usual, with its twists, turns and switchbacks. Plenty of manic rabbits darting between the verges. I think we were there probably a little too late in the day to spot some of the shy deer which have been seen there before.
And so... on to The Beacon, the final 'set piece' of this ride. We did it. Everyone did it. Including a (two years shy of) septuagenarian, whom I understand to be not in the peak of health. And I'd heard was picked up, put back on his bike and given a helpful shove up The Beacon on more than one occasion. Well done all!
Brighton.
Madeira Drive.
Maderia Cafe.
Sunshine.
Greg and his crew. Delivering the
And most yummy it was too!
The rest ventures into the realms of 'too messy to put into writing....'
Thanks all, who I had the chance to enjoy an exchange with during the night.
Thanks, Charlotte for the pyjamas
<br><div>Can't wait until the next one.</div>
U
User10571
Guest
It was nice seeing Ross, Andy and big Martin on the the Brighton road, making their way home while I was pootling down to Purley
Good job lads.
There's a reason why you weren't there with us last night.
Isn't there?
Hmmm?
It had better be good....
Great ride. Full of the community spirit, working together, team involvement thing.
Things I saw:
Punctures, foxes, party bus, more foxes, lady passenger distracting her driver, fox cub, broken chain, long queue, home, peanut butter on toast, another bike, sunrise, heroic riding, more punctures, pyjamas, missing riders, people on the phone, really heroic riding from all ages, marvellous encouragement, another broken chain, breakfast.
Things I did:
Talked to people, discussed puncture probability experiments, didn't drink enough, forgot how to mend a chain quickly, failed to get to grips with Quick Links, failed to set off speed cameras x 3, eat breakfast, chatted with more people, drank a swift beer or two, fell asleep on the train, had a snooze at home., took a few pictures.
Things I saw:
Punctures, foxes, party bus, more foxes, lady passenger distracting her driver, fox cub, broken chain, long queue, home, peanut butter on toast, another bike, sunrise, heroic riding, more punctures, pyjamas, missing riders, people on the phone, really heroic riding from all ages, marvellous encouragement, another broken chain, breakfast.
Things I did:
Talked to people, discussed puncture probability experiments, didn't drink enough, forgot how to mend a chain quickly, failed to get to grips with Quick Links, failed to set off speed cameras x 3, eat breakfast, chatted with more people, drank a swift beer or two, fell asleep on the train, had a snooze at home., took a few pictures.
U
