FNRttC FNRttC to Brighton 8th May 2009

[Tynan]

I might have mntioned no more hills, they came to me as much of an unpleasant suprise as they did you

And I was very early to cheer on the Beacon

 

[StuAff]

I might have mntioned no more hills, they came to me as much of an unpleasant suprise as they did you

And I was very early to cheer on the Beacon

Thanks for the cheering. It was a really nice touch from all those people.

 

[Blackandblue]

a nice man gave me a free ticket home, as far as Clapham Junction anyway, which I now know to be a fair ride to Liverpool Street

You're very welcome (assuming it was my ticket on the 9.19 that you are referring to you). And apologies if my description of a "ticket back to London" was misleading as to its ultimate destination!

A wonderful ride and thanks to Simon and Tourist Tony and everyone else who contributed to making it such an enjoyable ride. I felt at times a little underdressed but I have to say the weather was kind to us.

I was actually slightly disappointed that the sun was coming up as we left the scout hut as I had been enjoying the riding in the dark so much.

A lovely crowd of people - I'm sorry I didn't get to speak to more of you.

I have managed a few catnaps during the day which has been quite a result consideriong I thought I had been left in charge of three kids (including a 6 month old). Fortunately I was able to enlist some help.

Hope everyone else got home OK.

Did anyone go for a dip in the sea??

 

[rich p]

Repeat thanks to all from me. I wish I'd had a another layer and some decent gloves - it was a bit parky during the night especially when waiting around for the mechanicals.
(Note to self - take more clothing, you can always take it off!)

Good to meet a few 'names' from here at last. Special mention to Will who did the Beacon 3 times and fastest in 5.55. Seriously quick!

I accompanied Ape, DW and MacB to Ferring before heading home which was fun. I did a mere 103m but they'll do a fair few more than that. Martin's Garmin will be leading them infallibly home as it did in Goring in style. Correction, that should read stile, as it led us over 2 of them and over a railway line! Great stuff.

 

[dellzeqq]

A big thankyou to Tourist Tony and Tim H for all their work on the refreshments. You may not know that Tony was at the Scout Hut at 9pm, and I wouldn't have thought he got away much earlier than 5 am. That's a big effort to make for your fellow cyclists.

We did alright. 4 punctures and two chain breaks (I'm told Tim H had spare chain links for every size of chain) probably added about thirty minutes to the trip. It would have been more if not for the smart work at the Scout Hut by Hatler and co., and we were fortunate that the first cab office I called got to the top of Reigate Hill in five minutes to carry our one casualty (and its rider) to East Grinstead.

Even with 40 new riders the wayfinding worked a treat - people just mucked in as ever. What struck me was the spirit - people waiting for the TECs to come along not just with patience, but in a contented way. It wasn't warm, and I'm sure some of the standing around was chilly. Of course the fact that the new riders (and, ahem, one of the two more experienced riders) didn't know the way helped - they didn't have an option.

For me the highpoint was, as ever, Lonesome Lane. While the night lends some charm to some pretty ordinary parts of the ride, if you're around Horley or Reigate on a weekday morning this road is even better by day than it is by night.

So, thankyou one and all for turning out on what was a chilly night, and for being (as we used to say) such good sports. Do please come again.

 

[dellzeqq]

Oh - wasn't the soup good? I don't do soup, but this was quality.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Thanks one and all. a superb night. special images/thoughts burnt on the neurons....

the recumbent; I lost count of how many times it scared the bejaysus out of me as it cruised past like some mechanical black shark. Even did it on the way home; looked in my mirrors and there it was nipping at my rear wheel. respect.

the young lady on the sirrus; departing from the cafe with the teeny handbag dangling from the bars like you'd just gone down the shops not cycled over both sets of Downs on the same day.

the hideous noise that an exploding rear mech makes; Alastair, sorry I could not do more to help but it was fubar'ed good and proper. hope you got home safely and quickly, that your LBS fixes it quickly and cheaply, and you join us again soon.

Matt Jago overtaking me at will, except on the downhill's. Gets you the bragging rights on Monday for one minute per year of our age difference mate

The two lads who got the train from Horsham; yeah i do have a lot of lights I'm just a sad old grumygreg of a commuter really.

the Le Lemond with the pink tyres and cable outers. Class bike, class lady riding it

The Beacon; go away and die you bitch of a hill. I've known you for forty years and you've never given me so much as an inch in that time. but you know what? you are completely beatable. we pown'd you.

Folders; folders ascending the Beacon; so wrong, so very very wrong, and yet such a compelling image.

Fixies; class bikes ridden by class people.

Every single flat out top gear decent hammering the pedals and finally as our pre talced mighty and beloved leader said: Lonesome Lane

141 km on the day including the ride home from Brighton to Horsham, FNRttC to Brighton has to be followed by SMRbtH, and I've still got jelly babies to spare. If I say I'm looking forward to going MTB'ing tomorrow feel free to call me a liar.

Thank you everybody who made my second FNRttC one of my best ridings days ever.

 

[Tim Hall]

Excellent stuff!

Top marks to TT for the soup and all the hard work he put in. I'll be round on Sunday to pick up the dixies.

Thanks too to Mrs.Hall for the rock cakes. I'm glad everyone liked them.

And thanks to 1st Burstow Scouts for use of The Edifice. It is big, isn't it?

Aperetif, you are Top Bloke. And Radius was right. Those calves are hooge. Rubbing the bottle on his seat tube so they were.

I've got a few photos, including the dainty handbag hung from the handlebars, which may find their way onto Flickr in due course.

 

[Will1985]

I'm back!!!

What a wonderful ride - it was a great atmosphere riding down to Brighton, and the food at the scout hut was just the ticket.

Yes, I did do Ditchling Beacon three times after some "encouragement" from Aperitif!! First was 5:55, second 6:15, third 5:59. Picture below is of second ascent taken from leeg's (yacf) flickr account.

Ride back on the A23 was surprisingly simple accompanied by Radius and User3143. It was great to meet everyone and put names to faces.

I was so close to 200km by the end, I've just taken a detour back from New Street station to hit the target. Maybe it is now time to sleep...

 

[Aperitif]

Coooo-eeeeee I'm back! (20 mins ago...)

265.69kms on the counter - so it will be approximately the same as MacBludgeon and Davy (sorry but I have to stop and go for another piss/burger/sugar) walnuts.

A superb night and day (Ella Fitzgerald moment there ) with our return encompassing a LOT of HILLS. The Surrey Hills including Hog's Back and some really nasty ones that make Ditchling look like a baby.

As usual, met some nice people. Tim - big up back and 'What a team' Chains, Tyres and tubes, falling cyclists and all was confidently dealt with -super! Too cold at that pace though.

And richp. Finally put a face to a name. But never mind, it was still a great do. (Only joking rich )

Everyone did their best but top of the class was Will the Beacon. Of course he is too serious for CycleChat and I am suggesting he should be banned from charging his Garmin at Brighton...especially as mine expired - but not before a tremendous tour.

Laters peeps, and thanks to all for your company.

 

[MacB]

add my thanks to Simon and everyone else, as per last time, I stand in awe of the level of organisation employed to make this happen.

New Folks I Met - SD and Stuart, top guys, good company and took the ride in the spirit intended. Tynan, didn't know that was you, good to meet you. Introduced myself finally to Charlotte, to thank her for tech advice given on YACF. Spoke to a few I didn't get names on. RichP, superb, good rider, chats away, then shows you how hills can be done, only slightly envious of the last. Will, awesome stuff on Ditchling, by my reckoning that means you climbed it 3 times in the time it took me to do it once, A1. Lee good to meet, shame we couldn't ride back together, next time.

The old hands - Aperitif(aka The Garminator), nothing needs to be said, he got me home, nearly 167miles in total. DavyW, incredible affinity with toilets, climbs like an old man, eats constantly - love his company, he lifts a ride. Redjedi, Simon, Mike from Hull, Radius, User10571, Adrian, good to see them all. All the rest that I now know by sight but have been too out of puff to get to know yet.

Tourist Tony needs a special mention, above and beyond doesn't even cover it. Especially as I forgot to pay £2, that'll be rectified for sure.

 

[Speicher]

I think it has been said of Aperitif that he would go from Brighton via Exeter to London if he thought a Cycle Chatter was peckish. Is that what you did today, or did you have a very long coffee, lunch and tea, and dinner stop?

 

[MacB]

I think it has been said of Aperitif that he would go from Brighton via Exeter to London if he thought a Cycle Chatter was peckish. Is that what you did today, or did you have a very long coffee, lunch and tea, and dinner stop?

I went Farnborough - Staines - HPC - Brighton - Farnborough

we had plenty of stops, planned, route finding and the ever present Davy toilet breaks(I kid you not these probably accounted for a couple of hours in total). Weather was great, views at top of climbs stunning and we even sat watching a village cricket game for a while. Aperitif went to get me a drink and a choc ice - came back with drink but no choccy - vanished again and returned, having been to supermarket, with box of 3 choc ices. This guy looks after you!!!

 

[Tony]

Just about to head off to work. The Edifice was a good spot, but with 100 or so riders we needed that small contribution just to cover costs, such as a fee for borrowing the hall. I dropped the keys off at 0530......
I had filled the Burco hot water boiler well before folks' arrival, but needed to refill it no less than three times to cover the tea demands (and the coffee for the awkward ones).
What a Biblical plague of locusts! I lay no claim for the rock cakes, as thry were from Mrs Timh, and I apologise for the lack of seating----but it would have been just silly with seats out. I was watching the weather all day, and the morning had been driving rain and a blistering wind. By the time I had finished the preparations, the moon was nicely up and the flag on the Edifice was hanging limply at its mast. The wind finally did a favour to cyclists!
And what a treat to be able to spend an hour or so playing my mandolin LOUDLY with no worries about neighbours!

 

[Andrij]

I got to escort three lovely ladies to Hyde Park Corner.

Seeing so many cyclists on this ride was just amazing. Getting out of London wasn't as bad as I thought — except for the beer can incident.

The B&M Cyo on dynohub is fantastic!

(once aimed properly) Flew down Reigate, must make sure I have a computer mounted next time. The lanes were lovely, though the night was a bit too cold. TT did a marvelous catering job - no surprises there.

For those who didn't notice, I did wear my sandals. But by the end of Lonesome Lane I gave in and put on my overshoes. In hindsight the sandals may not have been the best of ideas. What would have been even more sensible would have been dressing as I did for the April ride. I really missed my balaclava and winter gloves.

I managed the Beacon for the second time — and first on the Ribble (though I stopped for a breather at the false summit). Zoomed across the top and down to Brighton. Looked at the water for a bit then joined a few others at a caff near the station for a leisurely breakfast. We didn't leave for London until 09:49!

Did this ride on a brand new Brooks with no problems.

Prior to last night I used it for only one commute. Obviously I have a Brooks backside.

Thanks to Simon for the organisation, the route-markers and TECs, TT and the catering staff, and all for making it a lovely night out. A special congrats to all the first timers.