frank9755
Cyclist
- Location
- West London
I'm still coming.
Weather doesn't look worse than February's run to Brighton - yet!
Weather doesn't look worse than February's run to Brighton - yet!
Friday (as in Thursday) Night Ride to the Continent - 15th July
- Thread starter dellzeqq
- Start date
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StuAff
Silencing his legs regularly
- Location
- Portsmouth
Bonne chance mes amis!
Flying Dodo
It'll soon be summer
Hope you all made it OK.
And for those crossing La Manche, although this is probably too late, don't forget to cycle on the right.
Have fun.
And for those crossing La Manche, although this is probably too late, don't forget to cycle on the right.
Have fun.
martint235
Dog on a bike
- Location
- Welling
GrumpyGregry
Here for rides.
No rain once they were south of Gatwick, or so someone said on Twitter, where FNRttC has its very own hashtag #FNRttC
That was huge fun - one of my fnrttc favourites; rain, wind, sun, south coast cobbles, sprints and mini climbs - a veritable scaled down TdeF. Nice compact group of riders kept the pace seemingly higher than normal - good to be able to spin the pedals more than usual and keep out the cold. Trouble free stop at Gatwick and no rain onwards from there. Beautiful countryside on the unfamiliar road to Lewes and one of the most picturesque breakfast venues yet - a portacabin underneath the Newhaven flyover (but the food was good, staff friendly and they did have their own pet seagull). An intrepid group presented passports and bade farewell to blighty, whilst three of us followed the coastal trail to brighton fighting the strongest head/cross winds I've ever ridden in - terrific stuff, if a little hairy at times. A ceremonial spin past the Madeira then a double caffeine hit before grabbing the usual train back. Looking forward to a genteel follow-up.
All rounded off by getting home to watch the highlights of yesterday's tour stage - not convinced on Renshaw's suitability for the genteel ride even if he has got time on his hands.
All rounded off by getting home to watch the highlights of yesterday's tour stage - not convinced on Renshaw's suitability for the genteel ride even if he has got time on his hands.
Aperitif
Meme bar
- Location
- ...I don't have much idea - really.
You need some home education in the art of map reading Adrian!
'Associate Mouseketeer' is not bad though...A very wholesome ride - as Des mentioned, with pace, water, more water but not much more, hot water, a lovely breakfast and some NC2 action. With vistas galore and a highly technical entry into Brighton from Newhaven, saluting the Madeira, and 'people' watching from the comfort of Nero tables outside. I lugged a 'marinsack' full of items to wear + all sorts of legal tender and documents, ready to invade Dieppe. Only the really awkward ferry timings put me off - the hours of return were too awkward for what I need to do in London this weekend.
My bike is washed and ironed, oiled and greased - ready for action. Au contraire, I am unwashed, greasy, unironed and ready for bed. Best eat something too...then I'll post a few photos
frank9755
Cyclist
- Location
- West London
Just got up and ready to go out!
As above - a wonderful ride. In fact two rides:
- London to Gatwick - battling through the night against a headwind and driving rain which stung our faces like needles on the downhill sections
- Gatwick to Newhaven - a brisk saunter through the Sussex dawn with light winds, no rain and even some dappled sunshine, which was starting to get quite hot when I went out to join the seagulls outside our cafe.
Adrian, sounds like you have had at least four rides!
As above - a wonderful ride. In fact two rides:
- London to Gatwick - battling through the night against a headwind and driving rain which stung our faces like needles on the downhill sections
- Gatwick to Newhaven - a brisk saunter through the Sussex dawn with light winds, no rain and even some dappled sunshine, which was starting to get quite hot when I went out to join the seagulls outside our cafe.
Adrian, sounds like you have had at least four rides!
Aperitif
Meme bar
- Location
- ...I don't have much idea - really.
Alors!
I went upstairs to remove the rain assisted road filth from my encrusted shape and ooops! it is 03:30 in the morning. I must have 'nodded off'.
Our 'Newhaven Night' began as usual - under the Wellington Arch. Simon was taking a rest break by reposing while others arrived. Tourists were throwing their odd change into his cycling cap as they strolled by - probably thinking that the poor soul could do with a good square meal.
Dry, temperate and lovely was the weather as we set off to Sloane Square and beyond. Not so active as a Friday Night Special but the ride group was moving quickly to discharge the metropolis. Then it rained.
Els, Kathy, Simon, Tim O, Tim P, Adrian, Frank, Stuart, David, Des and self - 11 riders and ten bikes. As mentioned earlier, Mr & Mrs Pike had 'trouble at mill', but were able to join at Reigate Hill - and we sped to Gatwick, to dry, to warm and to chat. There's something quite nice about the smaller group - it gives each other a bit more time to socialise. Besides, there was no rush. Reigate was full of chavs - a group of whom tried to irritate Des by launching a big plastic bottle at him whilst tearing round the corner in their 'shot hatch' . We were in motion and I saw a skinny runt ease himself right out of the rear window, out of sight of Des, and try to throw just as the car lurched around. I hope the tosser hurt himself contorting like that.
Reigate was 'alive' and I said to Des "What are all these people doing around at this time of night - it's Thursday, not Friday?" (it was 02:15) Nonchalant Des replied 'Didn't you do the same thing when you were young - get in, an hours kip and out again to work?' "Most certainly not" I lied.
((i) rarely went home, and ii) work? )
Gatwick's back entrance to pleasure was negotiated without problem and we dried.
On leaving, it was a tad chilly but dry and we hacked on with only a couple of punctures disturbing the hum of the peloton.
Dicing with dawn as the group makes its way towards daylight...
The route into Newhaven was a Legg special, affording good stretches of quiet roads leading to a magic daybreak vista. As you can see, the sun always shines on the righteous!
Here's my usual model, Des, providing the foreground for this week's scenery shot.
And we coasted into Newhaven.
Out café - on the face of it - was not in a bijou location.
Kathy and Els enjoy the café garden...the sun was warming and very relaxing...
The menu was good. All served with a smile and good manner.
It just goes to show that looks aren't everything because it was ideal! Bognor's breakfast was good the other week, but this one was a real plate filler - hot and fresh, with 'proper' mugs of steaming tea for 50p. Couple that with a cheery couple of young women behind the counter and it was a recipe for cycling success. Tim didn't want tomatoes so the chef gave him an extra egg!
The Pitstop crew - ready to serve you!
The staff would have done anything to satisfy the appetites of a room full of hungry cyclists - we proposed a visit to give them a 'full-house' and they were enthusiastic. One for the notebook that is - so friendly. Thank you.
I was umm-ing and ahh-ing a great deal. My rucksack was bulging with sartorial goodies, euros and passport...Um / Ahh/Um/Ahh/Ummmmm...the boat, Dieppe...
Sometimes I hate myself.
But we went to 'see them off', then Des, Tim O and I set out for a seafront ride. It was going to be a short one to the station via the scenery, but we dallied and enjoyed just watching...
Newhaven Marina - an upcoming place
The seagulls paid scant attention to the fair-faced concrete - look at the little footprints - aww!
Nice sky bringing out the best in the seafront architecture. we speculated on the cost of property overlooking the ferry terminal and The Marina...
http://www.rightmove...y-12481236.html
Here's the other point of view:
The ship to shift the Friday riders to Dieppe.
I had viewed the map a couple of weeks ago and there seemed to be a straight line route to Brighton and Madeira Drive. Why not? Off we went.
Well, this is a bit of a side dish to the main event, which I hope will be fully reported a bit later, but we had a sortie on one of the finest routes known to National cycle Networks - the NC2. Following the coastline, up a steady, long climb, we ended up at some garages at the top of a council estate. Tim's knee was hurting a bit so he was punished further by a bit of cyclo-cross to get to the path again!
Wow! Bring back the Friday Night offroad bit! This section was positively 'Arundellzeqqian' in appearance. Flints with the ability to tear tyres at twenty paces and potholes to shake the fillings. (The Sunday Shiny Bike posse would poop themselves to do this to their glossy machines!)
That passed, and the 'executive triumvrate' ie: us, decided that there is no point trailing through yet another housing estate with the 'coast road' beckoning.
It was a cracking approach to Brighton. UP and down, UP and down (we had been at it all night - come on!) we went past the Baths, a Windmill, and some impressive looking buildings that surveyed the sea. Massive head/ crosswinds that ripped through our wheels and buffeted from both directions - quite a careful piece of riding required. The Marina, a descent and yes! Madeira Drive, courtesy of a nice clean cyclepath in sedate colour. We liked that.
Heavy rollers. Perfect view.
A good ride would be the Newhaven for breakfast at the Pitstop Café, followed by cruise to Brighton (avoiding those craters if poss.) with a bit of a group thing - perhaps on the highpoint overlooking Brighton seafront..?
Passing the time outside Nero provided the necessary resolve to head back into London and we parted - to meet again, don't know where, don't know when...
Good luck to Els who is headed for Belgium (mind the buns) and Stuart, who is taking his shiny Condor Fratello on honeymoon to Paris. We await their reports. (I hope)
And Adrian - Vasco de Gama of the Kent countryside - we look forward to your 'additional extra' too!
The only thing I regret?
There wasn't much of this:
I went upstairs to remove the rain assisted road filth from my encrusted shape and ooops! it is 03:30 in the morning. I must have 'nodded off'.
Our 'Newhaven Night' began as usual - under the Wellington Arch. Simon was taking a rest break by reposing while others arrived. Tourists were throwing their odd change into his cycling cap as they strolled by - probably thinking that the poor soul could do with a good square meal.
Dry, temperate and lovely was the weather as we set off to Sloane Square and beyond. Not so active as a Friday Night Special but the ride group was moving quickly to discharge the metropolis. Then it rained.
Els, Kathy, Simon, Tim O, Tim P, Adrian, Frank, Stuart, David, Des and self - 11 riders and ten bikes. As mentioned earlier, Mr & Mrs Pike had 'trouble at mill', but were able to join at Reigate Hill - and we sped to Gatwick, to dry, to warm and to chat. There's something quite nice about the smaller group - it gives each other a bit more time to socialise. Besides, there was no rush. Reigate was full of chavs - a group of whom tried to irritate Des by launching a big plastic bottle at him whilst tearing round the corner in their '
Reigate was 'alive' and I said to Des "What are all these people doing around at this time of night - it's Thursday, not Friday?" (it was 02:15) Nonchalant Des replied 'Didn't you do the same thing when you were young - get in, an hours kip and out again to work?' "Most certainly not" I lied.
((i) rarely went home, and ii) work? )Gatwick's back entrance to pleasure was negotiated without problem and we dried.
On leaving, it was a tad chilly but dry and we hacked on with only a couple of punctures disturbing the hum of the peloton.
The route into Newhaven was a Legg special, affording good stretches of quiet roads leading to a magic daybreak vista. As you can see, the sun always shines on the righteous!
And we coasted into Newhaven.
Out café - on the face of it - was not in a bijou location.
It just goes to show that looks aren't everything because it was ideal! Bognor's breakfast was good the other week, but this one was a real plate filler - hot and fresh, with 'proper' mugs of steaming tea for 50p. Couple that with a cheery couple of young women behind the counter and it was a recipe for cycling success. Tim didn't want tomatoes so the chef gave him an extra egg!
The staff would have done anything to satisfy the appetites of a room full of hungry cyclists - we proposed a visit to give them a 'full-house' and they were enthusiastic. One for the notebook that is - so friendly. Thank you.
I was umm-ing and ahh-ing a great deal. My rucksack was bulging with sartorial goodies, euros and passport...Um / Ahh/Um/Ahh/Ummmmm...the boat, Dieppe...
Sometimes I hate myself.
But we went to 'see them off', then Des, Tim O and I set out for a seafront ride. It was going to be a short one to the station via the scenery, but we dallied and enjoyed just watching...
http://www.rightmove...y-12481236.html
Here's the other point of view:
I had viewed the map a couple of weeks ago and there seemed to be a straight line route to Brighton and Madeira Drive. Why not? Off we went.
Well, this is a bit of a side dish to the main event, which I hope will be fully reported a bit later, but we had a sortie on one of the finest routes known to National cycle Networks - the NC2. Following the coastline, up a steady, long climb, we ended up at some garages at the top of a council estate. Tim's knee was hurting a bit so he was punished further by a bit of cyclo-cross to get to the path again!
Wow! Bring back the Friday Night offroad bit! This section was positively 'Arundellzeqqian' in appearance. Flints with the ability to tear tyres at twenty paces and potholes to shake the fillings. (The Sunday Shiny Bike posse would poop themselves to do this to their glossy machines!)
That passed, and the 'executive triumvrate' ie: us, decided that there is no point trailing through yet another housing estate with the 'coast road' beckoning.
It was a cracking approach to Brighton. UP and down, UP and down (we had been at it all night - come on!) we went past the Baths, a Windmill, and some impressive looking buildings that surveyed the sea. Massive head/ crosswinds that ripped through our wheels and buffeted from both directions - quite a careful piece of riding required. The Marina, a descent and yes! Madeira Drive, courtesy of a nice clean cyclepath in sedate colour. We liked that.
A good ride would be the Newhaven for breakfast at the Pitstop Café, followed by cruise to Brighton (avoiding those craters if poss.) with a bit of a group thing - perhaps on the highpoint overlooking Brighton seafront..?
Passing the time outside Nero provided the necessary resolve to head back into London and we parted - to meet again, don't know where, don't know when...
Good luck to Els who is headed for Belgium (mind the buns) and Stuart, who is taking his shiny Condor Fratello on honeymoon to Paris. We await their reports. (I hope)
And Adrian - Vasco de Gama of the Kent countryside - we look forward to your 'additional extra' too!
The only thing I regret?
There wasn't much of this:
GrumpyGregry
Here for rides.
That remarkable bit of NCN2 almost put me off sustrans routes for life.
There's not a lot I can add to Des and Aperitif's write-ups.
The ride started out a bit damp, but it was quite fast with so few people. It was nice to leave Gatwick Airport with the weather rather a lot drier, and the final variation on the route into Newhaven (as opposed to the Brighton route) was quite excellent, excepting the very last bit on the main road, which was quite busy since it was a Friday morning, and people were on their way to work.
Des, Aperitif and I probably got to see the ferry before the rest did, given the time they had to wait when we left them.
Full sized panoramic view of the ferry.
What we saw of Newhaven was a bit meh, but the route out had a nice little off-road bit, after quite a little climb out. Unfortunately my right knee started hurting after I left breakfast. I don't know what I did to it, but it was quite painful when I put any force through it, so I had to essentially cycle with just my left leg. Not exactly optimal for NCN2 along the south coast, which has a handful of short climbs along it.
Full sized panoramic view of part of the port.
NCN2 is a little odd around there. There's a nice, if little rugged bit shortly after leaving Newhaven, but then it essentially directs you though a housing estate, to avoid the busy south coast road. Since it eventually dumps you onto that anyway, the effort involved in sending you down this rather soulless bit seems a bit pointless.
With my duff knee, we were a bit slower than would have been ideal, especially with the moderate levels of traffic, so ended up cycling along the cyclepath bit on the pavement at the side of the road. Eventually, from the Marina onwards, you do end up on a small quieter route, which brings you in along the front, and past the Madera Cafe.
We stopped off, as the others have said, for a coffee, chinwag, and spot of Brighton people watching, before departing for the station and a fast trip back to East Croydon for me. For once no one got on at Gatwick with a heap of luggage to block the doorway!
.
Des and Aperitif partaking of mid-morning coffee in Brighton.
My smattering of photos are here.
The thumbnails were hyperlinked to the original images, but the new board software seems to make that so difficult to do now, that I've lost the will to live trying to get it to work.
The route from HPC to Newhaven is on GPSies, and our final bit from there to Brighton station is also on there.
The ride started out a bit damp, but it was quite fast with so few people. It was nice to leave Gatwick Airport with the weather rather a lot drier, and the final variation on the route into Newhaven (as opposed to the Brighton route) was quite excellent, excepting the very last bit on the main road, which was quite busy since it was a Friday morning, and people were on their way to work.
Des, Aperitif and I probably got to see the ferry before the rest did, given the time they had to wait when we left them.
Full sized panoramic view of the ferry.
What we saw of Newhaven was a bit meh, but the route out had a nice little off-road bit, after quite a little climb out. Unfortunately my right knee started hurting after I left breakfast. I don't know what I did to it, but it was quite painful when I put any force through it, so I had to essentially cycle with just my left leg. Not exactly optimal for NCN2 along the south coast, which has a handful of short climbs along it.
Full sized panoramic view of part of the port.
NCN2 is a little odd around there. There's a nice, if little rugged bit shortly after leaving Newhaven, but then it essentially directs you though a housing estate, to avoid the busy south coast road. Since it eventually dumps you onto that anyway, the effort involved in sending you down this rather soulless bit seems a bit pointless.
With my duff knee, we were a bit slower than would have been ideal, especially with the moderate levels of traffic, so ended up cycling along the cyclepath bit on the pavement at the side of the road. Eventually, from the Marina onwards, you do end up on a small quieter route, which brings you in along the front, and past the Madera Cafe.
We stopped off, as the others have said, for a coffee, chinwag, and spot of Brighton people watching, before departing for the station and a fast trip back to East Croydon for me. For once no one got on at Gatwick with a heap of luggage to block the doorway!
.Des and Aperitif partaking of mid-morning coffee in Brighton.
My smattering of photos are here.
The thumbnails were hyperlinked to the original images, but the new board software seems to make that so difficult to do now, that I've lost the will to live trying to get it to work.
The route from HPC to Newhaven is on GPSies, and our final bit from there to Brighton station is also on there.
Yes, but we missed that one by about 30 seconds, and it's more expensive than taking First Capital Connect.
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