FNRttC Friday Night Ride to Shoreham - 20th May

[hatler]

More stats - there were 7 first timers on the ride.

Also, the route to Shoreham shares about 18 miles of the route to Brighton - although not continuously, as we weave sinuously around, joining and splitting off in various places.

I'm aware that there was some confusion amongst the peloton as we headed out of Reigate and passed Lonesome Lane as some thought we were turning down there, and were concerned by the lack of a waymarker.

So as a heads-up, the Brighton ride doesn't go along Lonesome Lane either, nor do we go up Portnalls Road, as there's a more picturesque alternative which isn't as steep, and only has 60% of the total climbing. We don't go down Reigate Hill either. There are some lovely fast downhills though.

Neat. This sounds like fun. I'm all for going different ways.

Is Streat Lane on the itinerary ?

 

[swansonj]

TMN took me completely by surprise overtaking me down Reigate Hill, and I was not hanging about :-)

I've got news for you, never mind downhills, she overtook me at speed on the flat....

 

[Flying Dodo]

Neat. This sounds like fun. I'm all for going different ways.

Is Streat Lane on the itinerary ?

Nope!

 

[lazybloke]

Somebody called Angus failed to answer their name at HPC rollcall and had not communicated their non arrival to Flight Leader (incurring displeasure and mutterings), so I guess your answer is no.

There was an Angus B and an Angus L booked, but it was Angus B who did the ride.

The guy I'm thinking of made it to Shoreham, so must have been Angus B. Young bloke on a single speed.
Having a swim seemed very important to him.

 

[jiberjaber]

A footnote on coincidences. Of the fifty-odd people on the ride, of whom perhaps six caught the same train as me, I ended up sharing a door lobby on the train with @jiberjaber (whom I had never met before). He was heading for his girlfriend's parents' house in Carshalton. But not just any old house in Carshalton: said house turns out to be on the same road and just twenty yards along from the house where I was born and lived till I was 14.

As someone part of whose day job involves debunking coincidences, I know that's not actually as remote a probability as it sounds, but I still thought it was pretty damn impressive.

And I can confirm #2 is still very much there on the right as you enter the road

 

[bobcolover]

Somebody called Angus failed to answer their name at HPC rollcall and had not communicated their non arrival to Flight Leader (incurring displeasure and mutterings), so I guess your answer is no.

i cycled for some time alongside an angus who did the whole ride in shorts and on a single speed, the only one on the ride i think [ the impressive keen strength of youth] ; he was going for a swim after his breakfast.
not a no show.
bob

 

[jefmcg]

with someone having an unfortunate mechanical riding to HPC,

Yeah, that was me. And I politely addressed the text to "Andy". Oops!

My front wheel sounded like it had a football trading card ("specificity is the soul of narrative") wedged in the spokes. Never did find the problem, but removing and replacing the wheel fixed it - so it might have led to something serious. I've had a wheel come out of the forks before, and that's why my right clavicle is now in 2 handy parts.

I had a date with a family in Portslade, so I decided to do the ride anyway. However, I took a wrong turn after Faygate and only noticed when I was approaching the A23, so decided to follow the NCR to Brighton. I'm not at all jealous of your breakfast in Art Deco luxury with infinite refills, because I sat on a pile of splintery logs in a petrol station forecourt eating a cornetto and drinking a Costa coffee from a machine that somehow costs the same as a barista brewed coffee in the centre of London in a cafe with tables and china. I love Art Deco so much I nearly took a job in Nelson, New Zealand. Yeah, not even a little bit jealous

 

[Flying Dodo]

Well done for doing the ride solo! Hope you sign up for Brighton, as the list will be opening soon.

 

[hatler]

@Tim Hall Should we be keeping our eyes open on this thread for any pics ?

 

[ianrauk]

Thanks to @topcat1

 

[Tim Hall]

@Tim Hall Should we be keeping our eyes open on this thread for any pics ?

I didn't take many and there was some kind of malfunction with my camera. I might be able to salvage a couple.

 

[Dogtrousers]

I sat on a pile of splintery logs in a petrol station forecourt eating a cornetto and drinking a Costa coffee from a machine that somehow costs the same as a barista brewed coffee in the centre of London in a cafe with tables and china.

Maybe it's just me but that sounds rather nice.

You have to pay extra for perks like a splintery log and the absence of central London.

 

[hatler]

I didn't take many and there was some kind of malfunction with my camera. I might be able to salvage a couple.

Ooo. That's a shame, and unlike you to have a piece of kit which fails.

 

[Flying Dodo]

In other news, Shoreham have confirmed they'd be delighted to host for us again in 2017.

 

[hatler]

It was all that careful shoe removal and lots of politeness I reckon. That and no food fights.