FNRttC Friday Night Ride to the Coast 13th March 2009

[TimO]

Unlucky TimO - best wishes for a fair recovery. 'Catavet Emptor' is the art of knowing you have to leave the bike at work to pick up an animal...

It's mainly the lurgy, not the cats fault. On the November ride I wasn't feeling totally OK, and ended up at the back of the ride, and not just because I was doing TEC duty! I'm a bit tired, got a mild headache, and rumbling stomach, so I suspect it's not wise to try and do the ride, but I was looking forward to it. Bah.

 

[dellzeqq]

Dan B (ungrizzled old timer)
Adrian C (grizzled old timer)
User10571 B (grizzled old timer, but looking good)
radius
arallsopp
Fred S
Jack F
Will K
Hannah C
Brian P (grizzled old timer)
flying dodo (grizzled old timer)
Morag M (50/50)
Greg C
Paul R (ungrizzled old timer)
Hatler
Aperitif
Chris B
Simon P
Marna G
Des O'D (grizzled old timer)
ilovebikes
Els V
Dave J
Tom McD
Robbie D
Dan P
Isa T
Iain C
topcat1
Dave S
Ben P
Jonathan C
Tim F
Louise L
Jon A
Alan P
Caitlin R
Alan L (who may, for all I know, arrive fresh from John O'Groats)
Gerald C (ungrizzled old timer)
Ed O
Matt S

And that's it. I'm turning people away because I want to keep the ratio of newcomers to grizzled old timers (you know who you are, but, if in doubt, see above) to something sensible. Metcheck is still showing a fairly strong headwind, and, in line with the cat's predictions, 0.2mm of rain, which means that the not-so-speedy riders will be relying on the stronger riders for a back wheel. And some of us are going to have to do route B into Gatwick, and some of us are going to have to settle for Marks and Spenser's coffee rather than Costa Coffee. Yech!

Will somebody remind me to text ahead to TT as we go along? - he's meeting us en route (loud cheers).

 

[dellzeqq]

What kind of pace will you lot be riding at? The poker night has been cancelled so I might be up for this... although not been feeling 100%.

Cheers
SD

yhpm

 

[hatler]

Fantastic !! Who'd have thought you'd be turning people away from a mid-March overnight ride.

 

[dellzeqq]

Fantastic !! Who'd have thought you'd be turning people away from a mid-March overnight ride.

I'm not happy about it, but with a couple of the grizzlies off and Gatwick's limited capacity....

 

[TimO]

Fantastic !! Who'd have thought you'd be turning people away from a mid-March overnight ride.

Another Grauniad article, and you could be into treble figures in the warmer months!

 

[mike e]

A very good evening Simon from up here in Hull,

Best wishes (and all who ride) on your first FNRttC for 2009, just read the comment regarding the size of the group, will this be just for this first ride? I've already booked myself a train for the April ride to Southend (never ridden before) and also booked for the May ride + 3 of the Paddington bed & breakfasters! Had to book early to take advantage of cheap deals, credit crunch and all that!

 

[dellzeqq]

Mike - you're already on the list for the April ride, and, to be honest, it wouldn't hurt if we had sixty for that one, and, if those are the same bunch of bed and breakfasters we met last year, then they'll all be on the May ride.

I've discussed the upper limit thing with User10571 and others a few times, and we haven't really come up with an answer. 69 last year to Shoreham was a bit much through Putney and Kingston, but I think we could manage 90 or so down to Brighton.

 

[mike e]

Thanks Simon, yes the lure of the open (once out of London) dark road was too much for the bed and breakfasters, and to be honest me banging on about just how spectacular dawn over Whitstable looks did help.

One of them suffers massively from sleep deprivation, prepare for a night of fun!

 

[Dan B]

Dan B (ungrizzled old timer)

I can grizzle if you want me to

 

[TimO]

If I'm not feeling too out of it, I may pop along to the start, and cycle with you until about Mitcham Common, when I can zag across to home, probably only adding less than a mile to my commute.

I can't change my mind and do the ride anyway, since I'm missing some of the kit I would carry for the ride, and the cat will need to be given his antibiotics when I get home (admittedly a little later than he would get it otherwise).

 

[dellzeqq]

Dan B
Adrian C
User10571 B
arallsopp
Fred S
Jack F
Brian P
flying dodo
Paul R
Hatler
Aperitif
Chris B
Simon P
Marna G
Des O'D
ilovebikes
Els V
Dave J
Tom McD
Robbie D
Dan P
Isa T
Iain C
topcat1
Dave S
Ben P
Jonathan C
Tim F
Louise L
Jon A
Alan P
Caitlin R
Alan L
Gerald C
Ed O
Matt S
Elizabeth N
Charlotte B

thanks for that, Adrian. I think all the bikes will drift down to Costa, and people can forage from there...

The Mysterious Pavel will be there!

Tim - it will be good to see you, not least because you are the most proficient tyre changer I know.

 

[Soltydog]

hope you all have a good ride. I'd rather be there than working

 

[TimO]

...Tim - it will be good to see you, not least because you are the most proficient tyre changer I know.

You'll have to arrange any fairy visitations in the first twelve miles or so then.

 

[dellzeqq]

You'll have to arrange any fairy visitations in the first twelve miles or so then.

if they're going to happen, that's mostly where they happen....