FNRttC Friday Night Ride to the Coast 22nd October to Whitstable 2010

[Sittingduck]

I think I have got everything...

Here come!

 

[MacB]

Sorry you can't make it Al. Would have been good to catch up with you again.

What? No sarcasm in my post? Sorry, let me rephrase... I work for a US company, am still at work, and don't expect to leave the office until an hour before kick off.

So what's your excuse again???

Have just finished a 2 hour conference call and have another scheduled in just over an hour, the money's good but it's playing havoc with my day/night cycle

 

[MacB]

Sorry, that last post was me feeling sorry for myself, it's still a job....hope you all have a great time and make sure you overdo it in every sense...I look forward to the ride reports

 

[MacB]

FFS if you hadn't spent quite so long arguing about economics with Ben Lurvejoy you could have finished your work and come out to play, and get a round in tomorrow. Not only was reading that thread like watching a car crash in slow motion but now it looks like it has a real victim as well.

Or to put that another way. Bollocks you will be missed, again.

No, that was for my own amusement????? I don't start work until the evening, I was meant to have been able to bail out early and finish at 9pm, the plans of others changed

 

[The Jogger]

Is anybody out looking for survivors

 

[Sittingduck]

That was wet and windy! Currently still in the waterfront consuming beer

 

[User10571]

Wet, windy, wet, wet. Dramas, punctures, wet, busted chain, then mended chain. Another p*nct*r*. Busted spoke, wheel won't turn - taxi to Whitstable . Bacon baguettes and tea helped. Defective knee (GWS Kim). Proper wet. More punctures. Why after a 10 minute stop, does it take 20 minutes to get a group of cyclists moving again? Why? Oh why? Oh why? Less wet. No wet. Blown across the marshes . Weather calmed itself - it'd had a busy, busy night - most of the evidence was lying in the roads. Breakfast indoors. Outdoors grey. Alcohol taken by some, I took the train instead.

Thank you to all who came out on a night which had a less than optimal forecast. I hope you enjoyed yourselves as much as I did. Did I mention that it was wet?

 

[MacB]

Can I say two things?. Firstly that the above is a fully accurate representation. Secondly that if I managed to convey anything other than total delight, I misrepresented myself.

In sympathy I went out on the bike after work, about 0500hrs this morning, I had the roads to myself, my new lights and got soaked to the skin....bloody marvelous...though I was looping back home to a hot shower and bed

 

[Sittingduck]

That was wet and windy! Currently still in the waterfront consuming beer

STILL here

 

[Davywalnuts]

10 past 2 &.a select elite few are still in thewatercrontft.we lovetjis ride.this we

 

[TimO]

And in English please?

It's possible that he's had one too many glasses of falling down juice.

I had to excuse myself, when I was finding my blood sugar to be far lower than I expected, so decided that I should depart bake Croydon-ward, rather than imbibe more fluids, and consume all of the carbs which I had left in my pannier!

The ride was indeed very fine, and I rather think the small amount of drizzle that we had has been over played. Given the possible rain that we could have had, I think we got off very lightly. Looking at the radar, the rain seemed to split, with the worst going north and south of Whitstable, with only minimal amounts hitting the ride. It was very mild weather, and pretty pleasent for a mid-October ride.

For a sightly damp ride, I think the number of fairy visitations was about what you would expect, and a lot less than some rides. I only saw a couple, which were quickly dealt with, and I think there were a couple of others, plus the aforementioned chain issues.

I missed Kim's departure, and I'm sorry to hear that you had knee problems, I hope that it rapidly cures itself in time for other events (like the York Whitby ride!)

I've now released Talisker,seven or eight hours later than usual, but he was surprisingly mellow about it, presumably having spent the day asleep indoors, instead of asleep somewhere outdoors!

 

[benborp]

I am back. Just a teeny bit shattered. That was easily the most 'atmospheric' FNRttC that I've done. However I don't want to duplicate Davy's error (which is obviously falling into a state of confusion brought on by low blood sugar. Which is very easy to do if you need to feed thighs that size.) So I won't say much more until I have shared a religious moment with a jelly baby or two.

 

[ianrauk]

That was a tough old FNRttC for me. As been said previous, it was incessant rain and blustery winds, and it sure started to drag after a while, which made things hard going. A good few punctures, a couple of mechanicals, a couple of retirements (1 mechanical & one dodgy knee) and a couple of off's. One of them myself. I either overcooked it a little or there was something slippy on a sharp bend resulting in the front wheel slipping away from me and throwing me to the ground. No damage to the bike apart from a lost bar end and scratched pedal. Myself a slightly sore wrist and thigh. So by the time we had got to the Waterfront I had lost the enthusiasm to 1: indulge in brekkie/and or booze and witty banter, and 2: ride back. I just wanted to get home. So sorry for mooching off pretty quick.

Barring all that, an amazing turnout for the ride, especially when most people would have known what the forecast was going to be beforehand.
You certainly can't beat the camaraderie and chatter on a ride like this, Always great to meet and cycle with old friends and new. Becs Sloe Gin was bloomin' gorgeous, just what was needed at the time.. and my shout for "CAKE!" was met with Aperitif producing one of the most glorious offerings of baked tastiness..

Special thanks as always to Keiran at the Cafe.. great organisation as usual. Dunno who got Al's baguette though.....I had my eye on that.

..

Looking forward to the last FNRttC of the year, Novembers Brighton jaunt.

 

[rich p]

I re-changed my mind again and decided to gi for the return ride to the coast. Got in at 5.20 with 150 miles on the clock.

I'll add my appreciation of the ride and company when I get the photos sorted.

It'll say, usual suspects and usual fun - unusually dry though -for me anyway

 

[Sittingduck]

Left the bar at ten to four just got home and feel the need for sleep, after a tough ride and several brown, fizzy waters. Thanks one and all for a good ride