Right I'm back...napped but feel like death!
Thanks all, I'm just glad I am back in the comfort of my own warm bed. These things that cyclists do..what a mad bunch. Feeling a bit wiped out.
So here goes, my memory is not as sharp as it is usually (cue soundbite: woman felled psychologically by CTC rides to coast- after extensive risk assessing, rides are pulled. Organiser Simon Legg stands in fury outside the H&S and CTC offices each friday night of a full moon, replicating his rides by cycling to the offices in the small, dead hours of the night, muttering something about it being like crack):
After rushing around all day sorting things out, got home at half 7 and promptly sorted out some dinner and the prep for the banana bread began. Bread in oven baked for an hour and it still wasn't ready, decided it was too late to nap by this stage and felt that since Southend went ok without a nap I could soldier on(how I regret this one). Bread finally ready after another 30 minutes, mistakenly tried to slice the two loaves while it was still warm/just out- cue crumbled remnants of the first two thirds. It looked a little heavier than usual and not cakey, would probably be that extra banana in there. Got ready, packed the stuff I needed in a now bulging back pack. Checked over the bike and pumped up the tyres. Didn't bother with cleaning down the frame as there was supposed to be rain tonight (hope Ian's not reading, he would not approve).
Rode out up to HPC with a stitch and a headache forming, felt a bit odd, went over a pot hole down the road from HPC and the slow psst of a puncture greeted me. Pushed my poor bike up the road to the traffic lights and met theclaud astride her resplendent steed. Once at HPC where a few had gathered already, sat down and tried to fix my puncture - tried being the word as my fingers and brain weren't working and the simple task of putting the tyre back in with the inner tube was not happening. Theclaud came to my assistance and seemed to cut through my brain fog. A few who knew me upon arriving muttered things along the lines of me being infamous for mechanicals-tsk tsk...a possible jinx according to the claud. Graham who had come on his first night ride offered his super sized pump, as my one for some odd reasons wasn't doing the trick, upon further investigation I hadn't opened the valve correctly- what was wrong with me?! RedJedi introduced himself as did MacB- was nice to meet some more people in the flesh.
Simon peered through theclaud and Graham to check I was here whilst he was ticking names off his register and I was in half and mind to turn back and go home as I was feeling a bit off- was planning to leave the banana bread with a willing and honest rider but eventually thought I would stay and ride it out.
There was the obligatory safety talk and then we set off.
We rode through Grosvenor Square and on towards the southwest. A stop at a park while we regrouped and some went to the 'toilet', One of the riders queried whether somone had gone to get a kebab with his toilet stop. I think there were some punctures/mech issues. We pressed on through Balham where a curious onlooker stuck his head out of the window of a taxi to look at the large group of cyclists passing by and onto Tooting. There was a smallish hill which I seemed to have no leg power to get up. Had a chat with Mistral here. Struggled up the little bump of a hill. Soon enough we were into Morden and surrounds and were passed by a few cars (at which points I forget) that were of the general cyclist hating category. Good luck to them I say! A car full of girls were asking about what we were up to and one hung out with a fag lazily perched in her hand. Passed through Carshalton area (by my estimation) and not long before we were in Surrey.
This is where I started to really struggle, a couple of months of on/off illness and insomia is not a good basis for a night ride folks! My memory and brain only remembers snatches of this ride from this point onwards so apologies if it is all jumbled. Andy/arallsopp trundled up next to me on a few occasions and kept me company- think he could see I was dead on my feet and wheels, I think I held a sort of coherent conversation in snippets, talked about Mista Preston in November, work and family life, he offered me jelly beans by the side of the road when I suddenly had to pull in for fear of a quick approaching bonk or as Andy put it a biological mechanical- knew I was holding others up when the TECs approached. Had no momentum up the hill I forget the road but it began with P so had to get off and walk up it, Tollers had warned me about this lovely hill. A woman rode past and commented that I was going at the same pace as she was riding. The couple who cycled past on a tandem asked if I was ok and mentioned something about cake. A few people checked if I was ok. It all merges into one long, hellish battle. I knew I wasn't all there when my shadow in the front lights of another cyclist made me fearful as i thought the shadow was a pedestrian about to jump out from the bushes. Haunted by myself. There were a few stops here and there but many long sections where I couldn't see another cyclist,no friendly rearlights or edge of a front light. it was by this point past 3am and the rain was starting to come down, the headwind picked up and started torturing me. Felt as if I was cycling alone, growing fearful and cautious of the road surfaces out of no logical grounds-constantly on the brakes and at times grinding my way in the highest gear-my favourite task of descending at super speed downhill wasn't going smoothly- was too cautious and fearful so feathered and full pressed on the rear brake all the way down so hills I would usually fly down. No strength or momentum coming from my legs, desperately pushing ahead, running on what felt like empty even though I'd had plenty to eat and drink - I had a conversation with Ergle (Dave if I remember corrrectly) who thankfully wasn't put off from the ride introduction of the sunday ride. I saw MacB drift past a few times. Briefly spoke to Sig in between gasping up another suprise hill. Graham and I had a conversation and Andy rode with me on a few occasions. Chris who I recognised from the last ride I did I spoke to briefly, can't recall what I said. Rich P rode next to me and kept me company for a short while, no crisp packets in sight. One of the TECs Adam I think kept me company after I had stopped on the side of the road when it felt as if my running on adrenaline alone was not enough to keep me going. Stuaff asked me what happened (I think it was you if you were on the bike you say) on the hill and I replied my health has been sketchy- that may have been my understatement of the year so far. Rode into another pot hole as was really struggling to see road surfaces at this point and someone may have passed me whilst I was saying shitshitshitshitshit! Thankfully no puncture but was very cautious of the road ahead and even more so of the descents.
Got to the cafe after what felt like an age of solo lone riding, my momentum eeking out of every pore and my mutterings here and there. My front fork and wheel wobbled and turned erratically as I lost the strength in my arms to cycle straight. Drafted and sat on the wheel of a couple of riders-thanks to the man with the white Giant bike for that and the gentleman with the double panniers on the back of his upright bike. Had some food and tea, distributed the cake quickly after the call was made for departure and everyone set off again. DesO recognised me from the Windsor ride.
It was a cold slap to the face when we left the cafe with it's nice and warm interior though I could tell it was cold when I went and changed my baselayer in the toilet as the steam was coming off the worn wet baselayer I'd deposited on the floor. Spoke briefly to Sig as I didn't see Tollers at the cafe on my cake round and she didn't know where he was either.
There were a few waiting sessions under petrol stations - this would have made a great picture in the first one we stopped at but no camera.
Setting off more long and lonely stretches, Andy my constant companion rode with me at one point (apologies for the others who I may or may not have talked to!). I was well and truly cream crackered. Began to feel a bit of relief when the darkness was slowly being lifted into the early morning day light. the birds were trilling away. Somehow still crawling along and feathering the brakes at every opportunity. We stopped again and Simon checked how I was doing at one of the petrol stations as he must have had reports back that I was not at my best (thank you all for keeping an eye on me) and suggested that I could catch a train at Haywards Heath 4 miles up the road. Rode along the four miles and the group stopped whilst Simon pointed me in the right direction for the train.
Homeward bound but it hadn't sunk in until I was clattering along in cleated feet under the dry surrounds of the train station. Saw a cyclist from the ride who was in a rush to get home for a deadline. Got my ticket. onto train. Half dozed with a mother and her two daughter gassing away in the seats infront of me occasionally filtering through into my disturbed sleep. woke up, sore throat, sent a text to check if Tollers was ok and had made it somewhere safe. A few texts on my phone,one from Andy who had sent me a text at the bottom of Ditchling asking if I was ahead of him (fat chance of that!!!) Got into London bridge and crawled along at 8/9mph struggling back home.
Got there- my housemate was shocked to see me home so early. I mumbled something,made a milkshake and Horlicks and fell into bed. 56miles in all door to door I think my first Friday Night Ride to the Suburbs.
Hope the rest of you enjoyed the ride all the way and apologies if at points I held you up. See you on another one when I am fit and well!
