Aperitif
Meme bar
- Location
- ...I don't have much idea - really.
Not Giving Up - Just Giving.
FNRttC Friday Night Ride to the Coast 26th March in aid of Martlets Hospice 2010
- Thread starter dellzeqq
- Start date
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GrumpyGregry
Here for rides.
FNRttC The was the best FNRttC I've ever done, The Martlets riders were awesome. Simply awesome. The regulars were regulars, like clockwork, a precision machine. Matt J egged me on from HPC until the proximity of his bath and bed in Lindfield got the better of him. Ditchling was climbed and I wasn't feeling too grumpy. Met up with Simon, work colleague from years ago, on his black s-works mtb at Victoria and then had a long chat with him on the run down from the beacon.Aperitif said:
SMRttS (Saturday Morning Ride to the Sham)Bro-in-law #4 Michael cycled down to breakfast on bro-in-law #3's mtb and wanted to make tracks to Chi asap. So apologies to davywalnuts and off we went along NCN2. Headwind, cold, unrelenting headwind. Had to lend Mike an extra layer and my full finger gloves. Quick stop for coffee and cake just west of Worthing. Nearly died about 10 mins later. Stupid boy, I didn't register the give way line on the cycle path as a car, not indicating, came from behind off the dual carriageway. Her brakes and fast reflexes saved the day for me. Scared myself, and Mike. I'm a stupid boy when tired.
Did I mention the headwind? Got past Littlehampton, and the mileometer reported that since midnight I have now exceeded pre-midnight total mileage for 2010!. Then it all began to go pear shaped.
Speed dropped, mind wandering, idiot brain trying to overrule the route on the Garmin. Holistic navigation worked to a degree. Just after I realised Mr Garmin was right and Mr Greg was wrong, a one stop hove into view. Out of water, I drank deep from the wells of Evian and restocked bottles and camelbak. Lovely old lady came up and asked what was up and promised to donate a tenner. Mike is fretting about the time and absence of lunch. Oh my goodness it has just gone 3 o'clock. WTF?!?
Well watered I find I can pick the pace up a bit. In the befuddled recess of my mind a plan forms.... Can I substitute an imperial century for a double metric without incurring the ire of my sponsors. We got to Chi the long way, Sorry Mike I didn't tell you. Just outside Chi up comes the 160km and then bump, with Mike leading the way briefly, I'm lying on the verge!
I saw it happen in slo-mo but was seemingly powerless to stop it. Pick myself up dust myself off and decide train home from Chi is the answer.I catch the 4 o'clock train from Chi to the 'Sham. with seconds to spare. Except it wasn't the 4 o clock train as it turned out but the 14:00. I'd got so knackered I could not tell the time any more 13:00 became 3 o'clock and 14:00 four in my messed up head. What a total numpty I am. 167km done, and a few hot tears of shame, failure and frustration shed on the train home. Tired and emotional!
http://gregorygcollins.posterous.com/#
Feel asleep in the bath when I got home and woke up as I slid beneath the waves.
Typing this in my kit, going out this morning to clock up the missing 33km. Train to Amberley and back home via the lanes is about 35km iirc. Got to be done.
StuAff
Silencing his legs regularly
- Location
- Portsmouth
Greg, think I was that addled myself for a time yesterday afternoon...Set off myself not long after you & Mike, briefly saw you just in front at Hove before I stopped to make a phone call, at the speed I was going didn't see you again. That headwind made for resistance training rather than progress in my case..
Aperitif
Meme bar
- Location
- ...I don't have much idea - really.
Good stuff Greg. I had a car moment too - I wondered if I was in the right of not, as a L driver hit me with her wing mirror and the bloke shouted 'bloody cyclists' etc...
(And why did I write surgery?)
I also had this thought that the googleearth satellite passing overhead, would capture the 'debris as lycra clads'...dotted all over verges in Sussex and beyond!
(And why did I write surgery?
) I also had this thought that the googleearth satellite passing overhead, would capture the 'debris as lycra clads'...dotted all over verges in Sussex and beyond!
I'm alive!! I went to bed at 6.30 last night and didn't wake up till 2am, no 3am I discovered, someone stole an hour of my beauty sleep, I'll never be able to get that back now
Had a midnight dinner and went back to bed and woke up at 10am. I can't remember the last time I slept for so long.
Sorry you couldn't make it all the way to Gatwick with us Alistair, it was a tough route and although promises were made of a nice gentle pace, factoring in all the hills didn't make it as genteel as hoped for. If you had made it up the one last hill I'm sure you could have continued with us after our lunch stop. Next time.
Good banter was enjoyed, which often dropped to schoolboy level of fart jokes and trying to count how many riders were on their "dogs"
After Andrew, Mick, Davy and I split off from the rest of the returnees was when all the fun started.
"One last hill" was followed by "one last hill". One of which was signposted as 20%, just what was needed after riding all night but I was happy that I didn't need to walk up any hills this time.
As we waited for Davy at the top of said 20%er another rider came into view. He stopped for a chat and pointed out that he always does it on the large chainring of his MTB. Not to be outdone Mick took the opportunity to mention the distance and time we had just cycled.
Bad luck to Andrew and his rear derailleur, but after stripping parts of it we couldn't get him running again. At least it didn't happen on one of the fast descents or in the middle of no-where.
After that delay if was even harder going. My body was shutting down slowly, and I breathed a sigh of relief when I entered familiar territory of Kingston, then Hampton Wick where chips and a sit down were definitely on the menu. Davy and I passed on the opportunity to press our sweaty noses up against the window of Sigma Sports and perv the curvy models within.
Got home with 132 miles on the clock. The most I had done since the Dunwich Dynamo last year and was rewarded with a nice cold guinness.
I'm already looking forward to the next one.
Had a midnight dinner and went back to bed and woke up at 10am. I can't remember the last time I slept for so long.
Sorry you couldn't make it all the way to Gatwick with us Alistair, it was a tough route and although promises were made of a nice gentle pace, factoring in all the hills didn't make it as genteel as hoped for. If you had made it up the one last hill I'm sure you could have continued with us after our lunch stop. Next time.
Good banter was enjoyed, which often dropped to schoolboy level of fart jokes and trying to count how many riders were on their "dogs"
After Andrew, Mick, Davy and I split off from the rest of the returnees was when all the fun started.
"One last hill" was followed by "one last hill". One of which was signposted as 20%, just what was needed after riding all night but I was happy that I didn't need to walk up any hills this time.
As we waited for Davy at the top of said 20%er another rider came into view. He stopped for a chat and pointed out that he always does it on the large chainring of his MTB. Not to be outdone Mick took the opportunity to mention the distance and time we had just cycled.
Bad luck to Andrew and his rear derailleur, but after stripping parts of it we couldn't get him running again. At least it didn't happen on one of the fast descents or in the middle of no-where.
After that delay if was even harder going. My body was shutting down slowly, and I breathed a sigh of relief when I entered familiar territory of Kingston, then Hampton Wick where chips and a sit down were definitely on the menu. Davy and I passed on the opportunity to press our sweaty noses up against the window of Sigma Sports and perv the curvy models within.
Got home with 132 miles on the clock. The most I had done since the Dunwich Dynamo last year
and was rewarded with a nice cold guinness.I'm already looking forward to the next one.
Had to register with CycleChat to say a huge thanks for last night's jaunt to Brighton.
The organisation was superb once we managed to get away from the arch and onto the roundabout! The guys acting as place markers/route pointers/traffic stoppers were awesome - what a brilliant job you guys/girls did for the rest of us. Also in need of thanks are the Martlets people who were on hand with tea, sandwiches and cake. That was much needed at whatever ungodly time of the night we stopped!
I admit to being in awe of some of the people that did the ride - the two girls on the tandem, the ultra tall thing, anyone on a fixed wheel and as for the Penny Farthing.
Had a great time although Ditchling got me. I cycled it all the way but had to stop a couple of times to catch breath.
Will certainly be looking out for any other informal rides you guys organise - thanks again.
The organisation was superb once we managed to get away from the arch and onto the roundabout! The guys acting as place markers/route pointers/traffic stoppers were awesome - what a brilliant job you guys/girls did for the rest of us
. Also in need of thanks are the Martlets people who were on hand with tea, sandwiches and cake. That was much needed at whatever ungodly time of the night we stopped!I admit to being in awe of some of the people that did the ride - the two girls on the tandem, the ultra tall thing, anyone on a fixed wheel and as for the Penny Farthing
.Had a great time although Ditchling got me. I cycled it all the way but had to stop a couple of times to catch breath.
Will certainly be looking out for any other informal rides you guys organise - thanks again
.As predicted by myself
whilst still at the Maderia (puncture been fixed, ride not even started):-
Broken bikes
Broken people
Lot's of big hills
Home at a silly hour
Sounds like a great ride...
I only rang to give encouragement and got called a t**t, I'm gutted I missed this and will look forward to Whitstable (can't make Southend), if we can drag ourselves away from the bar....
whilst still at the Maderia (puncture been fixed, ride not even started):-Broken bikes
Broken people
Lot's of big hills
Home at a silly hour
Sounds like a great ride...
I only rang to give encouragement and got called a t**t, I'm gutted I missed this and will look forward to Whitstable (can't make Southend), if we can drag ourselves away from the bar....
MacB
Lover of things that come in 3's
- Location
- Farnborough, Hampshire
mike e said:
I called you a c**t not a t**t, I only answered my phone in case it was home and an emergency, all seems much funnier now after a nights sleep
Luke, if I'd known that a break and food and water awaited just over the next hill then I'd have made it up, somehow. I hadn't refilled the water bottle in Brighton and was rationing myself. Unfortunately the hills had meant that I was leaking far more than I was able to drink. I think that was a major factor in the speed of the 'bonk' that hit me. Even gentle rises were requiring my granny ring and that last hill before Handcross just looked like a vertical wall to me. However even after refuelling i wouldn't have been great, I think I'd let the energy levels/dehydration progress too far for instant recovery from a quick pitstop.
I don't feel too bad now and am off in a minute for a gentle 24 miles, just to get everything ticking over again.
I'd forgotten about the 'big dogs' thing, another classic Walnut moment
GrumpyGregry
Here for rides.
MacB Handcross Hill is what you hit. Kudos for getting that far. It is the westerly cousin of Turners, same Wealden Ridge, the road that links the two villages is called "High Street" for a reason, and it ain't for the shops it offers. If I feel particularly masochistic I can Handcross Hill my commute home. I don't go that way very often. It has an evil twin, Bolney to Warninglid, just to the south.
Everything you say about lack of fuel resonates with me, what is a good strategy? Time to ask in the Audax bit of the forum I reckon.
50km this morning. Can look my sponsors in the eye (mostly) as a result..
Everything you say about lack of fuel resonates with me, what is a good strategy? Time to ask in the Audax bit of the forum I reckon.
50km this morning. Can look my sponsors in the eye (mostly) as a result..
GrumpyGregry
Here for rides.
StuAff said:
Dang. If I had known... Learning point; next time I'll shout "anyone else going west along the coast?" Mike didn't take a single turn in front and used me as a windbreak all the way until just before my wobble. Fortunately yesterday's headwind was this morning's tail wind. I also got to stop and help a passing roadie. Very nice carbon weekend warrior willier. very crap no brand pump.
Matthew planted the germ of Shoreham, through the Adur Gap, and then north as a better, shorter, flatter, route back to the 'Sham than any I've tried to date
Aperitif said:
Here you go
It was very good to see everyone yesterday, everyone that i talked to was in good spirits.
Welldone Simon .
It was well worth getting the train down just to see the martlets riders faces when they reached the finish at madeira.
The ride back was fun
http://tinypic.com/a/1y9fl/3
Glad you got home ok macB
StuAff
Silencing his legs regularly
- Location
- Portsmouth
GregCollins said:
No problem, I'd have held you up, honest...Just about caught up with you at that point but I had no chance after that. Bad Mike, poor form that.
GrumpyGregry
Here for rides.
StuAff said:
Held us up? Nope you'd have simply regulated the pace... Next time maybe.
Mike's a great bloke, used to play rugby with him and though he is 10 years younger than I he is an exceptionally fit gym bunny and runner but as a cyclist he's a novice. He now commutes about 2 miles each way each day on a BSO, rides in the gutter, and doesn't own a 'proper' bike. If I try to draught him he gets very nervous. If I ride a strong primary he gets very very nervous.
Planning to exact some sort of revenge on him on the SDW from B'ton to Eastbourne on Saturday....
(Posted elsewhere too)
That was v. good fun. The whole thing was so friendly - even the natives of Balham were cheery. And a happy smile from a cabbie, what is the world coming to?
I met a nice lady, by the name of Rose, on the train into Victoria who was a Martletts rider. I did my best to dispel her fears, and we chatted about this and that. When we were about three minutes from Victoria she produced a pair of Poundland lights from her bag and decided it was time to try and fit them to her bike. And then broke one... Luckily she met a friend with Gaffa tape at Victoria and all was well.
The scene at HPC was a marvel. Bikes and riders everywhere. Charlotte's Penny stealing the thunder from the Tallbike, then meeting another Penny. Then we hear "we're on our way" for the first time of many and we are.
Chatting, smiling, laughing, riding we progress out of town. At Figges Marsh I was asked by a pair of Bright Young Things from the Martletts side of the event whether there were any official wee stops. Horley. Ah (fx:hop up and down) don't think we'll make that. I explained about peeing behind bushes but it was pointed out that Figges Marsh is spectacularly devoid of bushes. I think legs were crossed until Mitcham.
With Simon's additional safety briefing at the top of Reigate Hill reduced to "don't take the piss", we headed downwards. I overtook the magnificent Charlotte, her rope-bearing outriders strangely absent. There was a brief use of crank extractor and laugh at my tool kit to assist some chap who'd jammed his chain behind the little ring. And then just before Lonesome Lane there as the Penny and rider by the side of the road, surrounded by concerned riders. I carried on going and was soon at the Scout Hut. It's big, isn't it?
Coffee and cake, augmented with a spot of brandy. Nom. The quest began to find the bits to fix the Penny. The fault was diagnosed as a buggered thread on the cotter pin nut, so a washer was sought to space it. Despite searching the depths of my wee plastic box, and matthew taking his bike apart we were unsuccessful in finding one of the right size. Our hopes were further dashed when TimO, of fit everything you'll ever need into a pannier fame, carried neither a suitable tap nor a file.
Just after the break I was feeling a bit weary and was grateful of the stop at Turners Hill, where I had a 5 minute snooze on the green. Feeling much refreshed we headed on down to Lindfield. The butcher's shop was just opening - if we'd stayed on a little longer, hot sausage rolls would have appeared.
A brief break at the greenhouses to hand out the rest of my banananana loaf and then that nice Kats suggested we ride up the Beacon together. Well we started together, but that was it. She's fast you know. Brief recovery drink (Mr Courvoisier's finest) at the top and a bit of chatting, followed by applause for the remaining riders. Zoom down towards Brighton, followed by a slight slowing was we crested the hill by the golf course, then full speed for the seafront, tempered by helping one of the Martlett's rider's, who had bust his chain going over the traffic lights.
A big breakfast, then a dash for the station accompanied by Janie and followed by Pippa and User10571. Then home, then snooze. Absoutely tip top.
Pics here
That was v. good fun. The whole thing was so friendly - even the natives of Balham were cheery. And a happy smile from a cabbie, what is the world coming to?
I met a nice lady, by the name of Rose, on the train into Victoria who was a Martletts rider. I did my best to dispel her fears, and we chatted about this and that. When we were about three minutes from Victoria she produced a pair of Poundland lights from her bag and decided it was time to try and fit them to her bike. And then broke one... Luckily she met a friend with Gaffa tape at Victoria and all was well.
The scene at HPC was a marvel. Bikes and riders everywhere. Charlotte's Penny stealing the thunder from the Tallbike, then meeting another Penny. Then we hear "we're on our way" for the first time of many and we are.
Chatting, smiling, laughing, riding we progress out of town. At Figges Marsh I was asked by a pair of Bright Young Things from the Martletts side of the event whether there were any official wee stops. Horley. Ah (fx:hop up and down) don't think we'll make that. I explained about peeing behind bushes but it was pointed out that Figges Marsh is spectacularly devoid of bushes. I think legs were crossed until Mitcham.
With Simon's additional safety briefing at the top of Reigate Hill reduced to "don't take the piss", we headed downwards. I overtook the magnificent Charlotte, her rope-bearing outriders strangely absent. There was a brief use of crank extractor and laugh at my tool kit to assist some chap who'd jammed his chain behind the little ring. And then just before Lonesome Lane there as the Penny and rider by the side of the road, surrounded by concerned riders. I carried on going and was soon at the Scout Hut. It's big, isn't it?
Coffee and cake, augmented with a spot of brandy. Nom. The quest began to find the bits to fix the Penny. The fault was diagnosed as a buggered thread on the cotter pin nut, so a washer was sought to space it. Despite searching the depths of my wee plastic box, and matthew taking his bike apart we were unsuccessful in finding one of the right size. Our hopes were further dashed when TimO, of fit everything you'll ever need into a pannier fame, carried neither a suitable tap nor a file.
Just after the break I was feeling a bit weary and was grateful of the stop at Turners Hill, where I had a 5 minute snooze on the green. Feeling much refreshed we headed on down to Lindfield. The butcher's shop was just opening - if we'd stayed on a little longer, hot sausage rolls would have appeared.
A brief break at the greenhouses to hand out the rest of my banananana loaf and then that nice Kats suggested we ride up the Beacon together. Well we started together, but that was it. She's fast you know. Brief recovery drink (Mr Courvoisier's finest) at the top and a bit of chatting, followed by applause for the remaining riders. Zoom down towards Brighton, followed by a slight slowing was we crested the hill by the golf course, then full speed for the seafront, tempered by helping one of the Martlett's rider's, who had bust his chain going over the traffic lights.
A big breakfast, then a dash for the station accompanied by Janie and followed by Pippa and User10571. Then home, then snooze. Absoutely tip top.
Pics here
tdr1nka
Taking the biscuit
- Location
- SE London, Bandit Country
Great pics Tim!!
