StuAff
Silencing his legs regularly
- Location
- Portsmouth
Well, it didn't bounce...Or need it to enable bouncebackability down Reigate Hill!!
FNRttC Friday Night Ride to the Coast - Whitstable June 1st
- Thread starter dellzeqq
- Start date
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GrumpyGregry
Here for rides.
A wonderful ride. Whitstable was my first FNRttC love and it will be my last. Or something.
The pre-meet at Victoria was phun, and the pavement on Victoria Street useful. Waterloo start a hoot especially coming round the corner and seeing the size of the crowd. But lawks there seemned to be a heck of a lot of traffic lights on the way out.
Waymarked once, in the rain, with a full bladder. Well that will learn me. Mashed the big ring down some Godforsaken dual-carriageway afterwards which felt good. I shall light a candle in thanks for the Strood crew at Church tonight. I've never been so glad to see a Catholic Church in my life before. If the Cabin ever turns us away I'm sure we could arrange the same in the 'sham if it were ever needed.
The ride confirmed that the implant I had fitted to my hip by Buckingshamshire County Council in April doesn't like start stop riding. It seizes up during the stops and takes me 10 minutes to get going, during which I go backwards through the field only to ease off and let me overtake the overtakers. I think I'll be hanging around at the back on LonJOG. Quite the angry not-so-little Haemangotoma today.
SMRbtH now stands for Susie's Marvellous Riding beats the Hills in my mind. She was amazing all night.
The pre-meet at Victoria was phun, and the pavement on Victoria Street useful. Waterloo start a hoot especially coming round the corner and seeing the size of the crowd. But lawks there seemned to be a heck of a lot of traffic lights on the way out.
Waymarked once, in the rain, with a full bladder. Well that will learn me. Mashed the big ring down some Godforsaken dual-carriageway afterwards which felt good. I shall light a candle in thanks for the Strood crew at Church tonight. I've never been so glad to see a Catholic Church in my life before. If the Cabin ever turns us away I'm sure we could arrange the same in the 'sham if it were ever needed.
The ride confirmed that the implant I had fitted to my hip by Buckingshamshire County Council in April doesn't like start stop riding. It seizes up during the stops and takes me 10 minutes to get going, during which I go backwards through the field only to ease off and let me overtake the overtakers. I think I'll be hanging around at the back on LonJOG. Quite the angry not-so-little Haemangotoma today.
SMRbtH now stands for Susie's Marvellous Riding beats the Hills in my mind. She was amazing all night.
U
User10571
Guest
StuAff
Silencing his legs regularly
- Location
- Portsmouth
Marvellous it was. Being cheered off like that is always nice.
I think it was relief on their part that the night rides actually existed and that I hadn't just been disappearing for 15 hours once a month around the time of the full moon.
Thanks everyone for the great feedback and appreciation of the organisation of the midway stop. My wife, Angela was the main organiser, who cajoled people into making cakes, cleaning the hall, making signs, preparing rolls, turning up at 2.30am. She was even back at the hall at 8.45am to open the doors for the Probation Service and the community service 'volunteers' who have done such a great job in decorating the hall. I am very proud of her. xx
I am pleased to report that we made enough money to have the floor refurbished and we are now looking forward to a grand opening once the Summer is over.
See you all soon.
Nice one...
StuAff
Silencing his legs regularly
- Location
- Portsmouth
Blessed are the cake (and roll) makers 
Excellent news about the floor.
Excellent news about the floor.
U
User10571
Guest
Excellent news!
I am of the view that the flashing red light was an exceptionally cool (and appropriate) touch.
Glitter and tinsel is all it takes.
Easily pleased, me.
ceepeebee
Veteran
- Location
- Some imaginary Flanders
must agree - the whole Strood interregnum was marvellous - Tim, please pass on my congratulations to whoever made that brownie, it was very very proper.
Random thoughts:
The thing(s) I really liked about the different start point - much more shelter - as it was raining a bit when I arrived - this was v v welcome - and the vista - the view across the river from the Southbank is up there with any cityscape, especially at night, I think it provides a lovely backdrop to the safety talk. And yes, there's toilets and refuelling options too. Slight downer - Waterloo roundabout - I hate that bloody thing, but I'm sure I can find an alternative to using it.
I'm getting better: two years ago I did my first FNRttC and I spent a lot of it cross-eyed and struggling, walking up those hills into Gravesend. This time - I didn't sail up gracefully like a basque pigeon, but I got up them, and with gears to spare (that bugger not far from the end beat me though - but not next time). This felt like a real accomplishment - and one I put down to doing these rides, and rides associated - so thank you all, for every encouragement.
This is my favourite of all the rides I think, it was my first, so there's that but.... it has the widest range of experiences I think, a bit of everything. For me only Felpham runs it close (very close at that).
That last 5 miles was brutal yes, but.... I loved every minute, my good riding buddy Mark (he was sporting overshoes that were basically ass-less chaps for your feet - that's quite the concept) did tow me for a lot of it, but I was at the top of my limit, but we caught on to a faster group and held on - another achievement that makes me grin. This and the hill thing makes me much more confident for Lon-Bing.
And then the waterfront, yes, the finest final stop of all, I was gutted that I had to dash off and not partake in brown booze, but family beckoned.
Basically, well done everyone, well done indeed. Especially Simon and the Tecs though.
Some pretty poor photos here(not sure what happened, usually better than that)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/brassica/sets/72157630032494800/
(this effusive post may have been brought to you by best part of a bottle of Fitou, normal grumpy service will be continued tomorrow)
Random thoughts:
The thing(s) I really liked about the different start point - much more shelter - as it was raining a bit when I arrived - this was v v welcome - and the vista - the view across the river from the Southbank is up there with any cityscape, especially at night, I think it provides a lovely backdrop to the safety talk. And yes, there's toilets and refuelling options too. Slight downer - Waterloo roundabout - I hate that bloody thing, but I'm sure I can find an alternative to using it.
I'm getting better: two years ago I did my first FNRttC and I spent a lot of it cross-eyed and struggling, walking up those hills into Gravesend. This time - I didn't sail up gracefully like a basque pigeon, but I got up them, and with gears to spare (that bugger not far from the end beat me though - but not next time). This felt like a real accomplishment - and one I put down to doing these rides, and rides associated - so thank you all, for every encouragement.
This is my favourite of all the rides I think, it was my first, so there's that but.... it has the widest range of experiences I think, a bit of everything. For me only Felpham runs it close (very close at that).
That last 5 miles was brutal yes, but.... I loved every minute, my good riding buddy Mark (he was sporting overshoes that were basically ass-less chaps for your feet - that's quite the concept) did tow me for a lot of it, but I was at the top of my limit, but we caught on to a faster group and held on - another achievement that makes me grin. This and the hill thing makes me much more confident for Lon-Bing.
And then the waterfront, yes, the finest final stop of all, I was gutted that I had to dash off and not partake in brown booze, but family beckoned.
Basically, well done everyone, well done indeed. Especially Simon and the Tecs though.
Some pretty poor photos here(not sure what happened, usually better than that)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/brassica/sets/72157630032494800/
(this effusive post may have been brought to you by best part of a bottle of Fitou, normal grumpy service will be continued tomorrow)
swansonj
Guru
A question: how does Whitstable compare with Felpham in terms of strenuousness? I did Brighton twice last year and finished comfortably with some energy to spare, indeed cycling home after one of them. This Whitstable ride was my third Friday and I finished still with something to spare but rather less than after Brighton. How much harder again is Felpham?
Sittingduck
Legendary Member
- Location
- Somewhere flat
Felpham is a touch harder, I think. There's usually a prevailing tailwind on the Whitstable ride and Felpham is usually straight into one. There are also a little more rolling up & down bits, on the way to Felpham. Oh, and I think it's slightly longer? It's not a killer though by any means.
U
User10571
Guest
Some 36 hrs later, we reach Nirvanah...1875482 said:
