FNRttC London to Brighton, June 8

[mmmmartin]

you have obviously upped the briefing game since my last expedition

Superb, competent leadership, displaying much grace under pressure, by Adrian (no longer OTP I believe).

 

[Salty seadog]

Thanks so much all for being amazing on my inaugural Fnrttc ride! Esp to Martin for the pre-DB tips, I really had no expectation of making it up there on my heavy bike :O) Unfortunately went for a tactical power nap at 7pm but totally crashed out and missed my friend's 40th!! Doh! Now just need some kind of lighter bike for the next one... and new lights... and some kind of saddle bag...

It's a great experience (or experiment as you called it when you got to the top of Ditchling Beacon). Was my first time on that climb too, it is a grind but seemed over quicker than I expected.
Don't worry about the bike, you conquered all before you.
Look forward to seeing you on another ride. Not long until Whitstable.

 

[Salty seadog]

Splendid planning and leadership from Adrian thank you sir. It's reassuring to see the leader without a gps to get from a2b. Some familiar and some new roads, first go at the beacon for me. Great run down the other side.
@rb58 led a small group on a splendid route through the woods and millionaires row to three bridges where he and I jumped the train, three more riding on.
Great halfway so again.
Well done all, top all upping from @mmmmartin and without @StuartG the tecs could have got rusty.

 

[hatler]

As night rides go, there can't have been many more that have been run in more clement conditions. It can't have dropped below about 12C all night, there was a very slight tailwind and not much darkness.

Very little of note to report. I counted five punctures (one which was fixed before we set off, three en-route and one as we exited The Edifice). One mechanical (Adrian's errant spoke). No retro-reflective cows on Farthing Down. Some pretty hideous surfaces.

Well impressed with Cat getting up the Beacon on that bike.

One novel experience for me was something I tried on the way up Farthing Down. I was near the back, there was no chance of any cars sneaking up on us, and I had one rider ahead of me who was sticking religiously to the left side of the road. So I tried cycling with my eyes closed, keeping the sound of the rider ahead of me in about the same position. I reckon I must have managed at least 20 seconds, possibly thirty, and did this about four or five times. Great fun.

Some fantastic smells on the way through the dark woods (I thought it was lilac but mrs hatler assures me the lilac is over so it must have been lime). On Slugwash Lane we saw a stoat run out right in front of us.

The Slugwash, Hundred Acre, Streat, Underhill Lane combo is glorious (except for the nerk in the incredibly smoky 4x4 who drove like a dick as he passed us just before SlugWash Lane).

Had some great chats and discovered that Charlie sailed the same class of dinghy as me at the same club, but we missed each other by about two years.

Good brekky, except for the sausages which were on a par with the Madeira's abominations.

Good beer too. Sadly, the last three standing had to hit the road so I pootled back up Ditchling Road over the Beacon and down to Hassocks to watch the Criterium de Dauphine in the Proper Cycling cafe. Except that Eurosport was misbehaving, so I sat out the back in the sun reading my book. Once tea and cake was complete I headed to Blackberry Wood for a half half hour kip in the sun before half the hatlers pitched up for the evening's festivities (barbeque and camp fire). Then I slept.

 

[swansonj]

As night rides go, there can't have been many more that have been run in more clement conditions. It can't have dropped below about 12C all night, there was a very slight tailwind and not much darkness.

Very little of note to report. I counted five punctures (one which was fixed before we set off, three en-route and one as we exited The Edifice). One mechanical (Adrian's errant spoke). No retro-reflective cows on Farthing Down. Some pretty hideous surfaces.

Well impressed with Cat getting up the Beacon on that bike.

One novel experience for me was something I tried on the way up Farthing Down. I was near the back, there was no chance of any cars sneaking up on us, and I had one rider ahead of me who was sticking religiously to the left side of the road. So I tried cycling with my eyes closed, keeping the sound of the rider ahead of me in about the same position. I reckon I must have managed at least 20 seconds, possibly thirty, and did this about four or five times. Great fun.

Some fantastic smells on the way through the dark woods (I thought it was lilac but mrs hatler assures me the lilac is over so it must have been lime). On Slugwash Lane we saw a stoat run out right in front of us.

The Slugwash, Hundred Acre, Streat, Underhill Lane combo is glorious (except for the nerk in the incredibly smoky 4x4 who drove like a dick as he passed us just before SlugWash Lane).

Had some great chats and discovered that Charlie sailed the same class of dinghy as me at the same club, but we missed each other by about two years.

Good brekky, except for the sausages which were on a par with the Madeira's abominations.

Good beer too. Sadly, the last three standing had to hit the road so I pootled back up Ditchling Road over the Beacon and down to Hassocks to watch the Criterium de Dauphine in the Proper Cycling cafe. Except that Eurosport was misbehaving, so I sat out the back in the sun reading my book. Once tea and cake was complete I headed to Blackberry Wood for a half half hour kip in the sun before half the hatlers pitched up for the evening's festivities (barbeque and camp fire). Then I slept.

Is this a positive? I completely agree about warmth and tail wind, but half the point of a night ride seems to me to be darkness, and I usually find myself wishing the dark would last for the whole ride.

 

[StuAff]

I have the day off. It's a nice day. I go for a bike ride

A fortnight after that little outing, time to beat the 2018 mileage record…

Weather forecast pretty much perfect for this. Warm, but not too warm, sunny intervals, light easterly wind. Just what you want when you have the last 50 miles of a 180+ mile day heading west. Real Life didn't throw a spanner in the works, my Honda (back at the menders yet again) wasn't going to be done for collection Friday or Saturday (and that's going to be a few more days at least...). So, ride it was....

Off at 2.20 or so. I had a route on the Garmin, but it never got loaded. Most of my route to the smoke was tried, tested, and pretty much lodged in the grey cells, as I've ridden it multiple times (either to Guildford and back, or all the way to the great wen) since Good Friday 2011 (in a Team Hummers peloton, 15 mph average to Victoria...!!). For the first stretch to Petersfield, I opted for a slight variation- rather than going through Havant and Rowlands Castle then north (and on narrow up-and-down gravel-strewn lanes between RC and Petersfield, which I've never much liked), I headed north-west as far as Hambledon, then NE to the A272, from there east to Petersfield. Not exactly a flat route either, but wider roads and less grot on them. From there, back on to my usual route. Made Haslemere in about 2 1/2 hours, so usual solo pace, even with three extra miles from the variation. Guildford just after six, then on to the A3 bike path. Well on, then off (there was a car parked on it....!!!) and on again sharpish. Unfortunately, it was back to being overgrown, so a bit of a trudge along that stretch till I got to Ripley, at 6.45 or so. Stopped at the village green for my sandwich, then on to Ockham (got the right turning first time for once...), Plough Lane and Esher.

Ideally, I'd have gone through Richmond Park after Kingston, but the ever-confusing one way system got the better of me again and I ended up back on the A3 for a bit (memo to self- follow directions for Kingston station or use a GPX for that bit!). Never mind, a decent off-road path and it was going the right way. Into Putney, over the bridge, through Chelsea (pausing to get the lights on), and over Vauxhall Bridge then on to Waterloo & reached Belvedere Road (back of the South Bank Centre etc) at about 9.15. 79 and a bit miles on the clock, so far. After Italian carbs at the Pizza Express, got the just-refilled bottle out of the pannier...bit empty. Hadn't quite screwed the top on. Whoops. Queue emptying pannier before tipping the puddle out, squeezing water out of soggy clothes (nothing damaged or ruined, thankfully), before back round to Waterloo for chinwagging with Martin and Chris W (who, it turns out, was the answer to the question 'Who said hello to me from a car when I was riding north of Alton on Wednesday?') and then on to the NT.

Excellent turnout, and it was good to see a group of Audax Club Portsmouth riders, including Paul C who's done a couple of FNRs before. @StuartG was in exactly the right place to get the first of his punctures sorted out, with exactly the right TEC (@Flying Dodo). Adrian (NOTP any more) delivered an excellent safety talk before we set off (thanks to Adam's expertise, pretty much bang on time). Excellent idea to go south via Kennington and Stockwell (don't know those roads much, lol!), which cut out that awkward turn we make after Clapham Common, before the not-a-variation any more through Tooting. I agree that Farthing Down is a better option than Portnalls Road (better views and a more gradual climb), and I'd brought the right bike for the cattle grids. And as for those grotty roads south of Bletchingley, I know exactly how bumpy they were. Bumpy enough to knock my Garmin out of its mount. Particularly helpfully, it was on a fast descent, so I had quite a way to backtrack once I noticed that odd noise meant something had gone flying..And not for the first time, off I go looking for a matt black object, on a black surface, at night, warning oncoming riders as I did so, didn't want anyone to hit it. The calls of 'Car up' were evidence, if it were needed, of just how effective a couple of Hope Vision Ones are for night riding. By the time I got my Edge back I was last man on the road, not that it was a problem (no turns to miss, and not one but two punctures for TECs to deal with). Thankfully, no-one (not one of us, let alone anyone with a motor) had run it over, and it was fine.

Then, Burstow, where the Scouts again did a terrific job (and one of the handy water butts finally got that bottle full again). On to Turners Hill (shame the easier ascent isn't really an option, it would add further mileage), and then one of my favourite bits, the rolling stretch to Lindfield, and one of my least favourite bits, the climb into Lindfield. At this point, Adrian decided he had to take it easier on account of his broken spoke, so passed leadership to Adam.

And then, the Beacon. For some, this is a horrible climb, for others it's a bit boring, they've done it so many times. For me, though, a Brighton ride just isn't going the right way if it doesn't go over Ditchling. It's always a challenge, though one I know is well within my capabilities, and getting to the summit never feels anything less than an achievement. I like it so much I even chose to go up there one afternoon in a week off last year. Given by that point I had over 125 miles on the clock, and that I'd been up since 8am on Friday, you might expect I trudged up it. Not quite. Second fastest ascent ever, 9:40 for the 0.9 mile Strava segment (fastest 9:28 back in 2011). OK, absolutely nowhere near the Strava KOM for the 0.9 segment (3:57, Lars Petter Nordhaug) but I was pleasantly surprised when I found that out. And I had not one but two bailout gears remaining on the 11-32 dinner plate cassette

Then down (as ever, 'Weeee!!!', and 'Oh **** a red light!!!') to Madeira Drive, and along to the Marina. Stuart's assesment of the place is all too accurate. I found it somewhat remiscent of the Tricorn Centre (definitely not something I wished to reminded of). Usual Wetherspoons breakfast delivered in usual Wetherspoons efficient and speedy fashion. Followed by increasingly usual (for me at least) multiple refills of coffee to fuel the next ride. I declined to join the remaining ACP contingent (Terry of the nice vintage Bianchi, and I forget the other's name) riding back, I was of the view I'd be better off riding at my own pace. Some of the Portsmuthians had left us at Turners Hill, a decision that bemused myself and @Shadow when we discussed it (definitely not a flatter route home). Left the last three drinkers at about 9.45, somewhat after Terry and friend, and unsurprisingly, didn't catch them up. After a tentative exit from the Marina, my speed gradually picked up, and I wasn't in a rush. Apart from which, the alternative was Southern Failways...helpful mostly tailwind, no issues with traffic. It did seem about to rain by the time I got to Chichester, so considered the option of putting up with a train. When I passed Fishbourne station (just west of Chichester, 13 miles or so from home) I looked for the next train west. Nearly an hour...or I could just keep on riding and be home, or nearly there. Option refused. Speed remained steady anyway. Back at about 1430, 190 miles done, second longest ride ever. Yes, I was tempted to stick the extra miles in for another imperial 200, but CBA by that point (and it wouldn't seem right to not zero the Garmin, have a kip and then do another ten).

Thanks one and all, and for those of you going to Normandy, see you in a few weeks!

 

[rb58]

At least one rider triggered the speed camera on the descent into Brighton.

 

[Redlight]

At least one rider triggered the speed camera on the descent into Brighton.

Sorry - won't do it again. (62.4kph, according to the Garmin).

 

[Flying Dodo]

Can't add anything to the numerous eloquent postings above, although I will offer up a small apology to the small band of front runners who followed me round the bend in the small hamlet of Westmeston. I wasn't looking at my GPS and so initially missed the left turn for the Beacon, and so had to do a U-turn.

 

[Redlight]

Yes, I'd been a bit surprised to find no one marking the turn at Westmeston so decide to stay there for those still behind me. I was a bit surprised when Flying Dodo and his entourage appeared a few minutes later!

All in all, it was a lovely ride, the handful of mechanicals notwithstanding. Although it was busy, the 'new' route to Tooting Bec seemed to reduce the opportunities for the group to get broken up by traffic lights and other obstructions and it did give us a chance to observe the nightlife of Kennington and Clapham at its most colourful. I love the climb over Farthing Down, especially in the dry, and I think the warning given before the hills afterwards led to everyone taking them very carefully. Much as I like to barrel down them, the point made upstream about there being a difference between the attitude of an individual rider and that of a ride leader is valid and should be respected.

I rode back some of the way with rb58 (thanks for the alternative route) and two others, then veered off with Mark (surname unknown, occasionally OTP) for a very pleasant run back to Lewisham via Lingifeld, Edenbridge and Biggin Hill, getting home at about 3.30, I think.

Thanks to all for leadership and company.

 

[hatler]

Is this a positive? I completely agree about warmth and tail wind, but half the point of a night ride seems to me to be darkness, and I usually find myself wishing the dark would last for the whole ride.

I was thinking of all the things that would make it attractive to first timers. I tried persuading all the cyclists at my new work and all mrs hatler's newfound cycling buddies to give it a go, but drew a blank. This would have been the perfect lead in to Friday Night Riding. Oh well.

 

[hatler]

Oooo, and ref the speed camera, @mmmmartin and I took a late call to see if we could set it off. I was doing 37.5 as I passed it and am pretty sure it didn't flash.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

We were given plenty of advance warning, and the darkness and conditions meant that no one I saw was tempted to go fast. A sort of inbuilt traffic calming. All went well.

I'm not convinced that being well lit and wide is an advantage on Reigate hill as it tempts people into excess speed.

What is this madness of which you speak? Excess speed? I recognise the individual words but not the combination.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Thanks so much all for being amazing on my inaugural Fnrttc ride! Esp to Martin for the pre-DB tips, I really had no expectation of making it up there on my heavy bike :O) Unfortunately went for a tactical power nap at 7pm but totally crashed out and missed my friend's 40th!! Doh! Now just need some kind of lighter bike for the next one... and new lights... and some kind of saddle bag...

You are a legend. And on a lighter faster bike....

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Glad to hear it - and agreed that points of view differ. If I say that you have obviously upped the briefing game since my last expedition, please take that in the very positive spirit it's intended, and long may it continue.

The gravel encountered on the Bognor Edition had all washed away. Plus being able to actually see made a huge difference.