Not a Christmas Night Ride to Bognor

[Flying Dodo]

Incidentally, this is the GPSies copy of the route that we were planning on using for the 2009 version of this ride (which never happened). The link to BikeHike in the older threads no longer works, since it was stored on the BikeHike server, and that option is no longer available.

I'm assuming that Adam is still expecting to use this route (more or less), of course he may have a cunning plan with a radically new and improved route on it.

Somewhere I've also got the same route split into two at Pease Pottage, which is handy if you're watching the "miles to a the halfway point" numbers on your GPS.

That's the route (more or less) as I've decided against the Dorking variation, as it'll be more likely to have ice, so from HPC it's a traditional Brighton route initially.

This is the likely route as it has a Gatwick Surprise. As there may a few spots where it dips below freezing, we might just stick on the A23 to Pease Pottage services, so we'll see how things go.

And if it's really icy, we can always pop into Gatwick for a break and if anyone asks, we can claim we're the Fridays Cycling Club on the way to our training camp in Tenerife (BA flight 2736 leaves Gatwick 07.40 in case you want to know).

 

[martint235]

Davy are you bringing the zebra or should I plan to get home after dark?

Sent whilst out and about

 

[StuAff]

Ahem: Reigate Hill....
Just saying....
Seriously though, is that going to be safe (safe enough in my case) if there's frost?

 

[StuAff]

You have to go back and conqueror it some time.

I can only agree. I want to get that particular monkey off my back, not least because I got down it safe and sound all the other times. But 35 mph + frost +turns= a bit of worry for me.....

 

[Flying Dodo]

I'll be going 3.5 mph.

 

[StuAff]

I'll be going 3.5 mph.

Where's my radar gun?

 

[Davywalnuts]

Davy are you bringing the zebra or should I plan to get home after dark?

Sent whilst out and about

Zebra took one look and turned around back into the stables.. So ill be on the yellow beast.. Which now sports a 50/34 front chainset. Why are those naff square taper bb/chainsets a nightmare to remove?? Hollowtech all the wine.

Sent from me sitting on the floor covered in grease sipping a fine rosé.

 

[Aperitif]

Sent from me sitting on the floor covered in grease sipping a fine rosé.

Sounds like you need to join the Doc in his bath Davy!

(Scent from Floris )

Be careful out there everyone! Make sure your fragile cakes are double wrapped, and your helmets are correctly positioned in case things become uncomfortable.

 

[StuAff]

Sounds like you need to join the Doc in his bath Davy!

(Scent from Floris )

Be careful out there everyone! Make sure your fragile cakes are double wrapped, and your helmets are correctly positioned in case things become uncomfortable.

 

[frank9755]

I can only agree. I want to get that particular monkey off my back

Quite agree, Stu, it's hard enough negotiating the cats-eyes in the frost with a rucksack on your back. Definitely don't try it with a monkey!

 

[dellzeqq]

do bear in mind the flooded road at West Chiltington. If the temperature drops that could be nasty.

Looks like you've got a heck of a following wind. I'm dead jealous, but leaving the lighting contractor on his own would be risky

 

[TimO]

do bear in mind the flooded road at West Chiltington. If the temperature drops that could be nasty.

Currently the forecast for that part of the world seems to be above freezing by the time we get there, but it may have just hit freezing for a few hours overnight, so I guess there is a risk of ice.

Would it be more sensible to stick with the B2139 for that bit? It looks to be roughly the same distance as the current route, but I don't know the area at all (and can't even remember what that part of the route is like!), so have no idea what traffic is likely to be like, although I'd guess that it would be fairly light at worst.

 

[Flying Dodo]

The B2139 to Storrington is mainly a fast downhill road, but then after that to Amberley, it's undulating with some long drags. For that reason, I think we'll stick with going via the normal route.

I was a bit concerned that the cloud cover would have gone completely, but it now seems that it spreads back after dark tonight and so it looks like temperatures will blip back up a bit. So we may not see the moon at all, but to compensate we might get some nice spooky mist patches around Horsham.

 

[Shadow]

Have been following this thread with interest as had hoped to join you for the last third but my right knee won't be able to take the pressure of going up Houghton Hill.

Have just done a recce of Stream Lane in West Chilt for you and it is very wet. If it dips below freezing , take great care. I was going to suggest going straight on past Stream Lane and taking first right at The Common, after a short sharp incline, which will lead out to the A283 where you would turn left as normal. However, water is flowing over the entire road at the bottom of The Hollow, just before Stream Lane. Again, if it dips below zero, take care.

Am envious, all the best.

 

[martint235]

Have been following this thread with interest as had hoped to join you for the last third but my right knee won't be able to take the pressure of going up Houghton Hill.

Have just done a recce of Stream Lane in West Chilt for you and it is very wet. If it dips below freezing , take great care. I was going to suggest going straight on past Stream Lane and taking first right at The Common, after a short sharp incline, which will lead out to the A283 where you would turn left as normal. However, water is flowing over the entire road at the bottom of The Hollow, just before Stream Lane. Again, if it dips below zero, take care.

Am envious, all the best.

Sorry but a stupid question: why is this place so wet when it's not really rained since Monday??

Do I need to put my mudguards back on?