The second DA event of 2010 kicked off from Horsham Pavilions in the Park at 09:30 on a sunny Sunday morning. After getting everyone to sign in, I gave a quick briefing, handed them their instructions/clues and sent them on their way. They'd grouped themselves into four teams and when they'd departed I hung around just in case any entrants were running late. I'm glad I did because Colin, having ridden all the way up from near Chichester, turned up at 10:05. I gave him his paperwork and repeated the briefing I'd given the others and then left him having a cup of coffee whilst I took a short cut to intercept the others when they reached the 7 mile stage of the event at Colgate.
Getting there, the first team I saw was Dave and Brian - they were using Brians car to get round as Dave is still on his long journey to recovery from his traumatic accident last November. We waved at each other as they went by and I looked down the road to see if anyone else was approaching. After a few minutes I found myself wondering if Dave and Brian were in the lead or at the tail of the field so decided to catch them up and ask.
A short climb back up to The Dragon and then right onto Tower Road, I was soon speeding down the hill and caught up with them just the other side of the A264 as they collected a clue in Faygate village. They confirmed they were leading the field so I decided to ride up the next hill and wait for the rest of the competitors at the turning into Wimlands.
First team to take the turn were Dave and Brian, followed some 10 minutes later by Sue, Gill, Louise, John and Richard. As I waited for the next team, a couple of vintage tractors turned out of the road. Here's a picture of one:
A few minutes later John and Norman passed through. I waited a while longer then decided to move on myself as I was getting a little cold.
I caught up with John and Norman towards the end of Wimlands and, shortly after, passed Sue, Gill and co as they were busy counting how many logs were lining the road at Crooked Chimneys. It was now trying to rain and I could feel the odd spot on my arms but I pressed on towards Capel. Here I'd given instructions to "Turn Left onto B2126 (s.p. Ockley & Ockley Station)" but the sign was no longer there! It hadn't been knocked over as the support posts were still in place so I assume someone must have stolen it - perhaps for the scrap metal? Morons! Next I turned into Weare Street and was really enjoying this pretty lane which was lined with delightful woodland and masses of bluebells when a sudden fierce snarling and barking alerted me to a dog tracking me along the lane. Although he was behind a link mesh fence, I wasn't sure whether it was complete so I accelerated away just in case. I think the fance must have held him back because only a few hundred yards further on I was a sitting duck as I crawled up a short sharp climb - as I rose out of the saddle I was listening carefully for any sound of the approaching beast but thankfully he didn't appear.
A mere half mile later and I had reached the lunchtime pub to find Dave and Brian sat in the car park waiting for everyone else to catch up.
.... to be continued.......
The Punchbowl at Oakwoodhill (or is it Okewoodhill?) was fairly quiet when I walked in but the table I was hoping to bag, right by the window, was already in use. I ordered a pint of Sussex and a sausage and onion sandwich, and sat at a table next to the inglenook fireplace. The beer was just right and I’d more or less finished my sandwich by the time most of the competitors arrived. As they handed in their answers I gave them the questions/route for the afternoon. Once the last team had arrived, I circulated a set of photos showing all the answers to questions they’d spent the morning acquiring and set about marking everybody’s answer sheets. They all got the answer to “Katie Price has her breasts reduced?” although a teammate had to explain why the answer was “Little Jordans” to John!!
The sun hadn’t put in a reappearance by the time we set off for the afternoon section and looked to have given up for the day. Although I’d waited for everyone else to leave before I remounted, I knew I’d get to the finish before them as I was going to cut out a three mile loop through Warnham that they had to do. Sure enough I was first to arrive at the Horsham Park Café and I sat down with a coffee and piece of cake to listen to the Horsham Accordion Band playing a selection of accordion favourites!
Once again, the first competitors to arrive were Dave and Brian but they were closely followed by Sue, Gill, Louise and Richard – John was last seen speeding across the park in the wrong direction, so Richard set off to rope him in…..
As people handed their afternoon answers in, I could see that they’d all got most of the answers and that several of them had spotted two possible answers to one question – so I allowed either answer to be correct. I was expecting to have to use a tiebreak to settle the result but everyone had the same (and correct) answer to the tiebreak question so I was rather relieved that it wasn’t necessary – there was a clear result for every position.
In first place with No answers wrong were Pete, Marion and Veena.
In second place with just one incorrect answer were John and Norman.
In third place with two incorrect answers (they’d actually forgotten to write one answer down!) were Sue, Gill, Louise, Richard and John.
Fourth place went to the guys in the car – Dave and Brian, with Colin admirably continuing his sweeper role to complete the result in fifth place – he’d only missed four answers which is not bad considering he was riding by himself for most of the day.
This weeks ride starts at Three Bridges Station at 09:30 hrs and will be a 40 miler with a café stop at Westerham for lunch. Led by John C, it’s rated as a Medium ride.
Getting there, the first team I saw was Dave and Brian - they were using Brians car to get round as Dave is still on his long journey to recovery from his traumatic accident last November. We waved at each other as they went by and I looked down the road to see if anyone else was approaching. After a few minutes I found myself wondering if Dave and Brian were in the lead or at the tail of the field so decided to catch them up and ask.
A short climb back up to The Dragon and then right onto Tower Road, I was soon speeding down the hill and caught up with them just the other side of the A264 as they collected a clue in Faygate village. They confirmed they were leading the field so I decided to ride up the next hill and wait for the rest of the competitors at the turning into Wimlands.
First team to take the turn were Dave and Brian, followed some 10 minutes later by Sue, Gill, Louise, John and Richard. As I waited for the next team, a couple of vintage tractors turned out of the road. Here's a picture of one:
A few minutes later John and Norman passed through. I waited a while longer then decided to move on myself as I was getting a little cold.
I caught up with John and Norman towards the end of Wimlands and, shortly after, passed Sue, Gill and co as they were busy counting how many logs were lining the road at Crooked Chimneys. It was now trying to rain and I could feel the odd spot on my arms but I pressed on towards Capel. Here I'd given instructions to "Turn Left onto B2126 (s.p. Ockley & Ockley Station)" but the sign was no longer there! It hadn't been knocked over as the support posts were still in place so I assume someone must have stolen it - perhaps for the scrap metal? Morons! Next I turned into Weare Street and was really enjoying this pretty lane which was lined with delightful woodland and masses of bluebells when a sudden fierce snarling and barking alerted me to a dog tracking me along the lane. Although he was behind a link mesh fence, I wasn't sure whether it was complete so I accelerated away just in case. I think the fance must have held him back because only a few hundred yards further on I was a sitting duck as I crawled up a short sharp climb - as I rose out of the saddle I was listening carefully for any sound of the approaching beast but thankfully he didn't appear.
A mere half mile later and I had reached the lunchtime pub to find Dave and Brian sat in the car park waiting for everyone else to catch up.
.... to be continued.......
The Punchbowl at Oakwoodhill (or is it Okewoodhill?) was fairly quiet when I walked in but the table I was hoping to bag, right by the window, was already in use. I ordered a pint of Sussex and a sausage and onion sandwich, and sat at a table next to the inglenook fireplace. The beer was just right and I’d more or less finished my sandwich by the time most of the competitors arrived. As they handed in their answers I gave them the questions/route for the afternoon. Once the last team had arrived, I circulated a set of photos showing all the answers to questions they’d spent the morning acquiring and set about marking everybody’s answer sheets. They all got the answer to “Katie Price has her breasts reduced?” although a teammate had to explain why the answer was “Little Jordans” to John!!
The sun hadn’t put in a reappearance by the time we set off for the afternoon section and looked to have given up for the day. Although I’d waited for everyone else to leave before I remounted, I knew I’d get to the finish before them as I was going to cut out a three mile loop through Warnham that they had to do. Sure enough I was first to arrive at the Horsham Park Café and I sat down with a coffee and piece of cake to listen to the Horsham Accordion Band playing a selection of accordion favourites!
Once again, the first competitors to arrive were Dave and Brian but they were closely followed by Sue, Gill, Louise and Richard – John was last seen speeding across the park in the wrong direction, so Richard set off to rope him in…..
As people handed their afternoon answers in, I could see that they’d all got most of the answers and that several of them had spotted two possible answers to one question – so I allowed either answer to be correct. I was expecting to have to use a tiebreak to settle the result but everyone had the same (and correct) answer to the tiebreak question so I was rather relieved that it wasn’t necessary – there was a clear result for every position.
In first place with No answers wrong were Pete, Marion and Veena.
In second place with just one incorrect answer were John and Norman.
In third place with two incorrect answers (they’d actually forgotten to write one answer down!) were Sue, Gill, Louise, Richard and John.
Fourth place went to the guys in the car – Dave and Brian, with Colin admirably continuing his sweeper role to complete the result in fifth place – he’d only missed four answers which is not bad considering he was riding by himself for most of the day.
This weeks ride starts at Three Bridges Station at 09:30 hrs and will be a 40 miler with a café stop at Westerham for lunch. Led by John C, it’s rated as a Medium ride.
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