DA Picnic - Wisborough Green

After watching a number of TV programmes about bikes and cycling during the week, it was good to get out on my own machine. Just a few hundred yards after I'd started, another cyclist joined the road in front of me. Mounted on a fast road machine and wearing a "Crawley Triathlon" shirt, the other rider looked like he would be faster than me but within fifty yards or so I realised I'd have to overtake him to stay at the pace I needed. As I went past I said good morning and moaned about the wind (natures, not mine). Half a mile later I realised the crafty fellow had latched into my slipstream and was getting a free ride! Hmmmm. What to do? I didn't want to up the pace as I was riding as fast as I wanted, similarly I didn't want to slow down because I was riding as fast as I needed…. I decided to change my route and rather than use the main road to Horsham, I'd use the Forest Road. First thing to do was head for K2 Leisure Centre - I turned left - he only followed me! He was still close on my tail as I took the next right but then I finally managed to lose him - being on a mountain bike, I'm quite happy jumping up and down kerbs and by jumping onto the cycle track to K2 I gained a good 25 yards (during which I put in a short burst of extra speed to completely shake him off).

From K2 it was up Pease Pottage Hill and an encouraging wave from a pedestrian as I neared the top. The traverse of the roundabout was quietly safe and amazingly there was no queue for the car boot sale as I passed the Services. The road through the village has been resurfaced (top-dressed with tar and stones) disguising some of the potholes near the drains. As I passed the entrance to Cottesmore School I indulged in my usual game of trying to sing a steady note whilst going over the ridged yellow lines designed to slow traffic down (not so much rumble strips as yodelling strips?). My singing practice was neatly bracketed by two groups of Horsham Cycling Club riders resplendent in their club uniform and (I fancy) all riding identical bikes. In my mind I was contrasting them with our club uniform of non-uniformity - in apparel, machinery and probably everything else (except our enjoyment of cycling around these parts).
Passing through Colgate there was the usual depressing sight of The Dragon still closed for business - I found myself wondering how much money Hall & Woodhouse made from flogging off/closing so many of the old King & Barnes pubs? Incidentally, what came first - Colgate the village or Colgate the toothpaste?

When riding Forest Road I'm in the habit of putting my rear light on in flash mode and it seemed particularly effective this time as every passing car gave me a lovely wide berth. It's also mainly downhill from Colgate to Horsham so I was rattling along at a good pace - I can't say how fast though because my speedo was covered up by some copies of the Pedaller I had clipped in my map holder.

On arrival at the Pavilions in the Park I was met by Barbara, the ride leader, and Anton. We waited around for a short while but nobody else materialised so Barbara lead us off north out of Horsham and up Langhurstwood Road. The tip was a bit smelly but we were soon past it and onto Friday Street which eventually climbs up to Muggeridge's Hill where we had a short breather before heading on towards Capel. Here we joined the A24 for a few hundred yards before heading further west and then turning south onto Weare Street. There's a no-through road on the right called Vann Lake Road - in aerial views it looks like it might go through to Friday Street in Ockley, I wonder if anyone reading this blog has ever ridden it?

We continued on over the A29 and past The Punchbowl at Okewoodhill before heading south then west to Ellens Green. This was followed by Cox Green and Baynards before going down Cooks Hill, across the A281 and on to The Mucky Duck. Here we turned right onto the Loxwood Road before taking another pretty road, Drungewick Lane, on the left. There's a large house off this lane that I think is owned by some rock star or other - I've no idea who. At the end we turned left and then, a few hundred yards later, right and onto Durbans Road which took us all the way to Wisborough Green. Arriving pretty much bang on time at 12:05, we were surprised to be the first ones there but within a couple of minutes the Bognor and Chichester crew arrived followed some 15 minutes later by the Arun and Adur posse.

We all sat down in the shade of a tree and enjoyed our picnic lunches (washed down with beer/cider by the Horsham and Crawley members). We had interesting conversations on a number of topics but were especially pleased to welcome Dave Galle, admirably aided by his daughter Louise and a couple of their terrier dogs. Dave continues to make progress but feels his recovery has been slowed down a little by some new medication he's been given that has some unfortunate side effects (unfortunately for us, Dave gave us some hints about the side effects!). It looks like it'll be a while before Dave gets back on his bike as his left arm still won't straighten out. Dave also mentioned that the driver had changed his plea to guilty and had ended up being fined a few hundred pounds and having 6 points on his licence. It doesn't seem right - in three years time his licence will be clean again and he'll have forgotten about the money but Dave will probably still not be back to the level he was immediately before being mown down! Mr Van Driver will be free to nobble another one of us and won't have had to undergo any driver training or such - we'd better watch out!

Anyway, it was time to move on and, typically, this was the time I found I'd got a puncture! I quickly swapped to a new inner tube and weathered the minor criticisms of the state of my tyres - yes, they are old, yes, they have seen better days, yes, they do have a lot of nicks and cuts in them. This was offset by the help I received from the same people checking for glass or thorns and pumping my tyre up for me - thanks lads.

The other groups headed off to the south whilst we headed east along Newpound Lane. I briefly popped into Fishers Farm Park to deliver their copy of The Pedaller and then continued past The Bat and Ball before turning right onto the B2133. At the end we turned left and crossed over the canal and the River Arun before heading north up Rowner Road. Barbara and I waited at the junction with Okehurst Lane whilst someone 'watered' a roadside tree, before heading across to the A29 and then on to New Road. We were soon at Barns Green and heading north on Two Mile Ash Road, however, when we got to where it crosses the Downs Link, I left Barbara and Anton to continue on to Horsham because I was heading to Southwater. There I delivered another copy of The Pedaller to Southwater Cycles before I too headed for Horsham.

I was half expecting to catch up with the other two somewhere near The Boars Head (it looks like it's reopened after a refurbishment) but didn't see them, so I made my own way through the centre of Horsham and onwards to an uneventful ride back along the Forest Road to Pease Pottage. I couldn't use my usual route through Tilgate Park as the path along the dam is closed whilst they rebuild it into a much more substantial structure, but I was soon home and knocking back a pint of milk.

Next weeks ride is a morning ride starting from Three Bridges Station at 09:30 hrs and is called The Ashdowner - it will be up to 30 miles long and involve a few hills but should finish back at the station by 13:00hrs at the latest.