The third ‘Crawley Family bike ride’ took place on Sunday 24th
June, after the wettest June ever and torrential rain overnight! So we
were not expecting a huge turn-out as there were ominous looking overcast skies
early on Sunday morning. So we were pleasantly surprised to find over
twenty people registered for the event this year including several youngsters,
including Amelia, Harry, Dylan and Ashley and a good contingent of the Crawley
CTC’s regular riders to look after our guests on the road. After
registration courtesy of Oriel school, photographs from the local paper and a
short safety briefing we set off for Nymans garden on, what turned out to be, a
pleasantly warm, and dry, day. A leisurely ride through Tilgate and along
the flat inclines (!?) of Broadfield took us to the top of Tollgate hill where
we crossed the A264, using the new Marie Vesco toucan crossing. It was
then flat all the way, crossing the A23 using the foot bridge and in no time at
all we arrived at Handcross and into Nymans gardens, and despite an obstinately
strong head wind a nice gentle bimble (cycling term for pootling around on a
bike).
Nymans offered us their usual warm welcome with free
admittance, as we had arrived by Green transport, and a free drink, especially
for the Crawley family bike riders. Do try to visit this house and lovely
gardens by bike, it is only a short and easy ride from Crawley and you are
certain to enjoy it – the gardens have excellent views south towards the
Downs. One family decided that it was so nice there that they would stay
longer and make their own way home later while another team headed off south
for more miles on their bikes, and so it was a slightly smaller group that set
off on the return journey to Crawley. The ride back was even easier than
the ride out as we had the wind behind us and the flat roads tended to incline
in the opposite direction to the way out! Normally we prefer to route
through Tilgate forest on a swooping off-road section on our return, but we
decided that due to the rain it would be more prudent, and cleaner, to return
by the road route. So we duly returned back to Oriel school to chat and
say farewells by about 2 o’clock.
Thanks for riding with us, hope that you enjoyed our little
trip out in to the country and see you again next year.
Peter Smith
Crawley CTC Right to Ride campaigner
It was really great to have so many
of the good Horsham/Crawley CTC riders, and Gordon from Sustrans as well, turn
out to support our third bike ride on Sunday and I am personally very grateful
to you all for doing that. I think that we had a nice little ride and I
hope that some of the attendees may yet come out on one of our regular
rides. Certainly several indicated that they would; let’s hope that they
do.
Happy Cycling and thank you for your
support.
Don’t forget the Two Weald ride next
Sunday, 1st July. Just turn up at Wisborough Green and ride your choice of 25 mile loop(s). The route maps and route instructions are available to download from our website.
Go to the file downloads section.
We will have refreshments available (courtesy of Pat and Frank with their camper van) from 10:00hrs to 16:00hrs but if you want to start earlier just obtain the details from the our website and then have some refreshments on finishing the loop.
See you there,
Bob
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