Easy (apart from the weather)

It was -1oC with a strong north-easterly wind when I left home to lead the easy ride.  The weather forecasters were predicting, with wind chill, a perceived temperature of about -7oC.  So on my way to Three Bridges station, I’m thinking an early bath for me today!  So why did ten people turn up?  I can only conclude that it is my personal charisma and magic personality that draws people out on days like this – it surely couldn’t have been the promise of ‘two hours easy’?!  On this day we were joined by some familiar faces and were pleased to also welcome Zack as a first-timer with Crawsham CTC.

So we set off to do what it said on the tin – and visit Redhill aerodrome – but we went in an anti-clockwise loop today to vary matters somewhat.  This had the side benefit that we did most of the journey before coffee, with this leg being predominantly into the wind, with only a short, fast (well relatively) squirt home.  So we set off up Worth Road, having persuaded the traffic lights at the station to change for us, by enticing a car over the detectors (why don’t they change for cyclists!!!)  This warmed us up ready for the steep down in to the lovely ‘Old Hollow’; as usual several cars joined us but mostly they were well behaved.  Where would we be as a club without Bob?  He valiantly did his ‘maintenance thing’ on one of the bikes making it an easier ride for the rider prior to negotiating the tricky roundabout at Copthorne where we went up a little, to turn right at the Prince Albert. Noticing the wind a little on this open stretch we reached the cross roads for straight on towards Smallfield.  Turning right we followed a narrow and, on this occasion, car free lane to reach the foot of Scots Hill.  This was slightly lumpy, but goes through pretty countryside to reach the Marl pond at the top.  A left turn, with a quick view of Outwood windmill -http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outwood_Windmill - and then a fork right past Outwood Church, took us to the M23 bridge with views of the aerodrome.  Several people remarked that although we had mostly travelled these roads on multiple occasions in the other direction it still all looked new and unfamiliar; it’s odd how the mind works, isn’t it?

With relief we arrived at the café – as usual it was crowded, particularly as it was Mother’s day, but we all managed to get a seat and some warm refreshments.  Not much aircraft traffic today, but there were a couple of helicopters on the move.  And so to sprint (metaphorically speaking) back to Crawley.  Again, it was odd to observe that the wind had completely dropped on our return, or was it that we were travelling down-wind at about wind speed?  (It’s all to do with the ‘apparent’ wind….)  It seemed to take no time to ascend one minor ‘slope’ before passing through Horley.  And then along by the pond at Gatwick – this seems to get nicer all the time and is a little oasis between the River Mole and the A23.  Passing quickly through Manor Royal we arrived back at Three Bridges for about one o’clock.

Thank you all for turning up and making our little ride a fun one.  Hope to see you again soon.

Peter Smith

Crawsham CTC RtR

Our next ride starts from Horsham Pavilion in the Park at 10:00hrs on Sunday 17th March. It will be a fairly easy loop to the north and east of Horsham with a refreshment stop at Reigate Gatden Centre (probably).