The Two Weald Ride (DA Event)

During the summer months, we have a number of events designed to bring members of Arun/Adur, Bognor/Chichester and Horsham /Crawley CTC member groups together. In July we stage the Two Weald Ride. This gives our members a choice of four different 25 mile routes looping out from Wisborough Green in the general direction of each of the four main compass points.

For this years event we had a total of 15 riders turn up. It was a gloriously sunny day and I opened up the checkpoint a little earlier than advertised and got the first rider off at 09:35, with the second following along just before 10:00. As in the last few years, Frank and Pat brought their camper van and it made a great base for everyone to congregate around and enjoy their refreshments. Frank had manoeuvred it under the tree and so we could sit in the shade to avoid getting sunburnt. 

The bulk of the riders set off in two groups at about 10:15 - one group using the North loop and the other using the West loop. This left Frank and myself manning the Control but we were soon joined by John V and then Anton. We were hoping to ride as a quartet but we needed to wait for someone to take over the Control and time was slipping away, so John and Anton set off on the West loop by themselves. As I was getting hungry, I popped into the pub for lunch and got back to the van just before Pat arrived back (with John C). This meant Frank and I could set off, along with Colin - this was his second loop of the day. We'd decided on using the West loop because we think it is the nicest although it does have a couple of hills. This slide show covers all but the last mile of the entire route in a mere 6.5 minutes! If only we could ride that fast! Mind you, we'd miss the fantastic countryside that it goes through - hopefully the slide show gives some flavour, but believe me, there's no substitute for the real thing.

Arriving back at the Control bang on 16:00, all that was left to do was wave goodbye to the last of our fellow riders as they headed for home and then pack up the camper van and head for home ourselves. It had been a wonderful days cycling although the heat had probably stopped some people doing additional loops. That said, we'd collectively cycled well in excess of 400 miles taking into account those people such as John V, Anne and Colin who had all ridden to and from Wisborough Green on top of riding their loops.

Next weeks ride is a big one - it's the Horsham 100.  And this being England, the 100 means miles not kilometres!  It will start from Horsham Pavilions in the Park at 07:00 hrs and comprises of a 50 mile loop to the south with a tea stop at The Barn Garden Centre (Dial Post) at 09:30 and lunch at the Park Cafe in Horsham at 12:30. The afternoon 50 mile loop will head north and have a tea break at Henfold Lakes at 16:00 to finish back at Horsham Pavilions in the Park at 19:00 hrs. Feel free to do as much or as little of the ride as you want - perhaps just one 50 mile loop, or just a rendezvous at one of the refreshment stops which are both within about ten miles of Horsham. Hey, why not just meet up at lunch and give your encouragement to those trying to make it to three figures :-)