Wet, wet, WET!

Pete E had a lovely route for us this week and it was a shame that as soon as we started cycling, the heavens opened! There were four of us mad enough to brave the forecasted rain - Pete E, Ken, Anton and myself. We headed out through Doomsday Green and on along Hammerpond Road. At Slaugham Pond we turned right and headed south to Warninglid. There we headed east for a while then turned south again through Colwood and on to Twineham. We carried on south onto Truslers Hill Lane down to Shaves Thatch where we turned right onto the A281 for a couple of hundred yards before turning south again onto Clappers Lane. It was raining really heavily now and water was coursing down the road surface - carrying with it lots of grit and other debris - a sudden hiss and a rotating, bubbling sound told me I'd got a puncture. We couldn't find anywhere to shelter so I just pulled up at the side of the road in order to fit a new inner tube. They didn't need to, but I'm pleased to say that all my colleagues stayed with me whilst I whipped the tyre off, removed the flint flake causing the problem and put a nice new tube in. Anton had his pump out ready and it wasn't long before we were all back on the road again. On reaching Fulking we turned right and headed west along the foot of the mist shrouded Downs and on into Bramber.

Pete had planned to take us through Steyning and along Mouse Lane to go past Wiston House but we decided to go the quicker route and use the Steyning bypass/Washington Road option. The rain was tipping down but we soon reached the appropriately named Water Lane and after another couple of hundred yards arrived at the lunch stop, Wiston Tearooms. We were absolutely soaked but fortunately the Tearooms had plenty of space, a stone floor and wooden chairs, so it didn't really matter how much we dripped!

We enjoyed a nice lunch and it was noticeable that no one was particularly keen to get outside in the wet again. However, we bit the bullet, pulled on our rather wet and cold waterproofs and ventured out once more. Pete led us on the shortest route back to Horsham - Ashington, Broomers Corner, Dragons Green, Bax Castle and Two Mile Ash Road up to Tower Hill.

In spite of the weather, I have to say that the ride was very enjoyable and would have been superb on a sunny day.

Our next ride will start from Three Bridges Station at 09:30. Anton will lead what should be an easy/medium ride to Westerham. However, he tells me that there would be a couple of hills at the end of such a ride and that if people want, he will shorten the ride a little to avoid the hills and have lunch at The Haycutter in Broadham Green.