Christmas Dinner

Guess what?  It's that time of year again. This year we decided to have our Christmas Dinner at a pub we've never visited before, the Holmbush at Faygate. Two groups of riders set off, one from Horsham (Barbara, Pete, Norman, Mick and Sandra) and one from Crawley (Val and Bob). We were met at the pub by John C, John V, Michael, Ken and Anton and four of our WAGS. The beer was good, the food was excellent with ample portions and everyone enjoyed themselves.

Our next ride is on Sunday 22nd December and is a Rendezvous Ride. This means that you all ride your own route, starting at whatever time you want, and just meet up at the lunch stop, The Wheatsheaf at Plummers Plain at 12:00 midday. After lunch you all ride your own route back home. If you want to ride with someone on the way there, I would suggest trying to contact them and arrange a place and time to start....

Unfortunately I will have to miss this ride, so I would like to take this opportunity to wish each and every one of you a Very Merry Christmas.

Mince pies at Gordon's

As Christmas is approaching, Gordon kindly volunteered to lead a ride to his house where he would treat us to refreshments. There were five people waiting for me at Horsham Pavilions - Gordon, Jacqui, Norman, Val and Sandra.  This was flagged as an easy ride, but that rating was based on the short mileage and not on a lack of hills. The route chosen involved Hammerpond Lane and, as any fool knows, it does have a couple of hills I'm afraid! There wasn't too much moaning from the assembled crew and everyone managed the hills, each in their own way, and we were soon at Slaugham. Here we took the Bridleway, north out of the village and up to Handcross. On the way we had to pull up and stand to one side as a tractor came down the track carrying a twenty foot Christmas Tree. We also pumped a bit of air into Jacqui's decidedly flat looking rear tyre.

Once in Handcross, Gordon went on ahead to get the heating on at his house, leaving me to lead everyone else in his wake.  I thought we could take the short detour over the two bridges crossing the A23 but having crossed the first bridge and continued west for another half mile I realised I'd got it wrong and had in fact only crossed the second bridge and we would have to turn around (or end up back at the bridleway we'd left two miles away!).  At this point we noticed that Jacqui's rear tyre was completely flat and we couldn't get it reinflated so changed it instead - thanks to Val for providing a spare. By this time Gordon was wondering where we were and phoned me, I let him know and assured him we'd only be about ten minutes.

Sure enough, ten minutes later we pulled up at Gordon's and stepped inside to be greeted by a roaring fire and a table full of mince pies, cakes and other delights. We all sat around eating, drinking and chatting. Topics included the number of words that a dog is capable of understanding. Some of us thought it was somewhere around ten, others thought it must be many more than that. Later on someone looked it up on t'interweb thingy and came up with a figure of over a thousand!

Eventually it was time to head back. Norman was volunteer leader for those going back to Horsham and he decided to go down Grouse Road and then Hammerpond Road back to Horsham - I understand he almost had a rebellion on the way back (eh, ladies?).

Many, many thanks to Gordon and Jacqui for hosting us - it made for a very enjoyable day.

The Plough at Leigh

Anton led us out on a cool but not cold December morning. The climb through Pound Hill warmed us up and the run down Old Hollow cooled us down. Copthorne Bank was quiet and Smallfield quieter still. Heading West we crossed the motorway and then headed North, skirted Redhill Aerodrome and East Surrey Hospital before crossing the A23. Anton next took us along the Woodhatch Road but then nipped through some residential roads for an easy crossing of the A217. Heading west on Slipshatch road, we'd passed a "Road Closed" sign but had been assured it was passable by a cyclist coming in the opposite direction and so it was - bikes and pedestrians could get through, but not anything bigger.

We were now close to the pub but half an hour early, so Anton took us on a little loop north and west of Leigh before taking a couple of left turns and pulling up at the pub with just enough time to lock up the bikes before the doors opened.

The four of us having enjoyed our lunch headed back home, due south to Charlwood and then through Ifield Wood. Barbara now turned right to ride back to Horsham via Lambs Green leaving Anton, Val and myself to go through Ifield, West Green and Southgate to finally clock up a total of about 33 miles.

South to Wiston

This was down as a 40 mile, medium rated ride but I had a nice easy route prepared just in case. That was what we used. It was quite cold, but dry and there were just four of us - Pat, Frank, Val and myself. Val was worried about the prospect of 40 miles and Pat and Frank, having been abroad for a few weeks, wanted an easy reintroduction to the saddle. Me, well I just like riding my bike, so any ride is good for me. My easy route was designed to have as few hills as possible but I couldn't avoid at least one: heading south from Horsham means climbing a ridge within the first mile. Having reached the top of Tower Hill, most of the rest of the route was slightly downhill if not level. We went via Bax Castle, Dragons Green and Ashurst and arrived at Wiston Tea Rooms just before 11:30.

There was plenty of choice on the menu and having ordered we settled down to chat and observe the chickens, ducks and geese wandering around outside. I was expecting a contingent of Bognor and Chichester riders to turn up as this was also their destination today but there was no sign of them even once we'd finished our lunch and were setting off for the return journey. 

No one fancied my slightly hilly return route so we retraced our outward journey which, although it felt slightly downhill on the way out, also managed to feel slightly downhill on the way back. How's this possible?

Anyway, arriving back at Horsham, everyone had enjoyed the ride and they were all still talking to me. We'd only clocked up 27 miles but I reckon it was just about perfect: nice weather, nice countryside and nice company - thanks everyone.

Next weeks ride will be another fairly easy one. We'll start from Three Bridges Station at 10:00hrs and head up to the Plough at Leigh for lunch. Hopefully the weather will be OK again and we'll have another enjoyable ride.

Horsham at Arms Length

The weather is getting colder but we still had five riders out today. Barbara, Gordon, Ken, Norman and myself. The idea of today's ride was to set off from Crawley and do a clockwise loop around Horsham and back.

We set off through Furnace Green and Tilgate then used the underpass into Broadfield. Next was the climb up Tollgate Hill (I reckon it's harder than Pease Pottage Hill - but safer). Then, having passed through Pease Pottage, we turned into Grouse Road. At this point Barbara left us to head for home via Colgate. Grouse Road was really enjoyable as it is about three miles of generally downhill . Hammerpond Road unfortunately has a couple of hills but we soon passed them and turned left at Doomsday Green before crossing the A281 onto Sedgwick Lane. We were using familiar lanes today but not in a sequence we'd used before. The strangely named hamlet of Newfoundout led us to Southwater from where we headed to Bax Castle and then Barns Green. Looking at the clock, I reckoned we could just make the pub at midday, so I kept us going with no stops, up Valewood Lane then New Road to the A29. A driver kindly let us out onto the main road and we next turned into Okehurst Lane where we encountered a Jack Russell dog running along the road - we couldn't see an owner, but the dog had gone by before we could do anything about it. A couple of miles later we arrived at the lunch halt, The Blue Ship, where we were met by Pete who had ridden over from Horsham. Anton also arrived in spite of suffering from a cold - he drove over. I recommend the Blue Ship as the beer was very good and they do sandwiches at a very reasonable price compared to other pubs. 

After a very convivial break, supping ale, eating and enjoying the warmth of the open fire, we decided to get going again. It felt colder and we decided to head directly home via Slinfold and Broadbridge Heath. Once in Horsham, Pete and Norman peeled off leaving Gordon, Ken and myself to head back to Crawley via the Forest road. Getting back to Pease Pottage I realised that my speedo wasn't working. In spite of this I know the mileage was about 40 odd when I got home.

Next weeks ride will be a 10:00hrs start from Horsham Park Pavilion and head south to lunch at Wiston tea rooms where we may well rendezvous with Bognor and Chichester. It should be a medium rated ride but will be about 40 miles long.

AGM at Pulborough

'Good-morning; good-morning!' the General said

When we met him last week on our way to the line.

Now the soldiers he smiled at are most of 'em dead,

And we're cursing his staff for incompetent swine.

'He's a cheery old card,' grunted Harry to Jack

As they slogged up to Arras with rifle and pack.

But he did for them both by his plan of attack.

Siegfried Sassoon.

Today's ride took us to Pulborough for the DA AGM. 

I met up with Anton, Norman, Val and Ken at Horsham Park Pavilion. We headed through Horsham town centre, up Tower Hill and onto Two Mile Ash Road. Barns Green, Coneyhurst and Broadford Bridge were soon behind and Woods Hill was in front of us. We gritted our teeth and all five of us made it up the hill and carried on to West Chiltington. We swept down the hill, onto Stream Lane and some 10 minutes later pulled up at Pulborough Village hall for the AGM. We joined about twenty other members for the meeting, during which we observed a respectful silence and awarded several trophies - most of which were won by Horsham and Crawley section.

We headed for lunch at The Rising Sun in Nutbourne. The pub was quite busy and we couldn't find  enough space for all of us. That, coupled with the fact that they didn't do sandwiches, made us finish our drinks, get back on our bikes and head for Sumners Ponds. We had a nice lunch there, sitting outside for probably the last time this year.

It was an easy ride back to Horsham where we left Norman and Val. Ken and I cycled back towards Crawley although he used the main road and I used the Forest Road. Back home, I realised I'd clocked up about 50 miles - it hadn't seemed that far!

Our next ride, on Sunday 17th November, starts from Three Bridges station at 10:00 hrs and is called "Horsham at Arms Length". We'll follow a clockwise route skirting around Horsham with a lunch stop at The Blue Ship in The Haven and possibly a tea stop at Capel church later on. The mileage will be about 40 or so and there will be a couple of hills.

Veteran Car Run

"Easy" it said on the runs list. That, combined with dry, if cold, weather made this a popular ride - there were ten of us at the start. We headed to the High Street via the Old Three Bridges Road, the shared use path behind the College and then The Boulevard. Having locked our bikes to some railings we realised that there were some nice new bike racks just a few yards away! The High Street was full of Veteran cars and their proud owners.

Then we retrieved our bikes and rode along with the cars as they headed through the bus station and out along Southgate Avenue. At K2 we girded our loins and started up Pease Pottage Hill. I find the easiest way up is to pick a veteran car travelling at a speed you can keep up with and tuck in behind it. As they go up the hill they tend to slow down a bit and with focussing on keeping close but safe, you find you've conquered the hill without really trying. 

Click on this link to see what I mean:   http://youtu.be/7LwS4sTefNA

I'm pleased to report that all ten of us managed to ride up the hill - excellent work folks. We carried on, riding along with the Old Crocks to Handcross where JC peeled off to do a fast run to Turners Hill. The rest of us carried on to Staplefield. Here we left the crowds behind and headed west, through Slaugham to stop for lunch at The Wheatsheaf in Plummers Plain. The wisdom of timing our rides to arrive at the lunch stop at midday was well demonstrated - we managed to get a table for all nine of us  - if we'd arrived half an hour later, we'd have been scattered at different tables throughout the pub.

The weather was still clear when we got back outside making the ride home really pleasant. We headed along Hammerpond Lane and then turned up Grouse Road. Norman and Sandra then went back to Horsham via Colgate. Gordon and Ken were next to peel off followed by Pete and Marion, then Val and finally I left Narinder to ride the last few hundred yards back to Three Bridges station.

Next weeks ride starts at 09:00 from Horsham Pavilion in the Park to attend the D.A. AGM which starts at 10.30 in Pulborough Village Hall. This will be followed by lunch at The Rising Sun, Nutbourne and will be an easy/medium ride of about 35 miles.