West of Horsham

Michael writes:

Bob had allowed extra time for the ride to HPP, because of the strong headwind, so he was second , after Michael, to arrive at the start.  We were joined by Ken and Barbara.  Peter’s bikes were under repair, Anton was ill, Norman was crossing Asia, Val overslept and it was only 11 degrees.  The four of us set off north by way of Pondtail Road and climbed up towards Capel.  We discovered that the hedges did a good job at stopping the strong winds.  Once on the Rusper – Capel road we were being passed at frequent interval by speeding road bikes on some organised event.  They came up quietly and did not give one much elbow room as they sped by.  Having crossed the A24 we descended Weare Street observing the final flourish of this year’s bluebells.  

After Oakwood Hill Barbara left the group to go home via Rowhook.  We turned right for Ellen’s Green and then to Rudgwick.  Another cycle event had laid claim to the island in Cox Green with their tents and banners.  We carried on south past the Blue Ship and crossed the A29 to reach our lunch stop at the The Queens Head in Barns Green.  After lunch it was a short ride via Two Mile Ash Road back to Horsham.  We would have covered less than the advertised 35 miles but the cold windy weather was not very conducive to big distances.

Next weeks ride is the second of this years DA Events - the I-Spy, a bicycle treasure hunt. Pete has put a lot of work into creating an enjoyable competition, so come along and take part. The start and end point is outside the cafe at Southwater Country Park. Be there ready for a 9:30 start. There will a stop for lunch at some point. Come along and represent your club and have some fun finding the clues.

Commercial Vehicle Run

A nice easy ride today. Sunny weather meant an airing for my knees as I wore shorts for only the third time this year!

Waiting at Three Bridges Station were Frank, Val, Anne and Gordon! With a late running Pete E promising to meet us at Broadfield Stadium. We rode over there along the Black Path into Furnace Green, through Tilgate and through the underpass. Having secured our bikes, we walked around the car park looking at all the various Vintage Commercial Vehicles parked around:

Hey hey!  This is an easy way of filling up a blog - just posting photos!!

Let's do some more:

It's just like being there isn't it?  Apart from the sound that is - oh! And the smells - hot oil, diesel fumes, blue smoke, overheated rubber. It was good fun strolling around chatting with other spectators, some of the vehicle owners and also several other cyclists.

Frank enjoyed reliving his time on the buses and Pete turned up just a few minutes before we decided it was time to do a little bit of cycling. Here are a couple of his pictures:

I was hoping we'd have a slow moving Vintage Commercial Vehicle to slipstream up Pease Pottage Hill but we were out of luck and had to do it completely under our own steam. We all made it though and then it was on to Handcross with Frank towing a bus all the way (I told you he likes buses): 

At Handcross I handed over the leaders jersey to Gordon so that he could take us onto a bridleway through the Hyde Estate - what a revalation - it was a lovely smooth tarmac and took us through some light woodland that was absolutely loaded with Bluebells:

There was even a landscaped lake:

I'm on a roll now, have a video:

http://youtu.be/i_lswfAGHvs

Eventually the track brought us out onto the Pease Pottage Road and it didn't take us long to get from there to Gordons house where, over a nice lunch and drinks, we gathered together to work out our programme of rides for July, August and September.  I have since published them on he runs list page of our website:   www.horshamandcrawleyctc.org.uk

Our next ride will start from Horsham Pavilions in the Park at 09:30hrs on Sunday 11th May. It will be a fairly easy loop to the west of Horsham led by Michael. Come along, it will be fun.

North East of Crawley

Anton reports:

Having reviewed the route and gone over it the previous weekend I decided that an easy/medium ride it was not, and therefore asked Bob to communicate the fact to the members.  Barbara informed me that a new member, who had previously done our morning rides, was interested. Unfortunately Mike (sorry if I've got the name wrong) was out late Saturday and never got the message.

With a number of riders away, the harder ride and forecast for heavy showers, I was not expecting many at the start. Running late myself I drove to TBR, only to be later owing to a flat front wheel which I managed to repair quickly. At least I had the track pump in the car...

Mike was waiting when I finally arrived at the start, and explained that he'd not heard my voicemail, but was willing to give the ride a try, although he explained that he was only just getting back into cycling. I decided that I would curtail the hilly part of the ride and see how things went.

Leaving TBR and going towards Worth we soon left the main road to descend Old Hollow and head towards Copthorne and Copthorne Bank towards Smallfield. For once the traffic lights on the B2037 were in our favour and we were approaching Smallfields, before turning onto the narrow Cross Lane.  At the cross roads with Plough Road we turned right and headed through Horne, after which the first and only shower of the day occurred. Thankfully by the time I had got my rain top out it stopped. (It was only on driving home after the ride that the heavens opened).

After Horne we headed towards Blindley Heath and the first real climb of the day; Tilburstow Hill Road.  Luckily it was not the whole hill since we turned right part way up, before descending and crossing the A22.

Once across the A22 we headed towards Tandridge and Hurst Green. We arrived at the alternative pub stop before 11:00, so pressed on past Hurst Green station and the start of the hills. However I decided to see if we could get back to Lingfield to eat, so continued East along the base of the sandstone ridge until Pains Hill, where we turned South through Merle Common on Grants Lane. This is a very pleasant area to cycle. Arriving at Haxted Road near the Mill, we turned West towards Lingfield and food. Having tried the first pub we encountered only to find it not yet open and only serving three course meals anyway, we carried on to the centre of Lingfield and the welcome sight of The Greyhound - a friendly pub we have used before.  Mike certainly enjoyed his bangers and mash there. 

After lunch we continued towards Blindley Heath and the A22. After a short ride South on the A22 we soon turned right and started retracing our outward journey to Copthorne, Old Hollow and Worth and a diversion through Maidenbower where Mike left the ride and I continued to TBR.

Total distance 59km or 36.9miles

Hopefully Mike enjoyed the route and wasn't too traumatised............



Thanks Anton, sounds like it was a nice ride and certainly drier than many of us expected.

Next weeks ride is Very Easy: we meet at Three Bridges Station at 09:30 to ride the short distance to Broadfield Stadium and see the Historic Commercial Vehicles make a pitstop there on their annual London to Brighton Run. Having inspected the variety of vehicles on display and perhaps indulged in some light refreshments, we will then perhaps slipstream a fire engine, charabanc or lorry up Pease Pottage Hill and go for a short ride afterwards.

At 13:00hrs we will have the Q3 Runslist Meeting at Gordons House. Here we will work out which rides we will be doing in July, August and September. All members are welcome, so come along and get your favourite ride on the list or volunteer to lead someone else's or suggest something we haven't done before - make your club work for you. It's usually good fun and Gordon is a wonderful host who keeps us well fed and watered - all for just a small donation to charity.

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.

Worth Way

Pete was unable to lead this months easy ride so I stepped in. I fancied putting the knobbly tyres on my bike and riding the Worth Way, so that's what we did.

The weather was nice and I ventured out in shorts for the first time this year. I was joined at Three Bridges station by John C, Val and Malcolm before we set off along Billington Way and onto the track. Spring had arrived and the Worth Way was lined with Bluebells, Wood Anemone, Celandine and lots of Blackthorn blossom.

The ride out to East Grinstead was really pleasant and it was good to see lots of families out on their bikes.

Here's a video of the ride through East Grinstead and out on the Forest Way:

http://youtu.be/kiYLhwJQCyA

We stopped to nip up to a viewpoint and look across to Weirwood reservoir, but now that apple trees have been planted in the field up there the view has gone. Once we got riding again, I took a little detour on some single track and then we all took another to view Brambletye House before carrying on into Forest Row.

http://youtu.be/eE8oSZdzy10

As you can see, we headed through the back of Forest Row and past a gathering of car enthusiasts before pulling up at the Java and Jazz cafe.

After a pleasant lunch (chocolate milkshake and a toasted sandwich for me), we headed back.

It was a really nice ride, pleasant and completely uneventful.......

Freewheel 2014

It's April, time for the first DA Event of the year - the Freewheel.

This year we returned to the hill that was used back when I joined the CTC 10 years ago, New Road.

The morning dawned dull and wet, although I was feeling quite chipper as it was my birthday! I used my birthday as an excuse and sent a text to Anton taking him up on the offer of a lift that he had made me. Arriving at Horsham, we were met by Norman and Mick - although it has to be said, Norman was in civvies and not riding. As we stood around chatting, Ken rolled up and joined in the chatter. The weather seemed to be improving insofar as the rain looked to be stopping, so we didn't start riding until half past ten. I had a couple of routes in mind, but in the end we just did a small loop taking in Broadbridge Heath, Slinfold and The Haven before cutting across from Rowner Road going up New Road and arriving at Sumners Ponds in Barns Green. This is where we were due to rendezvous with the other sections for lunch. Within a few minutes of us settling down to our food, a few other riders had turned up but by the time everyone else had arrived and had their lunch, we'd been there for nearly an hour and a half!

It was a short ride to the hill on New Road and then we were off. Each of us taking a turn rolling down the hill and seeing how far we could go:

The end result saw Anton roll furthest but get disqualified for turning his pedals as he started to get off, but no matter to us as the next two places were our own John C and Ken.

After all that excitement it was but a short run up Two Mile Ash Road back to Horsham and home before four pm.

Next weeks ride is a Three Bridges start at 10:00hrs for one of our monthly Introductory Rides led by Pete S.  I'm hoping that he will take us along the Worth Way as I reckon the Spring Blossom will be really good.

The Old Barn

Horsham start, Hammerpond Road, Slaugham Pond, Warninglid, Colwood, Wineham, Twineham, Partridge Green, Dial Post, Shipley, Dragons Green, Two Mile Ash, Tower Hill, Horsham.

Nice weather, nice ride, thanks Anton.

Attendees: Anton, Norman, Michael, Barbara, Ken, Rob, Bob.

Next ride: Horsham start at 10:00hrs, easy ride to Sumners Ponds at Barns Green. Meet up with other sections and then take part in the first DA Event, the Freewheel, which will be held nearby on New Road.