Crawley Family Bike Ride 2014

As part of National Bike Week, Crawley Borough Council organises a number of Bike events. We help out with the Crawley Family Bike Ride by acting as ride leaders and marshals.

I arrived at Oriel School nice and early, just in time to lend a hand with the setting up of the registration table. I added some literature about the club to the table - a list of rides we have coming up, the club business card and even some business cards for a certain Bicycle Repair Man! Some Community Police Officers were also there offering a bike marking/registration service. Other freebies on offer were various hi-viz stickers, pens, bike accessories and even some bike lights.

As ten o'clock approached more and more people turned up and in the end we had some 52 people posing for the group photo (including the 4 PCSO's). There were 8 Horsham and Crawley members and we were all wearing hi-viz yellow tops, so Pete could lead the ride off with some confidence that everyone would be safely monitored by an experienced rider.

We followed the route of NCN20 as it went under the railway into Furnace Green, then through Furnace Green and Tilgate to the K2 Leisure Centre. We had let the ride split into two through Tilgate in order to present less of a hold up to any motor traffic, but we regrouped near the football stadium to tackle the climb up through Broadfield. NCN20 emerges from a small path onto the Marie Vesco Traffic lights that allowed us to safely cross onto the Old Brighton Road at Pease Pottage. A right then a left outside the Black Swan took us past where The Grapes used to be and up to Woodhurst. Here we used the footbridge to safely cross over the busy A23 and were then, once again joinedon the Old Brighton Road at Tilgate Forest Row. From here we made good time on the broad road and were soon at Handcross which was as congested as ever. We had safety in numbers and most of the motorists gave us plenty of leeway so we soon pulled up at Nymans Gardens (National Trust). All the riders had free entry to the gardens but most headed straight to the cafe and a welcome drink and bite to eat.

After about an hour and a half we regrouped for the journey back. The sun was still shining strongly but was now on our backs and pretty soon we were back at the Woodhurst footbridge. At this point I escorted three riders back to the Marie Vescoe crossing and Broadfield whilst the rest of the group headed for Parish Lane and the alternate NCN20 route down through the forest. Having seen my charges safely to Broadfield, I raced across to Parish Lane and caught up with the main body as they kicked up the dust on the run down through the forest. Then it was across the M23 on the eastern bridge, down through the golf course and back on the tarmac in Marion Road before popping under the railway and arriving back at Oriel School. Everyone was wearing big smiles on their faces so I judge the event to have been a success.

Here's a bike cam view from my position at the back of the ride:
Family Bike Ride 2014

Hopefully we'll be able to run this event again next year, but in the meantime, check out the Horsham and Crawley CTC Runs List  and see if there are any of our rides that you fancy.

Our next ride on Sunday 29th June is quite long at a minimum of about 30 miles (with a train return) or about 60 if ridden all the way. It will start outside Horsham Pavilions in the Park (Horsham Swimming Pool) at 08:00 hrs (sorry about the early start - but hey, the sun will have been up for about 4 hours by then!) and take us to Copsale via Pedlars Way and then all the way to Shoreham on The Downs Link. From there we will head along the coast  to Brighton and Hove for a lunchtime stop.  If that is far enough, head for the station and catch a train back up to Three Bridges and then Horsham. Otherwise, the afternoon will retrace our outward route. As almost all the route will be off road, a strong touring bike, a hybrid bike or a mountain bike is recommended.  It will be a long day, but I'm sure you will enjoy it.

Our most Family Friendly rides tend to be on the second Sunday of every month (yes, we ride all year round), so look them up on our runs list.

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.

Family Bike Ride

The third ‘Crawley Family bike ride’ took place on Sunday 24^th June, after the wettest June ever and torrential rain overnight!  So we were not expecting a huge turn-out as there were ominous looking overcast skies early on Sunday morning.  So we were pleasantly surprised to find over twenty people registered for the event this year including several youngsters, including Amelia, Harry, Dylan and Ashley and a good contingent of the Crawley CTC’s regular riders to look after our guests on the road.  After registration courtesy of Oriel school, photographs from the local paper and a short safety briefing we set off for Nymans garden on, what turned out to be, a pleasantly warm, and dry, day.  A leisurely ride through Tilgate and along the flat inclines (!?) of Broadfield took us to the top of Tollgate hill where we crossed the A264, using the new Marie Vesco toucan crossing.  It was then flat all the way, crossing the A23 using the foot bridge and in no time at all we arrived at Handcross and into Nymans gardens, and despite an obstinately strong head wind a nice gentle bimble (cycling term for pootling around on a bike).

Nymans offered us their usual warm welcome with free admittance, as we had arrived by Green transport, and a free drink, especially for the Crawley family bike riders.  Do try to visit this house and lovely gardens by bike, it is only a short and easy ride from Crawley and you are certain to enjoy it – the gardens have excellent views south towards the Downs.  One family decided that it was so nice there that they would stay longer and make their own way home later while another team headed off south for more miles on their bikes, and so it was a slightly smaller group that set off on the return journey to Crawley.  The ride back was even easier than the ride out as we had the wind behind us and the flat roads tended to incline in the opposite direction to the way out!  Normally we prefer to route through Tilgate forest on a swooping off-road section on our return, but we decided that due to the rain it would be more prudent, and cleaner, to return by the road route.  So we duly returned back to Oriel school to chat and say farewells by about 2 o’clock.

Thanks for riding with us, hope that you enjoyed our little trip out in to the country and see you again next year.

Peter Smith

Crawley CTC Right to Ride campaigner

It was really great to have so many of the good Horsham/Crawley CTC riders, and Gordon from Sustrans as well, turn out to support our third bike ride on Sunday and I am personally very grateful to you all for doing that.  I think that we had a nice little ride and I hope that some of the attendees may yet come out on one of our regular rides.  Certainly several indicated that they would; let’s hope that they do.

Happy Cycling and thank you for your support.

Don’t forget the Two Weald ride next Sunday, 1^st July.  Just turn up at Wisborough Green and ride your choice of 25 mile loop(s). The route maps and route instructions are available to download from our website.

   http://handc-ctc.tripod.com

Go to the file downloads section.

We will have refreshments available (courtesy of Pat and Frank with their camper van) from 10:00hrs to 16:00hrs but if you want to start earlier just obtain the details from the our website and then have some refreshments on finishing the loop.

See you there,

Bob

Crawley Family Bike Ride 2011

The weather forecasters were predicting a hot, sunny day (for a change) and this news seems to have encouraged people to get out on their bikes for a grand total of 52 people turned up at Oriel School for the Crawley Family Bike Ride 2011.

"Suitable for riders of all ages and abilities" was how the ride had been advertised and the Crawley public certainly lived up to that declaration.

Several members of Horsham and Crawley CTC were on hand to assist ride leader Pete keep the ride under control and safe for everybody.

First step was for everyone to register for the ride and thereby gain the protection of the ‘Team Green Bike Week’ insurance scheme.

Various freebies and leaflets were also available in order to publicise the various cycling facilities and organisations in Crawley.

Then everyone gathered together for a brief briefing from Pete.

The emphasis was very much on safety but also on enjoyment.

After posing for group photos for the Crawley News photographer.....

Look how many riders there are......

We set off. Firstly using the cycle path from Maidenbower into Furnace Green and then following Weald Drive into Tilgate. Pete led us on a quiet route using smaller residential roads and a cycle path to arrive at K2 leisure centre.

From there, the underpass at Broadfield roundabout enabled a safe crossing of the A23 and we followed NCN20 as it went up Woodmans Hill, Tollgate Hill, Hollingbourne Crescent and Wye Close to emerge at the top of Pease Pottage Hill - this was the hardest part of the ride as it involved something like a 40 metre climb in just under a mile.

The Horsham link road has not yet had the pedestrian controlled lights installed, but with some adept marshalling from the riders in flourescent yellow jackets and with the goodwill of several motorists, we were all soon safely across.

For the next mile or so the route followed the old A23 until we used a footbridge to cross over the new A23 at Tilgate Forest Row and gain the Handcross Road. Normally this road is almost devoid of traffic but today it was absolutely jam-packed with cars. It seems that there had been an incident on the A23 and lots of traffic was trying to find an alternative route via the Handcross Road. The volume of traffic was initially very worrying, especially bearing in mind the number of very young riders we had, but the traffic volume actually had the effect of reducing the traffic speed to one barely faster than our sub 10mph pace and we were soon at our destination, Nymans Gardens.

We received a warm welcome from the National Trust staff and not only did our event flyers give us free access to the garden but we were also issued with a voucher for a free drink from the cafe. Thanks Nymans.

As people enjoyed the gardens, had lunch or just sat in the shade, I repaired a puncture for a young lady - it's amazing how clumsy I become when people are watching me work on a bike, but once I relaxed I quickly got it done. Thanks for the use of your pump, John.

Soon it was time for the return journey, but not before another group photo:

Come on everyone, wave...

..... just one more .....

.... I lied .......

Within seconds everyone was back on the road and riding past a near stationery queue of traffic heading in the opposite direction.

On reaching Pease Pottage we headed east on Parish Lane before turning left into Tilgate Forest for a fast ride down the firebreak trail.

I think everyone really enjoyed this stretch - after all, this was basically the same hill they'd climbed up earlier in the day!

Here you can see Anton performing his usual "sweeper" role as, assisted by John, he looks after the youngest rider Angelo.

Having crossed over the M23 we then had a fast descent through the golf course before a short wooded section gave us some refreshing shade.

Minutes later we were back at Oriel School having ridden a total of just over 10 miles and without losing anyone! We received lots of positive comments and we're already trying to think of ways to improve the event for next year - avoiding any hills would seem to be high on the ideas list!

Thankyou to everyone who set up, organised, advertised, assisted, donated to the event but an extra BIG thankyou to everyone who turned up and took part in the ride. Hopefully it revealed some aspect of the cycle facilities in Crawley of which you weren't previously aware and it would be lovely to see you on any of the Horsham and Crawley CTC rides in the future. n.b. there is an easy ride either along the Worth Way or to Redhill Aerodrome on Sunday 10th July, come along, you'll be pleasantly surprised how easy it is to get to places by bike.

For club members (and those of you who fancy one or more 25 mile rides along some wonderful lanes) this Sunday (3rd July) sees us hold our annual Two Weald Ride. Make your own way to Wisborough Green for 10:00hrs and set off either by yourself or with a variety of other riders on any of the four circular routes that we have maps and route instructions for. Light refreshments will be available from Pat and Franks camper van and all the routes have convenient pubs for when you want a lunch break.

The Crawley Family Bike Ride, 26th June 2011

Coming up: