A warm sunny day, but the forecast for the evening was increasing cloud followed by heavy showers. Certainly by the time this ride got underway, some very threatening clouds were in evidence, although apart from a few spots of rain for about 5 minutes on the outward trip, the entire tour was accomplished in the dry.

At the start point were myself, Julian, Edwin, and Ian.

Despite the  heavy rain of recent days, I decided to risk the route across the fields north of Pagham, via Summer Lane and South Runcton, and this paid off as we found the ground hard packed apart from a very few easily avoided puddles.  We re-joined the tarmac and proceeded by way of Fisher and Chalder, where the track had been improved with a gravel surface.  Back on tarmac again and as we passed the site of the long closed Chalder Station on the old line to Selsey, a deer was spotted in the field beside the road. On seeing us it took off rapidly, not into the distance as we expected,  but in fact ran parallel to the road, out pacing us, then leaping the fence to run across the road in front of us, easily negotiating the 4 foot fence  on the other side, before disappearing into the landscape.

We arrived at the pub some 5 or so minutes later, to meet the Chichester contingent, a modest threesome.

John who had come out with the Chichester group, decided to join us for the run back to Felpham, which stuck strictly to the road via Hunston, North Mundham, Aldwick, and Bognor.

 My mileage back to the Fox at Felpham, was 19.5.

Graham.

Posted by RideLeader at 22:04 BST

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