We had two rides for today, an easy ride to Rowlands Castle and this long ride estimated at 80 miles.  As you will read later this ride was to be action packed.

8 of us met at Chichester Cross at 8 a.m. for the long ride.  I led the ride and I was joined at the Cross by Linda, Anne, Gill, Phil and Mary, Colin and John Maxim.  Adrian joined us at elevenses making a total of nine out on the ride.

The weather was generally sunny during the morning with clouds building up during the afternoon but staying dry.  Temperatures reached about 21C.

We took the Centurion Way out of Chichester and then lanes over to West Stoke, Funtington                 and Rowlands Castle.  Then the first serious test of the day was the very steep climb up to Chalton. This was closely followed by another climb up to the A3 overpass.  Then down to the Queen Elizabeth Country Park for elevenses.  We had made good time and arrived there just before 10.00.

After elevenses we climbed back up from the Park and rather than heading for Clanfield I turned off on the long gradual climb to Butser Hill.  I heard but ignored a few cries of dismay from the ranks.  We regrouped at the top where there were marshals and supporters for a charity ride coming in the opposite direction.  I later learned that this was the annual Petersfield Ups and Downs Charity Bike Ride.  They were certainly putting some ups in the route as the riders were coming up the steep side of Butser Hill.  We were heading down on this route and had to go slowly and cautiously to avoid the riders and some small children pushing their bikes up.

At the bottom of the hill Phil and Mary had to make adjustments to the new disc brake on their tandem which was causing them some problems as it is bedded in.  We continued with a fast ride along the Meon Valley riding via East Meon and then West Meon and Warnford. Then it was a long climb up the appropriately named Wheely Down.  Then it was a long ride along the ridge with great views to the north.  As we came to a crossroads we saw a big group of cyclists and marshals and continued on the lane.  John and I were in the lead as we started a long gradual climb.  We will soon overtaken by three riders who were apparently a breakaway group in a road race.  John wisely decided not to contest the hill with them.  We reached the top and a crossroads where there was another big group of cyclists and marshals and we decided that the Peloton would soon be arriving and got out of the way.

We watched with interest as the rest of our group cycled up the hill accompanied by motorcycle race escorts and being passed by advanced riders from the Peloton. One of the marshals spoke into his radio advising somebody that there was a group of slow riders coming up the hill.  Surely he couldn't have meant the best of Bognor Chichester CTC fast group??

Linda and Gill got to the top and out of the way just in time before the massed pack of the Peloton came powering up the hill and swept left at the crossroads.  After all the excitement we continued a few more miles to our lunchtime destination of Owslebury.  Unfortunately as we reached the pub we saw a sign up saying closed for renovations.  I decided to continue on our planned return route for 2 miles to the pub at the nearby village of Upham. Unfortunately this was on lanes involving an up and a down and another up and other down and then a long up to the appropriately named Upham where the pub was open.

After lunch we continued on many pleasant quiet country lanes north of Bishops Waltham and then across to Droxford.  Then it was more lanes via Chidham and Clanfield and back to Rowlands Castle for tea.

On the way back the action packed day was not finished.  As we approached Woodmancote we heard a squeal of brakes and rounded the bend to see two cars had collided and various locals were gathering around.  One car had its side bashed in but there did not seem to be any injuries and the usual arguments were starting about fault.  We slowly got round the scene of the accident and returned home.

Mileage for the day from and back to Chichester was 72.  My mileage from Pagham was 84.

Edwin

There is a Slide Show below of this Ride. The Slide Show will play on this Website; refresh the browser to start it from the beginning. The best way to view it though is to click view all images and you will be taken to the Slide.com website and the Slide Show will play with larger sized pictures. You can use the control just above the picture to pause a picture during the Slide Show.

Posted by RideLeader at 11:13 BST

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