Weather today was ideal with light winds, blue skies and temperatures of about 23C. Summer at last just in time for the 2^nd DA Event.

4 of us from the Section arrived at Pulborough Station for the start. I came by train, Jeff by car, and Anne and Colin came their separate ways by bike. We met up with good contingents from Arun Adur and Horsham. Bob from Horsham, the organiser gave us instructions and route sheets and clues.

Colin, Jeff Anne and I rode together as a team. The route sheets gave directions and between one turn and the next there would be clue requiring observation of something visible from the road. We headed out towards Fittleworth and then lanes via Little Bognor, and Kirdford. Most of the lanes were really quiet.

Then it was more lanes across to Northchapel and then over to Lurgashall. As I cycled down the steep hill just before Lurgashall I changed down at the bottom to get into a lower gear for the uphill. The chain overshot and jammed between the cassette and Hub bringing the wheel to an instant halt while I kept going, coming off the bike, just missing the Lurgashall Road sign and landing at the side of the road among the holly bushes. A serious amount of immediate worry as I landed on the same side as the repaired hip. Luckily the impact was on my side and shoulder so only? bruised ribs this time. Note to self (try to avoid falling off the bike every other DA Event)

While I sat in the bushes recovering Colin set about trying to repair the bike. The derailleur was bent in all sorts of ways not conducive to Pedalling. As Colin was trying to bend it back the steel derailleur hanger snapped off. It showed signs of rust and the accident put a lot of strain on it. The next step was to try shortening the chain and get back on one gear.

After some difficulty this was done but as soon as pressure was put on the pedals the chain slipped down to the smallest ring on the cassette and then came off. There were only a few miles to lunch at Lodsworth so Colin kindly swapped bikes and scooted my bike up hills and freewheeled down.

After lunch I waited at the Hollist Arms, Lodsworth while the others completed the route and Jeff kindly returned in his car and gave me a lift home.

One interesting point is that after my last incident the DA Committee passed a new rule for DA Events. The rule is that if a member attends a DA Event intending to complete it and starts it but is unable to finish due to accident, breakdown or other emergency beyond their control they will be entitled to the full 10 points. I think I tick the boxes on several counts but I would have preferred not to, yet again.

Full mileage for the route was 30 miles and I missed the last 10.

Edwin

Posted by RideLeader at 19:18 BST

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