Saturday 19 May. Riding up a hill near Ryes

France, Normandy Trip. Friday 18 May.

8 of us set sail for Caen today from Portsmouth for the Clubs Anniversary Dinner long weekend. Phil, Mary, Jim, Irene, Avryl, Peter Wilson, Mike and Edwin.

We sailed at 7.00 am and weather early morning was bright and sunny changing to cloudy during the morning and misty mid-channel. The cloud cleared to warm sunny spells mid afternoon with temperatures up to 18C.

We were let on the Fast Cat ferry first and secured good seats at the front. Even on the fast ferry the crossing was 3 3/4 hours. At Ouistreham we cycled quarter of a mile into town and then stopped for lunch.

In the afternoon we headed a few miles south on the Canal side cyclepath to Pegasus Bridge and then had a long stop to look round the very good museum and outside exhibits including the original Pegasus Bridge and full sized glider replica.

Then onwards on minor roads and back to the coast. We rode through towns and villages twinned with Tangmere and then Fishbourne and then Emsworth.

We stopped for tea at a caf? on the front at Lac-sur-Mer. Then a little further along the coast to our Hotel for 2 nights at Courseulles sur Mer.

19 miles for the day.

Edwin

Friday 18 May. Cycling by the canal near Ouistreham

Friday 18 May. Cycling the prom at Luc sur Mer

Evening Ride - Felpham to The Spotted Cow, Hunston

The weather today had been dull, unsettled and drizzly, but by late afternoon it had improved considerably and by the start time of the ride the sun was out, the wind had dropped, and it was a gloriously warm summer evening.

Despite this, only Julian and myself were at the start point.

We set off taking exactly the same route as the ride run on 31.05.2006 (for which see report in 2006 blog). This is one of my favourite routes, taking an off road route from Pagham via Runcton, Fisher, and farm tracks to emerge at Hunston Church, a few hundred yards from the pub.  Towards the end of this cross country trail we ran into some muddy tracks, being the legacy of the earlier bad weather, but the mud was in managable patches and easily negotiated, with the ground hard packed beneath it.

At the pub we met the Chichester contingent, similarly depleted and consisting of Arthur, Lynn, and John.

For the return, John joined us to ride back as far as Aldwick as we rode at a cracking pace direct along the lower Bognor Road (with a bit of the old canal towpath cutting off Mundham Corner (now NCN 2)included for good measure). Then from Aldwick along the promenade to Felpham.

My mileage for the round trip was 18.1.

Graham

 

Sunday 13 May. I-Spy Ride.

Today the forecast was for rain most of the day which pretty much turned out as predicted. It was dry early on with light rain by 9.00 getting heavy by the middle of the day and clearing by 3.00 with some late afternoon sunshine back on the coast.

The event start was from Billingshurst Station. I led the 7.30 am start from Walberton although only Colin turned up. We headed up via Whiteways, Amberley and West Chiltington and despite Colin having a puncture we arrived in plenty of time. Ann arrived having ridden from West Dean. John Maxim was the sole Arun Adur representative. There were 5 from Horsham being Mick, Bob, Adrian, Peter and Anton.

The event had a problem in that the route sheet and questions were inkjet printed and would rapidly run in the rain. After some discussion it was decided to turn the event into a Ride and all those turning up in the very poor conditions would get the Event points.

We took lanes via Conyhurst, Bucks Green and Drungewick to finish the ride with lunch at the Bat and Ball, Newpound Common near Wisborough Green. We arrived at 11.45 and the staff kindly let us in early out of the rain.

After lunch our group headed back south over the steep Mens climb to Fittleworth and then across to Duncton and a stop for tea at Aldingbourne.

My mileage for the day was 75.

Edwin

Sunday 13 May. Rainy day

Evening Ride - The George, Eartham

Strong winds and heavy, driving, rain forced the cancellation of both the Chichester and Felpham starts for this evening ride, due to run to Eartham.  Possibly a re-scheduled ride will be arranged for the next quarter's evening rides programme.

 

Graham.

Isle of Wight. Monday 7 May.

The day started with heavy rain and we feared a really wet day. However by the time we were ready to leave it was dry and it stayed dry but overcast the rest of the day. We had a very strong SW tailwind for the return home.

After a short ride on byroads north into the centre of the Island we stopped for elevenses at Amazon World Garden Centre. Then a sharp long climb up Newport Chute to Arreton Down the Ridge across the centre of the Island.

Then a long downhill to stop for lunch at Wootton and on to the ferry port at Fishbourne where we arrived just in time to get straight on the ferry. Phil and Mary left us at Portsmouth to visit their son. The rest of us continued via Havant to stop for tea at Heidies Caf?. Then back to Chichester on the lanes.

41 miles for the day (back to Pagham)

Edwin

Monday 7 May. Riding up to Arreton Down

Sunday 6 May. Isle of Wight Randonee Ride.

Weather today was overcast most of the day with some bright spells in the middle of the day. Low cloud hung over the hills but it stayed dry.

The ride this year was anticlockwise so we headed from Ventnor west to the nearest control at Whitwell. This was 3 miles away so we did 3 miles in addition to the route in the morning and another 3 miles back to Ventnor in the afternoon.

6 of us took part, myself, Phil and Mary, Ann, Gill and John Maxim. We took lanes across to Alverstone and then to Bembridge for elevenses at the School. We met there Paul and Mick from Arun Adur Section.

Then onwards and more ups and more downs via St Helens and Havenstreet to Cowes. John was ahead of us and we arrived just as a chain ferry left. We waved goodbye to John and waited for the next ferry. We decided John was fast today due to getting through 3 portions of Apple Strudel for desert last night.

We continued round to Yarmouth for a late lunch at another School. John was just leaving as we arrived. Then round to Freshwater and a steep climb on the Military Road with views of cliffs below and sea mist and low cloud.

Then lanes via Mottitstone and across to the final big climb of Blackgang Chine into the clouds again and an ice-cream stop at the top. After a fast descent down to the finish at Whitwell we met up with John there and returned to the Hillside Hotel for another stomach expanding evening meal.

71 miles for the day.

Edwin

Sunday 6 May. Phil and Mary and Ann riding the steep hill at Gurnard near Cowes

Isle of Wight. Saturday 5 May.

Weather today started dull but cleared to clear blue skies by midday and temperatures up to about 17C.

6 of us met at Chichester Cross to ride to Ventnor on the Isle of Wight for the weekend. Those taking part were myself, Phil and Mary, Ann, Gill and John Maxim. Sam had cancelled due to a heavy chesty cold. We missed his company, it was a lot quieter.

We compared electronic gadgets at the start. John had a new GPS and a mobile. I had my handheld PC and a mobile and a camera. Phil won with a GPS, a Blackberry emailer, a mobile and an IPAQ handheld PC.

We headed out on backlanes via Westbourne to Havant for Coffee. Then backstreets and cyclepaths into Portsmouth to catch the Car ferry to Fishbourne on the Island. We stopped for lunch at Havenstreet Steam Railway.

After lunch it was up to Arrerton Down and a narrow lane downhill towards Newport. On the descent my rear tyre went down with a loud bang which must have been heard for miles.

After mending the pinch puncture we continued to take the Newport Sandown cycletrack and then lanes round to Godshill for tea.

More lanes and hills took us to our familiar home from home of the Hillside Hotel in Ventnor.

Edwin

Saturday 5 May. Riding the cyclepath from Newport

Sunday 29 April - Chichester Cross to Arundel
Since most members where in the process of travelling back from Spain, the
peleton at the cross today consisted of Harvey (leading), Jo, Linda &
myself.

It was a clear and sunny day with a cool breeze keeping the temperature down
to the mid teens. We set of down East Street and headed into the parched
landscape of the famous 'tearoom desert' east of Chichester. We rode
through Westhampnett, past the Rolls Royce factory and then along the A27
cycle path before heading to Walberton Pond via Norton.
We stopped for a quick breather at Walberton Pond before pressing on east
through Binsted and Binsted wood.

We arrived in Arundel around midday. I had the full English breakfast with
a pot of tea in the Tudor Rose Cafe whilst the others had sandwiches by the
river. After my lunch in the cafe I wondered down to the river and finished
off my meal with an ice cream. After chatting for a while outside we
saddled up and set off.

As we headed south the cool breeze had been replaced with a warm one and we
enjoyed June like temperatures in the mid twenties, and were accompanied by
a soundtrack of singing skylarks as we bowled along. We pushed on through
Ford, Barnham & Eastergate before skirting Oving and approaching the
Tangmere airfield museum cafe via the path across the old airfield.

Upon arriving at the cafe we discovered it was packed, as the West Kent
chapter of the Matchless Motorcycle Owner's club had ridden over from Kent
there that morning. Just to add to the numbers Lynne & Arthur then turned
up with a 20 strong continguent of the Moulton club and the cafe grounds
became a sea of two wheeled vehicles. Soon after this the tiny cafe kitchen
which was already under strain with the great numbers went into complete
meltdown and we decided this was as good a time as any to leave and head
home.

My mileage for the day was 102km.

Adrian

Evening Ride - Felpham to Crockerhill (Winterton Arms)

It is understood that this ride did not take place, as no riders turned up at the start point. (The ride was advertised as "nominate leader on the night")

 

Graham

Sunday 22 April - Ride To Rowland's Castle
Due to most people being in Spain, a skeleton crew of Harvey and a new
member set off from Chichester Cross for this. After elevenses at Emsworth
they made their way to Rowland's Castle where they met up myself and Keith
from Littlehampton, who had cycled directly there from our respective homes.

It was a day of clear skies and hot sun, with temperatures into the low to
mid 20s. Indeed it was scorchingly hot sitting outside the cafe with our
meals, as the recently pruned trees failed to offer much protection from the
sun!

After an hour or so at the cafe we made our own ways home.

My mileage for the day was 32km.

Adrian

Sunday 15 April - Chichester start
The fine weather continued on Sunday 15 April. Phil & Mary met Linda and
Avryll at the Cross for the ride to Shopham Bridge and the DA freewheel
event. We headed east past Sainsbury's, then climbed the hill to Pilleygreen
Lodge, continuing over to East Dean and along the country lane to Upwaltham.

To avoid Duncton Hill, we took the track that crosses the col between
Barlavington Down and Farm Hill, and descends steeply to Sutton. This was
badly rutted in places so probably best left to the mountain bikes in
future. We climbed the steep hill beyond Sutton to our coffee stop at Bignor
Roman Villa.

Refreshed, we continued through West Burton and took the country lanes to
Byworth and the Welldiggers Arms, passing Liz and Alan who were resting in a car park en route. A further group from Walberton Pond, led by Harvie, had lready arrived at the pub.

After lunch we proceeded to the top of the hill for the freewheel to Shopham Bridge. Bognor & Chichester members set off first so were able to watch the
other sections coming down the hill. We took two out of the 3 categories.
Phil & Mary won the tandem event (3 tandems), and Linda just pipped
Christine in the Ladies solo event - a satisfying one/two for the Bog Chi
ladies. Dave Fox of Arun Adur won the men's solo.

Jeff Lander joined us for the ride back west through Cocking and over
Cocking Hill to West Dean for afternoon tea, and then finally down the
Centurion Way to Chichester.

Phil Turner

Bognor Regis Library to Denmans Gardens

Weather excellent, thermometer touching 21 degrees, no wind to speak of, and an easy paced flat ride on offer,  advertised by WSCC in their publications and on the internet, as part of their Walks and Rides programme.

Regrettably all of the above failed to tempt any new riders and I led out only 3 of the clubs regulars, Julian, Bruno, and Alan.  Perhaps the Grand National, or Man U v Watford in the FA cup semi final, had a greater pull.

Undaunted, we set out via the back streets of Bognor and Bersted, via Shripney, Woodgate, Hook Lane and Aldingbourne, then via Nyton and the delightfully unadopted, and therefore untarmaced, Northfields Lane, to arrive at the back of Fontwell racecourse, then straight up Denmans Lane to Denmans Gardens.  This is a new destination point for Saturday Rides, and very pleasant it is too. 

After an hour or so putting the world to rights, our return route took us via Eastergate Lane, Walberton, Barnham,  Yapton, Middleton, Felpham, and finally Bognor, in plenty of time for the football on the telly, if required.

Round trip mileage - 18.

 

Graham

Sunday 1 April. Riding down towards Stansted.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eight of us met at Chichester Cross - Edwin, Chris, Avryll, Harvie, Alan, Liz, Phil and Mary. The sky was clear, the sun shone, but a strong northerly wind hampered progress in that direction. A new GPS unit was mounted on Mary's handlebars to direct us to Chalton - a first for the club? After promising not to cycle over cliffs or across ploughed fields, we set off.

GPS immediatey directed us back to Chichester Cross. He had cleverly spotted that this was also the end point and devised a (very) short cut! We headed down west street with Mary frantically pushing buttons and toggle switches to get him to behave. The route out took us through Funtington and across into the Compton valley and a gradual climb to the shop at Compton. GPS was at this point displaying coffee stop, but unfortunately the coffee machine was broken so cold drinks were the order of the day.

A little north of Compton we turned west and crossed into the next valley and eventually crossed the railway and climbed the very steep hill up to Chalton. Alan and Liz had taken an alternative route through Finchdean and met us at the pub reporting a sighting of the rare John Maxim en route. The pub was fairly full, but the outside temperature was pleasant and we sat in the garden admiring the splendid view across the Downs.

Heading south again, GPS sensed we were finally heading in the right direction (or was it Mary threatening to chuck him over the hedge) and dutifully bleeped the correct turns until we arrived at our tea stop at Stanstead House. Another pleasant interlude in the sun and then back down the road to Woodmancote and on to Chichester.