Sunday 22nd of July 2007. Ride from Chichester to Stedham.

 

Weather today was bright and sunny, with scattered clouds and a westerly wind.  Temperatures reached 18 C.

 

I led the ride and I was joined at the Cross by Linda, Christine and Russell.  Adrian later joined us at elevenses.

 

We headed west on Clay Lane, and then took Watery Lane to Funtington.  As we rode up Watery Lane, a Duck was walking up the lane with a brood of about six half grown chicks behind.  We decided that all of the chicks had survived due to the recent abundance of water.

 

We continued by taking the B-road towards Compton.  All along this road coming towards us at regular intervals, fast cyclists on time trial bikes rode by.  They were taking part in the Chichester Triathlon.

 

We arrived at Compton Post Office soon after 11.00.  Adrian joined us a few minutes later.  The hot water machine had broken down, so we made do with cold drinks.

 

The long gradual climb up Harting Hill was followed by a swift descent to Harting Village.  We then rode along parallel to the South Downs eastward via Elstead, with a strong tail wind to Stedham.  Lunch was taken at the Hamilton Arms where Colin joined us.  He was leader of the Walberton pond ride but nobody else had chosen to join him.

 

After lunch, Adrian headed back to Portsmouth the way we had come.  Linda went to see a friend who lived nearby.  The remaining four of us rode back via Bepton and Cocking.  We stopped for tea at West Dean, and then headed back to Chichester on the Centurion Way.

 

My mileage for the day was 49.

 

Edwin

Sunday 22 July. Leaving elevenses at Compton

Evening Ride - Felpham to The Black Horse, Binsted

Another evening ride, another evening of poor weather.

The day had been quite promising - sunny skies and light winds - but in keeping with the entire summer so far, the evening  brought  black clouds, fresh winds, and an ever present threat of rain.

Not surprisingly then that only 3 of us set out from The Fox - Julain, Jo, and myself.

 From Felpham we headed out through Yapton, to Ford Lane, then Tortington via Ford Station before plunging into the dark track running through Scotland Woods, reaching the mysterious "Madonna Pond", where the tarmac runs out and a very rough surface takes over.

Rejoining the tarmac at Binsted Manor, it was a short sprint to the Black Horse, which we managed to make just before the rain started.

Edwin joined us fresh from time trialling as we adjourned into the dry.

About 45 minutes later however the rain had stopped so we ventured homeward direct via Beam Ends, North End, and back to Yapton and Middleton.  We beat the rain to complete the ride in the dry. The round trip mileage for the evening was 19.3.

Graham

The 15th of July. Ride to the Shoe Exton

 

Five of us met at the Cross, for the long ride across into Hampshire.  These were myself (Edwin), Colin, Adrian, Linda and Anne.

 

Rain had been forecast for the morning, but we escaped all the showers, some of which came quite close.  There was a good north easterly wind to blow us out to the pub and the weather was humid, with temperatures up to 23C.

 

I led the group out via Westbourne and Rowlands Castle, and then a stop for elevenses at the Queen Elizabeth Country Park Cafe.

 

We then climbed up to Butser Hill followed by a steep descent into the Meon Valley, with great views on the way down.  This was followed by another climb up to HMS Mercury, and then a short way along the Ridge before a long descent into the Meon Valley and lunch at the Shoe in Exton.

 

We arrived at 12.15 just in time before the rush of Sunday lunch diners.  We had lunch in the garden adjacent to the Meon River and listened to loud claps of thunder over the Downs just to the east, and a heavy downpour was visible just a few miles away.

 

After lunch I led the group on a backroad adjacent to the main road down the Meon Valley to Soberton.  Then on lanes across to Hambledon.  After leaving the Meon Valley we left behind dry roads to come across many wet roads and puddles as evidence of the recent downpour.  We continued on more backroads to Catherington with a very steep but short hill.  Then onwards to Horndean and Rowlands Castle, where we had planned to stop for tea.  However a notice on the door, advised us that the tea rooms were closed for the day due to staff illness.  We decided to go on to Stansted Garden Centre Cafe where we stoked up with tea and cakes.

 

Then on and back to Chichester via Funtington and West Stoke, with more evidence of recent heavy downpours.

 

Mileage from and back to the Cross was 59.  My mileage was 71.

 

Edwin

Sunday 15 July. Climbing from Meon Valley to HMS Mercury

Sunday 15 July. Lunch at The Shoe.

Sunday 15 July. Rowlands Castle ride.

 

Five riders met at the Cross being Alan and Liz, Freda and Jim and Avryl.

 

The ride was down as nominate the leader on the day and Alan and Freda shared the lead.

 

The group rode across to Emsworth for a stop there for elevenses, and then rode on to Rowlands Castle.  There they found that the tea rooms were closed for the day due to staff illness.  The group had sandwiches with them, and lunch was taken on the Green.

 

In the afternoon the riders headed back catching just the tail end of one shower.  Tea was taken at Hilliers Garden Centre cafe near Bosham.

 

Edwin for Alan and Freda.

Sunday 8 July. Ride to the Tour de France.

Weather today was warm sunny and dry with scattered clouds building up more in the afternoon.

One of the 2 alternative rides today was to Arundel and 7 joined this ride led by Alan. The other alternative was to train or car to Three Bridges and join Horsham Section for their ride to see the Tour de France come through at Tonbridge. I took the train up and Avryl came by car. 6 members from Horsham Section were out and many of them led or backmarked at various stages in a good co-operative effort.

The route was excellent, introducing us to a new area with scenic lanes and paths. A short ride from the station and we were on the Worth Way Cycle route on an old railpath to East Grinstead. This was dry and in good condition despite recent rains.

We then headed east on very pleasant quiet byroads via Cowden and then Penshurst for elevenses. We got to the Tea Rooms just in time before about 25 riders from the SW London Road Club packed the place out.

We took a cycle route through Penshurst Park and then across to Tonbridge and the start of a hill up to Southborough where we settled to watch the Tour come through. The weird and wonderful vehicles of the Tour Caravan were first through with more free stuff thrown at the crowd. I got a reusable carrier bag.

The Tour came through about 1.00 with 5 in a breakaway group including David Millar and the main group 5 minutes later with the CSC team at the front riding hard to keep the race together.

One of the best parts of the day was riding on in the wake of the Tour with roads still closed and barriered off and traffic lights all turned off. We continued on this normally busy main road for about 4 miles through Southborough and on to Tunbridge Wells. We received a rousing cheer from a big group at a roadside Pub. Horsham Section members mentioned the trouble they went to in order to put on a good Sunday ride for guests!!

We continued to Groombridge and a stop at the Pub there. Then the Forest Way, another rail path, back to East Grinstead and then the Worth Way back to Three Bridges.

52 miles from and back to Three Bridges.

NOTE - Scroll down for pictures of the day and a report on the Arundel Ride by Adrian. Scroll down further for a report and more pictures on the Prologue in London on Saturday.

Edwin

Sunday 8 July. Elevenses at Penshurst Tea Rooms

Sunday 7 July. Tour Caravan with an out of area Kangaroo

Sunday 8 July. CSC riders lead the Peloton up the hill from Tonbridge

Sunday 8 July. On the Tour de France route. A main road as a cyclepath

Sunday 8th July, Chichester Cross to Arundel

With several members up in London for the Tour De France, the 'usual  suspects' at the Cross were Alan (leading), Gill, Helen, Harvey & myself. Liz met us at elevenses and Keith from Worthing at lunch.

The weather was much better than of late, being warm in the sun and cool in the shade, with a cool wind and only a few clouds in the sky - optimum cycling conditions.

We set off up past Chichester University, through Summersdale and past Goodwood airfield and headed via backroads though Halnaker, before arriving at Aldingbourne Country Centre for elevenses, where we me up with Liz.

After a leisurely session of eating, drinking & chatting in the garden, we headed off again. We cycled through Walberton and Binsted before arriving in Arundel at about 12.30pm. Three of us ate in the Tudor Rose Cafe, whilst the rest had sandwiches down by the river.

Afterwoods we met up again and then made our own ways home.

My mileage for the day was 109km.

Adrian

Saturday 7 July. Tour de France Prologue.

Today I travelled by train and joined a crowd estimated at over a million watching the Tour de France get underway through the streets of central London

Weather was  clear and sunny with temperatures up to 22C. This was a welcome relief after many weeks of showers and high winds.

I was there at 11.00 well before the scheduled start of 3.00. I strolled up Whitehall past the start watching the preparations. It was great to see the usually busy streets of Central London closed down for the Tour and all the Tour banners everywhere.

There was a cosmopolitan atmosphere with many French and Spanish voices. After a picnic in St James Park I headed up the Mall past the finish to Buckingham Palace and watched the Tour Caravan come past. Lots of free goodies were thrown into the Crowd but I didn't catch any. Some of the Tour riders rode past among the Caravan including David Millar.

Then back to the Park and to the Tour village in Horseguards where mechanics were giving bikes a last check. Between Horseguards and the start in Whitehall the riders were warming up and I watched them come through Admiralty Arch and past Trafalgar Square.

Then on to the start to watch and photograph the first riders come down the starting Ramp.

I then headed down Whitehall towards Westminster and spotted a gap in the crowd and there I found 2 friends from Bognor CC, Dave Prior and Don Lambert. I stayed there for a while and then walked on down to Westminster aiming to get some pictures of riders coming round the road with Big Ben in the background.

The right spot was obvious with a lot of Pro Photographers with giant lenses lying on the road behind special barriers. I lucked out when somebody standing by a railing moved on and I got their spot with an ideal view.

All in all a great day out to a very special event.

Edwin

Saturday 7 July. The Start gate in Whitehall

Saturday 7 July. A rider speeds down Whitehall

Saturday 7 July. David Millar rounds the corner with Big Ben behind

Saturday 7 July. Bradley Wiggins powers round the corner at Westminster

Evening Ride: Felpham to The George, Eartham

For the 2nd time this year (this ride was originally scheduled for April), the ride to Eartham was cancelled due to heavy rain.

So far this season, the evening rides programme has been decimated by bad weather; I had to go back a month (to 6 June) to find a ride that took place in reasonable weather conditions.

 

Graham.

Sunday 1 July. 2 Weald Ride.

 

 July started in the same vein as June with the weather wet and windy.

 

I opted to take the train up to Billingshurst and then rode a few miles to Wisborough Green for the event start. A mile before the village Colin rode by in the other direction riding the eastern route.

 

By the Green Horsham Section members had put up a small shelter which helped against the rain. Last year on the same day it was shelter from a blazing sun and temperatures of 33C.

 

I met up there with John Maxim, John Wickens and Sue Howe and we decided to do the northern route. Guests turned up from West Surrey DA, Chris Juden, technical advisor at CTC HQ with his family. They rode the southern route.

 

The 2 Johns Sue and I headed north getting a dry interlude to reach Cranleigh and a stop for elevenses at the Garden Centre. There were 4 riders there from West Kent DA. The rain started again while we had elevenses and on and off as we headed back south via Plaistow and Kirdford.

 

Back at Wisborough Green we met up with Colin and were later joined by Dave Fox and Dave Galle who had arrived just after we left and also rode the northern route.

 

Considering the weather on the day there was a good turnout with 20 taking part. There were 8 from Horsham, 5 from Arun Adur and 2 from Bognor. The DA Events points competition is now very close with 2 Events left for the year. With 10 points for each rider completing an Event the totals are now 210 for Bognor/Chichester, 190 for Horsham and 180 for Arun Adur. The full results are on the DA Website.

 

I headed back by train. Soon after Arundel the dark clouds gave way to blue skies over the coast. For me 38 miles for the day.

 

Edwin