Lanzarote. Cyclepath going past the Airport

Lanzarote. Cyclepath coming into Arrecife

Sunday 18 January 2009. Ride to the Stag Inn, Balls Cross

On a nice sunny and cool day Linda led Anne and Gill from the Cross via Pilley Green, Cocking, Bepton for elevenses at Midhurst's Ye Olde Tea Shoppe. We continued after via West Lavington and Selham to join the A272, and turned off north before Tillington. This lane runs roughly parallel with the A283 from Petworth towards Godalming. Acres of vines have been planted on the sunny south-facing slopes along the A272 and also up this lane. We joined the A283 just south of Northchapel, rode south on it for a while then turned off to Ebernoe and the pub.

No food here owing to a large private party, so we pressed on to Petworth and stopped for lunch at The Stonemasons Inn, just before you get into Petworth. It was good. Nice food, reasonable price, big portions.
After lunch we came back through Petworth, Byford, Barlavington, Duncton Hill. Anne and Gill tuned off at Upwaltham for East & West Dean while Linda carried on up the hill and turned off for Chichester at Benges.

It had rained a lot in the previous 24 hours and the lanes were wet, puddled and muddy. So lots of bike cleaning once we were home.
Linda's ride was 52 miles.

Lanzarote. Sunday 18th January. Puerto del Carmen to Arrecife.Scroll down for local Club Rides

 

Over the last week I have gradually increased activity levels with walks and short bike rides. Wednesday it was 12 miles out and back along the coast and today 18 miles out to the end of the cyclepath at Arrecife and back.

 

Since I last wrote there has of course been the dreadful news of the death of Phil Turner. Even today a week later I find that I think of him a lot. He was a very good friend who will be badly missed by me and many in the Club and our sympathies go to Mary and the children. See the home page of the Club and DA websites for a notice about the funeral on Friday and the cyclists’ procession which is being arranged to follow the cortege. I am in the process of drafting obituaries for the Pedaller and Cycle Magazine.

 

Weather today was sunny with scattered clouds and temperatures reaching 20C. There was a strong headwind on the way out and a good boost on the way back.

 

I still have the same difficulty of getting on the bike. There is no way I can get a leg over the saddle yet. However I can get there by laying the bike down flat, stepping over it while improving balance with the walking stick and then bring it up underneath me and then reversing the system for getting off. The walking stick folds up to fit in the barbag. I am starting to get used to the system which is a lot safer than it sounds

The muscles are gradually increasing in strength and I find I can do gentle slopes but nothing steep yet. Riding a bike on the flat is a great deal easier than walking and with no ill effects. I followed the seafront cycle path out past the Airport and on to Playa Honda. I stopped here at a bench on the seafront for a picnic lunch break and some sunbathing. Then further on to the end of the Cyclepath at Arrecife.

Then it was back on the same route. Although the path is wide with a designated coloured cyclepath in the middle everybody was out, it being Sunday, and care was needed to avoid stray dogs and children. The path passes very close to the Airport with the perimeter fence next to it. At one point the path passes the end of the runway with the baffles for the exhaust of planes taking off next to in. Planes landing come in at the same point passing 100ft over the cyclepath. This makes for a lot of interest and I stopped for a break on a bench to take pictures and got talking to a couple about bikes.

Then it was back on the front to town and an ice cream. The roadworks are now half finished with a one way system for cars to cut down the traffic on the front road and the space saved used for a wider prom and new cyclepath. Previously the cyclepath started on the northern edge of Puerto Del Carmen, now it will go all the way in, very sensible.

18 miles for the day.

Edwin

Lanzarote. Sunday 18 January. End of Cyclepath at Arrecife

Lanzarote. Sunday 18 January. Plane lands over Cyclepath

Lanzarote. Sunday 18 January. Puerto del Carmen beach

Lanzarote. Tuesday 6 January to Sunday 11 January. Scroll down for local Club Rides

 

The Trip here went well. I took a Taxi to Gatwick and the Taxi man helped me get the luggage and the bike onto the trolley. I soon checked in with no queue. Hand luggage was in a rucksack. No alarms at security over the leg metalwork. Managed the walk to the gate ok if a bit slow. The Plane was half empty and I had 3 seats to myself. Great view of Lanzarote on the approach and we flew in low over the Puerto Del Carmen to Arrecife Cyclepath which runs between the Airport boundary and the sea. A Taxi to the Apartment able to take a bike was easily obtained.

 I put the bike back together Wednesday but started out building up strength with some walking first. I find I am much more inclined to get out with temperatures 18 to 20c. I find I can walk further than I expected but I still need to use a walking stick and expect to for some time yet.

Suncream is a necessity even at this time of year.  Lanzarote is a long way south, about level with the southern border of Morocco.Today,

Sunday I finally got in my first bike ride in four months.  The first difficulty is getting on the bike.  There is no way I can get a leg over the saddle yet.  However I can get there by laying the bike down flat, stepping over it and then bring it up underneath me and then reversing the system for getting off.  The walking stick folds up to fit in the barbag.

I had planned to use totally flat routes to start with. However my usual route down to the seafront was blocked by massive roadworks along part of the seafront.  I had to first get over a short hill of a few hundred yards but I soon found towards the top that the mind might have been willing but the muscles were not yet up to it and I had to go off and walk.  The rest of the ride was fine after descending to the seafront Riding a bike on the flat was a great deal easier than walking and with no ill effects.  I followed the seafront cycle path to a cafe overlooking the beach at Matagorda and enjoyed the sun with a fresh orange juice.

The ride out was 4 miles and a similar distance back so 8 miles for the day so a reasonable start to cycling recuperation. 

Edwin 

Lanzarote, Tuesday 6 January. Flying in over Cyclepath

Lanzarote. Thursday 8 January. Puerto Del Carmen Beach

Sunday 21 December 2008. Ride to the White Horse, Sutton

Richard led this 36 mile ride from Chichester Cross with Avryl, Keith, Jeff, bell-ringing Chris and Linda for starters.
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I thought I knew Chichester's back roads well, but not as well as Richard, for he took us from East Street up Little London, through the residential roads north of St Pancras and the Swanfield Drive estate and past the sculptures in front of Homebase. The new twist came when we entered the car park of the Harvester Pub, picked up a signed (astonishingly) cycle track leading into the car park at the back of the Chichester Park Hotel, taking by surprise an unclothed male hotel resident flinging open his curtains and finally emerging onto Madgwick Lane in front of said hotel.

After all this the onward route to the White Horse was the usual - Pilleygreen, Duncton Hill and Barlavington.
At the pub Colin, Liz and Alan and then Gill turned up, Gill having had to mend a couple of punctures before setting out. Extra people turned out useful as Keith had come armed with the Mail's jumbo Christmas crossword.

After lunch Liz and Alan made their way back to Wiggonholt from whence they came; Chris, Jeff, Keith and Colin went their own ways, while the remaining four of us turned left from the pub past Burton Mill Pond, across the A285 via Graffham and Heyshott to Cocking for tea.

Calamity. The closed sign was up. But fortunately after a bit of gesticulating through the windows the proprietor welcomed us in saying that they'd had a private lunch with neighbours, but since they'd finished we were very welcome to have tea, which we did - with cakes.

In passing, the locals said that the BLUEBELL INN in Cocking is CLOSED FOR GOOD. Failing business is to blame and they didn't know what was going to happen to the pub or the site.

Our foursome disintegrated after tea. Richard set off early to get home, Avryl turned left at Singleton and Gill took the Centurion Way, while Linda carried on down the main road.

Happy Christmas to everyone.

Linda

Appetite Enhancer Ride 2008
Mood:  hungry

Gill met Mary and Phil at the Cross at 8:15 for the 2008 Appetite Enhancer Ride. Following a clear night, the temperature was low and we made careful progress to the top of Pillygreen Hill. The air was still very clear and crisp as we climbed. We passed two large falcons, and then a herd of at least a dozen deer crossed the road in front of us.

 

We descended to East Dean and took the road to Upwaltham. The descent of Duncton Hill required even more care. We turned right at the bottom and made our way through Sutton, up the steep hill, past Bignor Roman Palace to West Burton, up to join the A29 through Watersfield, then right through Greatham to Pulborough Brooks.

 

There were occasional small patches of ice on the roads, but they were mainly dry and we arrived without mishap at the Bird Sanctuary for our morning coffee. Gill repaired an inner tube while we rested – she had punctured on the way to the start.

 

After coffee we took the usual return route through Rackham and Amberley and then up Houghton Hill. We followed the main road down from Whiteways, then turned through Slindon before heading south to Aldingbourne for Christmas Lunch (Phil & Mary) and the journey back to Chichester (Gill).

 

Phil & Mary returned from Aldingbourne to Chichester with Richard’s group.

Buriton
Mood:  a-ok

Linda and Phil near Ditcham Park School

Only three takers at the Cross at 10:00 am on a cold and wet morning for the ride to Buriton – Linda, Mary and Phil. We set off westwards in a light drizzle taking the usual route through Woodmancoate to Stanstead House.

 

The temporary café in the Garden Centre is still being used and unfortunately we arrived just after a coach of people on a Christmas Outing. We took our places at the back of the queue. After 15 minutes queing with little visible progress, our leader’s craving for a morning coffee faded and he managed to persuade the team to climb back into their wet clothes and take to the road again unrefreshed.

 

We headed north towards Forrestside, turned left to descend to Finchdean and climbed the valley, staying to the right of the railway line and ascending all the way to Ditcham Park School. The now steady drizzle continued as we descended to the main road, turned left towards Petersfield, and then cut back over the hill to Buriton.

 

Familiar bikes were parked by the Five Bells and we found Adrian and Jill sitting on sofas in the snug eating their lunch. We ordered ours and were joined a few minutes later by Colin. The snug turned out to be not so snug as the wood-burning stove had not been lit, but the onion soup was good as was the large bowl of chips which Linda gallantly shared around the group.

 

Still a little cold, we donned our wet clothes again and continued to the crossroads and turned left to climb Buriton Hill. At the top, somewhat warmer, we paused momentarily before descending through the forrest back to Rowlands Castle. Adrian turned back towards Clanfield, and Colin decided to skip tea, so only Jill, Linda, Mary and Phil enjoyed the tearooms.

 

Finally we headed south again, turning left then right at the main road to descend to Westbourne and return through Woodmancoate, and Fishbourne. Linda headed back into Chichester, while Jill, Mary and Phil took the Apuldram Road, continued towards the marina, and then turned east to Hunston and Runcton.

 

Sunday November 23rd. Ride to Birdham

 

 Despite heavy rain, a cold wind and little prospect of the weather improving five adventurers turned up at the Cross and sallied forth with the lure of a hot cup of coffee ahead at Chichester Marina. i.e.

Phil & Mary, Richard, Avryl and a recent newcomer to cycling, Melvin Cooper, whom Linda and Avryl met on a ride two weeks previously and gave information to about the Group.

 

We rode along the Salterns Way to the Marina and when just leaving we met Alan and Liz who declined our offer to join us in continuing the ride due to the awful weather.  We stalwarts had unanimously agreed to battle on as we were already soaked.  It paid off, for by the time we reached the lunch stop at The Bell via Aldmodington the skies were clearing and we even spotted a rainbow.

 

After lunch, where Adrian met us, we followed footpaths and tracks to reach the Bird Sanctuary at Sidlesham where we joined the Bill Way.  The paths here were very muddy...but...the sun was shining and the sky was blue.  Phil and Mary invited us to have tea,cake and mulled wine at their house where Phil and Melvin were able to remove glass and a 'branch' from Melvins tyre which were acquired in the last half mile.  We made our various ways home from here.

 

Mileage from and to the Cross – 23mls.

          

Written by Avryl

Sunday 9 November. Ride to Queen Elizabeth Country Park

Just the two of us, Avryl and Linda took more or less the usual route from Chichester Cross to Stansted for elevenses, against the wind and dodging the blusterly showers.

The celestial beings ignored the 2 minutes silence at 11.00 by pelting the Stansted Tea Room plastic roof with big raindrops, probably to put us in mind of the mud and the Somme. Then onwards against the wind past Forestside and Butser Hill Ancient Farm to the QE Park cafe for lunch, where Adrian was waiting for us and Steve (formerly Croydon, now of Westminster) joined us, having taken the train to Petersfield and cycled on.

The last time Steve rode with us was in February, since when he's been laid low with mumps and other nasty lurgies, so it was nice to renew acquaintance.

The blusteriness got worse as the four of us headed back. Adrian left us before the downhill past Butser, where the sudden squalls could have dislodged any of us, but didn't. Steve left at Rowlands Castle for the train back to London and Avryl and Linda scooted back to Chichester via Westbourne where, thank you Wind God, you got behind us and blew us home.

We escaped all the downpours on our 37 miles.

Linda

Sunday 9 November. At Queen Elizabeth Country Park

Halloween Ride
Mood:  on fire

Despite a precautionary Jack o'Lantern, Phil, Mary, Linda, Gill, Richard Carlisle, and Brian and Sue Howe were joined at the entrance to the cathedral graveyard by two fearsome looking ghouls on bicycles. The evening was clear and cold but not perishing.

This was to be an evening of culture as well as cycling. Mary started proceedings with a desciption of the performance of Dr Faustus in the grounds of the Cathedral. We headed south and took the canal towpath stopping briefly near the old swing bridge for Mary to describe various romantic aspects of the canal. The story was embellished by Linda who also had to pacify a startled neighbour.

We continued to Hunston followed by the two ghouls and turned right to cross the peninsula to Chichester Marina. Mary then served pumpkin soup and pumpkin bread whilst we gazed out over the channel and Phil explained the significance of smuggling to the local economy in the mid-eighteenth century. We noted that the ghouls seemed partial to the soup and pumpkin bread and speculated that they may be distant ancestors of Dave and Louise Galle.

We then headed north towards Appuldram, crossed the old A259 and the railway, then headed up the Centurion Way. We stopped again briefly by the metal workmen while Phil described the rise and fall of the Chichester to Midhurst railway. We then continued north to West Dean and the Selsey Arms.

The ghouls joined us in the bar and the landlord seemed happy to serve them since they had the appropriate currency. We left the pub at about 10 pm and returned via the main road, noting the smugglers memorial outside the rugby ground as we passed.

A jolly evening was had by all. We were delighted to have so many guests with us (including the well-mannered ghouls).

Sunday 26 October

Short ride short note - not, you will see, no ride no note.

On a mild morning with driving drizzle only Gill and Linda turned up at Chichester Cross at 09.30, Linda doing so because she was listed to lead and both of us having remembered clocks back. And why does it always rain on rides I lead?

We decided that Balls Cross was much too far on such a dismal day and anyway Gill was still getting over a nasty cold, so we decided on Chichester Marina for elevenses and then home. This we did going via the footbridge over the A27, N. Mundham, Hunston and across country to the Marina, where there was a group of similarly very wet motorbikers. Anyway hot coffee and chocolate sorted us out, and then home during a break in the drizzle. Miles done too few to mention.

 

Linda

Sunday October 12th. Ride to Stansted Garden Centre

After a misty start it turned out to be a beautiful warm sunny day.

6 riders met at Chichester Cross - Harvey, Alan, Liz, Arthur, Lynn and myself. We cycled to Bosham Hoe and then round to the shoreline at Bosham. There was no wind at all and it all looked so peaceful and still. It was just after high tide and we were able to ease round the harbour with the help of the footpath. After a stop for coffee sadly Arthur and Lynn had to leave us.

After taking the lanes around Chidham we emerged at the A259 which we crossed and headed north to Woodmancote and Aldsworth and hence to Stansted Garden Centre where we met some Arun Adur riders. The Tea Room is temporarily in the main building while repairs are being done to the roof.

 After lunch we cycled to West Marden via Forestside and then headed south to Walderton and Funtington. Here we took Downs Road to Stoke where we turned alongside the village Hall and down Lye Lane to join Clay Lane and Salthill Road.

 We enjoyed a welcome cup of tea and cakes at the Roman Palace and then returned to Chichester.

Total mileage 34 mls.

Avryl (leader)

Sunday, 12 October - Rake

Phil, Mary, Colin, Linda and Gill met at Chichester Cross at 9:30 am. The day was a little damp and misty at first but as we travelled west, the sun emerged and the day warmed. Unusually for the time of year, four sets of legs were exposed to the elements. We took the usual route to Stanstead Garden Centre. The tea room had been moved down into the main Garden Centre building while refurbishment work is going on.

We continued north from Stanstead to Forestside, West Marden and then South Harting where we stopped to use the facilities. We continued through Nyewood and Rogate climbing gradually and back in mist until we reached the old A3 and turned right to reach the garden centre.

Vin and Clare Watters (ne Turner) joined us for cup of tea and we then headed back down the Rogate road but immediately branched left towards Milland. A navigational blunder took us further east than planned, but we were rewarded by a lovely run through the forest to Woolbeding. We truned right on the A272 and then left through another forest to join the main Bepton road and thence to Cocking where we stopped for tea at the Moonlight Cafe.

After tea, we climbed Cocking Hill and descended to Singleton and West Dean, then returned along the Centurion Way. A very pleasant run in comparativley mild conditions for the time of year.

PT