Sunday 24th February by Paget Cohen
After a late night and a few bevies I'm afraid I didn't rise early enough to be in Uckfield by 9, but I was at least out on the, mercifully dry, road. I'm glad to report no serious damage to my hip from last week's landing, but I did have to replace the rear quick release lever before it snapped off. The roads may have been clean, aside from the odd patch of melt-water, but conditions were perishingly raw thanks to a biting North Easterly.
My mission, which I chose to accept, was to arrive at the tea stop at 11am by my wits alone. I started with a convoluted zigzag route via Little London, Lions Green and Foxhunt Green before emerging onto the B2192 at Easons Green only to find it closed for resurfacing. Not wanting to backtrack nor take a huge detour I approached a workman who kindly informed ne I should be able to get through to Halland with care; which I did, taking full advantage of the lack of through traffic to pick the safest line on and off of those stretches where the top surface had been skimmed off in preparation.
Being on my lonesome, and with few cars about anyway, I decided to make the most of that and the tailwind, stick to the Broyle then cut through Broyle Side to head to Barcombe. Down the pleasant lane to Norlington (almost exactly where Simon Farmer punctured late last year) a small orange sign at the side of the road caught my eye (not literally I hasted to add). As I approached I could read the legend ' Warning - Cat in Road'. I figured it unlikely to be a permanent hazard, but barked twice just in case when lo and behold around the next bend there was indeed a small feline sat calmly in the carriageway!
Putting that behind me I turned North through Barcombe Cross and Newick to join the A275 just South of Sheffield Park. By now my fingers and toes were visible if not palpable, but I was still a tad early so took a slight detour before pitching up at Heaven Farm.
I had only just removed by gloves and helmet when Ian McG, Mark L, Terry, Stuart K and a young lad I didn't recognise rolled up. Turns out his name was Sam and a mate of his had been with them until he collapsed due to near hypothermia forcing the group to stop and lend him their jackets whilst they waited for his Mum to turn up to collect him.
As ever a few Wanderers were already enjoying tea and company and we were joined by several more, including, I'm happy to relay, my fellow crash victim of last week Alan Lloyd; although he admitted to sticking to main roads en route just to be on the safe side.
After welcome hot drinks and cake we left Sam in the stewardship of Chris H for their run back to Lewes and made a beeline ourselves for Uckfield. We still found time for Terry to break his front mudguard and laughing-boy Mark to puncture approaching Piltdown; other Wanderers turning up just to enjoy watching him fumble with numb fingers and brain cells. Having said my goodbyes in Uckfield I still felt good enough to bag a few extra miles via Hadlow Down making a most satisfactory 45 in total.
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