Oasts & Coasts Audax - By Micky T

Oasts & Coasts ( or Circuit of Kent )

 

A 300k and a bit - Audax . Good prep for LEL was my thoughts.

 

The organiser Tom Jackson said this was the first time it had been run and 40 applied with 32 I think started. He said it would be a course that you would love or not as it would be a bit different with a few cycle paths along the coastal areas to try and avoid the larger towns such as Folkstone. I didn't mind it at all and overall it was a scenic very pleasant ride . There were certainly many Oasts and Coasts with a view of the French coast from up on the White Cliffs of Dover. There was typical Audaxers present - including a couple of fixed nut jobs - one with a large beard, carradice saddle bag and tri bars ??

 

I had suggested this ride to a long time friend and his group of 3 others who are planning to ride from London to Paris in June ( which I will probably be doing ) . To my surprise they were all up for it despite not being experienced cyclists and done up to 100 mile cycles in the past and nothing like an Audax.

 

The route started near Meopham , Gravesend area - then south to Hartfield , past my home at Fairwarp, Uckfiled, Heathfield, Battle , Rye , Dymchurch , Hythe, Folkstone, Dover , Deal , Sandwich, Herne Bay, Whitstable, Aylesford , near Gillingham, back to Meopham . http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/13-545/

 

Started at 6.0am , bit chilly and a wind from the North East which may have been a bit of a pain along the southern coast and up but turned into a blessing for the homeward stretch from Herne Bay .

 

About 2 miles in first crash as an Audaxer stopped suddenly in front of one of our group who hit the deck - oh dear not a good start!! However he dusted himself up and we cracked on . I wasn't too sure what pace to ride with these guys but we rolled along quite nicely. I put a call into Debs for 5 bacon rolls for 8.30 pretty please and bless her she came up trumps and met us with Isaac in the pram to deliver and well appreciated brekky. On we went as plenty to do - Quick wave to Paget as we came through Heathfield

 

Quite a few control / info / receipts from shops, picking up validation stickers etc along the way meant we could regularly top up on food and drink. Through Rye and Brenzett , Ivychurch ( and slightly dark memories of the 12 Hour Kent course ) the wind was in our face - thankfully not too serious though. We got to Hythe and the cycle paths started with one going through an adventure park which was full of people, toddlers on scooters, dogs etc - not for the purists this part but Hey Ho .

 

Into Dover and up to the Castle and White Cliffs via a 13% climb but we were rewarded with great views of the Castle and the French coast clearly visible . A second puncture for one of the boys repaired and off again. The boys were in new territory here distance wise so it would be interesting to see how they got on.

 

Plodded on not really seeing many of the other Audaxers heading north. Kept the pace nice and steady- we were all going well enough. Up to Herne Bay and the slight tail wind now benefiting us along the cycle path sea head walls to Whitstable.

 

No idea what the time was but we now we had the most of the work done and could think about getting back . The last couple of hours with the lights on . We had to cross  M2 and M20 via footbridge / underpass. Then back to the lanes for the last 20 or so. Another small off by one of the boys but think that was tiredness and no damage done apart from pride.

 

We got back to the HQ relieved at about 9.30 having spent nearly 13 hours actual cycling. I think we were about middle of the field- the boys did really well and were very pleased !!

 

On the technical side I tried out a few things for LEL  . Rob had suggested an Hope Open Pro 3 rear wheel which I used for the first time with a nice Sram 1070 cassette - it was ideal. I also used a power pack to charge the Garmin http://www.portablepowersupplies.co.uk/universal-batteries/    This also worked well .

I have succumbed to getting a handle bar " man " bag . This to keep the power pack , phone, cash,  nibbles etc in with a route sheet holder . I had the GPX trace in the Garmin but still used the route sheets.

 

All in all a very good day - I think the more sustainable pace of 15 mph (  as opposed to the LWCC Rob lead Audax pace ) was about right for LEL for 4 days ish.

 

Micky T

Club Run Report - Sunday 28th April

(Partial) Club Run to Stanmer Park

Sunday 28th April by Paget Cohen

Now I've become quite partial to a club run, but I subtitle this piece not because of that, or because I failed to make the tea stop or go the distance, but due to riding so much of it solo.  It started well enough;  John from Herstmonceux caught me at the lights just as I reached Uckfield and us 2, plus Mark L, Stuarts K & A and Yuriy were led North round the back of Maresfield by Ian McG.

Crossing the B2026 at Fairwarp we spotted amongst the bracken a sheep snagged on some brambles by the look of it.  Here Ian & Mark fancied themselves as Siegfried and Tristan Farnon, parked their bikes and set off to rescue said animal.  No sooner had they gone far enough to clog their cleats with mud then the sheep saw them coming and needed no further motivation to free itself and rejoin the flock.

Good deed done, at least in intention, we proceeded Westwards along quiet lanes with only odd puddles and potholes to dodge.  Approaching Walstead there was rather a rather larger wet patch under some trees, but out leader, gallant as ever, jettisoned his jacket from under his saddle so that we could ride across without getting our bikes wet.

There are few good riding roads in Sussex I've yet to discover, but Ian introduced me to a useful cut-through in Lindfield, avoiding much of the High Street, as we continued into what little breeze there was.  Entering Cuckfield Stuart A and Mark became detached from the rear so we pulled into a lay-by to wait.  Fool that I am I'd just changed down so when we set off I immediately slipped my chain.  Safe in the knowledge that the group would notice my absence and pause at the next junction I took the opportunity to pocket my gillet before remounting.

Next junction : no sign of any cyclists, but I figured the boys would continue West in order to cross, rather than join, the A272.  My suspicions were confirmed by a helpful jogger, but no Wanderers at the next turning either.  In hindsight, being behind I should probably have taken that (Deaks) Lane and made a beeline for Ditchling, but for some reason I kept to the B2115 just a bit longer.

For the record I had a very pleasant solo ride.  Left down Broxmead Lane, 2nd left down Bungton Lane (loose gravel), across the A272 just East of the A23 junction and across the A2300 by the Hickstead Motel.  Left then right into Pomper Lane, straight across then right where I encountered lots of horse-riders.  Round the back of Hurstpierpoint College and through the town to join the newly resurfaced New Way Lane to Clayton.  Doubting Underhill Lane had had the same treatment O took the B-road back to Ditchling to tackle the climb head on - 7:45 for what it's worth.

Stanmer Park Cafe is yet another facility I'd never experienced before, but fortunately I'd checked it out on GoogleMaps on Friday.  Not certain over access from the Ditchling road I descended to the main entrance and climbed back through the football pitches.  No sooner had I parked up then I was reunited with my club-mates with their own stories to tell.  Somehow not only did Ian's full English breakfast arrive before the toasted teacakes, but he cleared his plate before us too.  On what was now a warm sunny day we had inadvertently found seats in the shade and were soon joined by the off-road posse:- Bob Evans, Gibbo, Simon, Nick Smith, Stephen B and Dom L.

Having ridden from Burgess Hill to Uckfield first thing Stuart and Yuriy were permitted to take the direct route back whilst the remaining 5 of us mixed it with the A27 traffic.  After so long riding without shelter I was by now, as the Italians say, "Cotto", but I clung on as best I could as we wended our way via Ringmer back to Pear Tree Corner and went our separate ways.  Herstmonceux John and I probably followed a similar path, but while he was keen to stretch his legs mine felt overextended, so I let him go on ahead.  Still can't complain with 68 miles at 16.4mph including the Beacon.     

Offroad Clubrun to Stanmer - 28th April 2013

Offroad Clubrun Report

Wow! What a mix of weather over the last few days I’ve experienced. Went to France for a few days work on Thursday, arriving in scorching heat; the following day was cold and wet; the day after was bright sunshine and snow showers!

I arrived back in the UK on Saturday evening in bright sunshine, looking forward to Sunday’s ride with mixed feelings-done a lot of hard work and was aching all over. However, Sunday dawned bright, all aches were forgotten and by the time I rolled up to the lights at Lewes prison to meet another five riders, I was positively buzzing.

We headed off up the back of the prison and on past the racecourse at a fair old lick, everyone staying together and enjoying the sunshine. Black Cap came up next, followed by Ditchling Beacon. No time for ice cream today as we sped on towards the Jack and Jill windmills, hanging a left turn and heading the wrong way round our old offroad time trial course. It’s a long time since I road that way round that course because it’s mainly uphill and hard work, but all worth while as it brings you back up to the top of Stanmer Park-some walked, but will remain nameless!

Once in Stanmer, I gave the reins to Dom as it’s his playground. I seem to only know my way round at night in the dark-it was suggested I ride with my eyes closed! We managed to find the only bit of sticky mud around the top of some of the Big Dog course, before we dropped all the way down to the finish-fast and exhilarating for the font runners who were being chased by a hound, unawares of the chaos we had left behind for the owner!

Unfortunately, what goes down usually has to go back up; and so we grovelled up the blacktop just to get my favourite run back down. What can I say, it’s tight, twisty and technical through the trees and I have trouble riding slow, waiting for the rest to catch up-there is no tarmac equivalent, it’s heaven!

With tea, coffee and cake consumed, Dom took the lead again for one last lap of the park before we headed back up to Black Cap. The final run in to Lewes took us round the chalk pits where Bob Evans declared we were all mad and that there was no way he would ever ride down “those slopes”! I think the fixed grins on the rest of our faces might have said the same! It was a fitting end to a grand day out.

Stanmer Stumps

It was one of those rare days, the sun was out, it was a weekend and I got a last minute pass to ride my bike.  Usually in the circumstances I look at the bikes available to me and find enough good reasons not to ride, eg that one has a puncture, the brakes are a bit grabby on that or the bike has the wrong tyres, but not today, I grabbed the nearest bike and headed out on to the Downs.

First time in shorts and short sleeves for as long as I can remember and it felt good, I had chosen my Focus mountain bike, ever since the bike tried to fail my South Downs Way attempt we have had something of a stormy relationship.  I don’t think I have ever had a ride without a crash a broken chain or cramps from the feeling the bike doesn’t fit right.  But not today, the bike felt good, it seemed to fit, there were no gear problems, the birds were singing and we were floating along almost in unison.

I didn’t have a route choice in mind, I just followed my nose and (perhaps unsurprisingly) ended up in Stanmer Park. 

The trails had wintered well and with the recent weather were dry and dusty, giving back just enough grip to let the bike lead the way through the trees and the tight and twisty singletrack.

I’d been riding the trails for an hour or so and was heading onto the penultimate section before heading for home, I’d nailed that steep climb I rarely mange (which Gibbo can ride in all conditions) and was settled into the flow of the trail.  The bike felt like it was steering itself, carving its own route and my mind started to wander, as it often does, onto something other than what I should have been thinking about when, suddenly, it hit me, or rather I hit ‘it’! 

I wasn’t sure what ‘it’ was, all I knew was I was lying face first, more or less in the centre of the trail with a bike nestling neatly on top of me.  A few checks to confirm nothing was obviously broken (me not the bike) and thoughts turn to, what did I hit? 

Whilst lying on the floor, still with the bike on top of me I could see one of the many Stanmer Stumps that reside just millimetres from the side of the trail looking looking particularly pleased with itself.  Stanmer stumps are tree stumps, small enough to hide in the undergrowth, but big (and sturdy enough) to make their presence felt when drifting just beyond the edge of the trails.

I unclipped my feet from the pedals and tried to assess the rest of my injuries, a bruised thumb, a scuffed arm and dead leg seemed a small price to pay.

As is tradition, I tried to ride off the dead leg, it was fine in the saddle, but as soon as I tried to stand the leg couldn’t cope with the turning motion and I stopped dead, it was a surreal experience.

I was determined to make the most of the good weather and managed to ride back home ‘the long way’ avoiding any steep climbs that might necessitate getting out the saddle just in time to get told off for being late home.

Club Run Report - Pevensey Bay Sunday 21st April 2013

Club Run to Pevensey Bay

Sunday 21st April by Paget Cohen

A beautiful day forecast, but a heavy frost meant I opted for gillet, overshoes and leggings, unlike Ian McG and Jan Stegers, making a rare appearance, and joining Ian in shorts - 1 pair each.  I'd anticipated a hard ride, but when Nick (out threshold training in preparation for the crits), nice Martin, and the Men in Black - agents Gibbons and Farmer - rolled up I feared trouble from the Magnificent Seven.  Indeed the familiar run out towards Dicker felt more like a chain-gang than a club run from my perspective at the back.  In a selfish way I was pleased when Martin hit a pothole and his LWCC drinks bottle made a successful bid for freedom, shattering the lid and spraying me with the contents;  at least it was only water and Mr C was able to salvage the main body of the bottle complete with legend.

Losing Jan to the temptations of the car boot fair we crossed the A22 and made for Hailsham.  This time it was Nick to be delayed as Ian somehow detected a stone attached to his tyre which Nick was able to remove before it achieved penetration.  Once out of Hailsham and past The Old Loom Mill we took a right towards the Cop Hall roundabout and the crossing of the A27.  Here the Famous Five took the high road (riding over the footbridge) and Martin took the low road and he was in Polegate afore us, and the level-crossing gate for the matter.

Up till now the ride had been flat and fast, but I'd hung on in the slipstream.  Climbing to Jevington, however, I couldn't find a comfortable gear and slipped 100m or so off the back.  The guys sat up in the valley allowing me to regain contact just in time to drop me once more as the road ramped up to Friston.  I failed to hold wheel from Birling Gap to Beachy Head also, but at least I finally found a sustainable rhythm and didn't keep the bunch waiting too long.

Still not fully accustomed to the handling of my Giant and the sensation of being quite so attached to a bike I decided discretion was the better part of valour for the hair-pinned plunge to the seafront and let the others go on ahead, finally latching back on near the pier.  I checked the computer when we stopped at the Ocean View Cafe and I'd already covered 44miles at 17.2mph!  Graham Jeffs was already sunning himself on the terrace and the Audax crew joined us shortly.

After a long stop we'd barely got going again when Ian suffered a double technical involving a flat and something to do with his computer mount.  I took the opportunity to catch up with Gibbo, who claims to have done hardly any LEL training despite leaving me for dead all day.  Back across the levels the pace didn't relent, but Nick still managed to take another comfort break and catch us up again.  I hope for his sake he doesn't suffer the same problem in the crits - maybe he could adapt his Camelbak to dispose of rather than dispense fluids?  On second thoughts maybe that isn't such a good idea.

Someone else short of miles after bronchitis is Captain Carbon, so as the Fantastic Four ducked down Cinderford Lane to Grove Hill we settled into a steady pace for the gentle incline home and a discussion as to why some of us are flogging ourselves on a club run when it's supposed to be just for fun;  is nobody brave enough to admit they'd rather be taking it easy enjoying company and countryside?  All in all 61 miles at a staggering (well I was when I dismounted) 16.8mph.  

Press Release 14.04.13

A welcome taste of spring set a welcome backdrop for the second of Lewes Wanderers Cycling Club competitions, the Circuit of Danehill.  The route, based at Chelwood Gate, starts off with a breathtakingly fast downhill section through to Sheffield Park, followed by a rolling journey through to Newick and beyond.  The testing part of the ride starts with a long grinding climb up to Nutley, the difficulty of which is accentuated by scarred road surfaces, which make the Paris Roubaix cobbles appear tame in comparison!  Riders are rewarded for their exertions with one last glorious burst to the line to reach the sanctuary of the finishing line at Chelwood Gate.

The race itself unfolded into a thrilling contest with pre-race favourite, Pete Morris storming around the course in a magnificent time of 42:33, and in doing so smashed Jim Cheek’s long standing course record by over a two minute margin.  Second man home was the fast improving Duncan Fuller (45:19) with Neil Midgley completing the podium places (47:27) in a time which was fast enough to earn him equal third in the Handicap award, a position shared with Tom Benjamin who clocked an impressive 50:22 time.  Next man home was Sam Ramsey, whose storming ride (48:03) secured first place on handicap and second in the Vets competition.  Your correspondent won the Vets award in a time of 50:03.  The remaining awards went to Clint Allen 2nd Handicap (56:12), David Beale 3rd Vet (56:28) and Debbie Evers 1st Lady (63:50).

The club would like to extend heartfelt thanks to Ollie Tuckley and the band of ever willing helpers for a well-organised and enjoyable event.

Several Wanderers opted to take part in the SCCU 25 on a revised course based around Broadbridge Heath.  A southerly wind made for a tough return leg, and in the circumstances some good times were set on the day.  Top Wanderer for the 25-mile journey was Nick Dwyer with a time of 55:33, placing him second in a quality field.  Tom Glandfield had a good outing with a time of 56:31 ensuring him 5th in the overall standings.  Other Lewes times were Rob Rollings (59:15) and Michael Valks (1:01:32).

This weekend sees an action packed feast of riding with the ESCA 10 and 25 run over consecutive days.  The battle for team honours looks to be fierce, with the Wanderers facing stiff opposition from the In-Gear Team and a team who star is on the ascendancy, Eastbourne Rovers.

Press Release 07.04.13

Putting aside customary Bank Holiday activities, four Lewes Wanderers opted to ride in Robin Johnson’s Hilly 25 mile event, which starts and ends near the infamous Devil’s Dyke.  The ride demands caution as riders thread their way through twisty country lanes and fast descents.  The sting in the tail lies in the last mile where riders have to ascend the long 13% climb to finish near the Waterhole Golf course.  This hilly course, which includes 1,304 feet of climbing, is certainly one of the most challenging on the time trialling calendar in Sussex.

Pete Morris was Wanderers top dog on the day in a time of 1:03:02, followed by Jamie Lowden, no doubt affected by his road racing heroics earlier that weekend, who registered a time of 1:05:52.  Jamie’s dad, Dominic, had a solid outing notching up a time of 1:11:52.  The event was won by In-Gear’s hill climbing legend, Pete Tadros in a fast time of 59:19.

Last Sunday saw the running of the Sussex CA Two-up event.  The two-lap course is an eclectic mixture of features which include rolling sections around Partridge Green and faster drags along the busy A24.  Pre-race favourites and current champions, the Lewes pairing of Rob Pelham and Nick Dwyer hopes of retaining their title cruelly evaporated within two minutes of the start when Nick punctured and was unable to complete his ride.  Wanderers fast man Pete Morris teamed up with Steve Kane of Brighton Excelsior to finish in second spot in a time of 1:02:20, finishing behind the winning team of Chris McNamara and Roger Smith.

On the same day three Wanderers competed in the Redmond CC 25 near Horsham.  The testing course is characterised by undulating terrain, which coupled with near freezing weather precluded the possibility of fast times being set.  First Lewes man home was Duncan Fuller in a time of 59:56, followed by the unlucky Steve Gaston who was plagued with a slipping chain and did well to complete his ride in 1:14:23.  Simon Yates choose to make the lumpy profile of the course more challenging by opting to ride the course on a bike with only three gears, and manfully completed his journey in 1:26:12.  The event was won by Elliot Porter of Rapha Condor in a rapid time of 54:01.

This Sunday sees the second race on the LWCC time trialling calendar over the tough Danehill course, starting at 8.30 with Headquarters at Chelwood Gate Village Hall.

Press Release 30.03.13

On Saturday, Jamie Lowden splendidly represented the Lewes team in the CC Basingstoke promoted, Surrey League road race for second & third cat riders.  The event was run over eight laps on an undulating course near Petersfield.  This testing circuit includes a challenging 20% climb near the end of each loop.

On the second lap Jamie attacked on the climb with a group of about ten forming at the top. Jamie attacked again and got a healthy gap which he held for the next four laps.  He was joined by three other riders with two laps to go.  Reaching the final climb the chasing peloton had closed the gap to about 20 seconds, so Jamie and one other rider launched themselves off the front and they were level with 200 metres to go, when Jamie started his sprint taking a brilliant win, his first at this level.

Sunday saw a thrilling battle unfold in the ESCA two-up time trail which resulted in a closely fought battle between the Lewes pairings of Tom Glandfield and Peter Morris, Nick Dwyer and Rob Pelham and the very strong Eastbourne Rovers team of Iain Brogden and Matthew Wood.

The two-up discipline demands a symbiotic understanding from the pairings.  Ideally both riders should be of equal ability and pace each other around the course, each taking turns to lead whilst the other rider takes shelter and recovers in the draft.  If the workload is equally shared the mutual benefits to each rider will be significant.

Unfortunately, this egalitarian state seldom exists, for in most instances one rider is stronger than the other.  In such cases team work and continual communication are vital, for if the stronger rider is not aware of his fellow rider’s weaknesses the elastic will snap and the pair will not perform to their maximum potential.

The route followed an undulating circular course from the top of the Broyle to return via Earwig corner with the Baltic conditions calling for fortitude from all the riders as they battled against the near freezing weather.

A thrilling denouement to the race saw the Eastbourne pairing reverse the result from last year to earn a well-deserved victory crossing the line in 53:35.  In second spot were the Lewes pairing of Glandfield & Morris who gave their all to finish completely spent in a time of 54:12.  Pelham & Dwyer were close on their heels in time of 54:43, with James Ryan & Rob Rollings coming home fourth in a creditable time of 57:18.

Other Lewes times were: Duncan Fuller & Dominic Lowden 59:16, Neil Midgley & Michael Turner 59:55, John & Kate Mankelow 1:16:12.  Alan Lloyd rode a solo ride in 1:05:23.

Circuit of Danehill - A Marshal's Eye View

Circuit of Danehill : a Marshal's Eye View

Sunday 14th April by Paget Cohen

Decisions, decisions;  what to wear and what to ride, and I wasn't even competing.  Temperatures as high as 19 degrees were promised for later in the day, but it was half that and still raining while I was eating my breakfast.  Hoping for a group ride after the TT I resigned myself to needing mudguards which meant riding the hybrid.  The rain jacket could be stuffed in a rear pocket if necessary, but I reckoned I could just about get away with shorts for the first time in 6 months!

Safe in the knowledge I'd have time to recover I alternated spinning on the flat with powering up what climbs there are along the A272 to Maresfield.  With a few minutes in hand before I was due at my post I decided to cut through to the Batts Bridge roundabout only to find that if anyone was to be stationed there they had yet to turn up.  Ollie had promised a hi-vis bib and a start sheet which I would have found easily had I approached from the direction I'd originally intended.  Suitably kitted up and armed with a pencil and my mobile I took up position on the traffic island and waited.

First due off at 08:30 and first through at 9:03 by my timepiece was Mickey Turner who kindly thanked me for my directions when I'm sure he didn't need them.  To the best of my recollection Yuriy was next to appear and a couple of minutes up on Mickey if the start sheet was to be believed.  When Alan Lloyd shot through also up on Mr T by my calculation I had to assume that endurance training does indeed blunt speed, no disrespect Alan - great ride.

Shortly after Pete Morris flew by well up on everyone else (we are sure he didn't follow last year's route aren't we?) Ollie drove by almost as quickly and parked up to check all was well and to let me know of the late starters to look out for, including a certain Sean Yates.  He was undoubtedly quick, but by my rough estimation, even having used Hugh Procters' slipstream up the bypass, Mr Yates (Sean that is) was still down on our Pete & Dom Fuller.

By the time last PTT Martin Komen had gone through my upper body (and hands in particular) were somewhat chilly and I as a whole was in need of a cuppa.  I slowly got my gear together and, confident that those on the start sheet not past by now weren't coming at all, set off for Chelwood Gate. Apologies to Callum Middleton, but you obviously didn't need me to find your way.

As has long been the case the tarmac approaching Nutley was awful and still wet, but at least the sun was now fully out.  Passing several non-competing cyclists and one female triathlete showing off I pulled up to Chelwood Village Hall just as the distinctively attired Peter Baker rolled in from the finish.

Once sated with chat and cake myself and club-run stalwarts Mark and Ian headed off for a belated tour.  For those at all interested on what you missed out on we plunged down to join the A275 at Furner's Green then took the next right.  Down Ketche's Lane I found myself dropping Ian on the rises - he claimed he was suffering from racing to do push-off duty, but I was pleased with my form all the same.  South past The Sloop then a left towards North Chailey where I even had to stop and wait.  Once past Chailey School the 3 of us cut round the back of Newick (another summit pause), up to Piltdown Pond and into the back of Uckfield where we said our goodbyes.  Alone again once more I adopted the Gibbons-Farmer route through the back lanes enlivened only by one more sharp shower.  42 miles for the day and back in time to the clean the bike out in the sunshine before the GP rerun.

Wimps Wednesday on a Tuesday from Home

Nick and I planned to ride at Stanmer but since no-one else was going to join us we decided to head out from home (We don't live together, just close by).

The ride was going to be a straight forward affair straight along the Downs, turn around and head back.  That was until we got to the top of Bo-Peep and I had the bright idea to head down to the Old Coach Road and climb back up to the top of the Downs as something of an extra loop.

The Downs were dry and running beautifully, we descended off the Downs quickly and as we turned onto the Coach Road I realised my mistake, the road was soaking wet, muddy and slippery.  The gears immediately packed up on both our bikes and we ended up slipping and sliding along the road, trying to keep both wheels heading in the same direction and cursing my decision to head off the otherwise dry Downs. 

We headed for the safety of Firle Beacon and once on top of the Downs we were able to make great progress back home. 

All in all a great 20 mile ride at just a nudge over 10mph, had I not kept stopping to adjust my saddle we would have been a bit quicker.

Club Run Report - 7th April 2013

Club Run to Tulleys, Turners Hill

Sunday 7th April by Paget Cohen

First of the Summer schedule and some sunshine to mark the occasion, although there was still a heavy frost when I left home at 8.  After last week's embarrassment I made a conscious effort to practice spinning a small gear en route to Uckfield and still averaged a useful 18mph even if it is mainly downhill.  To my surprise there was no-one outside Boots, but within minutes 9 other Wanderers (all bar 1 in current team kit) appeared from every direction.  Along with John - a strong rider who has recently moved to Herstmonceux from the Midlands and is looking to circuit race - we set off North towards Maresfield.

We soon lost Luke, the lone Wanderer to shun the dress code, as first he lost his bottle then he suffered cramps chasing to catch up through Duddeswell.  Thus 10 of us swooped down Kidds Hill to regroup by the pub at Coleman's Hatch with those with weak bladders taking the opportunity to water the hedgerow until we were all together.  Into Forest Row and we lost Mark L;  he claims he went back to look for little old me, for which I could be insulted, but I'll give him the benefit of the doubt this time.

It was on the descent to Weir Wood Reservoir that I had a close encounter of the herd kind - if 3 deer can be called a herd.  At first I thought there were dogs springing out from the undergrowth, but one beast raced across in front of me, another cut behind and the middle one, like me, found itself in 2 minds.  Anyway, I elected to dab my brakes, the animal chose to hit its accelerator and proceeded to bound over my front wheel and into the woods the other side.  Very nearly a 'hart-in-mouth' moment.

With my adrenalin now well and truly pumping the climb to the, never more appropriately named, Deer's Leap Bike Centre passed like a breeze and I was able to stay near the front past the Scientology Centre and the recent Bluebell Line extension until we started downhill again.  Then the competitive spirit amongst some of our number took over and myself, Stuart Anderson and John Miller got caught by the 2nd set of lights in Felbridge.  Designated 'cat-herder' Ian McG turned around in order to pace us back to the group, but we only really caught up when they stopped in Crawley Village unsure as to the route.

As we were ahead of schedule Ian treated us to a bonus loop via Copthorne Common and the 'Worthy' part of Crawley to approach Tulleys from the NW, whereupon we met Mickey T and I entertained the troops by inadvertently reclipping and falling over in the courtyard.  Refreshments were slightly disappointing and far from cheap, but there was a good choice.  Just as we were getting up to leave Graham Jeffs arrived having navigated solo and judging 11 o'clock perfectly.

The route back was much that I had expected for the run out - down to and across Ardingly Reservoir then South towards Lindfield.  By now it was nearly 10 degrees warmer than when we set out (almost shorts weather), but we had turned into what wind there was as we veered East for Fletching.

No sooner had John Miller complemented me on how much stronger I was riding this week then the sluice gates opened to the reservoirs of lactic acid in my thighs and within seconds I was in trouble.  The guys waited for me at Piltdown Pond, but were out of sight again before Uckfield such was my explosion.  By the time I got home I'd clocked 64 memorable miles at a reasonable 15.4mph considering I can have barely managed 12 in the last hour.

Paris Roubaix - 2013

Paris – Roubaix April 2013

A 3:30am alarm call is never pleasant but somehow the excitement of the queen of the classics is enough to get me out of bed on an otherwise freezing cold morning. 

My mountain biking buddy Phil was along for the ride and gave me a lift to Tom’s house, before we knew it the car was defrosted and we headed off on the first leg of our journey.  Tom did his best to kill every piece of wildlife between Seaford and Dover, I think the animals were trying to escape the cold and heavy overnight frost and after a few games of ‘odd one out’ with Nettie (Tom’s daughter and new Womble taking a break from swim training) we pulled in to Dover and boarded the ferry.

A super smooth crossing followed, we left the ferry, freshly decorated hot chocolate brown, for the drive to the first section of cobbles, one minor detour later and we made it on to the cobbles with plenty of time to spare. 

Our ‘neighbours’ for this section were a mother and daughter from New Zealand who took quite a shine to Nettie and they provided great company and sweets while we watched the constant stream of team cars pass by.  With conditions dry, no wind and temperatures almost warm the riders were ahead of schedule and they hit the cobbled section hard and fast.  The peloton was as one, except for an euskatel rider who flatly refused to ride any cobbled sections, and took an alternative road route to the first feed (and presumably abandonment).

The fast race pace would be problematic as the race basically heads North East and to see the race you need to be able to cross the race route and get far enough ahead of the peloton to stop and stake your claim for a good viewing point.  We opted to miss the first feed section and headed to a spot further up the course.  A fast rally stage through the lanes followed but a navigational error meant we happened upon the race earlier than expected, just as the lead cars were emerging from a side road.  Tom abandoned the car and we had just a couple of minutes to wait before we saw the first major break of the day with Tom helpfully pointing out Stuart O'Grady, Gert Steegmans, Matthew Hayman and someone else we didn’t recognise.

Reading the reports, there had been a pretty big crash on the second sector which explains why the team cars were trying so hard to re-establish their position in the race, service riders and assist getting riders back into the peloton.  It was a chaotic and exciting corner to be on, even for a non-cobbled section.

A quick recalculation and we made the decision to head to one of the traditionally decisive cobbled sections at Orchies , we felt we would be early enough to get to park close by and get a good spot on the cobbles.

We drove past the bottom of the Arenberg Forest and saw the route from the main road a couple more times, before finding the Gendamerie had closed all the roads leading to our intended viewing point.  Tom exchanged a few words with the Gendarme who explained there was a cobbled section 2km walk away, we quickly parked up, grabbed our snacks and started the walk.

This section turned out to be Section 14 and there was quite the party atmosphere, big tents with food, beer and a band.  We made our only investment in the French economy, 3 euro for 3 beers (very reasonable for a world class event) and waited for the riders to appear.

We chose a section of pave that we thought would cause problems for the riders, the section contained a big dip and a few misplaced cobbles, we hoped to see race affecting chaos – it didn’t, the riders hit the section as though it was smooth without any hindrance.  The lead riders were riding through in pairs, they were still ahead, but not by much.  I gave Stuart O’Grady a big shout (he is something of a hero of mine) and I swear he smiled at me (maybe it was just a grimace).

Other riders were trying to ride away from the front of the race before the remains of the peloton came through, the front riders skating down the crown of the road with many riders taking to the riskier but smoother roadside edge, we had to take a step back as the best riders in the world flew past just centimetres from our noses.  The pace had slowed just enough to pick out a few riders, Thor Hushovd was just losing contact with the group and it was really disappointing to see Geraint Thomas losing ground.

With plenty of time to get to Roubaix we hung around to see many of the groups behind.

As last year, poor road signage and failure by me to bring a suitable map meant that we couldn’t find the Roubaix Velodrome, as we drove through the Roubaix suburbs at less than 20 mph we could hear the commentary ticking down the last few sectors of pave and we knew the riders would be approaching at speed.  Eventually we found signs for the velodrome, which disappeared as soon as they appeared and made one last ditch attempt to find our way to see the finish, by complete fluke we parked in the same road as least year and set about walking the last few kilometres of the race.  We aimed to get to the velodrome to see the finish, but we didn’t quite make it, instead the lead riders swept past us just in time for us to see them enter the last kilometre and sweep onto the final cobbled section, in hindsight this was almost as exciting as being in the velodrome.

The remaining riders filtered past in ever increasing sized groups, by now we could make out most of the riders we knew as they past by.  Instead of heading straight to the velodrome we headed to the team buses and trucks to see the exhausted and dusty riders looking to step off their bikes and collapse in their buses.  It was an odd feeling knowing the race had ended less than 200 metres away from us, but we didn’t yet know the result, a few texts later informed us Fabian Cancellera took the win by a bike length.

Tom as usual was fantastic in pointing out the big names, including those just hanging about, Allan Peiper, Max Sciandri, Jim ‘Och’ Ochwitz to name just a few.

The area behind the velodrome was rammed with people, I suspect due to the great weather, this led to another chance encounter with Stuart O’Grady who wished me well (I think that was the Australian translation) as I stumbled to get out of his way on the crowded roads.

Team mechanics were washing down the bikes and riders were preparing for their onward journey.  It was interesting to see the BMC mechanics attend to Hushovd’s bike, the mechanical derailleur causing a slow change, with the mechanic dismissing the concern as being in Thor’s head.

As expected, there was a real buzz around the Radioshack bus with lots of back slapping and hand shaking between all team staff.

A final walk back through the velodrome, to see Fabian still conducting press interviews in the centre of the track, drew our Paris Roubaix experience to a close, as we headed back to the car and made our troublefree return journey home

Huge thanks to Tom for once again arranging a great day out and to Nettie for keeping me entertained.

Lets hope for rain next year??

Club Run Report - Sunday 31st March - Paget Cohen

Club Run to Pevensey Bay

Sunday 31st March by Paget Cohen

The first day of British Sumer Time and the first after the clocks should have gone forward.  Well I kept up my end of the bargain, remembering not just to reset the cycle computer, but more importantly, the central heating too.  Important because, while it was dry and bright, someone had forgotten to do the same for the great outdoors.  Never mind, perfect conditions to blood the Giant Defy on a club run (42 solo miles on Good Friday) and wear the new overshoes on top.  The bike certainly attracted some admiring comments even if the rider never will.  As is common Mark L + Stuart K were already waiting at Boots and we were joined by Ian McG, John Miller, Terry Everest and Stuart Anderson who did his good deed for the day early by pushing to the kerb the shattered remains of a beer bottle a Mini had just run over.

Standard out run through Palehouse Common, Easons Green and Hawkhurst Common, but then we turned for Chiddingly.  Having just survived a stretch of ice I promptly hit a pothole and experienced a classic pinch puncture.  Despite my calls and campanology the bunch disappeared into the distance without me.  Fortunately Stuart K had taken the ice even more gingerly so was on hand to lend a hand;  plus by now the sun was out so my fingers were cooperating too.  After pausing once more to re-engage the front brake (before I got a painful reminder) I made chase through Muddles Green as the group (now less Mark who was off horse racing) made for Gun Hill.

For whatever reasons I was suffering so badly by now that I considered turning left for home, but I couldn't face wasting such good weather so persevered;  at least I had an ally in Terry who was feeling a similar lack of miles in his legs.  I managed to stay in touch through Hailsham, but across the levels the elastic started to stretch and it was only thanks to my club mates taking turns to drag me back into the fold that I reached Pevensey Bay in company.  Now I look forward to a tea stop as much as the next man, but rarely have I needed one so much.

Ocean View Cafe was excellent as ever, though less populated by Wanderers than normal.  Once we'd interrogated John about his impending London-Edinburgh-London (we wish him well) and I'd shed layers, but put on a few pounds we hit the road reenergised and re-enthused.  For once my legs didn't fail me straight after the stop and I was quite able to keep pace through Pevensey, Mill Hill and Hankham.  Past Old Loom Mill John decided to take a turn on the front and all of a sudden mine and Terry's thighs waved little white flags and our colleagues disappeared in the direction of Hailsham.

As such neither of us got to see quite how our esteemed club runs leader ended up on his backside in the road approaching the BP mini-roundabout, but apparently he clipped a wing mirror.  No obvious damage, except to whatever pride Ian might still cling on to, and on the upside it gave me a chance to recover for the blast through Michelham to Lower Dicker.  all the same I was relieved to go my own way and own pace once past the ice and potholes of Chiddingly.  Still a healthy 56 miles at a respectable 15.5mph, mostly with an underinflated tyre as it transpired, and at least I didn't fall off.