ESCA Reliability Trial - Sunday 17th November 2013 - PRE-ENTRY REQUIRED BEFORE 8th NOV

The following is from ESCA's racing secretary, Ann Human

Please find attached details of this year’s East Sussex CA Reliability Trial to be held on Sunday 17th November 2013.  At just £4 to enter, the event offers fantastic value for money for a 48 mile route covering some of the most scenic routes in the heart of East Sussex.

In fine ESCA tradition, the Reliability Trial is promoted by the club that holds the presidency and this year our 2013 President, Esther Carpenter, will be organising the event herself on behalf of Southborough & District Wheelers.

This information has been sent to a number of riders for whom I have email addresses, but would club secretaries please feel free to distribute amongst their members and post on their websites etc.

Kind regards

Ann

ESCA Racing Secretary

Entry Form can be downloaded from HERE

Route Details & Map can be downloaded from HERE

RidewithGPS details to download to GPS devices HERE

CLOSING DATE FOR ENTRIES IS FRIDAY 8th NOVEMBER

Club Run Report - 20th October 2013

Club Run to Petals for Plants, Broad Oak

Sunday 20th October by Paget Cohen

After last week's exploits I'd clearly need one heck of an excuse not to be out this Sunday, but I'd have preferred not to get soaked to the skin again.  The forecast made choice of attire tricky - potential thunderstorms, but mild for the time of year.  Not expecting to be standing about this week I decided to chance shorts, but go for layers up top.  Out into light rain I was glad of the jacket, but come Framfield the sun was out and I was feeling distinctly overdressed.  Passing 2 ladies planting (presumably bulbs) around the base of the village sign I could see no watering can between them, but there was no need as the heavens had reopened before I got to The Hare & Hounds and I had wet feet and streams across the road to contend with by Birdineye.  Huddled under Boots canopy were 2 others who didn't learn their lesson last week - Ian & Mark, plus Bob Evans out for some punishment.  The distinctive, hunched, elbows-out, blurred-legged figure of Gibbo on a single-speed appeared through the curtain of water soon after reporting much the same conditions and gardening that I had witnessed.  As the rain intensified it occurred to me that we were waiting in a spot renowned locally for flooding, but as it abated slightly we set off South, picked up Darren coming the other way and it was bright and dry again by Palehouse Common.  As we made West for Chiddingly the visibility issue was less due to spray than glare off the slick tarmac for those of us too cool for shades.

Darren was buoyant from a new 15second PB up Firle Beacon on the ESCA Hill Climb the day before, but was starting to regret the rain jacket as we approached Cogger's Cross.  Ian ordered a halt for him to adjust his wardrobe, but with only a single layer underneath and no pocket large enough to pouch it he decided against disrobing.  I took the opportunity, however, and was instantly recompensed as Ian & Paul pulled out onto the A267 ahead of a fast-approaching Range-Rover and, almost as if to spite Darren for holding us up, put the hammer down;  although working together the 4 of us bridged before we peeled left for Hellingly village.  Around this point the Rhino-Tape on my homemade mud-flap became detached and the remaining section cut from a rubber-glove began fouling the tyre;  annoying as the whine was I figured it unlikely I'd be going far nor fast enough for it to penetrate a Schwalbe Marathon and I was right.

What goes down must go up, at least on Club Runs, so from Amberstone we ascended Cowbeech Hill, back down to Stunts Green, then North East towards Bodle Street.  Turning North no sooner had Mark reported being struck on the head by an acorn then Bob must have run it over (the acorn that is) as he pulled up with a front puncture.  Darren did start to remove his jacket again until we pointed to the clouds and reminded him of the inevitable consequence of doing so, and thanks to Bob's years of experience we were quickly back rolling on the reverse of the Hardriders course.  Ian did toy with cutting through to Woods Corner, but took pity on Mark and settled for crossing Rushlake Green and attempting Flitterbrook Lane instead.  Not that you can carry much speed through the s-bend in the valley, but we could have done without meeting a horse-rider down there.  From Punnett's Town it was a straightforward route past Simon Farmer's and skirting Broad Oak with only a mountain-biker carrying a small dog under one arm providing anything noteworthy before we met Alan Lloyd turning into the garden centre car park.

Three instantly recognisable bikes were already tethered in the lobby and we found Tony G, Chris H and Bob Coleman hiding in a corner of the cafe, but imposed ourselves anyway for char and chat.  The Audax crew had some more miles to cram in, but it was the direct route home for the rest of us;  less than 40 miles, but enjoyable nevertheless.   

Club Run Report - 13/10/13

Club Run to Catford Hill Climb

Sunday 13th October by Paget Cohen

Yes there was one and, fool that I am, as I know that part of Kent well I had offered to devise a route so felt that despite the heavy rain forecast I ought to at least ride out to Uckfield just in case anyone else was daft enough to want to go further.  The rain held off until after breakfast;  starting just as I left the house straight into a headwind.  I'd expected/hoped to find only Ian sheltering outside Boots, but there was a small crowd of the committed.  Winter bikes and clothing were the order of the day.  Micky T on his Australian Merida and wearing gillet over a jacket as is his fashion plus neoprene gloves.  Mark was back on his Carrera and suited and booted for the elements.  Terry brought along his new winter steed and a gillet with rear pockets specially designed for those with short arms.  Brett had his top half sorted, but no tights or overshoes until his birthday on Tuesday, nor was he able to sort mudguards in time.  Ian chose to ride his 'guardless' Tomassini and started without a jacket.  Pretty-in-pink Peter Baker paused to say hello before continuing his merry way to wherever - I suspect Ide Hill was too close for his liking.

Passing their store (while it lasts) Ian did invite 2 In Gear riders to join us, but they declined to their detriment.  We got as far as Ringles Cross before Mark pulled over with a screw loose - that attaching his rear disco light to his carrier - but he and his cycle-therapist Terry soon caught up.  Our Tel only had time to accompany us up on to the forest so the hardcore half-dozen became the fearless five forging into the fog.  Back down in Hartfield the visibility improved, but the rain was relentless.  Past The Pantry we pressed on Northwards then took the left into Butcherfields Lane to emerge on the A264 to cross Holtye Golf Club.  Into Cowden we took the left turn for the gentle gradient up to Cowden Pound.  We were overhauled by a lone rider approaching the Queens Arms crossroads, but our interloper turned left for Hever while we kept on the ridge road to Mark Beech.  Conditions were now sufficiently bad for Ian to don his postman's jacket, but despite being given the option to turn back the other four followed my order to charge down into the next valley for Chiddingstone.

I'd been feeling fine on the incline, but as we went downhill so did my mood as the acceleration brought home just how saturated my shoes and socks were.  On top of that the mini ice-age we were experiencing had caused me to devolve to such an extent that I no longer had an opposable right thumb and had to change gear left handed.  I could still pull the brake levers, but by now my brakes were more spongy than anything Mr Kipling has ever put his name to.  Bough Beech was welcomingly familiar to some of my companions, but any lifting of spirits Mark and Brett might have experienced evaporated on Ide Hill.  It had crossed my mind that the event we were going to see may have been cancelled, but there were too many cyclists about for that to be likely and indeed the roads and hilltop were heaving.  Rider 50 or 51 was just crossing the line as we joined the throng, but much as we would have loved to have been there to cheer on our club-mates the chattering of our teeth told us that getting us inside and food inside us should be the priority.

Chartwell Barns Four Elms was surprisingly quiet, with only 3 GS Avanti riders amongst the more sane general public enjoying the fare.  Toasted tea cake would never suffice on such a day - Ian, Micky and Mark selecting the, highly appropriate leek/leak soup;  Brett a toastie in the hope he'd soon feel the same and good old beans on toast for myself.  All were delicious and would no doubt have been served sooner if the staff didn't have to keep stopping to mop the floor around us.

Heading back out the rain seemed to have eased, but the first slight downhill to How Green was chilling indeed.  Saving the sights of Hever Castle for another day we returned, up the long drag, to Mark Beech then made a bee-line along the B-roads back over the border and into Hartfield.  Back in the summer the crawl through Chuck Hatch had found me out, but today I'd remembered not to leave my legs at the tea stop plus I had non-climbers Mark & Brett to make me look good.  Pulling up in a lay-by on the forest (not that we could see more than a few feet of it) my computer was showing a nice round 50 miles with nothing but downhill for Micky and Mark, a rolling route for Ian and an incessant ramp for Brett and myself as I didn't fancy tackling the lanes without any brakes.  Having chaperoned Brett to the end of his drive in Cross-in-Hand I was still meeting mad cyclists on my final few miles to home some 6 sodden hours after I departed.

PS. Sorry we weren't there to give you just that added extra, but congratulations to Mr Lowden Jnr on his splendid 3rd place on the hill climb and the photo plus mention on the Cycling Weekly website.

PPS.  If you or anyone else you know are inspired to regale your club-mates, and the wider world, with tales of your cycling related exploits or interests then why not email them to Rob Pelham leweswandererscc@gmail.com for inclusion on the LWCC Blog.  

Club Run Report - 6/10/13

Club Run to LWCC Gents Grand Prix, Laughton

Sunday 6th October by Paget Cohen

First of the 'winter' schedule, but with bright sunny weather and 20 degrees forecast for later I braved short-fingered gloves and short-sleeved summer jersey plus gillet.  Given the 9am rendezvous I had intended to get up at the same time as usual and take in an extra loop towards Jarvis Brook, but despite getting up in time for whatever reasons I failed to hit the road until 8:25 so only had time to take in Hadlow Down and Buxted.  To my relief I wasn't alone as Dave Hodgson was waiting and Micky T, complete with log-fingered mitts, long-sleeves and leg-warmers, soon rolled in.  Darren was next up, but come 9:05 with no Ian nor anyone else showing we had to decide between ourselves which way to go.  Waldron then Horam was the consensus and Micky took it upon himself to lead us back the way I normally come through Framfield, and Blackboys.  My choice of attire was vindicated uphill and in the sun, but it was still relatively 'freezing' in the shade and downhill.

Fed up with the poor surface of the B2102 we took Possingworth Lane to Waldron then the familiar route through Lions Green to Horam.  My legs had felt tight from the off, but I now started sensing a slight pain behind my left knee so was glad of some horse-riders temporarily delaying our train as we turned left for Marle Green.  Anticipating Grove Hill I removed my gillet on the approach and caught up on the steep bit.  Past Hellingly Hospital Dave and I though better of following Micky across the bows of an oncoming Fiesta and just about made the right hander to the village in its wake.  Buoyed by his last week's victory on handicap Darren now resumed time-trial mode and dragged us down the A22 all the way to Golden Cross from where we rejoined the quiet lanes to Laughton.

A disappointing turn out for the 2up, but no shortage of Yateses;  congratulations to Messrs Morris and Lowden Snr on a home win.  Micky had to be home early so made his own way back, but we gained Ian, Midgo and the last and first on GC from a late 40s Giro d'Italia - Gibbo in the now defunct black shirt and the pink jersey on the shoulders of Darren's better half.  With a guest in our midst, but a lack of miles in the legs of those on earlier TT duties the easiest solution was to head back the way we came, albeit with a diversion to Selmeston for a change.  Close formation and a high tempo were maintained pretty much all the way to The Dicker, where Darren and his good lady bade farewell.  Ian stopped for a chat so was still behind when we met the A22 again so Gibbo announced he was nipping off for a comfort break.  We expected to see his Kinesis up ahead, with or without him astride it, as we wended our way up through Gun Hill, but that was the last we saw of him for our ride so I do hope he's okay.  I slipped off the back as the road levelled into Horam, but Ian & Dave sat up to say cheerio and Midgo to drag me back through Vines Cross and Old Heathfield;  a healthy 53 miles in 3 hours of riding.  

Club AGM - 14th January 2014 at Laughton Village Hall, 19:30

The Club AGM will be held at Laughton Village Hall on 14th January 2014 starting at 7:30pm

An agenda will be available on the day and I shall endeavour to circulate an agenda to everyone in advance (not so easy without a magazine)

In the mean time if any member has an issue/motion to include on the agenda please contact Mark Winton by 30th November 2013

Telephone 01273 584973. 
email mark.winton1@tiscali.co.uk 
Letters to: 9 Swannee Close, Peacehaven, East Sussex, BN10 8EZ

Circuit of Chailey - Perspective of a TT virgin

Circuit of Chailey - Perspective of a TT virgin

Sunday 29th September by Paget Cohen

I didn't join the club in order to ride time trials as it had never appealed to me, plus I didn't think I'd be any good.  I thought I might do relatively better at hill climbs, but I really wasn't in sufficiently good shape to consider the ESCA Hardriders  and I missed the club's annual assault on Firle Beacon due to a major c**k up on my part as to Bank Holidays - I glanced at the calendar over a leisurely late Monday breakfast to realise I should have been at work!  As it had always been my intention to participate in at least one competitive event this year that only left Chailey, whose lumpy profile might at least suit my riding ability and compact road bike, even if a 50:12 top ratio might see me hitting the 'rev-limiter' downhill.  Ride preparation consisted of no more than Sunday Club Runs and the occasional commute from Heathfield to Eastbourne;  the 20 mile scenic route I opt for should at least have prepared my body for the duration of effort required, although I normally 'die' on the slight incline from Rushlake Green to Three Cups.

Conditions on the day were as good as could be wished for - dry, bright, 15 degrees or so (warm enough for short sleeves) and what wind there was coming from the East (so no headwinds).  I'd have been embarrassed not to complete the 17.58miles within an hour, I'd have been happy with 55 minutes and I dreamed of 52:44 to average 20mph.  Looking at the start sheet and last year's result I doubted I'd be able to catch anybody starting ahead and fully expected the 6 behind to pass me before the finish so I'd have to concentrate on how I was feeling in order to pace myself.

In hindsight I needn't have arrived so early as an hour was plenty of time to get ready, but also for the butterflies to build.  At 9:14 I was off, on the small chain-ring as I felt sure the lactic acid would kick in if I even attempted to power up the first climb.  My minuteman Rob Rollings roared past me before we even reached the support of Micky T and Gibbo on the A272, a taste of things to come I feared.  I pegged the gap to Rob on the slight uphill and left turn, but he was out of sight for good by the time John Miller directed me South onto the A275 and I braced myself into becoming a mobile chicane for others.  I had a nervy moment on the incline past the Horns Lodge Inn to the brickworks when a Volkswagen Golf threatened to reverse into my path, but still I hadn't been jumped by Mr Jeffs.  Instead to my surprise I crested the rise to espy another competitor up ahead.  I felt I was going well, but assumed they must have had some trouble for me to have them in sight, but it helped to have someone to chase.

Common wisdom would have it that when venturing into the unknown you should stick as much a possible to what you already know, but I'd acquired some free gels with my Tour de France preview pack last year and today seemed like as good a day as any to try them particularly as they were now just past their best before.  I can assure you some of it went in my mouth as I tasted something sweet and fruity even if it looked like I'd just squirted the contents over myself.  Up the hill after The Rainbow I was finally caught (by Lawrence Watts on camera), but lost my rabbit as number 8 pulled over to chat to a marshal - turns out Mike Hannay had followed a sportive arrow in South Chailey and spent several minutes going the wrong way before rejoining just in front of me.  I may have lost my rabbit, but I'd gained 4 non-competitors to now chase down who I was on the brink of catching at Holman's Bridge when Pete Morris passed me for 6 minutes.  Both of us were through them by the next mini-summit only for 2 of them on bikes fitted with tri-bars to retake me just before the junction Chris Hough was manning.  This proved a blessing in disguise however as they weren't slow on the flat and I was able to tuck in behind them for some shelter down Markstakes Lane.

Turning left I was back on my own, but still feeling good and again through South Chailey I spotted another time-triallist to aim for in the distance.  Having emptied my second gel down my front and the bike I overtook Keith Walker at the last crest before The Rainbow and immediately saw yet another race number to home in on.  The excellent marshals by the pub not only stopped a 4x4 from turning across me, but confirmed my next target as our resident triathlete Debbie Evers.  I certainly found the second ascent of Deadmantree Hill harder than the first as I felt the need to stand on the pedals near the top, but it helped morale to have someone even slower to overhaul.  To my astonishment I'd now gained more places than I'd lost, but if I was feeling the crosswind on exposed sections of the Northbound leg it must have been worse for those with disc wheels.  Out of the last junction I got out of the saddle to accelerate into one final effort and found a train of female sportive riders in front of me.  Sadly they weren't quick enough to provide any sort of tow, but they did provide me with a succession of intermediate targets to take me all the way to the finish line.  I forgot to look at my computer as I passed Richard Mead, but since it read 52:13 when I pulled up at the end of the road I assumed I must have either found a shortcut or still had another lap to do, not that I was keen at the time.

Having exceeded my wildest expectations one wonders if I could have gone any quicker.  Things definitely went my way in terms of the traffic, both motorised and self-propelled.  Even without heart-rate monitor or cadence meter I feel I paced it very well;  I wasn't dead on the line, although Dave Hodgson was kind enough to remark on how knackered I looked, but it's hard to see how I could have gone faster anywhere on the same equipment.  There's some room for improvement in gear selection now I know the course, and perhaps with tri-bars and a bigger top gear I could beat 50.  Certainly with a machine of the sort most others rode I'd like to think that would be the bare minimum I could achieve, but while I enjoyed it more than I anticipated I think I've left it a bit late to get seriously into this pointy hat lark, but I'll undoubtedly do it again sometime.  Many thanks to all the pushers-off, marshals, time-keepers, caterers and Alan Lloyd for organising it all and the apology.