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.
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