Club Run to Blackstock Farm, Grove Hill
Sunday 8th December by Paget Cohen
Resisting Paul Gibbons' tempting offer of joining him churning the Friston Forest mud I resumed my Club Run routine for the first time in 5 weeks! The sunny skies had clearly dragged many more cyclists out as I'd passed 3 before I received a toot from John Miller in Cross in Hand, presumably driving to meet Gibbo for some off-road antics. Clouds may have been few and far between, but the roads bore an ominously slick sheen and it was mighty raw on the shady descents.
Turning right at the lights I was concerned by the apparent lack of green-and-white amongst the huddled cyclists that in my absence the club had been usurped from it's Sunday muster point. Upon closer inspection I needn't have worried for amongst the usual suspects in winter gear (Mark L, Terry, Brett, Dave Hodgson, Keyser Soze, Old Uncle Tom Cobley) were some Wombles rarely seen on a club run (Rob Rollings and Charlie Middleton) plus 5 (FIVE!) guests I'd yet to have the pleasure of being introduced to. Whilst exchanging pleasantries Darren and Ian McG rocked up and once, in light of last week's events (Get Well Soon Matt), our club runs leader had performed his Hill Street Blues routine - "Lets' be careful out there" - we set off Northwards.
Not for long though as we were merely embarking on an anticlockwise loop round to Isfield, before crossing the A26, past Bentley and down to the Broyle. I seem to recall that last time we emerged from Half Mile Drove bound for Glynde Ian took us left then right into Moor Lane. He's probably wishing he'd done so again as the right/left variation took us down a horribly messy Neaves Lane at the end of which three of our number came a (slow-motion) cropper behind me; apparently guest 'Gerry' low-sided forcing young guest Joe to muddy the shins of his jeans (!?) and Terry to be thankful for his motorcycle gauntlets(?!). No harm was done, but we'd barely all clipped back in when Dave Hodgson reported the latest in his spate of Autumn punctures. After seemingly an eternity of standing in the cold watching the passing (Bayeux) landscape we set off again towards the A27 cycle path. Leaving Middle Farm behind us we were making haste for Ripe when another guest - Joe's dad Martin - suffered our second flint induced deflation of the day; Dave putting his unfortunate recent experience to good use in assisting with tube replacement.
What further delights Ian had in store he'll have to save for another day as with 11 o'clock rapidly approaching we wasted little time making for cake via The Dicker, Michelham, Hailsham and, thankfully without incident, the site of last week's accident. Some familiar steeds were waiting patiently outside the tea stop and some familiar faces were to be found amongst the crowd inside - Messrs Mead, Leaney, Matthews, Martin, Armstrong & Watts. Breeze sufficiently shot we wrapped up to ward off the chill and set off once more to annoy any local motorists. Myself and Chairman Slow bade farewell in Horam to make our own way up through Vines Cross and Old Heathfield. Only 42 miles, but enough to sneak past my personal target of 4,000 for the year with still plenty of rides to come.
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