Seaside solo to Shoreham

 Before anyone gets all excited, may I point out that I transported my bike to Southwater Country Park (where parking is free now it is winter) and THEN cycled on the Downs Link to Shoreham. I got a takeaway coffee at the centre. The toilets are also open. Surely lockdown had turned my mind though? The way would all be muddy and boggy, wouldn't it? Well no, as a matter of fact, at least as far as Partridge Green. Sadly Stan's Shack coffee shop is no more, but after a little bit of puddles the track reverted back to firm and smooth hard packed gravel, strewn liberally with leaves and fallen twigs. I had set the pressures on my Pirelli Cinturato Velo 35 tyres to 60 rear and 50 front which gave a silky smooth ride even over the rough.

Tuesday 24th November turned out dry and sunny, so there were plenty of dog walkers, to slow down for, but everyone seemed in good spirits just to be out exercising. The day turned out to improve even more and I had a lunch of a sandwich (no I didn't rediscover it from my Greenwich ride Simon) on a deserted Shoreham leisure beach. It was interesting to see the 300 plus wind generators 8 miles away in the sea, because most of them were turning with the South Westerly that was blowing gently. The future working now! Kite surfers were taking advantage of the same breeze further down the shoreline.

I returned by cycling along the seafront path to Lancing and then through to the A 27 cycle path past Shoreham Airfield to get back onto the Downs Link back to Southwater. The sun got really bright and left long shadows across the Adur valley as I went North again, this time aided by the quiet zephyr. Not many people about at 3 pm and so I made better time. 40 miles in 4 hours peddling total. I know, I am slowing down, but then, life isn't a race.

Author: Steve D

3 Comments:

Dave Vine 25 November 2020 at 19:57 GMT

Brilliant photos Steve. The one time I rode the Downslink many years ago in October it was a mudbath. Two falls, two punctures and a good time was had by all.

Steve D 25 November 2020 at 22:51 GMT

I did wobble a couple of times, which accounts for my carefully slow times. It is the long, almost invisible dog leads you have to watch out for. My rear tyre is tubeless with six puncture repairs so there isn't much tyre left to puncture.

Dave F 27 November 2020 at 11:44 GMT

Looks like a great piece of adventure biking and an enjoyable blog report.
A plot of your route would good.
My sort of ride!
I was out locally on Tuesday and it was very breezy here, so certainly not ice cream weather on the beach.

The Centenary Wood in Langley Vale

Liz and Lynda went on an educational ride recently to Langley Vale Centenary Wood, to see the statues and other informational displays commemorating WW1. This ancient woodland is maintained by the Woodland Trust who have planted thousands of new trees in the last decade.

In view of the amount of mud in places they decided to park their bikes at Sonia's from where they could follow the poppy signs leading them on foot past some brown sheep to the field where the statues are and to the woods beyond.

Some of the Stone Soldiers in the 'Regiment of Trees' art installation

The Victoria Westway Remembrance Wreath

 

Author: Tim C

Apocalypse Now + Armageddon = ??? See below for answer

       On Saturday I was generously invited by Paul to join him as part of a duet on a covid secure little local circuit, to get me out of the house  and into the saddle, to escape the python like grip of an imposed 'vulnerable' incarceration from Robben Island. He has been trying hard. He was duly waiting for me to appear at 9am. Our modest little circuit took us  down Langley Vale to Ashtead, towards Leatherhead and Rykas up the Zigzags to Boxhill. That was a revelation. I could not believe my eyes. It was a vision from Apocalypse Now. Hell!

The National Trust Cafe looked more like a Syrian Concentration Camp. It was heaving and overflowing with covid insane lemmings bent on their own destruction and all around them. Social separation? Non-existent. The road was blocked with automatons trying to park in already full National Trust car parks. Look up the NT website.

This is insanity!

For your own safety and that of your family, friends and clubmates, avoid this cess-pit like the plague.

Even the National Trust website is asking everyone one to steer clear. This place should be closed down as  a national hazard. Road alas not closed.

I regret the absence of photographic evidence, but I was following my leader and could not stop. I did return today. The traffic was just as horrific, but I was not prepared to mingle with the lemmings to take a photo.

Jeff

Author: Jeff

4 Comments:

Brian 23 November 2020 at 09:52 GMT

Which of course is why they closed the road during the first lockdown. There is a silver lining though. Lodgebottom Lane is ignored by most and was even when Box Hill was closed. I think it's just as scenic and I'm happy to leave the Strava followers to their doom.

Simon L 23 November 2020 at 09:59 GMT

Natural selection in action, unfortunately.

Dave F 23 November 2020 at 12:30 GMT

Natural selection. A bumper year for candidates for “The Darwin Awards”.

Fixie-Dave 24 November 2020 at 08:19 GMT

Yes Box was a tad busy on Sunday. But I've never seen so many Cars at/along the top of Ranmore.

18th November - Grant and Tony go exploring

Grant and I set off in sunshine from Worcester Park to Gunnersbury Park. Our route took us through Twickenham, along the river to Brentford and then into Gunnersbury Park where we found a mobile café and also W.C. facilities open but we decided not to stop. We rode on through Boston Manor Park but there all the facilities were closed so then we had to use the open air facilities along the canal and by then it had also started to rain!

Following the canal along to Southall Green, fortunately by then it had stopped raining so we carried on to Osterley Park and then returned to Twickenham.

We managed to get a coffee and panini in our favourite café, the Rich Café in Richmond, and we sat in Cambridge Gardens to eat our lunch.

Then we returned home via Richmond Park.

Thanks to Grant for his company

About 40 miles

(It's a wonder we never bumped into Simon and Peter! They have given me an idea for next week's ride.)

~ Tony

Author: Tim C

1 Comment:

Tony 21 November 2020 at 16:11 GMT

There used to be peddle boats on the pond years ago until vandals burnt the boat house down!

Ride to the far North - 18 Nov

The forecast didn't look too bad - just a slight possibility of a shower at lunchtime - so Peter Betts and I decided to head north, towards Greenford and beyond.   It was a very pleasant ride, with a gentle tail wind and sunny skies, as we headed through Syon Park, the new segregated cycle way up Boston Manor Road, back streets of Hanwell and then circled Greenford to arrive at Northala Fields, a large green space with many ponds, a cafe and toilets, and several artificial hills made from the remains of the old Wembley Stadium.  

Sculpture

Peter and the Twin Towers

One of the hills has a spiral path to the top, and the sun was shining, so we thought why not?  Great views to the north (Harrow on the hill), east (Wembley, the City) and south (Box Hill, allegedly).   We waved to any Wayfarers who might have been climbing it at the time, but didn't see a response.   To the west, a large bank of grey cloud.

Looking east

Looking south

Our return journey wasn't so much fun, with light rain blown into our face by a strengthening headwind; very unfair.   Through Yeading, Hayes, Harlington and back along a bit of Steve's recent route to Hounslow Heath and home.

Author: Simon L

1 Comment:

Patrick W 18 November 2020 at 18:56 GMT

Talking of Hanwell I was cycling through there last week when I noticed a 30-40 people strong queue. I was most intrigued to discover that at the end of it was the door of The Golden Chip the local 🎏 and chip shop. Ordinarily I would have stopped and conducted some practical research but didn't relish the thought of waiting eternally while my body temperature plummeted. It's located on the north end of Boston road shortly after turning right from the Uxbridge road. Anyone know it?

A Good Book

I've just got a copy of Simon Warren's new book.  It's a pleasant thing for a winter's day, extending his earlier formula of the '100 Greatest Climbs' into routes which, naturally enough, include climbs.  There's at least one route for every part of the country, and some nice photographs.  

The routes will be at least partly familiar to any regular Audax or Sportive rider, which is no surprise, as these events try to take in the best rides in the part of the country where they are held.  Simon acknowledges this, and in the Surrey ride, for example, he tips his cap to the Tour of the Hills, the Leith Hill Octopus and our very own Hilly 50.  No mention of Mike, but recognition is a good thing.

Mark

 

Author: Mark G

A message from our Culture Department

Brian Bent wrote to tell me that two of our members, Liz Bernard and himself, are part of a virtual art exhibition by Molesey Art Society.

You can visit the exhibition by clicking on their personal "rooms" in the gallery: Liz 's page and Brian's page.  Thank you to them both.

Author: Simon L

1 Comment:

Brian Bent 18 November 2020 at 11:31 GMT

Making the most of my new toy ! You can also see other Molesey A/S painters work