Archive
11 August 2004
Dear fellow members and friends
Next rides
Sunday 15 August
Glynde – Framfield – Glynde c 24 miles. This is a country lane route without any 'off road' bits. We’ll stop for a pint at the pub in Framfield – which has a garden and I'm 90% sure does food on Sunday lunchtimes (but bring sandwiches – you can always eat them on Monday like I did last time. ) Points of interest en route include the village of Laughton with its attractive old church, and on the way back, probably a couple of fields of llamas behind Glyndbourne plus right at the end Glynde Place. Near Framfield we will pass by (quite quickly!) the estate of the well-known local resident – Mr van Hoogstraten
Catch 10.14 from Brighton Station. (No changes) or meet at Glynde Station at 10.35.
Sunday 29 August
Arun Valley Nature Reserves.
Joyce is organising this one. There are 3 wildfowl reserves we may at least skirt round – the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust at Arundel, Amberley Wild Brooks, and Pulborough Brooks. The route may also include the grounds of Parham House. More details later.
Catch 10.17 from Brighton Station (one change) or meet at Arundel Station at 11.13.
Last Ride
1 August
'Back of the Downs'
The section had a full house of 'officers' – Secretary, Chair and Treasurer (aka Ian, Ed and Joyce) which sounds a bit better than saying there were only three of us. We stopped for a drink at the Jolly Sportsman and had a very enjoyable ride; it was a very hot day and the distance/time on the bike was just right. Another half hour and we might have started to feel a bit 'baked'.
Report from Bob Harber
Since our meeting at the Bridge Inn at Upper Beeding, I have been on one or two bike rides.
In June I went on my first Alpine tour. We did all the major ones as we traversed the Route des Grande Alpes - Iseran, Roselend, Galibier, Izoard, Bonette – just awesome!
A couple of Audax rides followed, a 200km and a 400km and I got this crazy idea of doing the National Championship 24hr Time Trial. So I warmed up with my first 100 mile TT for a decade (only my second ever)managing a PB of 4hr 50min, went to Cheshire for the '24' and covered 346 miles to the winner's 480.
I've got the taste for this now and am trying to get my Vets' standards at all the time trial distances. This weekend is the Kent CA 12hr event, to be followed soon by a '50', a '30', a '25' and a '10'.
Well, I don't know about you, but just reading about Bob’s exploits make me feel shattered! Seriously though, I've been over all the cols he mentions – in a car, and that seemed quite an effort on occasions. La Bonnette – the highest of all is said to be the highest pass in Europe at 2,802 metres. That's 9,192 feet. For comparison Ditchling Beacon is 812 feet, Snowden 3,560 feet and Ben Nevis 4,406. As for riding for 24 hours...! Well. 'hats off' to Bob, I say – 'one or two bike rides' he says!
Boots!
Ian