South Downs Way 5th 6th April - any takers?

Papa Smurf

Grr! Can you PM me the address of where your staying so I can give it a shot at finding somewhere nearby..

Someone mentioned you would be going again.. When would that be?

pittpony

andyturner28 wrote:

Hey guys. I finally managed to read all your e mails, well done with the b&b, I know that took a lot of work. Which one did you go for in the end and how much? Also have you worked out how much the train fare is going to cost?

Yes we are having a very good time ski ing. Weather has been a bit strange. The temperature had been well above freezing for a couple of weeks before we arrived so everyone is doing a snow dance at the moment. There is still 176cm though so its all good, just a bit icy in places as its down to around -7deg c for the last few days. just found out Sunshine got 6 inches today so guess where we are going tomorrow
I am a bit worrid what my bike ftness is going to be like when I get back. I wore my heart rate monitor on the first day and it never went over 130bpm and I only burnt 1450 kcal in 8 hours! think I am going to have to do some seariouse training when we return home!

Don't work too hard guys

Andy.

Andy, glad to hear you're enjoying the skiing, although it would be hard for you not to i guess!!

To answer your questions... B&B is sorted. 2 twin rooms £25 per person. Trains will be £33 (Sittingbourne to Winchester, Eastbourne to Canterbury). We need to decide how we're going to get Ade back to Sittingbourne but i'm sure we can organise something. There might be rail works on though so we'll need to check about getting the bikes back... We may have to go through London, in which case the trains will be about £45 all in

impished

If we have trouble with rail works, we might have to do a last minute van hire :x It'll cost a few quid, but may be the only option. Unless anyone's go a mad uncle in London :twisted:

pjm-84

I have giving the coporate jolly a miss

Told them that something cropped up so I'm going to ride out and back. Need to work out at a cut off time for the 5th (will depend on ground conditions) and head back to make sure I get back in daylight.

pittpony

Nice one - glad you'll be able to make it along! We're planning an early start (about 8). Hopefully you can suggest a good meeting place and i'll PM my mobile mearer the time

pittpony

Note - for "about 8) read "about 8 )"

pjm-84

Probably the best place is at the flyover at the start of the South Downs over the M3. It's a little tricky to find but the easiest was is to head down to the bottom of FivefIelds Road

http://www.multimap.com/maps/?hloc=GB|w ... 20SO23%209


From here the South Downs is indicated left but this was closed to cyclists a little while ago and therefore we're turn "right". A little 2km run on a back road before a nice little warm up climb up to Cheesefoot head. If it's wet this is a tricky climb. If it's dry then it's fast!

impished

Fortunately, the end of Fivefields Road is where we're planning to start from :P

How many miles you gonna do PJM?

pjm-84

It's going to depend on conditions and the speed of you guys on the outward leg. I'm going to play it by timings but I'll probably come all "Exposured" up just in case I miss calculate! Opps

Looking at my previous track I think just past Amberley would be a good turn around point - around 5hrs in. I can then nip off into Storrington to pick up supplies before heading back. All in it should give me a160km ride with 3600m of climbing.

Distance is just a matter of fuelling.

deadpool2e

Good luck guys at the weekend hope it all goes well.

pittpony

Cheers Mark. Looking forward to it but feel totally unprepared! The others have packed and re-packed their bags a dozen times. I've not even emptied my bag from my last ride yet...

BTW PJM, i've PMd you my mobile number so we can arrange a meet-up

lost-time

Have fun chaps.

I may try and make the next one...

Andy, I hope you get the Pikes fitted in time.....

impished

Cheers guys,
looking forward to pasta for dinner tonight and pasta for breakfast tomorrow :roll:
oh, and pasta for lunch tomorrow, etc, etc, etc.....

pittpony

impished wrote:

Cheers guys,
looking forward to pasta for dinner tonight and pasta for breakfast tomorrow :roll:
oh, and pasta for lunch tomorrow, etc, etc, etc.....

Beats the chip butty i've just had for lunch

impished

Plent of carbs in chips and bread..... and pasta

pjm-84

Going to take a spin up there tonight to see what the ground going to be like

pittpony

pjm-84 wrote:

Going to take a spin up there tonight to see what the ground going to be like

Nice one. I'm keen to know what it will be like!!

Papa Smurf

Good thing I wont be there this weekend, because muggins here has come down with a rather bad cold... Lucky old me eh.......... :roll:

pittpony

Sounds like a bit of a miserable weekend att wrapped up with your Lemsip Jon

Papa Smurf

Indeed, but I also have the joy of working all the way in Gravesend. Nothing like abit of hard work when you feel like death on a very bad day.

pjm-84

Not bad at all. Quite well compacted with a little bit of "drying" soft mud on the surface in low places but quite firm underneath. I've seen a lot worse but not as good as my morning dash a little while ago.

Should be fairy easy going , relatively speaking, assuming the conditions are similar to last time. i.e the softer conditions are at the Winchester end, and it doesn't rain between now and then

Tyre wise I would go with something a little more durable. I'm going to stick with my Fire XCs Pros. This will give me a little more protection on the flint / rocky bits. You could actually ride it on a small block treaded tyre or a low tread style but I did this last time and put a nice slash across the tyre riding across the "flinty" section about 35km in. I'll run them with a bit more air then I normally do.

Bring some chain lube!

See you guys Saturday!

pittpony

Glad to hear the tracks are good and rideable. Last weekend at the local woods was a mudbath!!

Will be riding with XC pro's as well. In fact i think we all will be! "Team SDW soponsored by Panaracer"... I wish!

Did you get my mobile number?? If not check your inbox and it should be there

batch78

Good luck guys.

Hope the weather holds out for you. Looks like it could be chilly Sunday!

Look forward to reading your posts on Monday

impished

We'll see you @ Fivefields Road, approx 8am tomorrow then PJM.

BATCH78 wrote:

Good luck guys.

Cheers for the good luck vibes...

We will post some pics and a ride report on Monday (maybe Tuesday :oops: )
Anybody know what the Fish & Chips are like in Eastbourne? 'Cos Pittpony has developed a rather un-nerving obsession with Eastbourne Fish & Chips

See ya all soon

pjm-84

Tough day in the saddle.

Left the guys at 5.5hrs into the ride and headed back into the wind. Ended up clocking 130km with 2800metres of climbing with a dash to Harting (waste of time) and the big T at Petersfield for food.

RussAlf

Hi Paul great to meet you and Harry. Hope you enjoyed your ride back and thanks again for coming along with us.

Unfortunately as you can tell i should be riding now rather than posting on here but the weather had the better of us as your see in the pictures below.Ive dont think ive been so cold and wet for a very long time.

Heres the pics and the story:

Friday 4th arrive at the Haunted House B&B with stange pictures and books everywhere


Day 1 Winchester to Truleigh Hill:

Beautiful sun as we head out from winchester and meet Paul and Harry


Sun and dry fast rolling ground Ade and Andy were high spirits


10 miles in, Nick, me and Andy

The Hills ahead

Excellent Downhill section

Nick enjoying the downhill

Top of the Downhill before QEP

Me enjoying the stunning views with the sea in the far background

Paul with Ade behind with big grins after the Downhill to QEP

Nick having a close up of the floor

Andy with the first puncture of the ride

The wind had really picked up and rain was threatening us, Harry finishing the downhill.

View of the last downhill with Paul and Harry

Everyone filling up there bottles/bladders before we head different ways, paul and harry heading back and us cracking on

Hills,Hills and more Hillls

The rain is coming

Ade, unsure what hes thinking. Good or bad?maybe lunch?

Lunch at last,, 45ish miles at Arundel

More Stunning views

The rain came, Nick soaked through and cold from the bitter northly wind. No photos of this but we realised just after this photo was taken that i had slashed open my tyre on the desent in the background.

At last! Truleigh Hill shows its face but surronded in rain clouds.

Picture doesnt show but the rain was almost horizontal here, thats nick loving it.

As you can see he loved it

Final ascent to Truleigh Hill

5* Accomadation



Day 2 Truleigh Hill to Eastbourne (attempt)

We woke up, looked out the window and it was dry with sunny spells. While eating breakfest snow flakes appeared however it was not laying.

Went and got the bikes out of the Garage and the Snow had started laying

Looked at the maps and decided on bail out spots if it got to bad, unfortunatly it got far far to bad

Further in heading towards Devils Dyke it had got worse, Andy and Nick enjoying the Snow

Visibilty had dropped to about 50m, bridle ways and tracks were covered you couldnt see what you were riding over. I was literally following the arrow on my GPS.

Ahh the memories

This is the point where we dieced to give in and road it back to Brighton Station. We didnt have the gear with us to keep on going. Phoned a freind in eastbourne and it was just as bad there.

It was a very wet and extremly cold 5 miles ride to brighton station, with only one usuable gear on my cassette as it was a block of ice.



Pretty upset we had to bail out, dissapointed we didnt finish the ride. Gps said we covered 71 miles in total, we have all said we will be giving it another go in the summer. if the weather had been good we would have covered the miles without a doubt.

Russ


All the photos are here:
http://public.fotki.com/RussAlford/mountain-biking/south-downs-way/


Untill next time!

lost-time

Looks like you had 'fun' guys...

Snowed on our ride (Kent-Trails) today but was no wind so was very still. Oh well! Have you thawed out yet?

deadpool2e

Shame the weather on the second day was a bit Sh*tty. (still wish i could have made it)

Count me in for the summer one.......

SBezza

Pity about the weather, but you still did a fair amount, and I don't blame you for bailing, no point getting ill, when you can try another day.

I would like to try it in the summer, so depending on dates, you can count me in as well.

Steve

Tiger6791

Did this the same days as you guys this weekend, we saw one of your guys at the start on a Trek full sus, who said he was doing 80k and going home...

I think you guys passed us, just after the river by the farm, my SPD cleats we're buggered.

We did 65 miles on the first day and stayed at a pub we'd booked, second day just about to set off after our full english and toast and the snow started. We bailed it on the grounds we didn't have the right gear (only shorts, etc) and rode 5 miles to the nearest train station. Rear block froze up, snow settling on arms handlebars etc, gear cables froze and bike was nearly unrideable (all at sea level). Visibility was shocking so can't see how it could have been done up on the hills (well, not really hills, large mounds to a Yorkshireman)

To be honest I found this ride a lot harder than I thought I would and had some real low points (the climb after crossing the dual carriage way). I thought the terrain was featureless and the tracks really quite boring. Some of the views out to the coast we're good but this is not I ride I will do again apart from the fact that I now have to as I can't stand the thought that I haven't finished it.

I also think I can't just go back and do the last bit I'll have to start over again at Winchester.

Bugger!

So when you doing it again?