Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Sunday 13th September 2009

Thanks to Mr and Mrs K-B and Ed for running Saturday's Hilly 50 - the section is £125 better off. There were just under 50 starters with the first three back in 1:51. Ray was a hour behind ahead of Mike M, our only toiler.

There was a strong hint of autumn (overcast, chill northerly) as I reached Beare Green and the early arrivals were in full English mode. On the restart eleven had been whittled down to five with "Smock Alley's an awfully long way" in the air. We set off through Capel and towards Rusper. Taking the lead in Friday Street we plunged down into Horsham and up the other side. Just after the Christ's Hospital entrance we halted; mysteriously five had become three. A retreat to the Boar's Head revealed nothing so back again via Bax Castle to Barns Green and we waited outside the Queens Head. A lucky tip-off sent back us the way we'd came; lo and behold 100 yards later along came the missing Andy and Keith. Andy has spotted booty in the road then they'd turned right at the school before realising probably we hadn't! By now it was one so time to stop.

The wind was increasing by the minute as we headed through Itchingfield to the A264. Broadbridge Heath provides relief and then it was Warnham, the landfill and Capel where the church was open. Naturally we stopped; it turned out to be a gathering of the cycling clans: a Surrey League event; visitors from C&M, West Surrey, and Horsham and Crawley. I was home just after six and 70 miles.

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