Oldies but Goodies
9.00am, 9th August 2009
Well, what a send off we got for the C&F ride down to Shoreham! It was the Tuesday before when Michael Howers and myself met up at Warr’s for the recce ride, Rob Warr bounded over and informed us of a certain amount of commotion due to a clash of dates.
Shaun Wright-Phillips (footballer) was getting some chums together for a charity ride and it happened to coincide with our meeting time on the Sunday. So, like the gracious chapter that we are, our bikes were lined up out in Michael Road so as to cause minimum confusion of who was going where and on what ride!
So we had cameras and more cameras clicking away as we lined up to leave, over thirty bikes were present for the ride which was excellent considering a large ‘mob’ of C&F/Meridian regulars were lagering it up for the weekend at Bisley.
Once past the throng of cameramen we rode off down Kings Road, out over Putney Bridge and then down the A3, all making it off at the correct junction assisted by the roving marshal for the day, Les Channing. On we went through the countryside on the A286 to Fernhurst, where we stopped for drinks at the King’s Arms, a fine old pub established in the 17th century. Our host had pre-prepared a big jug of hot coffee so the refreshment stop went smoothly, with much mutual bike admiration going on in the extensive (and not gravel) car-park.
Once refreshed it was on to the lanes and they are a bit tight around that area, however all made it through though OK and after a couple of miles we were on to ‘normal’ back roads. Unfortunately plenty of new gravel had recently been laid and so proceedings had to be kept sedate as the roads really were twisty. Shillinglee, Kirdford, Wisborough Green then onto Billingshurst where we skirted round on the by-pass before hitting the country again heading for the A24.
The group looked to be all together as we trundled down the A24 for a couple of miles, alas the Washington roundabout appeared ‘a bridge too far’ (no that was Arnhem earlier this year) for some and Les and Michael had a certain amount of sweeping up to do.
Not that sort of sweeping up, everyone stayed upright!
At the airport a posterity picture was taken before some went off on an airport tour; others hit the bar straight away. Many eventually headed off towards Brighton as it was only a few miles down the road.
Well that’s the August ride done, some of you may be nearer your rider patches now.
See you soon and thanks all.
Nick Deal - C&F Road Captain