Sunday 29th May Ride to Petworth

6 out for the ride on a chilly north wind day tempered by the welcome sun. I returned after an absence  to lead this ride to Petworth. I was joined by Adam, Bob  Mark Paul & Sam. Sam signs on as GOG , his own acronym ‘Grumpy old Git’ and with a dodgy back, who can blame him.  

 We were passed by a young group of racers before we left the outskirts of Chichester but thanks to road works and traffic lights we overtook them as the lights changed in our favour. They passed us again without a nod and Paul rode their wheel for a bit.   On the hills Sam and I used our electric assistance to keep up . I was frugal with my assistance as I had only one battery compared to Sam’s three.  Also it is good to exercise the lungs . Sam does that by having a smoke at every stop.

Our route took us through Sutton , Coates, Fittleworth

Then it was up and down the Little Bognor loop and it was a joy to ride the Sussex Lanes again.  The A272 was extremely busy not helped by the leader turning the wrong way but Petworth was reached where we meet Chris the bell after his cathedral bell ringing stint.

Our return took us down on a back lane loop through and over Rotherbridge.

 The old road to Petworth used to go this way before  it was diverted when the park was created around the 1750’s.

On through Graffham , Heyshot and up Cocking hill for our last coffee  at the Flint Barn on the South Downs  Way then home via Centurian Way .  43 miles and a day well ridden.

Jeff Lander

Sunday 15 May. I Spy Ride. DA Event

It could be said the I-Spy Ride went quite well at least in terms of numbers attending. The only problem was that a lot of people had been wishing for rain for their gardens for months. Did it all have to come in one go on Sunday daytime though. There was a lot more rain than forecast.

I went there train assisted to Pulborough. Bob, Sam, Maureen and Max rode there starting 8.00 Chichester Cross. There were for 4 from Arun Adur and 9 from Horsham Crawley.

It was just about dry when we met at Pulborough Station but started raining as the Event started and kept raining for the rest of the Ride. With no Bognor Chichester at the Start time I joined the Arun Adur team Richard Boulton, Dave Fox, Paul Price and Mick McCormack. Bognor Chichester had a late start of the Event. The Event route organised by Bob Moore of Horsham/Crawley took us via Fittleworth, Sutton and Bury to Houghton where the Groups met up for lunch at Houghton Bridge Tea Rooms. The rest of the route took in Amberley to finish at The Five Bells, West Chiltington.

Edwin