BHF London/Brighton 2016

Hi all, unofficial ride report from the London to Brighton on June 19th.

Deepak and I met at 5am at Croydon Fire Station and cycled to Clapham Common for a 6:30 kick off. Was VERY early so we decided to jump on the back of the 6am start and was away bang on time, with very little traffic on the way. Rooting down through Tooting, Mitcham, Carshalton, Beddington, Woodmansterne and straight past the first official rest stop. Down the hill and up the other side to Chipstead village, down and under M25 to Redhill, back roads down under the M23 to Bletchingly, Outwood, Crawley Down, Turners Hill, Ardingly for stop, Lindfield, Haywards Heath, Ditchling and up the Beacon having stopped for 10 mins at the bottom to re-group and take on refreshment/fluids. Down the other side and down Coldean Lane which I peaked at 46 mph (speed camera was bagged off by the police as it would probably run out of film) into Brighton with an approx riding time of 4hrs 15.

Whilst I had purchased a coach ticket back to Clapham Deepak had not, so we had decided to ride back. Took another 5 hrs which was straight up the A23 with all the fun this had (cycle lanes covered in grit, overgrown, muddy etc, plus some hair raising A23 dual carriage way riding. A few hills….. and some faster sections on the flat. Seems there were more up hills than down hills, but enjoyable nonetheless. I was home by 3:30 so equated to about 8 and half hours for 108 miles (door to door) which I felt was fairly reasonable. Not expecting to ride this coming weekend as I have a sportive on 3rd July (New Forest Conqueror) so need to save myself.

Discussions on the way, food, fluids, sore bums and no politics…. keeping to the club rules in this regard! As not there will miss out on the “fall out” of Brexit discussion proposed by Frank!

Thanks for the company Deepak, was most enjoyable ride.

Regards
Steve