Sunday Ride: 14th May 2017

Brighton’n’Back

8am saw eight starters for an extended ride. The early rain shower ended as we started for a day that was both sunny and warm. Up to Farthing Down for the photo shoot. Jeremy chased us up just short of Outwood and tea was taken at Tulley’s Farm. This looked to be a control centre for a motocycle event but we left before the rush. Jeremy turned home and we cycled down through Ardingly who were having a combined scarecrow festival and safer roads/walk to school week event.

Who’s the dummy?

Not the only cyclists

There are three ways to cycle to Brighton. Up Ditchling Beacon, alongside the A23 and the one Tom chose – Devil’s Dyke. A bit of a sod though imho not as bad as the Beacon. Still we were all in the need of a gasp at the top …

Down through Hove to Tom’s choice of venue – The Regency in, unsurprisingly, Regency Square. An unpretentious but welcoming, cheerful and great value restaurant. A great improvement on our traditional brach venue.

Three returned by other means leaving five for the return and that awful grind up the hill out of Brighton to cross the A27 to the Beacon. From there we went at a cracking pace straight through Hayward’s Heath, Lindfield to a favourite watering hole at the Red Lion back in Turner’s Hill. Barry & Jim didn’t stop but the three remaining chased hard up and over Marden Park for a great day out: 92.42 miles at a moving average of 12.62 mph