Saturday 16th March. Ave speed 8.8. Max speed 22.7. Wind factor - gale force!
Who
could imagine that riding a bike was such fun.
Truly! All year round too! Since the clocks fell forward in October I
have ridden my road bike once.
The
alternative bicycle in my world is a Marin.
Apparently a mountain bike frame in aluminum, with a rack, mudguards,
28mm tyres and a stand! A work horse. A
bike I can leave outside a shop locked up for a couple of hours whilst drinking
cappuccinos or doing errands without worrying whether it has been nicked. I don't care what anybody says but bike theft
is rife.
Today
was a ride with friends around Brighton on our hybrids. Advanced planning with Southern railways websites
keeps the price reasonable albeit a bit early.
At 0857 I met up with a friend at Brighton Station and we headed towards
the sea. Not quite that simple! The wind was so fierce that the sea looked
angry - it was wild. The force of the
gale was so strong that we didn't actually make it to the seafront, we headed
inland instead.
Cycling
sometimes on the road and sometimes on the cycle paths where the hazards of
both were prevalent. Stroppy, unthinking
drivers passing too closely on the road, offset against the litter, broken
glass, potholes and rubbish surface of the cycle paths.
We
did try out a new design where the cycle path runs behind a bus stop instead of
in front of it which was interesting. It
keeps you out of the traffic but I am not sure how good that is around
pedestrians running for a bus in rush hour.
And I am not sure how good it is
for the driver as it fuels their "Good. Cyclists out of my way"
mentality.
Our
target destination was a lovely manor house that is home to a squadron of chefs
who produce absolutely delicious food all day long. Eggs Benedict in front of a log fire. How could cycling be this good? It was all so relaxing that we were still
there at lunch time when our numbers increased to three.
About
four hours and several meals later we headed out in to the wind. It hadn't
dropped at all! We weaved our way
towards something called Devils Dyke which I had been led to believe was
flat. Apparently it may be flat at the
top but it is not flat in the getting there.
On
the way there, we cycled up a busy main road, popping on and off the
accompanying and equally rubbish cycle path and I wondered what on earth I was
doing cycling up this thing, this steep, no-cleats climb on my hybrid. And it wasn't anywhere near Devils Dyke. Somehow
I made it to the top - which was at least a whole 50 metres of steepness! At the top I found myself looking at a sign
that said Ditchling Road. It could have been worse - I thought.
From
this great height I could look across and see Devils Dyke. Err, no
thank you! Not today! Woop Woop
we headed back to Brighton instead. On the way we did another classic thing
whereby my hosts took me to somewhere near where they live that they had never,
ever been to before! Classic!
Brighton
Velodrome! And not only that but the oldest velodrome in the country! How
amazing was that? Well we couldn't
resist a lap or two even on our hybrids.
As I cycled round (being overtaken about three times by Giorgos Hoy) I
could hear the sound track from Chariots of Fire - no - Hybrids on Fire as we
hurled around breaking record after record!
Eventually
we managed to tear ourselves away - not least because we were hungry. We hadn't eaten for at least two whole hours!
Into Brighton city centre, saw the football
stadium, then via the Pavilion to a lovely Italian Pizzeria where I learned
the history of pizza. It was invented
during the Second World War when someone (yes, in Italy) was asked to produce a
meal for some starving soldiers, at no notice and with no food. In a panic the
only available ingredients of mozzarella, salami and olives were placed on a
dough and baked in the oven.
Amazing
how the pressure of having to produce something special resulted in such a
stalwart and internationally renowned addition to our culinary world, consumed
by millions every day, even today.
As
if enough food hadn't been eaten... pudding was enormous!
These
Hybrid days are all about the bike, the food and the friendships. As for the laughs - too many to count. Awesome day.
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