http://www.bigbikeride.net en-gb bigbikeride.net 2012-1-30T00:00:00Z bigbikeride.net http://www.bigbikeride.net/page11.htm#111383 The second training ride started early on Saturday morning with a train to Ford a ride down to Arundel and then over to Amberley to meet the South Downs Way.A perfect opportunity to get Bens new bike complete with bell and reflecters very muddy.We dont cut a very athletic picture below but this was a steep slippery hill and it is only the second ride.I still love this view of the sea from the South Downs Way.Buzz and I stopped early and headed into Shoreham to get the train home again while everyone else did at least one more hill.Muddy bikes to prove we didnt just go to the pub. 2012-1-28 15:08:22 http://www.bigbikeride.net/page11.htm#110415 Although it was just over 16 miles we had nearly 1500 ft of climbs and a good early experience of walking with or carrying the bikes as we made our way up the bridal way to Ditchling Beacon. Hywel Paul Neil Bob Mark Scott and Paul both Pauls joined us for the day.It was hard work very enjoyable and really pleasant to meet the new members of the group. The hot sugary tea when we returned home was one of the nicest for sometime.Next ride in two weeks. It will be longer with more climbs. 2012-1-14 11:11:12 http://www.bigbikeride.net/page11.htm#25567 The first 2 weekends of June saw what were probably the last two training rides before the Coast to Coast begins. On the first weekend Scott Hywel and I headed off east to Alfriston and back again. This was 38 miles and 4500 feet of climbs. The second saw Buzz Ant and I head west by train to Chichester and follw the South Downs Way back to Brighton. This was 40 miles and 4000 feet of climbs. We tried to emulate a day on the ride itself. We started at the times that we plan to start on the ride and also we also stopped off at a pub both days to have food about half way through the day.The first day was really hot and pretty hard. Weve never climbed that far before. It was so hot the cows took cover under the trees.The whole feel of the South Downs had changed dramatically since we started training and over the past two weeks it has been really easy to see the changing of the seasons. Those cold muddy foggy days have been replaced with sunshine. The barren flint covered fields ... 2008-6-15 11:18:40 http://www.bigbikeride.net/page11.htm#24097 On the first really sunny weekend of the year we headed off in the van to the Seven Sisters Country Park hoping for slightly easier conditions than a month ago when Scott and I found lots of mud.We set off from the bike shop at the country park on the more technical purple route. From the forest we headed over to the beach and I had planned to practice putting the bikes on our backs going up the first of the Seven Sisters hills and then heading back. I really wish we had now due to the events of the next 30 minutes.So we put the bikes on our backs and headed up the chalk path in the distance on the photo above.From the top the view really is fantastic.From here we decided to head over all of the Seven Sisters hills to the lighthouse in the distance on the photo below.This is where it started to go wrong. I managed to fall off on the downhill section of the 3rd of the cliffs. Then on the 4th one I hit the hole in the picture below going downhill at speed.This left my arm looking l... 2008-5-10 10:12:31 http://www.bigbikeride.net/page11.htm#23454 I decided to enter the Southern Cross Country Championships to have the opportunity of riding a new route that was laid out for me.It didnt turn out quite as planned. First of all we were the last race so there had been several hundred laps completed on the circuit already. This turned what was a muddy course into a bog.The mud was so thick that each of the races was reduced by one lap.Here is me at the start looking pretty aprehensive. Everyone else looked like they were in a hurry.......and they were.Below are photos of me at the same point on lap one and two riding up the hill first time and pushing the bike second time a pattern that was repeated at various stages on the second lap.The picture below is me dragging my bike through the thick mud at the end of the ride. Very tired.And below is me at the end happy to be finished. 2008-4-27 08:20:32 http://www.bigbikeride.net/page11.htm#23078 Having read in MBUK about the trail in Friston Forest Scott and I headed over to the Seven Sisters Country Park to see whether the great write up was true. I had been over there loads of times but had always gone down to the sea front. Little did I know that there were such great mtb routes sitting in the forest behind the Visiter Centre We did the purple route which is described in MBUK as a fine example of unreconstructed mountain biking and a great starting point for riding across the stunning South Downs.For me Ive never been so petrified by downhill sections and Ive never fallen off 3 times in 50 yards. The rain made conditions very slippery and the camber on the downhills with the exposed tree routes made things pretty tricky.The photo below is Scott coming down the section that I managed to navigate mainly sideways with my back wheel slipping all over the place.Having done an hour on the purple route in the forest we headed over towards the sea and Seven Sisters.In an attempt... 2008-4-19 13:35:17 http://www.bigbikeride.net/page11.htm#22494 The day began on the seafront with bright blue skies. Luckily we chose Saturday rather than Sunday as Sunday saw snow and it settled for the first time in years in Brighton.Scott came down in the van and tried to pump up his tyres.He managed to detach the valve from the tyre so this was puncture number 1 without even getting on the bike.Puncture number 2 happened about 5 minutes later when Buzz had done about 100 yards before running over some glass. Not the best start in the world.Anyway having gone via Evans Cycles to stock up with new inner tubes we headed off towards Devils Dyke. A lot of the route was new for me which was good.We went up and over Southwick Hill and found a field full of bulls some of which looked a little too frisky especially given the fact that I was wearing red.The route took us off west towards Steyning and Upper Beeding. Below is the view down into the valley behind the South Downs which s where we were heading.Having gone down into the villages below we ... 2008-4-5 15:35:10 http://www.bigbikeride.net/page11.htm#21946 Given that I had a few days holiday to take and I got my new bike I decided to take the train past Ford this time to Barnham and attempt to find the South Downs from there.The ride was 35 miles which is exactly what was needed. However the GPS tells my that my elevation was the equivilent of climbing over Everest so something went wrong there.From there I managed to not find the South Downs for ages disappearing down paths that lead nowhere until I decided to head back to Arundle on road and go the route I knew.I stopped off for the first time to take a photo of the church in Arundle as well.I had ridden past the building below on a few occasions and as we had never stpped for too long I thought I would take a closer look. I thought it was an old gateway to some land. Having looked over the stone wall to see a glasshouse and a childrens slide I realised that someone actually lives here. Now that is a cool place to live.So my new bike got to see the South Downs Way for the first tim... 2008-3-26 08:52:12 http://www.bigbikeride.net/page11.htm#21801 Today saw us head off east on the train to Seaford with the aim of finding some kind of back wind to ease us on our way. How wrong can you be. The first 4 and a half miles were into the biting North Easterly wind a present from Siberia. To make matters worse I managed to pop my shoulder out after about 10 miles. If only I done it trying a difficult descent or saving a small child from a ravine. However it just happened when I turned round to see where the others were. Thats probaly going to put a dent in my plans to go out riding during my week off work.The route along the top of the South Downs was pretty hard. The wind seemed to try to blow the bike out from underneath you. Below Buzz consults his GPS with Seven Sisters in the background. Unfortunately it pointed us right into the wind.Hywel put on a brave face as we get closer to reaching the South Downs Way.The wind never really seemed to be behind us in any meaningful way and Buzz even thought hed jumped out of an aeropla... 2008-3-22 15:08:17 http://www.bigbikeride.net/page11.htm#21156 The sixth training ride saw Scott and myself meeting up early on Sunday morning in Stanmer Park. We managed to get round the course before the strong winds of the coming storm arrived.I got through a total of 28 miles having ridden from home to Stanmer Park while Scott did around 24 miles.The course took us through Stanmer Park up to Ditchling Beacon. From there we went over to the Jack and Jill windmills and then down to Clayton village and over to Ditchling by road. Then it was up Ditchling Beacon on road. From there we headed off east to Lewes on a part of the South Downs I hadnt ever ridden on. We then came back to Ditchling Beacon and headed downhill all the way back to Stanmer Park and the warmth of Scotts van.This is a view back at the drop off the middle of Stanmer Park. I love this part of the park. It was one of my favourite places when I first moved to Brighton and first started to ride a ike in the Downs. You cant see any cars electricity pylons roads anything to do... 2008-3-11 07:48:23 http://www.bigbikeride.net/page11.htm#20717 The ride today was shorter than usual as I fitted it in as an extra one and I was on my own. It was very very windy and the six miles on road up to Devils Dyke were hard work. Luckily the wind was behind on top of the Downs although it was back in my face on the way back into town.It has dried out lots over recent weeks but its still really sticky with grey mud at the bottom of New Timber Hill. I havent done this route in this direction for about 8 years and it was really good to see the route from this direction again.From Devils Dyke it was over to the Jack and Jill windmills via the mud of New Timber visible in the distance on the right of the photo below.Anyway thats it really. Just under 20 miles in total. Theres a couple of good climbs here but Im not too sure when I went nearly 100 feet below sea level. 2008-3-1 17:20:31 http://www.bigbikeride.net/page11.htm#20400 As Ant and Jens hadnt done this route before we thought it was a good idea for them to try this out and to see how much good Ants British Military Training is doing.Being up this early on a Saturday is an alien concept for Anthony so the only way forward was a breakfast of kings. Coffee loads of sugar and a sausage roll.Although it was dull down on the coast it felt like it was going to be a pleasant day for a ride. Thats soon changed when we got up on the South Downs. It closed in rapidly visibility was down to around 30 or 40 yards at times and it turned very cold. The saving grace was that the wind was behind us and that was a big bonus.........and to prove the point here is Scott coming out of the fog.At times it was like riding into the unknown as you couldnt see too far in front. Well it would have been if we didnt ridden this route so many times before.Before we hit the fog and the cold we decided to have a competition. Whats biggest my nose Jens nose or the arrow on the S... 2008-2-24 09:23:02 http://www.bigbikeride.net/page11.htm#19830 The creatures of habit set off again on the early train from Brighton west bound to Ford. This was a step up in distance with the total journey back into the centre of Brighton being over 30 miles and there were 2 extra climbs the largest being 700 ft slightly closer to the size of those awaiting us in June and JulyThe on road trip to Amberley and the South Downs Way is becoming so familiar that Hywel swore for the first time at exactly the same point as the previous ride.It was a lovely day bright and sunny although there was a head wind.We soon met that countryside smell but it was very evident where it was coming from.The hills did seem to get slightly easier and I guess that this was down to a little more fitness and an improvement in technique as the action shot below illustrates.Even though it hasnt rained for a while there was still plenty of mud and us to either ride around or through depending on whether youre me or more sensible. There are not too many more photos as weve b... 2008-2-10 07:30:54 http://www.bigbikeride.net/page11.htm#19220 Today saw the second training ride. Just the 3 of us on this occasion Scott Hywel and myself.It was an early start as I left Hove Station at 8.30am and met the other 2 at Lancing Station. We then went on to Ford where the ride began. The first section was on road from Ford to Arundel.We managed to get lost in Arundel as I had too much faith in Scotts local knowledge rather than using the directions that I had written down and was carrying in my pocket. Having come down the steep hill in Arundel we doubled back up the hill to the A284 towards Amberley where we were due to join the South Downs Way. This is a good 5 mile mainly uphill stretch which really got the blood pumping. About 500 yards past Amberley Station we joined the South Downs Way which was concreted for a nice section to begin with.This is where we had our first funny place name moment as well. Having planned the Coast to Coast route I know that there are some very funny ones on the way but this isnt bad to begin with... 2008-1-27 15:49:59 http://www.bigbikeride.net/page11.htm#18550 Saturday 12th January saw the first of our training rides. It took us through Stanmer Park to Ditchling Beacon along the top of the South Downs past the Jack and Jill windmills and down into Pyecombe village.From Pyecombe we headed over the A23 up Newtimber Hill to the back of Devils Dyke and then over Devils Dyke and back down into Brighton.The previous 2 weeks of rain made it a lot muddier and more difficult than I had expected although it helped us to realise the task and the amount of training we have ahead of us.All in all it was pretty successful although we had 2 fallers on the first downhill section which may be a bit of a worry. Here are the 6 of us in Stanmer Park ready to go on the first ride. Lots of smiles hiding the fact that we were absolutely freezing having stood there waiting for 30 mins for Anthony to arrive Buzz gets to the top of the first climb in Stanmer Park having stopped for some maintenance after realising that moving his handbars was not having the des... 2008-1-13 13:04:50 http://www.bigbikeride.net/page11.htm#17883 Well I think that weve learnt the first lesson for anyone planning a trip like this in the future. Booking the accommodation 6 months in advance is probably not long enough.I would say 9 months to a year to be safe.We are now having the replan the route to fit around two of the overnight stays which coincidentally means more hills and more miles.3 nights now booked in the most isolated locations. 3 more nights left to sort. 2007-12-28 16:25:38 http://www.bigbikeride.net/page11.htm#17197 2007-12-4 16:18:45