Out on the Bike and Sad News

Well, It had to be done, I have not been out cycling for a while now..just how fit was I?

Decided to do an easy ride to see where I was in the fitness levels, so Pevensey Marshes is a great place to head, Its flat terrain and lovely countryside always makes it a favourite place to ride, however the lack of any sort of decent inclines means long term real fitness tests are a little restricted I feel.

I got everything ready Bike in the car for the trip down and just getting changed and it started raining..proper rain!!

what to do?

Simple (sort of!) I decided to just go in the hope nearer the coast and the South Downs it would be okay! (it was).

I started from Lower Horsebridge (nr Hailsham) and rode past a place with the name of "Windmill  Hill" and guess its called that because it still has a windmill! 

 ..Ok its a pretty pointless stating the "Obvious", but at the time it amused me!

well Cracking on I came to the turning I needed away from the A271 which had a little too many lorrys for my liking, the road I was turning into was Watling rd...however it was closed..ahhh!!!

However according to my Garmin 1000 a little lane less than a half mile up the road would get me in the right direction so on I went to Wood Lane and this was probably a better route than the original one.

For the record here is my "Strava Route" to get all my ramblings into perspective...

Pevensey Route

I arrived at the coast (Normans Bay) in good time, but all the while the clouds were saying "Wet and Stormy" even a few spots of rain kept dropping randomly but it was so humid, 22 degrees, and sticky but nice to ride a bike sort of weather! 

 Normans Bay Railway crossing...a stone's throw from the Beach.

Heres a couple of pictures on the Beach the first ones looking towards Bexhill second one is looking towards Beachy Head, Eastbourne. 

Always enjoy the ride into Pevensey and normally a cup of coffee, but not this time, still a way to go, and I seriously did not trust the building storm clouds, and I could see a couple of heavy showers of rain along the South Downs as a warning not to hang around!

This ride had atmosphere, I was enjoying it immensely, It is at moments like this I ask myself just why have I not done much riding for a while?..weird!! 

Anyway, the single lane back roads that lead me back to Lower HorseBridge were a delight as always I just love the Beauty of the fields and Drains that you pass......Look at those clouds!

 Anyway made it back to the car unsoaked, as I was packing the bike away the rain started, wow, perfect for once timing!

Just about to get in the car and the Mobile Phone rang, It was my Wife Ginia, with some incredibly sad news a friend of mine, Toby, who in the last few years has not been in the best of health, had died a couple of days ago, I went from feeling content and happy with life, to an utter deflation and a wave of utter sadness swept over me!

I'm going to miss Toby, we did not always see eye to eye, our political views were as far apart as could be, but he was one of the good guys, one of my friends, I had some great times with over the years, for instance, Toby, Steve and I cycled the Length of the South Downs Way over Three days, the distance is 103 miles, its a tough ride, but with good mates memories were made on that trip that will never be forgotten, Evenings out with Toby were always special, he was funny, he was a great character and I will miss him greatly.

It's at moments like this you realise what a loss and a great guy he was..RIP mate.

A couple of Photos of Toby, Steve, and Alan in happier times, when the fours of us rode the Downs Link, the route is from Shoreham to Guildford, we rode "there and back" over two days 37 miles each way. Top picture...Toby is on the far Left, Steve in the middle, and Alan on the right.

...We are going to so miss you, Toby.