LWCC Blog

All Wanderers,

The funeral of Mick Burgess will take place at St. Michael and All Angels church in Jarvis Brook, Crowborough on Wednesday the 10th September at 2pm. 

Please note the following points.

Flowers requested only from the immediate family.

After the service, refreshments will be served in the church hall.

I have spoken to Ian and any Wanderers that want to can wear club colours to the service.  Put the word about, maybe we should meet somewhere appropriate - how about a ride en masse from Uckfield?   From home, I could literally coast downhill to the church.

The club intends to make a donation to the family’s suggested charity.     

PS Apologies to other blog composers, I shall make sure this remains ‘top of the pile’ until Wednesday.

Simon  01892 655785     alt 07941 314 423

At home, the weather was windy but dry and almost sunny, so thinking this just might be my last attempt at a dry race this year, I packed the car and headed off.

At Horsham I started to head into the forecast monsoon, I reckon I saw a couple of ark’s being built at the side of the road, but it looked a little sunnier towards the HQ, so I kept on going.

As I reached the bottom turn, it was raining - hard, I needed a wee so thought I’d go to the HQ anyway and decide my next move.  Driving along the dual carriageway race route, the spray was terrible with huge puddles being sprayed up by the cars, I decided there and then not to ride.

At the HQ, I changed my mind again as it had stopped raining and so I signed on, then looked out the window and it had started raining, I crossed my name out and entered DNS Apologies and went home.

On the way back, the race route was still wet but the bottom of the course was dry and pretty soon I drove back into sunny weather

Did I make the right choice, would it have been a dry race after all?  Who knows, but at this point of the season there isn’t a lot to gain in going out to race in the rain all the time, particularly having already got wet on my commute 4 days this week

Lets hope tomorrow is better (I doubt it so will probably get another lie in).

Sorry if you read all the way to the bottom of this post, it’s really boring.

Mark W

I might as well get the excuses out of the way. I’m going to be up in London on Monday with little chance of getting back to Newhaven for 6. I will however make every effort to get there for the last one on Thursday presuming it’s not blowing a gale, lashing rain and throwing lighting bolts down on us.

Mine has been getting to be a rather rusty chain.

I’ve been putting off writing about this so thanks to Alan for filling everyone in.

It was a good event and Dave and I both felt thoroughly “tested”. Glad we did the long one too.

It also confirms in my mind the earlier decision to be a helper rather than a rider at Mark’s 2 HCs. The photo at the top of Kidd’s Hill  captures quite how wrung out I felt and that was at an easy pace. York’s Hill too. I can’t remember the last time I had to get off my road bike cos I just could NOT make the pedals go round anymore but I had to bail with about 50 m to go and walk the last bit.

The elevation diagram illustrates what Alan was saying in that there was little in the way of respite even to the bitter end; the ascents were hard and the descents were tricky and I know Dave hit the pavement relatively early on.

Total climb 1971m .

That said, I did enjoy it and if RR runs it again next year, my name will be on the list.

This sportive was a toughie. After reading Bruce’s blog warning of the pain ahead I had decided to switch from the longer to middle distance event.

Whilst waiting to sign up Stewat Kirkham turned up and persuaded me to keep him company on the longer challenge event(95 miles) Willpower was never my strong point so meekly I took up his suggestion. As we set out the heavens opened accompanied by alarming flashes of lightning.

The start was rather chaotic but eventually we set off. I kept Stewart company for a good 10 seconds before he dropped me. The group I set off with were averaging 20 or so M.P.H., I realised that this was to hot a pace for me so I eased up and tucked in with a slightly slower group. The first major hill was Kidd’s Hill and it proved, as always, a tough climb. The countryside was rolling as we headed out to Groombridge where on another steep ascent I was nearly overtaken by a female jogger!

We were lulled into a false sense of security riding through a truly beautiful stretch alongside a bird sanctuary before we hit a hill, which I now know to be Yorks Hill.This beauty was steep and long, ending in a 20%gradient. A lot of riders had to dismount and a guy in front of me lost the will to live, stopped pedalling and slowly keeled over. I asked if he was OK and managed to steer round him and ground my way to the summit. I take my hat off to the guys that hill climb up there, it must be an event well worth watching, .

After a climb up Ide’s Hill we reached Toy’s Hill. I thought toys were meant to be fun. A painful 2-mile slog ended in a scary descent, in the rain and mud quite a few riders came off, discovering that brakes in wet conditions are merely a decorative item on a bike and have no functional use at all.

We were now well over half way and I felt quite good. For most of the ride I had been riding solo and it is a testament to the fantastic signposts that, even with my legendary navigational skills, (your looking at the twit who managed to get lost on the speed judging contest, quite a feat when you only turn right!)  managed to find my round without any problems.

At this stage I pushed on a bit. Behind me a chap, who I later discovered was German, sucked my wheel for about an hour. Eventually he pulled in front of me, I was looking forward to him repaying the compliment, but he put his foot down and left me in his wake.

After the last checkpoint, with just fifteen miles to go, I was looking forward to a nice easy ride home, but everything seemed to drag on, even the slightest of slopes caused problems causing an increasing number of participants to get off and push. The horrible climb out of the reservoir was followed by a leg-sapping crawl up to Cuckfield.

Eventually the end was in sight and I got back to base camp to see that the German had laid his towel out and was well set! Actually I had a chat with him afterwards and he was really a very nice chap. I caught up with a few Wanderers at the end, including Ian Craig who had enjoyed the ride. I am not sure that enjoy is the adjective I would have employed.

All in all this was a tough ride with climbs approaching 3000ft.The event was well organised, though it was a shame about the weather which made descending so tricky.

Roll on next year(attempt at irony)

Alan LLoyd

Well,

Any guesses as to the weather conditions and part of the tri cancelled on Sunday?

Yes well of course it was raining, but apart from that?

Fog, or rather very heavy mist. Could not see the lake, bike course dangerous, cancelled bike. 2 1/2 hours delay before start of a chaotic swim run. Then getting back to see the news about Mick. Just about sums it up really.

I shall not be able to make the funeral as I shall be in USA. A wonderful man who will be sorely missed by all.

 Debs

All Wanderers,

The funeral of Mick Burgess will take place at St. Michael and All Angels church in Jarvis Brook, Crowborough on Wednesday the 10th September at 2pm. 

Please note the following points.

Flowers requested only from the immediate family.

After the service, refreshments will be served in the church hall.

Whether we Wanderers are invited to wear club colours is STILL to be established.  Await further information.

The club intends to make a donation to the family’s suggested charity.     

Simon