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Thanks again for a great ride @youramericanlover. Much appreciated
easily the most scenic HDIJ route ive been on particularly the idealic villages and oldie worlde pubs around Bodiam and Northiam.
falconvitesse
RR 2024
OK for the all the japes and shenanigans about the course I really enjoyed it and thought it was a great day. Big chunks of the route were new to me despite the very near overlap with some classic audax loops. I also loved heading straight into the deer park, what a way to kick it off.
Leo's idea for the Sevenoaks > Rye > Sevenoaks was wildy successful. I know it was lumpy in aggregate and there was some really underwhelming driving but I was so grateful to not have a suburban drag out to and back from the lanes. The climbs were a bit sharper than I had imagined and the Rye coastal path was not nearly as enjoyable as I thought it would be, but I still think worth it for the views. My kind of views I guess! And like @Ruserius said when it was flat on the way back there was some nice tight group riding which is an exceptional thing on fixed. It's so much harder with the gradients and surface changing so rapidly but I'll think on this for a way to replicate longer stretches of this for next year. This was the long, hilly edition so something different for next year.
All the classic strong riders were strong again this year. @jmg412 seemed in the sweet spot the whole way, and @cagimaha (as usual) undersold and then over-delivered on the bike. I also really appreciated his and everyone's else communication and indicating - I was brain dead on the day so wasn't much help up there.
@Glws was out of breathe once I think, maybe, towards the end but otherwise is a wildly smooth and strong rider. @elgonzo nearly had the meretorious award for feeling like shit for 2/3rds of the ride but through force of will finished I think happier than he started, an admirable display of mind over legs. Inspiring stuff.
As was mentioned @falconvitesse got the award. While he lost the group last 25/30 miles from home he, I think not loving things, kept going solo to the end and met us at the pub really not that far behind. His determination (I was tucked in as much as possible on the way back) made him the deserving receipient.
Genuine thank you to everyone who showed up. You show a special willingness and kindness to come together for some deep winter riding and I think is a valuable thing. Somewhere in the last 4 miles in the pitch black I dropped off to the back to see the trail of red light snaking up the climbs and thought 'what a weird, great thing'.
Cheers all, see ya next year.