2011-11-06 London to Brighton Veteran Car Run 2011

^^ Was also keeping an eye on this but forecast seems to be getting worse rather than better? Will probably be a spur of the moment thing in the morning for me.

Anyone on here doing this? I've been pondering for the last week - looking at all the online weather forecasts I can find. Haven't contacted Oliver but I reckon he'll be giving it a miss as "to me this ride now requires great weather. It's the only ride for which I demand that." and it looks patchy at best!

The thing is, that was the weather forecast three years ago, too, but by the time I got to Brighton it was amazing, sunny and warm. If it's patchy, I'll 'risk' it--the last two years, the forecast was just too bad for me to even try. :)

I am probably in but will leave from cutty sark gardens. Will have gears too.

yeah, think I'll make a final decision tomorrow. though to get to N Lambeth for 7.15 means leaving 6.15 latest which means 5.30 out of bed!

Round about now, indeed. :)

Once again, I'm not doing this. I'm really wondering about that rule of mine of only doing it in good weather. I thought it might be fun of having one ride about which to say that, but missing it three years in a row is making me feel silly, especially as it'll be fun even in poorer weather, and because I'm definitely going out for a ride elsewhere later today. Hm.

Hope those doing it have a great ride!

well, slept through the alarm, woke up 6.45 instead of 5.15 so slung bike in back of my van and drove to n. Lambeth where at the end the road I could see the others. however, by the time I'd parked up, got the bike out and rode to the meeting point they'd gone. so I rode down all on my lonesome, breathing in gallons of sooth smoke from the vet. cars. got here at 12pm. the suns coming out now - may go for a swim
#thisisalie

Oliver you should have gone. The sun shone in Brighton. Ok it was cloudy and kinda windy the whole way there, but you were right this was a lot of fun. You really get to spend a lot of time with the cars and really interact with them rather than just watching them pootle past. Paul thanks for leading. Will do again next year. (The last photo is only to prove the sun was out!).

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Ha, thanks, pharoahsanders. It's not what I conceive of as good weather, though. :)

Glad you had a good time!

while I was on the train back to Victoria I noticed a gritty deposit on my forehead. I soon discovered that I indeed had a fine film of soot all over my face! no doubt from the sooty exhaust fumes from the vet. cars. makes you wonder what your lungs must look like after such a journey.

So I set off much later than I planned, and went x-country, but did still see a lot of the veteran cars (mostly, it has to be said, broken down on Streatham High Road), some phut-phutting into Brighton, and - most worryingly - one very antique one heading towards Ditchling as I had just come up. I would not fancy descending Ditchling on one of those, however much fun it looked like everyone was having.

Hope you all had a good ride - I quite liked the bracing Autumnal weather.

while I was on the train back to Victoria I noticed a gritty deposit on my forehead. I soon discovered that I indeed had a fine film of soot all over my face! no doubt from the sooty exhaust fumes from the vet. cars. makes you wonder what your lungs must look like after such a journey.

That's why my general policy was to overtake them very quickly!

one very antique one heading towards Ditchling as I had just come up

I don't think any of the cars on the actual run could handle Ditchling, or was it a steam engine?

The route, of course, goes over Clayton Hill, which is much more gentle, but they struggle mightily even there.

^ yes indeed, there was only 1 proper hill the whole route. I've never made such an easy ride to Brighton before. As for steam, there were a few steam powered cars - there were at least 2 places advertising "water to refill steam engines". Fun morning ib the saddle, even if i was all on my lonesome!

Yes Oliver you should really have gone.

I remember the weather last year as pretty good.

This year it was kinda cloudy all the way but totally dry and ideal cycling temperature.

Me, Bob and a friend went for fish and chips on the pier at the end.

As usual (well since the ride got bigger) the ride split into certain groups but most managed to meet up at Crawley for a chin-wag and feed and I think everyone enjoyed it - the informal leader of one group of pals, who have formed their own mini slower group, described it as the best ride of the year.

Special mention to Tom Crispin who rendezvoued with us at East Croydon and got all of his merry bunch there - including a 10 and 12 year old. (now surely that makes you feel bad Oliver :) )

Some pics from a participant - includes shots of a rather spooky full faired bent which I gather became a single speed on the way back after a malfunction. Bob also did it on his King Cycle.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/32678527@N02/sets/72157627943729443/with/6318853987/

To next year - first Sunday of November - details should be on www.lewishamcyclists.co.uk

Just saw this thread now... I went with a few friends and thought that it was just lovely.

that's the bastard that cut me up at a traffic island, cnut!

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A rather nice vid shot by a group who came from over the river. Their leader was on the very first "mixing it with the cars ride"

http://vimeo.com/31920638

^ the first bit going through the greenwich foot tunnel would be good on a permanent loop - quite hypnotic.

I recognised a few of these guys, they were the people that gave me a dirty look as I rode past them with a cheery 'morning'.