2011-01-09 Sun - 100k Audax "Watership Down", nr Winchester

we missed the train Bill! Typical me. then loads of other people appeard for the thrain after.
I loved the ride, the company, as always was great. thanks to jonny that helped me at the hilly bit and des that helped me with the ticket.

bumskiing on the iced descent was ace!!! i invented a new sport

no Rabbits.

I'd ask for your money back.

Was the gate on the descent from Watership Down open or shut? Is the lane that follows still two singletracks with a jungle between?

I know. I was massively disappointed at none of this business:
YouTube - Watership Down 1/10

Gate was open I think, it was all a bit blurry by that point, there was definitely a single track road that looked like it needed a bit of care and attention.....

Rumour has it that Andrew Lloyd-Webber, who owns the estate that includes Watership Down, has killed all the bunnies (presumably by playing some of his compositions to them).

There could have been a bit more "princes of the swift warning" with some of the holes that were out there.

There could have been a bit more "princes of the swift warning" with some of the holes that were out there.
yeah, that was a good one you and i went down... i was surprised there were no punctures from that...

lovely time, thanks for those who gave a heads up and provided some companionship. apologise for shooting off early but had to make it to friends b'day.

looking forward to more long rides this year...

Thanks Bill for posting this ride. I didn't know about it!

ANyone know what happened to wools and scully?

Great ride. Harder than I thought it would be. I now have a sore knee and hip but about to eat my body weight in pasta.

Cheers for the lift Olly and the lift back Simon.

Great ride and company as ever. Glad to have done it fixed, it felt that little bit more epic, not that it needed to with all that ice out there.

Good that we did not have many mehanicals and punctures, and the spills people had were not too bad.

hey andy. loic spoke to them and they were well behind buy they were fine

Trudat^

We had a fucking WONDERFUL ride. Getting up that first big climb at Coombe on 48x19 was something else, for me. I walked up a lot of the other one, esp' the first bit.

We dawdled at the start (me and my pal Wig). At the first couple of turns after that, desi and mike hung back for us, though there was no need for that it was really nice of them. Wig and warmed up later on and we four had really good laugh. Despite desi taking an icy tumble around the beginning of stage two, a few miles before Coombe. In fact we all walked down that as the north side was so icy - assume you big group did too?

Anyway made it to kings worthy just about in time for the end station... Then a puncture struck! Sods law.

Ok so here's an advert fir hanging with us- saw two red kites, a rabbit, desi spotted deer and I saw an owl just as dusk settled on our last ten miles ... Which were the most magical.

Knackered now though.

i fell too and walked too
my bum is sore
i could have never done that fixed! chapeu skulls

Quality ride, quality people, quality banter! Couldn't have asked for better weather either

quality first ride of the year.

nice one bill for getting this on the radar.

a group of us always planned to get the 08:35 to avoid potential crush, but were happy to be joined by the missing train crew.

superb route. some mad sections of frosty and then black ice but otherwise very good lanes. today was the first time i have ever walked my bike down a hill.

hope all of you that fell are laughing about it now.

skully, good to hear you had a wondeful day. i had no idea we had dropped you. but then i should have known you would be all about the wildlife.

sam - cheers for the loan of the Olmo dude. very smooth ride. though need to oil that chain. will clean it up before tuesday dude - but not tonight. pooped.

No worries, glad it went Ok. Don't worry about cleaning it up, just stick some oil on for me please!

This video made me think of todays outing

YouTube - Cyclists' Special - part one

part two here

YouTube - Cyclists' Special - part two

saw two red kites

Around Watership Down? I think I saw those as well.

i could have never done that fixed! chapeu skulls

+1

i was happy to get up all those hills fixed... the bottom of watership down was a bitch.

I'm still thirsty. I drank so much water when I got home it's not funny. Still, at least I didn't get sick like last week.

Around Watership Down? I think I saw those as well.

My spot was at the top of Coombe, actually. I was attempting to communicate with them...

i was happy to get up all those hills fixed... the bottom of watership down was a bitch.
now this deserves a chapeau bas! Watership down was a bit too much for me... The temp sharply dropped just as we left the carpenter's arms in Burghclere. Nice little pub that. I don't know but I felt like I'd seized up a bit, stopping for that swift half.

Anyone interested in this:

Worthing Winter Warmer

Dial Post 100 km

 ![](http://www.aukweb.net/meds/m2108s.jpg)    Starting from: **Dial Post, West Sussex**           ** [Google map](http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=RH13%208NS&z=15)       [Aerial view](http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=RH13%208NS&t=h&om=0&z=16)**         

Date: Saturday 12th February 2011 Time: 09:00 Distance: 100 km Sunrise is at about 07:22 Sunset is at about 17:10 GMT **Metcheck weather ** AAA: 0 Total Climb: Ev No: 11-35 Category: BP Facilities: F P R T 200 (29/01) Fee: £5.00 Speeds: 15-25 kph

• Parking free or reasonably priced, at start
  
• Toilets at the start
  
• Refreshments free or reasonably priced, at start and/or finish
  
• Food some free food and/or drink provided on the ride
  
  

Body: Worthing Excelsior CC Organiser: Mick Irons
Address: 36 Phrosso Road Worthing West Sussex BN11 5SL Phone: 01903 240 280 Email: Event entry should be via snail mail to Mick Irons using a standard
Event Entry Form or the organiser's own entry form, enclosing £5.00 payable to Mick Irons (ie not AUK),
and two stamped addressed envelopes. Entries should arrive at least 2 weeks before the event.

^^^

Saturday, so this train:

** Journey summary**

                                               Outward                 Journey (12 Feb 2011)                                                                            Depart London Victoria 0632                                                                   Arrive Billingshurst 0759                                                                    Duration                                                                    01h 27

& 10 mile ride to & from Billingshurst station.

I've not done this event, so have no idea of route etc.