Ladies Ldn to Brighton Ride - Saturday 1st October

t'was truly a great day.. thanks all!
now i have a desire to go back and do ditchling with gears ...

Great ride! Best way to end the summer~

Great ride! Best way to end the summer~

i second that.

Thanks so much you guys for making My First Ride so awesome and just brilliant! Best birthday in years!

Glad no one actually tried to follow me down to the M25. Ooops!

Just notice that there was a smug on the lens due to me carrying it on my back, gah!

80% of the shot is unusable, fortunately got some key shot though, like the bicycle fortress;

I think its fair to say we all had a great time, i know i did. It was so nice to get home and have a shower though. Lovely to meet you all, as HHHH said a fantastic way to end the summer. got to get to bed now i'm cream crackered.

Thanks so much you guys for making My First Ride so awesome and just brilliant! Best birthday in years!

Glad no one actually tried to follow me down to the M25. Ooops!

Poots THANK YOU for organizing this day full of awesomeness! I truly believe this day couldn't be more perfect! Nice to meet everybody too! Wicked day! Now I feel like i need a little stroll down the seafront, even though I'm slightly aching all over haha

Thanks so much you guys for making My First Ride so awesome and just brilliant! Best birthday in years!

Poots THANK YOU for organizing this day full of awesomeness! I truly believe this day couldn't be more perfect! Nice to meet everybody too! Wicked day!

Really good ride, pace and company plus an entertaining train journey home. Couldn't have asked for a better day. Thanks for organizing Poots! and everyone else for coming :)

This ride was BRILLIANT!!! Poots, thank you so much for organising and being an excellent leader, it really couldn't have been more perfect!

Also thanks to Tanya G for her amazing bike organising skillz on the train back - I can't believe we all got on!

Amaaaaazing day! Thank you poots! Hope your birthday night out was as awesome as the birthday day out. Lovely to meet everyone/catch up with friends on such a wicked ride. And nothing like a (brief) paddle in the freezing cold sea at the end to finish it off. Awesome.

Poots THANK YOU for organizing this day full of awesomeness! I truly believe this day couldn't be more perfect! Nice to meet everybody too! Wicked day! Now I feel like i need a little stroll down the seafront, even though I'm slightly aching all over haha

Oh crumbs! Totally forgot we were going out on the razz...in the end we had a very half assed attempt to go out including awesome fun on the pier but back in bed by midnight!

When I did get in though I got £120 of Cycle Surgery vouchers from my mates. Guess who'll be getting lovely shiny SIDI's tomorrow?!

Oh crumbs! Totally forgot we were going out on the razz...in the end we had a very half assed attempt to go out including awesome fun on the pier but back in bed by midnight!

When I did get in though I got £120 of Cycle Surgery vouchers from my mates. Guess who'll be getting lovely shiny SIDI's tomorrow?!

Hahaha I have collapsed and passed out around 10pm... New SIDI's yay! You will love them! We should start The SIDIs Ladies Club!

now i have a desire to go back and do ditchling with gears ...

I have a desire to go back and do Ditchling with a fixed wheel (and a slightly spinner gearing), the huge weight on the rear keep making me do a mini wheelie the whole way up.

Taken from Facebook;

I thought you were going fixed Ed! Did you find it ok on gears? Correct shifting can be difficult on gradients like that.

Sounds like you all had a great day.

ah gearing is fine, shifting wasn't a problem and I do have a downtube shifter! I didn't take the fixed wheel because I want to chill, rather than spinning to win (I find going 12-14mph tiresome on the fixed wheel).

it was a superbly fantastic day, it was such a shame that the two ride were on the same day, I'd love to do the St Margarets ride the next day, especially on my fixed wheel.

And I do know the Margarets were a real hill test for you.

brillant day everyone! great to meet those I didn't know already. thanks Poots for organizing. Much more enjoyable than the last time I rode to Brighton - I am not nearly as scared of the hills anymore!

the beach was a great way to end the ride, even though it was chockas! Train ride back was amusing to say the least!

What a great ride yesterday. I was planning on going to st marg's with 'the lads' but going to bed at 5am kind of put paid to that. After wallowing around the house most of the morning feeling sorry for myself, I saw scoble's post about lunch in turner's hill at about 2, and thought I'd also saddle up and make the most of the fine weather. It was an awesome day for a solo ride too.

It was great to have a crew on the beach to meet and thanks to xander for shepherding me home! Sorry I didn't introduce myself to more people. oops.

Also well done poots for leading what was seemingly a very satisfied group! And for giving me a beer at the end...legendary.

In other news, Dancing James tried to come with us, but bailed;

In other news, Dancing James tried to come with us, but bailed;

Strong look James... strong look indeed..

I'm so glad you all had a good time...was quite nervous about leading a ride for the first time, but it went alright, eh? Big props to you all. I can't think what else I'd rather be doing for a large chunk of my birthday than riding my bike in the sunshine with some awesome types!

Watch this space for the sunday stragglers coming soon ; )

Ed and the Lady In Red (Cap) - who do I owe train fare to and how much?
(apologies I get quite brainless when tired.. )

Lady in Red is Jana, forum name is avellana, it's £10.50, do you go to South or something?

Actually I'll give her the £10.50 and you can own me later, no rush in the slightest.

cool. souths tomorrow is a distinct possibility but not for long. what time will you be there?

very late I'm afraid, I finish work at 8pm, so before 9pm, if it not possible, no worried, pay me back in two weeks time when I get back from the States.

late is good, I'll try and drop by around 9.