From: "Patrick James" <mail@...>
Date: Mon, 16 Jun 2003 19:36:02 +0100


Hello

Well, I went on the South Downs Randonnee and distributed some flyers for this
very discussion group while I was there. The weather was absolutely superb.

I did the 100 km route (there was a shorter 60 km route). There was I think only
one other person from Brighton and Hove CTC, Bob Seago, though I met at least
one other person from Brighton who I tried to lure into B&H CTC.

My main fear for the day was that I would get terrible hay-fever problems as the
pollen forecast was extremely high indeed, but I snorted suitable drugs
before-hand and that seemed to sort the thing out completely, although I did
have a few hallucinations during the event.

I didn't see a great deal of Bob S. because he has a faster pace than me.
Instead I attached myself to people who seemed to know the way. I did have a
very good set of instructions and on some occasions I ventured forth with them
and did rather well. I made one mistake, but was saved by an astonishing
coincidence. At the exact moment I was taking the wrong turning at a junction
Bob S. emerged from a pub and immediately called out to me, thus preventing me
from charging off into uncharted territory.

Bob had popped into the pub for some water I think, which I 100% believe
(honest) as he was completely sober.

I'll definitely do the randonnee next year, and I will enjoy it more as I will
have an idea as to the route, as long as they don't change it much of course :)

I rode from my house in Hove to the starting point, Ringmer, did the 100 km,
then rode home again from Ringmer. This was 87 miles in total for me which was
rather good I thought.

As I was going home through Brighton I sort of joined with the people who were
doing the London to Brighton ride. It was odd because there I was riding amongst
them having not done their "big ride" but having done a different one.

When I had to leave the London/Brighton crowd to continue home a group of them
started to follow me. Fortunately there was very little traffic otherwise this
might have resulted in a hideous massacre of cyclists which would have been a
less than ideal end to the day.

Patrick