South Downs Way

Paul Burr, Paul Steward and Myself set this little epic up in double quick time. Most of it was done via email (marvellous medium). So Friday night off to Winchester. Mr Burr and the ever more pregnant Lisa take their own car, whilst Paul S, Mrs S, and myself take their car. We arrive at the campsite with just enough time to pitch tents and have a quick beer before hitting the sack.

Saturday morning Dawns bright but a little cloudy, warm but not hot. After breakfast we head for the start point. The 2 Pauls say goodbye to their loved ones, and to their wives too, whilst I play gooseberry, because my wife is at home missing me. At almost the first turn we make a fundemental navigational error, we are going the wrong way. Whoops!!. Back on track we roll along bridleways with a few climbs here and there to wake us up. Then disaster. The Left side crank arm on Paul B's bike falls off!. Upon investigation we find the bolt and the spindle thread have stripped their threads. there is absolutely no way we have the means to fix it. Paul Phones team backup and aranges a rendezvous point, his plan find a bike shop and get it fixed. Paul S and I plough onwards, and somewhere make a monster of a navigational error and end up way off the trail. We must have spent 30 minutes or more sorting ourselves out. We get back on track. The SDW is Undulating to say the least, unfortunately the "Payoff" on the Downhills doesn't always make up for the monster effort required on the climbs.

We ride past HMS Mercury, one of those wonderful naval bases that is landlocked!! who's bright idea is that, a ship that will never put to sea. Then a monster climb before dropping down at nutcase speed to the QE2 Country park. There appears to be some nice single track around here, but it will have to wait until another day.

Lunchtime approaches so we make contact with team backup, we are informed that Paul B was unable to get his bike fixed! So, he bought a new one!!. Sounds drastic, but as his original stead was really only an MTB in name only, perhaps it wasn't a bad idea. We meet up with the girls expecting Burrie to be there too. But he wasn't going to risk a serious "wagging" for not doing the whole distance, and had returned to the "Bail out point" and continued alone. Stewie and myself debate whether he isn't one Spoke short of a wheel? Lunch was terrific, a monster Jacket potato with a salad, Tuna and Mayo. I thought 4quid for a jacket spud was a bit steep, but when it arrived I changed my mind. Couple of pints of real ale later well fed and watered, Paul and I set off once more. Initial progress is slow as we digest lunch.

Ditchling Beacon, this is just evil, being the stalwart (and bloody minded) chaps we are, we ignore the easy route and push the bikes to the top. Walkers coming down are having trouble staying upright even with walking poles. Knackered we arrive at the top, Terrific view. Then we drop down the other side trying not to die!.

Just outside of <<<name>>>> Stewie has had enough and we decide to call it a day. Burrie was still several hours behind us. We stop in <<<<<name>>>>> get Fish and chips, raid the local Offy and settle back in the campsite to await the arrival of Burrie. It's now dark and we are all getting concerned for Pauls safety. Lisa eventually makes contact via Mobile phone, determines where he is on the map, and sets off to collect him. Or so she thought! Where Burrie thought he was, wasn't where Lisa thought he was. It took them several phone calls before they eventually connect up. We could now rest easy, Paul was safe. We get our first glimpse of the new Burrie Stead, a Specialized Stumpjumper. A fine choice we all agree.

The night was COLD, I had to put on clothes inside my sleeping bag.

Day 2 started a bit murky, but OK. We start from yesterdays finishing point. From the off this is a monster climb, so steep we are overtaken by a walker!. We eventually drop the walker(revenge is sweet). We meet up with another band of riders, and ride along having a chat, they're just doing a section of the SDW. They are locals and warn us about how the local weather can close in really fast.

The weather is closing in, Really Fast. We plough ever onwards having at one point to dodge a Kamikaze Rambler, we are on the left of the bridleway, the Ramblers minus 1 are on the right. It's now cold wet miserable, we are pissed off! We need a rest and drop off the SDW into Rodmell, East Sussex. Where we plan on having a pint and a sandwich at The Abergavenny Arms, and then pressing on. The Abergavenny Arms, you'll be intersted to know has been an inn for the past 300 years, and takes it's name from the Marquess of Abergavenny K.G. Lord of the Manor and principle landowner in the parish of Rodmell. However once we had stopped that was that, we decided no more, the last 10miles would have to wait till another day. We all change into dry clothes before entering the pub, and we almost miss out on getting a pint as the landlord calls last orders, but he takes pitty on us.

We then spend many hours going at walking pace on the M25, must find some way of fixing my MTB to my Motorcycle.