Before anyone gets all excited, may I point out that I transported my bike to Southwater Country Park (where parking is free now it is winter) and THEN cycled on the Downs Link to Shoreham. I got a takeaway coffee at the centre. The toilets are also open. Surely lockdown had turned my mind though? The way would all be muddy and boggy, wouldn't it? Well no, as a matter of fact, at least as far as Partridge Green. Sadly Stan's Shack coffee shop is no more, but after a little bit of puddles the track reverted back to firm and smooth hard packed gravel, strewn liberally with leaves and fallen twigs. I had set the pressures on my Pirelli Cinturato Velo 35 tyres to 60 rear and 50 front which gave a silky smooth ride even over the rough.
Tuesday 24th November turned out dry and sunny, so there were plenty of dog walkers, to slow down for, but everyone seemed in good spirits just to be out exercising. The day turned out to improve even more and I had a lunch of a sandwich (no I didn't rediscover it from my Greenwich ride Simon) on a deserted Shoreham leisure beach. It was interesting to see the 300 plus wind generators 8 miles away in the sea, because most of them were turning with the South Westerly that was blowing gently. The future working now! Kite surfers were taking advantage of the same breeze further down the shoreline.
I returned by cycling along the seafront path to Lancing and then through to the A 27 cycle path past Shoreham Airfield to get back onto the Downs Link back to Southwater. The sun got really bright and left long shadows across the Adur valley as I went North again, this time aided by the quiet zephyr. Not many people about at 3 pm and so I made better time. 40 miles in 4 hours peddling total. I know, I am slowing down, but then, life isn't a race.
3 comments:
Brilliant photos Steve. The one time I rode the Downslink many years ago in October it was a mudbath. Two falls, two punctures and a good time was had by all.
I did wobble a couple of times, which accounts for my carefully slow times. It is the long, almost invisible dog leads you have to watch out for. My rear tyre is tubeless with six puncture repairs so there isn't much tyre left to puncture.
Looks like a great piece of adventure biking and an enjoyable blog report.
A plot of your route would good.
My sort of ride!
I was out locally on Tuesday and it was very breezy here, so certainly not ice cream weather on the beach.
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