Friday Night Ride To The Coast - 14th November

[αdαmsκι]

The last FNRttC of 2008 will be to Brighton on the 14th Nov.   Apparently this is for the grizzled riders.  I do not know if I'm grizzled or not, but I am planning on finding out. 

[Andrij]

This one will be very weather dependent, I think...

[Notsototalnewbie]

I'd do it if, by some miracle, we were blessed with good weather a good few degrees above average for the time of year, but given the likelihood of that happening, I think we can safely say I am out.

And I could not claim to be grizzled. You know what I think of gravel and rough ground in general; three guesses for what I think of icy roads...

[mattc]

We had a lovely mild dry night this weekend riding the top Norfolk coast road, so you may be just as lucky another 5 weeks later.

Maybe.

[Adrian]

The last FNRttC of 2008 will be to Brighton on the 14th Nov.   Apparently this is for the grizzled riders.  I do not know if I'm grizzled or not, but I am planning on finding out. 

My status as grizzled in a literal sense is beyond dispute.

[teethgrinder]

We had a lovely mild dry night this weekend riding the top Norfolk coast road, so you may be just as lucky another 5 weeks later.

Maybe.

I wouldn't bet on it. November is usualy the turning point in the weather. I would guess that your chances of having a mild night without rain, or at least not a lot of rain would be around 25%. November can be brutally cold (even icy), wet, windy or all three. You might get thick fog too.
I remember my first ride of the 2007 Audax season in November. It was bloody freezing! It took a long time for it to warm up to just being very very cold. Then it got colder again. It's worse at night.
Wet weather is usualy less cold, but you can get very cold nights with rain too. It does make a big difference.
We were very lucky on our 600. I was expecting much colder and possibly some rain when I first thought of the ride.
Even if you are lucky with the weather in November, I doubt that the temperatures in celcius will be more than a dozen. It can make a very big difference.

I'm with NSTN on icy roads too. It's not worth the risk.

[Hummers]

I might just be able to make this one.

H

[marna]

I'd do it if, by some miracle, we were blessed with good weather a good few degrees above average for the time of year, but given the likelihood of that happening, I think we can safely say I am out.

Yeah. I reckon the likelihood of it being dry-ish and not freezing and reasonably calm are very slim indeed.  Mind, if unseasonably lovely conditions are being forecast convincingly (Metcheck, I do not believe you a lot of the time) I might be tempted. But I was only just about warm enough this ride, and I felt cocooned in layers of warm things.

[Hummers]

Yep.

I have been given clearance to freeze my cobbs off.

 

H

[Adrian]

Excellent

[Wowbagger]

I'm not sure what "grizzled" means in this context. It should mean grey-haired, in which case there are few who fit the bill better than I, but I'm wondering if Simon means "hardened", and that happens all too infrequently.

[Sergeant Pluck]

I'll consider it but there is no point in making any commitment so early. I'll decide on the day. Last year it was bloody freezing, regardless of Manotea's chosen attire, and at one stage on the crest of a hill I passed over some sheet ice that had been caused by water seeping from a crack in the road. If that had been on a bend it could easily have resulted in M-series style major damage and it is just not worth it.

Any risk at all of ice and I'm not going.

[nuttycyclist]

I wouldn't have expected ice.

I love snow and ice.  That day is my birthday.  I know it's unusual to get ice before my birthday.

[αdαmsκι]

I'm going to put a little more flesh on the grizzled thing.

We're going down the main road to Horley, then down the B2036 - rejoining the A23 about six miles from Brighton. We'll arrive before six. If the weather is very cold the A23 will not ice, and the B2036 should not ice (although last year we did see ice under a burst pipe).

I'm not going to start an attendees list until the weather forecast is available. I've been on plenty of club runs in subzero conditions, and I know the score - you keep moving at a lick on main roads and trust your luck. I've been on a club run (with the Epsom CC) that hit black ice. Blood flowed. If the ride is subzero then it will be more or less by invitation only.

If the ride is cold and wet (and therefore not subzero) then it will be a bit more inclusive - I'll simply point out that people should wrap up well, have something on their feet and hands to keep them halfway dry, and make sure that their tyres are suitable and their brake blocks fresh.

Of course it might be mild. In which case the pace will drop, and we'll have thirty or fourty at the Madeira at seven o'clock.

[Adam]

If the forecast from BBC & Metcheck at 6 pm on 14th November show there's no ice, and
if it's not torrential rain, and
if there's unlikely to be thick fog, and
if it's not likely to fall below zero

then I may well consider coming along.

I will also endeavour to get an early train, provided of course that I remember my bank card.

I think this is my definitive answer. 

[matthew]

I also intend to find  out if I am grizzled, assuming I warrant one of Simon's invitations. However it could also be my last FNRttC for a few years if work pans out as it may.

Matthew

[Jurek]

I'm interested.

Two things will put me off.
Torrential rain, and the forecast of ice.

Other than that, I'm in.
Although a final decision will be made much closer to the event.

[Adrian]

I'm interested.

Two things will put me off.
Torrential rain, and the forecast of ice.

Other than that, I'm in.
Although a final decision will be made much closer to the event.

You've missed out "mechanical failure" which prevented you last year as I recall.

[Jurek]

You've missed out "mechanical failure" which prevented you last year as I recall.

Ah yes.
A year on, and the prospect of riding with only one wheel still doesn't appeal.

[JT]

Normally I'd be booking my train tickets around now to take advantage of the advanced saver fares. Next month though I'll probably drive down so I can leave the decision until that night depending on the weather.

Regardless of anything else, driving means I won't have to stand around at the start for an hour.

[rogerzilla]

Thr trouble with cheap advance train tickets is that £20 doesn't seem so much to lose when it's as cold as a polar bear's knob*/raining/sleeting/there's something good on TV**



*not Polar Bear, a polar bear

** admittedly unlikely for a Friday night

[Hummers]

It was bloody cold last night - and I don't normally get cold on the Wednesday night rides.


In addition to the bib shorts and shirt; thermal base layer, arm and leg warmers, cap, gloves and gilet. I'd left the overshoes at home and regretted it. It took me some time to warm up when I got home.

H

[nuttycyclist]

I went out in shorts and t shirt for my ride yesterday (casual clothes not lycra) and was still in shorts and t (different pair) at 01:00 when Mrs Nutty got home.   

I'm in shorts and t shirt now too, and just thinking about going for a ride.

I wonder if it's warmer in Southend than further south where hummers is, or am I just barking?

[Jasper the surreal cyclist]

You have to ask?

I could do this but I have to be at an event in Littlehampton on the Saturday. Not a problem but Mrs. Surreal reckons that given the state I am usually in when I get home my career may suffer a bit.....

[nuttycyclist]

Well that was a day and a half!  Just got in, and am still wearing just shorts and t-shirt.

15 mile ride was enjoyable, but then I remembered the car needed the fairies exorcising so drove down to the place that sold me the leaky tyre valve core.

Then I remembered that the father-in-law wanted me to help him take a passport photo.  When I turned up he had a couple of minor health niggles, so I called the doctor and got an appointment in just 15 minutes time   He walked out of there with a reference letter for the hospital   and having driven him up there and farted around etc he's now in bed in the ward and I'm cooking my lunch

Not cold though   even though everybody else is in coats and scarves and gloves