Sunday, January 30, 2011

It was a perfect day for cycling - lovely and sunny, yet cold! Ellie, Mercy, Karen, Caroline and myself made the ride.

We met at the start of the Centurion Way at 10am and cycled the length of the track until we reached the Selsey Arms where we turned left and headed towards Chilgrove and that hill! We all made it to the top and enjoyed the free cycling down the other side even more!

Caroline at the bottom of the hill!

Karen and Ellie at the bottom of the hill!

The views were stunning, we are so lucky living in this area. We cycled along the Chilgrove Road, headed towards Lavant and popped in to The Earl of March pub for a coffee. Before we got too relaxed we went back onto the CW, passing a small herd of rheindeer along the way. We reached the starting point at about 12.45pm. Karen and myself cycled back towards Tangmere and home.

Rheindeers in Lavant - far right of photo

Well done to everyone and look forward to seeing you soon!

Sunday, January 23 2011

Another 'extra' ride was organised with Caroline and Angela. We met at my place in Tangmere at cycled towards the Goodwood Hotel and then up the road towards East Dean. This road seems to be getting easier to climb! At the top we decided to go straight on towards East Dean turning left towards Singleton. We stopped off at our usual cafe there but it is closed on a Sunday - which is good to know for future rides. Cycling towards Singleton we noticed a couple of Shires ploughing in one of the fields. Pity I didn't have my camera as it was a lovely sight to see.

Cycling towards West Dean college and turning left we stopped in at the newsagents and had a cup of tea and pastries there. We then cycled along the Centurion Way until we reached Lavant and then cut through Lavant and Goodwood back to the Goodwood Hotel and home.

A good ride - a shorter and kinder ride than last week! Approximate distance was 22 miles.

Sunday, January 16 2011

I arranged an unscheduled ride today, meeting up with Angela and Caroline in Tangmere. The plan was to go over to Rowlands Castle. However, we met Caroline's husband, Malcolm in Boxgrove who became our first 'honorary Belle' for the day!

We cut through Goodwood estate, cycled up Kennel Hill and turned left through Lavant, passing the Royal Oak and coming out onto the Lavant/Midhurst road and then on towards West Stoke. Rather than cycling along the busy Funtingdon Road all the way to RC Malcolm took us a new and quieter way which brought us out behind our favourite cafe in RC. There was a bit of a climb before we reached the cafe, which was all good fun and we all made it in one piece!

Unfortunately, our cafe was closed due to a holiday so we bought cereal bars and sandwiches from the shop opposite. We went home the usual way, via Westbourne, West Ashling etc.

I think we all got back to Tangmere at about 2.30pm after cycling approx 32 miles.  It was a very good ride and the rain stayed away for most of the ride.

Saturday, January 8, 2011

I think everyone really enjoyed this ride, which was hilly and challenging! We met in the car park at the top of the rather windy Goodwood Hill, opposite the Trundle.

Ellie arrived in her open top car with bike on the rear seat...

and Elise arrived wearing  odd socks.....

 The road leading from Goodwood Racecourse.

We left the car park and cycled past the entrances to the racecourse and right along towards Benges. We passed a couple of teams of Huskies training in the woods, no doubt getting prepared for the next fall of snow....

At the end of the road we turned left and had an easy ride downhill towards Coldwaltham, turning left at the bottom of the hill and cycling all the way towards East Dean, passing a couple of shoots along the way.

Elise, Caroline and Ellie in East Dean.



A pretty dovecote in East Dean



We then reached Singleton and had tea and cakes in our favourite Cafe there, as Elise and myself were attending a Zumba workout that evening we didn't worry too much about having a cake with our tea!

Returning back to the start point we cycled back towards Charlton and climbed the Charlton Hill, it was tough but very satisfying once we reached the top...

Passing Goodwood Racecourse on the way back up the hill.

Elise and Caroline back at the top of the hill.

A very satisfying ride. Approximate distance was 26 miles.

Well done to Caroline, Angela, Ellie and Elise - hope to see you all again soon!



New Years Day ride - 2011

Happy New Year to all BB's!

We all met at 11am and a few BB's dressed up in various fancy dress costumes, which caused quite a stir in Goodwood and all along the local roads.

Santa outside The Partridge, where we had a delicious Mulled Wine, some BB's had two glasses each!

Carol and the Mulled Wine

It was fun and in the true New Year spirit we stopped off at The Partridge for a Mulled Wine, which was probably the best we had tasted for quite some time . We then cycled towards West Dean and then back towards Lavant via the Centurion Way.





Karen in the 'Codgers Corner' of The Partridge......

Welcome new BB's - Caroline and Carol, we also had Karen, Angela (or Santa), Avryl, Elise (or Angel) and myself (or Mrs Santa) making the ride which was quite hilly in places.....sorry Carol!





'Angel'  (or Elise) and Karen outside The Partridge, with Carol in the background.

Santa on the Centurion Way

We had a fun ride, we finished off the day with hot scones and tea at the Goodwood Hotel - a delicious end to the first ride of the year. We finished around 2.30pm and the approx distance was 16 miles.

Well done everyone and hope to see you soon!

Saturday, December 11

We met at the entrance to the Tangmere Airfield and cycled via Colworth towards Bognor seafront. Quite a cold day, but dry.

Seems quite a few BB's were out Christmas lunching and shopping today, so just three of us made the ride - Angela, Elise and Val.

Bognor seafront

We stopped off at the Lobster Pot for a welcomed hot chocolate and coffees and made our way back to Tangmere via Yapton, Barnham and Aldingbourne.

Angela and Elise outside the Lobster Pot.

Approx distance: 25 miles.

We are having our fancy dress ride next Sunday - December 19 - do hope we see you then. We're meeting at 10am outside Barnham Station and cycling on towards Arundel and Slindon after stopping off at the Cosy Corner Cafe.

Sunday, November 28

Sunday, November 28

The day was freezing, we all wore several layers of clothing to keep out the cold. The 'Hardy Bunch' made it out - Elise, Angela, Mercy and me...Val.

We started at the begining of the Centurion Way and cycled along until we came to Hunters Race where we diverted off towards West Stoke then over to Funtingdon, Westbourne and diverted again towards Bosham where we stopped for a well deserved coffee at our usual cafe - Mariners.

We even met a bank robber......

Who went by the name of Angela!

It was such a cold morning we all wore so many layers we could hardly move!







We cycled all around the edge of the Bosham water back to Chichester.

A cold and chilly Bosham



The Hardy Bunch!

Distance: 22.5 freezing miles!