BOTTOM LEFT TO RIGHT
LANDS END TO N.FORELAND POINT

Day 4 - Wednesday 6th July 200 - Barnham (West Sussex) to Rye (East Sussex)

Distance Cycled: 89.16 miles
Elapsed Time: 9h 32m
Cycling Time: 7h 17m
Average Speed: 12.2mph
Distance To Date: 407 miles
Total Cycling Time: 34h 4m
Overall Average Speed: 12.1mph

 

Woke early after <6 hrs sleep and didn't particularly feel worse for wear.

Fried breakfast was perfect, each item was perfectly done and presented - if hadn't been so starving hungry would have taken photo instead of eating it.

Had breakfast with landlord, who told me his story of falling asleep on M4 between Chippenham abd Wooten Bassett, drifting to inside lane, clipping a bus and car ending up on top of 6ft hedge with bonnet up (classically). He woke up a bit dazed, opened door and dropped to ground. Car written off (Merc). Police advised this stretch of M4 notorious for slumbering drivers, and that OK to pull onto hard shoulder, leave lights on and climb grass verge for nap if falling asleep - won't get prosecuted. Important advice, along with mental note of not riding bike on M4.

Climbed into wet shoes from yesterday, fired bike up at 0930, and headed for Arundel under surprisingly light skies but with threat of heavy showers.

 

One minute it's fine and your zooming along, the next you've punctured and it starts to rain

Arundel Castle

Arundel is quintessentially English - beautiful castle, church, river with water meadows, quaint town with steep streets, and a beautiful valley which I climbed up before reaching a dead end (don't you hate it when place name on OS map overlays road which you assume carries on underneath?). Failed to find the historic cricket ground (which was a disappointment), but..............on the good news side, the bike transmission had stopped clunking, presumably as it dried out. Hmmm....need to investigate further.

Had to climb the South Downs, where it became obvious that the legs were no longer functioning as they should - very rusty on climbs after the heroics of yesterday. Jumped out of skin when a loud "G'mornin'" suddenly sounded on shoulder and a blur of lycra, muscle and sinew (and that was just the legs) hummed past. Made it to top nevertheless and then joined a road that ran behind the ridge and parallel to it for nearly 15 miles.

20 miles into the day just after Amberly the front tyre started to go soft. As I ground to a halt iin a broad bean field the phone rang with an automated msg - "Hello, this is Zurich Financial Services emergency service, please enter your userid and password". Amaziing; how did they know so quickly that I'd punctured? Spy satellites I suppose, which immediately made me wonder about the comfort break I'd taken 10 mins before. Most important -- what was my userid and password?...I didn't know and help predictably didn't arrive. It later transpired that the phone call related to a Zurich disaster test, but this didn't stop me receiving a further 2 calls and 3 text msgs.

Puncture fixed and the journey aaround the South Sowns continued. See picture of desolate bike with broad beans.

Ditchling for lunch (near dreaded Ditchlimg Beacon for London-Brighton cycling enthusiasts). Met some more lovely people - the lady from the pub who brought out my food and was genuinely interested in the journey, and the young Bob Marley lookalike who was so enthusiastic and graphic about some of the places I was visiting.

View of South Downs having just "conquered them" en route to Ditchling for lunch

  

Looked forward to a gentle ride to Lewes - sunny, warm, a cool breeze, puffy white clouds - perfect cycling weathr. However after yesterday's exploits the undercarriage had taken a serious turn for the worse, annd couldn't find a seating position without suffering, leading to plenty of coasting down hills with bum raised from saddle for blissful, but temporary, reliief.

On to Hastings and back on a busy A road. Looked at map and spotted opportunity to lose traffic by sneaking down small, quiet country lane that would drop me straight down into Hastings. Wrong on both counts. Lane filled with 4WD rat-runners, a series of monstrous hills to climb over (including one in town itself), entered through seedy end of town, and then couldn't find a tea/cake shop all along sea front. Finally had a tea in Old Town (not the Swindon one) before facing another monstrous climb out again. Only place I know where you have to ckimb both in and out, and once you're there you have to wonder why you bothered.
 

The town of Lewes

Left on the A259 (of Bognor fame from yesterday) which was quiet and enjoyable. Reached Winchelsea which is perched on top of small hill and then pressed on to Rye. Beautiful ride as sun caught swaying grasses in the wetlands and the warm wind pushed me along.

Rye is a smashing ancient place with cobbled streets, harbour, good pubs, quiet etc

A view of the estuary from the battlements at Rye

  

More scenes from Rye
   

Found the B&B, and immediately a blackbird landed on a post 6ft away and stared at me. Shades of Hithcock until the owner said she was tame and had already raised her 2nd brood this year. So tame that she followed us down to inspect the bike, and then with a youngster in tow followed us (and the bike) into the hall. I can think of 2 cats who would be seriously interested in this situation.

Owner agreed to wash and tumble dry both sets of cycling gear (today's and yesterday's) so the nation will be spared the "naked cyclist" tomorrow.

Have whole of ground floor to self, owner lives on first floor and more guests on second floor. Just as well, as managed to stub toe climbing into shower, grabbed shower curtain involuntarily and brought whole lot down. Good job had cycle repair kit, but sadly doesn't include any plastering equipment.

Had large Indian meal last night with plenty of "carbo" to put something back into the legs. Also drank too much Cobra beer.

Last day tomorrow, 50 miles to go. Need to find real country lane route to avoid Folkestone and Dover and all that goes with them.
   
   

Next Page: Day 5