Muddy@rse Ride 25th February

Another great ride with loads of hills, mud and plenty of coffee and cake and to cap it all the rain held off. The climbs were relentless and the mud was very muddy. A couple of guys who cycled to the start point from Eastbourne were already demuding from their bikes with sticks before we had even set off. The first climb from Jevington up to the top of Friston Forest had the field strung out and this pattern was repeated all the way through. The ride down from Friston to Folkington manor was a blast, runny mud that got progressively thicker and deeper as we descended. The final part used to have a deep rut with a number of steps and drops but this has now been levelled with gravel. A blast down the South Downs Way was topped off with coffee and cake together with puncture repairs at the Badger tea rooms in Alfriston, very bike friendly in the back garden.

At this stage everyone was feeling the effects of the mud and climbs so the route back was changed and we climbed the SDW up to the top of Wilmington Long Man. A couple of the more hardy guys put an extra loop on through Friston Forest while the rest of us headed back to the car-park to more coffee and cake.

Thanks to Mick for putting the loop together and leading the way both up and down the hills and Lisa for cake and coffee.