When a ride around the South Downs was first mooted people started looking at shoes and generally avoiding any eye contact, murmuring was heard from the back with odd words drifting to the front of the room ”hills”, “steep”, “please no”. Fortunately for the Guvnors’ Assembly, Mr Fossil was not phased by such talk and manfully stood up to the task in hand.
The Saturday.
At 10:15 not very prompt the various fellows of the GA met at “The Cross” and before long we were on our way heading out towards Westbourne, the polite chat underlined with a slight uneasiness with the knowledge of the lumps in the terrain to come. Let it not be said that Mr Fossil is not a civilised man and before subjecting us to the Hell of the South we popped into Stanstead Park’s Pavilion Tea Room for a cup of tea and a rather nice slice of cake. A quick tinker with Mr Charles gears and away.
Shortly after we find ourselves flying down a hill towards West Marden, waiting to re-group Mr Pip Simmons mentioned he had a little thirst to slake, fortunately we had just passed the Victoria Inn a quick show of hands and the decision was made to pop in for a “quick one”. The first deluge of the weekend then started, discretion being the better part of valour, it was decided that an early luncheon was called for.
Fortune favouring the foolish and the brave, as the last morsel was cleared from our plates, glasses emptied and ribbing from the barmaid completed the rain stopped and we set off nearly immediately off up a hill. A hill I hasten to add cleared by all of us. It was at the summit Mr Fossil let slip that he “had forgotten” about this one.
For the record there was one other hill he had “forgotten” about and one that he remembered, the GA being sturdy fellows one and all cleared each with aplomb even stopping at the tops to attempt to find Mr Charles’ bottom gear. If anyone does happen to find it please drop him a line.
Here on in the treats came think and fast, next stop Goodwood race circuit, it has to be said that the Guvnor sat very well near the main building with it’s art-deco architecture but with storm clouds once again gathering we pushed on to the next stop The Gribble Inn, Oving for a pint or two of the finest beer while we avoided another downpour, just as we were getting comfortable Sussex Bob reminded us Mrs Pip Simmons will be waiting for us all back at camp.
A quick stop at an aeronautical museum where Mr Simmons quite frankly astounded us with his knowledge of early jet fighter planes and then back to the Nags Head Inn for our evening meal.
The Sunday
First things first, we picked Mr Nobby up at the Cross for todays spin, where to we were not sure as Mr Fossil was again holding the cards close to his chest, aside from going the opposite direction. Today’s rain promised to hold off for our quick dash out for lunch before our various journeys home.
Yet again the scenery was stunning, it is always a pleasure to travel and meet up with the GA, even more so when the vistas are so picturesque. It eventually became obvious we were heading towards a rather pretty cathedral and castle, Mr Fossil’s destination was rumbled as pennies dropped we were heading to Arundle for lunch. Once in the town it has to be said the castle is one of the prettiest castles ever encountered. If an fellow from the ex-colonies was told to draw a castle Arundle would pretty much be it.
Lunch at the Black Rabbit, where it must be noted possibly the best pie based dish known to man can be ordered and then a charge back to Chichester.
Thank you from the Guvnors Assembly to Mr Fossil and Sussex Bob for organising a superlative weekend and welcome to Mr and Mrs Pip Simmons on your first GA ride, even if technically Mrs Pip did not actually ride.
A few snaps from the weekend
