Sunday the 28th of June saw a collection of 17 Phoenixes gather at Highbury corner and East Croydon for a day of beer n chips on Brighton beach.

The only obstacle in our way being 64 miles of rolling countryside featuring Caterham Hill, Turners Hill & The inevitable Ditchling Beacon.

A certain amount of good-natured rivalry meant that each of the climbs turned into an impromtu race with a re-group at the top.

Andy Newman and Michel were particularly active on the hills with Stuart, Richard and PaulT showing class on the gradients.

Ken & Georg spent a good deal of time and effort sheperding the inevitavable fall out from these digs on the hills and trying to persuade some of the shell-shocked potential members that no, we’re not always this daft – it must be the hot weather…

Unfortunately we were, indeed, that daft, and somewhere on the descent off Turners hill the racy rockers took a right turn, unsighted by the mellow mods & thus two groups formed.

By the top of the next climb two members of the “rockers” had already voiced their fears that they’d ended up in the fast group by accident and wanted to be mods for the day.

Unfortunately the mellow mods were nowhere to be seen…

The Rockers pushed on and after more uphill foolishness we finally arrived at the foot of the beacon.

Andy Newman flew off the front like a force of nature with me gamely chasing after him and the rest of our party of 9 following close behind.

Andy was cruelly hampered by an inability to get into his bottom gears so churned up in something manly, only to be passed in style by Paul T within sight of the top. I then rudely snuck past too to bag 2nd and then collapse on the grass for a bit.

Times:
Paul T 5.58
Paul W 6.00
Andy Newman 6.02

The rest of the day is a blur of beer, chips and sunburn.

Special commendation goes to new member Chris Fenn who left Potters bar at 7.30am, got back home at 7pm after a blazing 95 miles in the heat.