Hari Bo Selecta goes to Sussex...

Date: Sun 11th May 2008

Distance: 25km (15.6m)

Location: South Downs Way

Conditions: Tournament standard

Weather: Scorchio

Participants: Wol, Burns, Pip, Nik, Gee

After several months of local & Herts based walks, it was time for Team Midnight Ramblers to start rambling further afield. So where better than the actual route to be tackled come July...South Down Way, here we come....

An early 7am departure saw us head off in Skoda cabs, with food and liquid supplies aplenty. As we were the only people stupid enough to get up at that time on a Sunday morning, we flew round the M25, then down the A23, arriving in Pyecombe, for an 8.40 kick off. The route covered the part we would be doing at night, so gave us the chance to familiarise ourselves with the route. Next time it will be with headlamps.

It took just over 2 hours to yomp our way through to the checkpoint, just outside of Lewes, interjected with a flapjack stop at Ditchling Beacon. After a rhubarb crumble refuel, plus a sock change (& talcing up), we turned round and headed back to complete the return back to Pyecombe. Temperatures now were in the high 20s, giving an idea of conditions to expect in July. A worrying trend seems to appear with hills. Nik & Gee seem to get the need to up the pace & walk up as quickly as possible...the quicker you get up the better I say....

Further negotiation of lots of bikes, before arriving back in Pyecombe round about 2.30, with a bottle of auntie stella & a bit of stretching. White powder, drinking in the street & a man taking his shorts off - I sense a strongly worded letter to the Pyecombe Chronicle from Mrs Pilkington Smythe, on the breakdown of society in the backwaters of East Sussex.

Well played to Wol for walking through his jet lag, even if certain household chores were temporarily put on hold. Also, to Lurchio for driving the team bus, as well as producing high quality flapjack. A nice rhubarb crumble also from Mrs P.

Lessons learned – Talc & a fresh pair of socks are essential for warm weather walking. Bike riders should be forced to use their bells, or possibly just outlawed. If you put too many peanut butter sangers in your rucksack then this will cause you back problems.

10 weeks to go to the main event...bring it on.

Gee