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Yep, it’s  that time when I do battle with the round town route 🙂

Managed 4 laps of the full loop this morning which is the furthest I have done, and it feels like 5 laps will soon be achieved 🙂

it’s a lot warmer than last week, although gloves were still handy for the descent of Oathall  Road.

The legs are tight now but they have felt worse so perhaps another  couple of loops are possible soon. 🙂

went over to Mum’s place and we went out for a short ride on some bridleways nearby.

Mum hasn’t done much riding this year and struggles with any reasonable distances, hopefully once we can get her back to West Grinstead she will get going again.

The track took us across the railway line and to Kingsway, next time perhaps we might venture beyond there:-)

This ride was a quick go for mum on her new bike (yes another as the one she recently got died a horrible death)

We just went up and down the pathway near her house so she could get used to the gears – this one has 15, she is used to 10)

It’s not much in the way of distance but they all add up 🙂

Revisited this track for a quick ride with Mum,

We were looking to make it to the Country Park at Southwater -Ho hum, the best laid plans of mice, men and mad cyclists from Sussex !!

We found the track drier than last time (unless you went off the sides of the path) and Mum was much more confident.

As we rode along we could here some odd noises from Mum’s bike – utoh !

As we just reached 1 mile we had to stop for an oncoming pack of riders, a fortuitous stop as it happens :-O

After the pack had passed Mum went to move off and something caught my eye, her pedal crank was flapping about unsupported.

I called off the ride and we startede to head back pushing the bikes.

Mum suggested that I ride out and she would meet me at the car, so i rode back and went @ 1/2 mile past the station and then rode back to meet Mum  (I then rode in bottom gear alongside Mum walking back to the car).

So I managed 3.48 miles, Mum got 2 miles.

Yep, I revisited the station taking mum this time.

Mum has got her paws on a 2nd hand MTB and wanted to try it out.

We parked up at the station and initially headed south until we found a fallen tree across the track – is this the modern, green version of leaves on the line ?

So we turned round and headed north, it became clear that mum’s new steed needs a service, it did not like 2nd gear, choosing 1st or 3rd instead !

This was mum’s first ride this year and we cut it short at just over 3 miles,

An enjoyable ride, with mum feeling at ease crossing uneven surfaces, the chunkier tyres of the MTB make a big difference.

Today we revisited the Newhaven / Seaford track and my hasn’t mum improved 🙂

Mum was off like a shot, very different to the nervous rider last time.

Today’s ride can best be described as the “day of the dogs”

Firstly we passed a big collie that decided that it wanted to say hello to mum, thankfully the sight of it lurching towards mum didn’t shake her 🙂

Secondly was the muscluar pit bull that didn’t bat an eyelid as we rode past – PHEW !!!!

Thirdly was the sight of a faithful old mutt being pushed in a pushchair !! no doubt the baby was left at home, curled up in front of the fire munching on a bone ! 🙂

Today’s ride was 3.19 miles, I am sure that mum is ready to improve on that and  beat her record of 3.38 miles, her fitness and confidence are improving with each ride and she now bears no resemblence to the nervous ‘scooter’ of those early days 🙂

Mum got to see the Hartfield cycle track heading towards Forest Row.

From the outset it was evident that mum was clearly at ease, she was away and virtually no lack of confidence.

She was riding past oncoming riders of all ages, sexes and abilities without flinching.

As you can see this was the longest ride that she has done, and she cycled much more than previous trips.

well done mum !

Mum got out on the bike to tackle paths behind her house running to London Road, Burgess Hill. Previously she had taken the bike down to the railway bridge but no further.

It was very evident where mum felt most comfortable as she was off like a shot, no scooting either, however it was also evident where she is far from comfortable as the speed drops and her confidence ebbs away.

Mum slowed down passing a corner where previously a dog had bounded out towards her and walked round. Once round the corner she was happy to cycle again all the way to the railway bridge.

Once past the railway bridge the track changes from a wide single track to two  narrow tracks with a grassy central section, a change that mum felt difficulty in adjusting to, the tracks were too narrow and the surface too loose and bumpy for her.

Despite her miscomfort she did make it for the first time to London road before returning home, once past the railway bridge she was up and running again.

Although the distance is less than previous runs, the terrain was more difficult (especially when compared with the Newhaven / Seaford track) so this was a worthy effort.