Arrivée 127 – Winter 2015 by Audax UK

Arrivée

Number 127 Winter 2015

the Long Distance Cyclists’ Association

www.aukweb.net

February 2015 It’s Paris-Brest-Paris Year! If this is one of your aims then be sure to check out the qualifying rides because each distance has its own time-window. The qualifiers are marked [PBP] in the Calendar listing. The results of some previous years’ goals can be seen scattered through this edition: First Time Randanneurs and Super Randonneurs, Mileater Diaries, and Rolls of Honour for the

Contents

Audax Altitude Award, Randonnee Round the Year and Ordre des Cols Durs. If you haven’t been getting out much then perhaps a glance at the abstract from the investigation into the relationship between Age and Physiological function might persuade you to keep mobile. One man has been very mobile and, as I write in January, has been averaging over 180 miles a day. Our Steve is going for the one year cycling record, see opposite. We all hold our breath as we check out his total to the previous day on Strava and ensure that he is still ‘Active’ on Trackleaders. Perhaps the most unusual article is How Audax Cycling Saved my Life in which Richard Betts describes his increasing cycling fitness, followed by deterioration as he fought a very aggressive cancer. Richard is starting again now and aiming for a 100km in 2015. Have a good cycling year everyone

The ultimate Mileating Year

Shouldn’t we try something longer?

Ten Memorable Rides

The Discovery of France

Age and Physiological function

Arrivée is the free magazine of Audax United Kingdom, the long distance cyclists’ association which represents the Randonneurs Mondiaux in the UK.

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The First Paris-Brest-Paris - 1891

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Clash of the Titans

New Randonneurs

New Super Randonneurs

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2013 Mileater Diaries

ARRIVEE

Falling Leaves - October 2014

Family have a Taste of Cheddar

Contributions - articles, info, cartoons, photos, all welcome. Please see page 11 for useful uploading information.

AAA 2014 Rolls of Honour

Brompton and Sushi

OCD and a quiet day in Corsica

Cols in the Caucasus

A Grand Tour of Wales

RRtY Rolls of Honour

Bealach na Ba to Hautacam

How Audax Cycling Saved my Life

What does the OCD mean for YOU?

The 2014 Trophy Awards

Front cover picture: Colin Bezant on the Mille Miglia - 10 Memorable Rides

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Just a Second

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Arrivée February 2015 No. 127

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1YTT Steve and Tommy – The Ultimate Mileating Year To most, Steve Abraham, or ‘Teethgrinder’, is a well-known face within AUK, mostly on a red fixed wheel. He’s been riding brevets for 22 years, collecting about 200,000km worth to date, peaking with 40,500km in the 2006/7 season. He’s also ridden five PBPs, all on different machines, the most memorable being a triplet with Drew Buck and Nigel Winter. Steve’s passion for riding his bike and in particular riding it a long way, goes back a lot further. It sparked off as an eight year old, when his Raleigh-riding dad took Steve out on his first long ride. At 13, Steve did his first 100 miler and then at 14 joined the CTC. He is still a member.

Steve 1997, Mersey Road Club 24 Hour

AUK has a tradition of not only long distance riding but of recording annual mileage. The supremo was the late Pat Kenny, whose best year was 30,468 miles and got him within touching distance of a million lifetime miles. For an AUK to follow Pat’s wheel isn’t too unexpected; to trace the tyre tracks of Tommy Godwin is audacious. One of my strongest memories is riding with Steve and JJ after the last AUK Southern Reunion, with JJ doing everything he could to encourage Steve to ride a 24 hour TT seriously. Steve wasn’t convinced. He now has twenty three 24 hour TTs in the bag, three of which have been ably supported by Dave Minter. And JJ was right; Steve could go way further than he thought. Steve is now going to embark on the ride of his life; the ultimate time trial, Tommy Godwin’s 75,065 miles in a year record. As with Godwin, the cycling community has come together to support Steve. A team of dedicated volunteers rapidly formed to aid his attempt. They have done an amazing amount, in tandem with an impressive list of sponsors, to get Steve on the road for 1st January 2015.

Then there are the similarities and differences. Steve will, like Godwin, be riding a Raleigh bike with Brooks saddle. Steve will also have a Carradice bag under his saddle. Steve’s bike is lighter with all the wonderful kit we have today. Godwin’s kit was heaver but would keep going on and on and on. Godwin’s 27” Dunlop tyres had visitations from ‘She who should not be mentioned’, but Steve expects his Schwalbe tubeless tyres to be much better. What Godwin perhaps lost with his machine, he gained with a choice of roads. He could quite happily trundle up and down the likes of the A1 all day, something that in the modern day puts a cyclist’s life in www.aukweb.net

mileage will be uploaded and tweeted virtually the minute Steve gets off his bike. People will be able to follow Steve live via his SPOT tracker and ride with him out on the road. Not quite the peace and solitude that Godwin usually had during his year on the bike.

One of the biggest differences between Steve’s ride and Godwin’s will be visibility. There is a website (www.oneyeartimetrial. org.uk) and Facebook page (www.facebook. com/stevenabraham2015). Dave Barter, Tommy’s very own twitterer will be tweeting Steve’s daily mileage (@yearrecord). His daily Steve 2014 - Photo: Jack Thurston

It’s a tough assignment. Not only the relentless need to average 205 miles a day but competing against a ghost, rather than head-to-head with the man himself. To add a further twist, two riders in the USA will also be chasing Godwin’s record, Kurt Searvogel and William Pruett. To ensure fair play and mileage accuracy, the Ultra-Marathon Cycling Association (UMCA) will be scrutinising the riders after Godwin’s crown.

Photo: Francis Cooke

danger. Also, main roads meant easy nononsense navigation for Godwin, though Steve has a Garmin 1000. Loaded with good routes crafted by the routemaster, it’ll guide Steve to his hosts when he is away from familiar territory.

The Team Crew Chief: Chris ‘Hoppo’ Hopkinson - AUK’s RAAM man and a world-leading ultra-distance bike racer Accounts: Roger Cortis – LEL 2013’s money man and a recent addition to the International Super Randonneur roll of honour. Media Spokes Person & Sponsor Contact: Idai Makaya - Mr ElliptiGO himself Logistics, Trouble Shooter and Hosts: Michael Wallis – long-time club cyclist and Super Randonneur in waiting. Routemaster: Adam Wilson - finished the 1500km Hamburg-Berlin-Cologne-Hamburg brevet in his first Audax season. Home Manager: Lesley Sung - got hooked into Audaxing by the group rides Steve leads out of MK. Web Maestros: Ian Hennessey – long-time AUK and club cyclist, a 4-time ancien du PBP. Phil Whitehurst - started with a 100km brevet in 2010, rode LEL 2013 and has just kept going.

Judith Swallow Arrivée February 2015 No. 127

Randonnées

Shouldn’t we try something a bit longer?

Mr Pickwick goes to Hay in a Day 200km with Nigel Rees I’m probably not alone in that I have discovered Audax, developed a love of it, but never explored beyond the safe haven of 100km Brevet Populaires. That’s not strictly true, I have had a lot of vicarious pleasure reading about much more epic adventures in Arrivee. In terms of the actual riding though, I had rationalised that longer rides were the realm of unusual people who were just as likely to be on a Scott of the Antarctic expedition. On reflection, there was no logic to this as I had ridden sportives such as the Ronde van Vlaanderen, not far short of 200 km and on difficult terrain. There seemed to be a barrier, psychological and motivational, and I resolved to break it. I pinpointed the 200km, Mr Pickwick Goes to Hay in a Day in the first week of September. 4

Arrivée February 2015 No. 127

Organiser Mark Rigby runs several Calendar events, and earlier in the year I thoroughly enjoyed his Silk Run for the 4th time. I knew the Tewkesbury HQ quite well as a result, and also had loved previous rides on parts of Mark’s planned 200km circuit. I entered the ride, booked our caravan onto the site half a mile from the Royal Hop Pole HQ, and anticipated the experience with childlike enthusiasm. I speculated what form of sedation might be necessary if it was one of the monumental biennial legends in the offing rather than my first 200km ride. I had a mental picture of small numbers at longer events, more particularly the likelihood of riding alone for 11 hours or so. It was a considerable boost, therefore, when a Facebook message landed from a friend Rachel the week before the ride. Amongst many other cycling responsibilities, Rachel has set up Worcester Women on Wheels part of the Breeze Network that is designed to address the gender imbalance in cycling participation through providing organised rides and coaching. She has done such a fantastic job of it that she rarely gets to ride

The River Wye

for herself, and she was keen to give Audax a try. Another boost came in the form of an offer from my wife Jane and another cycling friend Mel to ride the last 50 km with us. They would do their own ride and attempt to rendevous with us. There is a strange sequence of emotions for me in the lead up to any organised event. Thoughts about fitness and general wellness, the need to ensure the bike is in good shape, choosing the right kit for the day and planning the logistics all create anxiety up to and including the night before. Then the alarm goes, there is a warm surge of excitement and a scramble to shower and breakfast, and in this case a 5 minutes ride to the HQ at the Royal Hop Pole. Jane rides up to the start with me, and in the shadow of the imposing Tewkesbury Abbey we wonder why the sight of a trickle of cyclists who we presume to be fellow Audaxers makes us laugh. The first paradigm shift is the number of fellow riders signing on at the table positioned for the purpose. The large traditional lounge of the Royal Hop Pole is

Rachel Vann flanked by her escorts Jane Rees and Mel Jones

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Randonnées buzzing, it certainly isn’t going to be a solitary experience in any sense, and my Brevet Card is presented to me by Steve Poulton with whom I had chatted at previous events that he has run. Steve is gregarious and exudes energy. I meet up with Rachel, whose several attempts to phone me haven’t been helped by the fact that my mobile is switched off. She is excited too. We are soon leaving the white, timbered buildings of Tewkesbury and its county Gloucestershire and into deepest Herefordshire. There is a good natured hum of the voices of fellow riders around us, but by Pendock the concentrated groups have fragmented and there is a stillness and tranquillity that you feel you could touch. I have struck lucky with Rachel as a companion on several fronts. Our preferred pace of riding suits us both, but more particularly she has a Geography degree, loves maps and is used to leading from her work with Women on Wheels. I pretend to myself that I am thoughtfully deferring to her passion for these things as I fold my route sheet and pack it away with a sense that it won’t be seen again today. It isn’t. We are riding South of the Malverns on some pretty quiet roads so her skills are invaluable. We make our way towards and over the Marcle Ridge, with some nervousness as we had suffered an especially nasty climb here on a recent sportive. However, our route past Weston’s Cider and on to How Caple is over a very pleasant ascent and the subsequent road to Hoarwithy is one I know well - it is rural Herefordshire at its best. We have been riding on our own for a while, but the sight of an iconic Carradice saddlebag tells us we have caught a fellow Mr Pickwicker. Wormelow Tump, a village name unspoilt by progress if ever there was one, is the first control. The usual tearoom has closed recently, so the temporary fix is a petrol station. There is now quite gathering of us performing the usual range of functions revolving around bodily and Brevet Card needs. I am smiling inwardly that the rather bland and featureless surroundings are having no impact on the enjoyment of its transient Audax visitors - everyone looks at peace with the world. The road along the Golden Valley is up and down, has very scenic surroundings, but strangely feels a bit of a slog to Hay on Wye. I conclude that it is in the mind - we are approaching a sort of no man’s land in distance terms, neither near to the start or finish. A satisfying refuelling stop in the very attractive town of Hay transforms my mood, and I remind myself how a nondescript border market town became a vibrant and characterful centre thanks to the energy of Richard Booth and his book crusade which launched what is now a revered brand worldwide. We see several fellow riders wheeling their bikes around the walkways of the town searching for that perfect spot for refuelling. www.aukweb.net

Rachel Vann and Nigel Rees at the finish

Hay marks the Welsh border. We skirt the border on the road to and over the wonderful old toll bridge at Whitney on Wye and we note it is raining immediately the other side of this border. We pause to absorb the beauty of the old bridge, the serenity of the Wye and the quaint toll station. Mark Rigby has designed a superb route, and a series of pastoral lanes lead us past a huge oak tree ( known as “The Great Oak” needless to say ) that apparently featured in the Domesday Book. Shortly afterwards, we pass a feature that certainly won’t have appeared in the Domesday Book, the opportunistically named Orgasmic Cider company. There are a lot of Cider producers in Herefordshire, but it is the only one I know that makes this rather unique claim. Rachel is leading a Women on Wheels ride past here next week, good luck with that. We are enjoying the ride so much that we have completely forgotten about distance. We stop for water at Weobley, one of the charismatic Black and White villages ( I think it refers to the appearance of the buildings but may describe local views on life in general too ). The terrain is now becoming decidedly lumpy, and in fact will remain so until Worcester. It is magnificent country for riding though. We are now passing occasional fellow riders battling the lumps, and the zig zag technique is much in evidence. Each rider offers a greeting followed by an earthy description of the current topography. The route is especially attractive through Dinmore, Bodenham and Pencombe - the latter has a relatively long and stiff climb but we are feeling pretty good. The next control is at the Flowerdew Cafe in Bromyard, an archetypal market town that is a not unappealing mix of local independent shops, proper drinking pubs, timbered buildings and what must be the largest launderette in Europe.

We are now well into the ride, and relax with tea, food ( Rachel’s day is made by the availability of bananas and custard ) and swopping tales with fellow riders ( one of whom stumbles in and declares he is “broken” although further details aren’t provided ). We are served by two very pleasant teenage girls, whose composure is unsettled when they hear a mention of “45 miles to go”. That is “ 3 times as far away as Hereford” they exclaim. The chap who has declared he is “broken” responds in a deadpan tenor that “ we have done “85 miles already”. In a lovely moment, the girls gasp and hold their hands to their mouths. Mark’s brilliant route continues along a maze of lanes in the lee of the Malvern Hills, and I am trying to explain to myself why I had always thought 200km a bridge too far. We are approaching the outskirts of Worcester, our home city and our planned rendezvous with Jane and Mel who will accompany us on the final legends. Some days things go for you, we wheel into St. Peter’s garden centre at exactly 4.30pm as forecast yesterday. Our last leg takes us on very familiar roads around Bredon Hill, we meet several others savouring their “full value” ride and also a farming couple frantically chasing a large Gloucester Spot pig along the road ( we assume they own it ). One of the reasons Jane and I have resisted longer rides is a reluctance to ride in the dark. However, dusk and the descending darkness is definitely exhilarating and as our lights become our guide we begin to understand the joys of night riding that we have read about but always resisted. We feel quite euphoric as we hurtle into Tewkesbury and the welcoming haven of the Royal Hop Pole. Steve Poulton is still full of beans, there is a contented ambience as riders share their day with each other and again we ask each other...

Shouldn’t we try something a bit longer? Arrivée February 2015 No. 127

Randonnées

Ten Memorable Rides with Colin Bezant

I became an Ultrarandonneur this year, my tenth SR series in a row, so it was an excuse to look back through my memories and ride logs and pick out the ten most memorable long rides. They weren’t all Audax rides, but the qualifying condition was that they were at least 100 miles. It was harder than it looked. Could I really rule out my first 300k ride, the 3 Moors? There would be no room for the permanent on 29th April 2012 in driving rain and gale force winds with the temperature at 5 degrees, starting out at 2.20am, or the After Dinner Dart from York to Stafford with subzero temperatures. And I was tempted to include at least one of my rides up Bignor Hill, with its 30% strip of slippery rotting tarmac that is as terrifying to ride down as up. In reverse order… Maidenhead & District Hilly TT March 2012 So how does a 29.5 mile time trial get into this list. Well, I rode out to the event and back again afterwards, so clocking up 102 miles. And I absolutely pinged the ride, pretty much on the rivet the whole way, for a decent overall position and an indecently fast speed for someone who then rode the 37 miles home on just three slices of cake. It gets the vote over doing the Leith Hill and Steyning Bostal Hill climb TTs on the same day on a ride from Basingstoke to Selsey. Just, and only because, stretching in the sunshine just before the start I realised I was standing under an MOT garage sign saying “Diesels Tested”. Kernow & Southwest 600k May 2009 Perhaps the most scenic AUK event, with a glorious quantity of steep hills, challenging lanes, but also a wonderful night section along a recently 6

resurfaced A39. I had failed to complete this in the previous year and so was determined second time around. After passing my previous stop point (Penzance) and having a good three hour sleep in Bude I thought I was made, but then had gut problems and did the last 200km on milkshakes and ice cream. It was very hot through the sensational south coast section in Dorset and East Devon and I finished well ahead of any other rider, having had a solitary second day improving my suntan.

Mille Alba The mission was to take the Thursday night sleeper to Inverkeithing (arrives 5am), ride up to the start, complete a 1000km by early Sunday evening and then get the midnight sleeper back to London, thereby only taking one day off work. Arrivee 118 gives a full account of this ride so all I will repeat here is the excellent organisation and enthusiasm of the helpers. 100mile TT – July 2009 My uncle and aunt live in Beccles, and are quite frail. I was looking for a fast 100 mile time trial and decided to stay in a Travelodge near Norwich and have a go at the EDCA ‘100’ the next day, then visit my relatives. I didn’t sleep well and felt quite rough. My cycle computer packed in after about 20 miles and so I decided to keep going as hard as possible. At 50 miles I felt OK, and at 60 and 70. By the time I had gone 80 miles I knew I was in for a good one and so had the positive energy needed to block out the pain. I went so hard that when I saw the checkerboard I kept going pretty much full tilt as I knew I needed to get the five miles back to the HQ before my legs seized up. It took three weeks for them to loosen up just in time for LEL. I think my uncle had more energy

Arrivée February 2015 No. 127

Mille Miglia than I did. But I did post a time I am unlikely to beat.

Bryan Chapman Scenic May 2006 It’s pretty hard to escape coverage of the Bryan Chapman, it is a must do event. Mark Rigby had recently taken it on and had introduced a slightly hillier version on quiet roads. We started off in rain and crosswinds and the conditions in the Upper Elan Valley were fierce. By the time I reached Tre’r’dol I was pretty much all in. A Welsh Rarebit sustained me and I popped into the Texaco garage for some chain lube as the rain had pretty much stripped my chain. I kept passing B&Bs north of Barmouth thinking that each one could be the end of feeling cold wet and miserable. Progress north of Dolgellau was slow especially over Llanberis pass. I struggled to eat in Menai and found myself alone on the endless hill towards Trawsfyndd, unable to think straight. I stopped and snuggled up in a survival blanket to get some

sleep only to be ‘rescued’ by some drunks in a taxi. A bus stop also failed to provide comfort. Eventually I got half an hour’s kip at the back of a lay-by well out of view of the well-intentioned. Woken up by bikes going past made the last 25km to Dolgellau in double quick time and a proper sleep in a bed. The next day was mostly wet and headwinds again, the wind having turned 180 degrees. The lowest point was probably between Newtown and Knighton where the wind blew straight up the valley. Llanshay Hill was the last time for six years that I resorted to walking up a hill on an AUK event. I nearly collided with an oncoming vehicle on the descent due to rainsoaked brakes. But after that things picked up, the sun came out, and I thought I was home. In fact I was hosed, as just south of Monmouth there was a cloudburst. Only after Tintern did I find my last resource to finish about 7.30pm, one of the few finishers on the Scenic route that year. . www.aukweb.net

Randonnées Cambrian 4D – June 2006 A month later, I was back in Wales, to complete an SR series of (under the old AAA system) gold standard grimpeur rides. The 4D takes in a circuit of Monmouth – Hay – Tregaron – Fishguard – Llandeilo – Brecon – Monmouth. I started at midday and had a fine ride through Longtown along and over the side of the Black Mountains to Hay. I had a café stop in Builth Wells; my favourite cheese and ham toastie is that served by the Cosy Corner café (a control on the Elenith) before setting out for the Devil’s Staircase. I had been beaten by the Devil’s Staircase on the Elenith but beat it this time, despite my chain starting to slip. In Tregaron a cawl (halfway between a soup and stew) restored me. The roller-coaster ride from Lampeter to Fishguard, ridden in a June evening with the low sun lighting up the north coast and hills was a complete gem. A greasy nightcap in Fishguard got me over the Mynydd Presceli but I was beginning to tire. On a little lane I hid the bike and slept in a survival bag for an hour or so, being woken in biblical fashion by the lowing of the cows behind the hedge. It wasn’t the smoothest ride back, but finding the one 24hr petrol station for 50 miles for a 4am cup of coffee was a sign that God was with me on this ride. It was a lovely sunny morning for the moorland shortcut through Talsarn, a breakfast in Brecon and a slow meander to Monmouth where I left the car park having used 23 hours and 56 minutes of my 24-hour ticket.

24 hour TT – June 2011 24-hour TTs, in my view, are the toughest thing I have done. It’s one thing to ride for 24 hours, but a completely different thing to race, with every minute off the bike counting against you, every time you aren’t putting in as much as you think you can haunting you. I was riding with a couple of people supporting me, one on Saturday until the early evening and one for the remaining 16 hours. When others are putting so much investment in you, it becomes impossible to give up. The night time circuit of 17 miles took me just under an hour (I’d ridden it at dusk in training on a www.aukweb.net

windy day three times round at an average of 20mph and had ridden 35 miles into a headwind to get to the start of the circuit – that gives an indication of how much speed is lost during the night). Each time Berni would be there with a cup of coffee and something to eat that I would force down, then I would be off once more. It was a damp and foggy dawn and the only consolation was that other riders looked as ragged as I was. In the last couple of hours the temperature and my speed went up and I was really elated at the finish. Berni drove me back to HQ where I looked alright, so he left at about 2pm for what remained of his weekend. Five minutes later I was not sure which way was up. After a bit of negotiation on my actual distance (one of my laps had been credited to another rider – fortunately one I had given a lift to the event) I’d completed 420 miles in 24 hours. It makes me one of the few who can genuinely understand what Andy Wilkinson achieved in the same event when he registered 541 miles (and he is about 6 months older than I am).

Dinner Dart – Basingstoke – York, November 2009 A couple of weeks after LEL I was holiday with my family in a beautiful farmhouse. It had an acre of woodland, great for hideand-seek. Running to get to the “home” tree I stumbled and landed awkwardly on my right wrist, breaking the arm just above the wrist. It left me feeling a bit unfulfilled for the year. I’d read accounts of overnight winter rides and so decided to give it a go, with a 436km route from Basingstoke – Banbury – Market Harborough – Grantham North – Horncastle – Market Weighton. The ride started uneventfully, with a few showers but a generally favourable light wind. I put my head down for thirty minutes in the café in the Grantham North services and really struggled on the leg to Horncastle, having to stop for bonk rations every ten miles. But, riding out onto the Lincolnshire Wolds I was feeling good, anticipating a dawn crossing of the Humber Bridge. Then, out of the blue, my rear wheel slipped and I was on the ground. I couldn’t work it out, perhaps one of the new patches

of tarmac was a bit oily. I carried on, only to slide over again, breaking my space bar and having to jury rig my Lumicycle Lights to the forks. It was then that I realised that the whole road was a sheet of black ice. Gingerly I got back on the bike and fell off again and walked for about 5km until I could hear the car tyres making slushy sounds. It was also starting to get light. I still had to make careful progress to the Humber Bridge where I picked up roads I had ridden in the two years I had lived in Hull as a child. I arrived, one of the first to do so, 23 hours after my start (so could have registered an Arrow if anyone had been foolish enough to ride with me) and a couple of restorative pints.

PBP 2007 I’d never ridden further than half the distance of this event, so I signed up for the Graham Baxter tour support and set off into the unknown. The first 120km to Mortagne flew by but after that it started to rain and I reached Villaine cold wet and uncertain, struggling to eat. Fougeres was much better food, but between there and Tinteniac the heavens opened and my knees started to hurt. I saw many of the vedettes turning back at this point. I soldiered on into a socking great headwind questioning my will and my sanity, unable to hold the wheels of faster riders that went past. But in Loudeac I heard the familiar voice of Andy Clarkson and started out with people I knew for the first time in 20 hours. Suddenly, on the hilly section my climbing legs returned. I slept the night on the bus at Carhaix, thinking that I was on track. Fifteen kilometres into the next stage, descending a hill I heard a crack and felt my saddle slip, a broken rail. I rode the remaining 65km to Brest either out of the saddle or in a BMX-style riding position. Armed with a new saddle I stormed back over the Roc, with only Bob Johnson passing me and continued in good style, riding with various groups back to Tinteniac, where I felt great. Then it rained again. 50 flat kilometres took me 3 hours and I lay in the dormitory in Fougeres next to a guy on a ventilator, wondering what I was doing.

Mille Miglia – August 2011 Whenever I draw up a list this comes first. It is the longest ride I’ve done, at 1600km. It had epic features: Malpensa airport wrecking my bike so that I thought I wouldn’t start; doing a 120km night and morning stage on three gears after a gear cable had frayed in the levers; staying a night a the Fausto Coppi museum; the epic hills of the Ligurian coast; the frantic first 400km across the flat plains of the Po Valley, rolled up in little more than 15 hours. Then there was the company, firstly the endless echelons of strangers through the first night and then Gernot’s company; he had done a lot of work putting the GPS files together and so he knew the route so I rode around Italy with a German telling me where to go and teaching me how to drink beer effectively on Audax rides. The sun shone, and it was hot, particularly in Tuscany, but the memory that abides strongest is the legs that never seemed to fail, eating up the long fast sections and the big hills in a beautiful steady rhythm, as if the days would never end.

Appendix: Brimstone May 2014 No list of rides should ever be closed. I rode the Brimstone in 2013 in perfect weather, with a strong group, and wondered why the event had such a reputation. The next year, to bring up my Ultra-series I rode a Wessex SR. There was rain and headwinds for most of Saturday. I reached the overnight control almost three hours later than the previous year and yet was still the second rider in. After a couple of hours kip I woke up and felt decidedly rough. With some cajoling from Martin Lucas and Steve Abraham, I realised that I might as well ride the route for a while as it would take me the shortest way to a station. Armed with emergency supply of toilet roll I headed off and struggled round the remaining 200k on empty, fortunately not having to use the emergency supply, but having to lie down by the side of the road a few times until my head stopped spinning. I arrived at the Queen Mary with a 600km stare for my slowest ever 600 and, perhaps tougher than any of the rides above.

Arrivée February 2015 No. 127

This & That

The Discovery of France Paul Harrison obtained permission for us to publish these extracts from Jon Mitchell, Senior Rights Manager at Pan Macmillan Ltd and from Graham Robb, the author

Graham Robb’s book, “The Discovery of France” (Picador, ISBN978-0-33042761-6) is beautifully written and a fresh way of looking at travel and history. It’s a “must” for all Francophiles and, I think, particularly for those who know what a wonderful country France is to cycle in and are interested in how its culture and infrastructure have developed. Graham did a lot of his research from the saddle. He understands the unique advantage a bicycle has in being able to cover large distances but at the same time being slow enough to allow the rider to appreciate and absorb his surroundings. Here is an extract which describes the early days of long distance cycling and the birth of the Paris-Brest-Paris: “The last great geographical discovery made in France was a spectacular end to the age of tourist pioneers. When the Verdon Gorges were revealed to the world in 1906, another age of exploration was already under way, thanks in large part to a miraculous machine which opened up the depopulated countryside and brought life back to roads that had been emptied by the railways. One night in May 1891, just before dawn, a small group of people had gathered at the top of a hill near Thivars, south-west of Chartres. They had turned their lanterns to the south to warn of their presence and were peering down the long, deserted road. Suddenly, a voice cried, ‘Stand back!’ All at once, three shadows surged out of the darkness, passed like a fleeting vision and disappeared into the night. One of us called out, ‘Who was that?’ – ‘Mills,’ came the reply. – 8

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And without a moment’s delay, we remounted and raced back towards Chartres, to the Hôtel du Grand Monarque, where the checkpoint had been set up. The British amateur, George Pilkington Mills, was on his way to winning the first Bordeaux–Paris bicycle race. The other two shadows were cyclists who took turns ‘pacing’ the competitors (riding close behind another cyclist reduces wind resistance and increases efficiency by up to a third). The organizers had laid on refreshments and beds at towns along the way, but the riders barely stopped to grab the food and flew on towards the capital. They saw the sun go down over the plains of Poitou and rise over the Forest of Rambouillet. When Mills reached the finishing line at the Porte de Saint-Cloud on the edge of Paris, he had covered the threehundred-and-fifty-eight-mile course in twenty-six hours thirty-five minutes – an average speed of 13½ m h. Inspired by the Bordeaux–Paris, the news editor of Le Petit Journal organized an even longer race from Paris to Brest and back again. This time, a French victory was virtually certain since only Frenchmen were allowed to compete. On 6 September 1891, thousands of people were on the streets of Paris at 6 a.m. to watch two hundred and six cyclists rolling along the boulevards towards the Arc de Triomphe and the Bois de Boulogne. Out in the Normandy countryside, villagers had set up tables by the side of the road to have the pleasure of seeing their milk, apples, cider and cakes devoured by hungry cyclists. (This still happens in the modern version of the Paris–Brest–Paris, which is open to all well-prepared amateurs.) Some riders stoked themselves with snuff and champagne; others made do with bread and meat broth. The favourite was the thirty-four-year-old professional cyclist Charles Terront, riding on state-of-the-art, detachable Michelin tyres. He reached Brest on 7 September at 5p.m. (Paris time), an hour behind the leader, swallowed a pear and some soup and left five minutes later. At Guingam , he overtook the leader, who was sleeping at the inn, and re-crossed the Breton border at noon the next day. At Mortagne, people from all over the pays had come to see the riders pass. When Terront hurtled into town after dark he was greeted with thunderous applause and a firework display, and set off again bedecked with flowers. A few miles down the road, he crashed into a fallen branch. Sobbing with exhaustion, he walked to the nearest blacksmith, who repaired his pedal crank and sent him on his way. At five thirty the following morning, ten thousand people

saw Terront in the middle of a flotilla of local cyclists cross the line on the Boulevard Maillot with his arm raised in triumph. He had been riding his Humber bicycle for seventy-one hours thirty-seven minutes, averaging 10½ mph for seven hundred and forty-eight miles. He ate four meals, slept for twenty-six hours and then proved his resilience once again by attending eighteen consecutive banquets held in his honour. These long-distance exploits were described in Homeric tones by news paper reporters and are still an inspiration to competitive amateurs, but they give a slightly warped view of common experience. The man who saw George Pilkington Mills flash past on the hill near Thivars was a teacher from Chartres who spent a happy two-week holiday riding sixty-five hilly miles a day (‘a distance one should not exceed if one wishes to see and retain something of the journey’) from his home to the Pyrenees and back through the Auvergne. He cycled over the mighty Col du Tourmalet (6,939 feet) fifteen years before the self-mythologizing Tour de France made such a meal of it in 1910. Hundreds of other men and women had already edalled happily over the Pyrenees, but the Tour de France has promoted its own epic history so effectively that it is now generally believed that the first person to cross the Tourmalet on a bicycle was the leader in the 1910 Tour de France who reached the summit covered in sweat and dust, and shouted at the organizers, ‘Assassins! ’ The effect of the bicycle on daily life is now drastically underestimated by many historians, who tend to see it as an instrument of self-inflicted torture.

Simple truths have been forgotten. As almost everyone knew a hundred years ago, the secret of riding a bicycle as an adult is to pedal just hard enough to keep the machine up right, then to increase the speed very gradually, but without becoming too breathless to hold a conversation or to hum a tune. In this way, with a regular intake of water and food, an uncompetitive, moderately fit person can cycle up an Alp, with luggage, on a stern but steady gradient engineered for an eighteenth-century mule. Descending is more difficult but statistically much safer, to all concerned, than in a car. www.aukweb.net

This & That Age and Physiological function To generations unspoiled by automation, hundred-mile bike rides were quite routine. When the teacher from Chartres set off on his thousand-mile holiday in 1895, boneshakers were already a distant memory. His machine was identical in most respects to the modern bicycle. It had ball-bearings and pneumatic tyres. Many velocipedes were lighter and more reliable than the energy-sapping machines that can be seen on city streets today. There were bicycles that folded up into a suitcase and bicycles that pumped up their own tyres. The derailleur, which made it possible to change gear without removing the back wheel, was introduced in 1912. Brakes, however, were still in their infancy. Many cyclists recommended tying a heavy branch to the seat-post before beginning a descent, but only ‘in the absence of dust, mud, sudden turns and especially forest guards who may refuse to believe that one has brought one’s own branch from Paris’ (Jean Bertot, La France en bicyclette: étapes d’un touriste, 1894). As soon as second-hand bicycles and cheap imitations of the wellknown models became available, millions of people were liberated from their close horizons by a mechanical horse that could be given fresh limbs and reincarnated by the local blacksmith. A boy with a bicycle could leave his pays in search of a job or a bride and be back in time for dinner, which is why the bicycle has been credited with increasing the average height of the French population by reducing the number of marriages between blood relations. It was used by farm workers, urban commuters, postmen, village priests, gendarmes and the French army, which, like many other European armies, had several battalions of cycling cavalry. Before the First World War, at least four million bicycles were owned in France, which represents one bicycle for every ten people: 3,552,000 were declared for tax, but many more ‘feedless horses’ must have been hidden in stables. It was now possible to travel long distances at an invigorating speed, with the sort of panoramic view over the hedgerows previously enjoyed only by travellers perched on the roof of the diligence. Bicycles could be hired in most towns and taken on trains for less than a franc. The railway companies accepted responsibility for any damage. The Touring Club de France, founded in 1890 on the model of the British Cyclists’ Touring Club, had a hundred and ten thousand members by 1911. There were special maps for cyclists, showing steep hills, danger spots, paved and tarmacked sections and separate bicycle paths in towns. In her European Travel for Women (1900), Mary Cadwalader Jones recommended the bicycle as a means of discovering France. Her only word of caution concerned the law on keeping to the right: ‘You cannot always be sure: there are rightand left-handed cities and districts, so you must always keep your eyes open if you are bicycling’.”

Tour of the Hills - recommended diet choices for various stages

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An investigation into the relationship between age and physiological function in highly active older adults Published in The Journal of Physiology 0.0 (2014) pp 1-24 Some of you may remember a call for older cyclists, who could cycle 100km at a reasonable pace, to take part in an investigation being undertaken by The Centre of Human and Aerospace Physiological Sciences, King’s College London, London, UK and MRC-ARUK Centre for Musculoskeletal Ageing Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK. Well the results have now been published and very interesting they are too: Abstract: Despite extensive research, the relationship between age and physiological function remains poorly characterised and there are currently no reliable markers of human ageing. This is probably due to a number of confounding factors, particularly in studies of a cross-sectional nature. These include inter-subject genetic variation, as well as inter-generational differences in nutrition, healthcare and insufficient levels of physical activity as well as other environmental factors. We have studied a cohort of highly and homogeneously active older male (n = 84) and female (n = 41) cyclists aged 55–79 years who it is proposed represent a model for the study of human ageing free from the majority of confounding factors, especially inactivity. The aim of the study was to identify physiological markers of ageing by assessing the relationship between function and age across a wide range of indices. Each participant underwent a detailed physiological profiling which included measures of cardiovascular, respiratory, neuromuscular, metabolic, endocrine and cognitive functions, bone strength, and health and well-being. Significant associations between age and function were observed for many functions. The maximal rate of oxygen consumption (VO2max) showed the closest association with age (r = -0.443 to -0.664; P < 0.001), but even here the variance in age for any given level was high, precluding the clear identification of the age of any individual. The results of this cross-sectional study suggest that even when many confounding variables are removed the relationship between function and healthy ageing is complex and likely to be highly individualistic and that physical activity levels must be taken into account in ageing studies. Dear Editor, I very much enjoyed the article in the autumn edition by Steve Whalley. I have just started my own RRtY (1 down - 11 to go) and took great inspiration from his experience. I must take issue with one point though; Nenthead is not the highest village in England, that honour goes to Flash in God’s own County of Staffordshire. In fact Flash is the highest village in Britain and not just England. John Heath and the feeding organiser - photos: Mike Stoaling

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This & That

Audax Summer with Bob Watts

The Swiss Rad Marathon The first big audax ride of the summer for me was a 600 in July, which I had enticed myself into entering in the middle weekend of a continental tour. The Swiss Rad Marathon had a choice of five distances and the 600 covered half the country in a weekend which is surely the only way to see Switzerland on the cheap.

Starting from Bern it was notable for delightful hill country of Solothurn on the first morning before crossing the Rhine and dodging in and out of Germany. As night fell there was thunder, lightning and torrential rain close by, only some of which I missed. This event doubled as a RAAM (Race Across America) qualifier so it was unnerving to hear, in the middle of the night, a people carrier approaching from the rear with loudhaler – like in UK elections – exhorting their cyclist in German. The sleep stop at the 380km control was a bit far and, set in the middle of a residential area, a bit difficult to find even though the whole route was signed. The 10

approach was down a ramp hedged by concrete retaining walls between low blocks of flats with a right angle turn leading to an underground airlock between two 5 inch thick steel doors. Inside there were bunks, a kitchen, stores, uniforms and masks hanging up. Not your average village hall, then, but a civil defence fallout shelter which had survived the earlier storm and was ideal for the job

of looking after a couple of hundred cyclists. It was staffed by the civil defence volunteers themselves. Having passed Untersee and Bodensee on day one, the dawn brought lake country proper: Walensee, Obersee, Zurichsee, Zugersee, Luzernsee; more sees than the Pope. The advantage of a longer day one was a shorter day two but with undulations between the wooded hills and the farmed valleys. I finished with an hour to spare and enough energy for a beer at the nearby country and western music festival. This ride is highly recommended; don’t be put off by the start and finish in a motorway service area.

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Windsor-Chester-Windsor The following month I did the Windsor-Chester-Windsor, entering as soon as I heard it had been revived: it was my first ever audax event, in 1981. When you did the same event 33 years ago it is hard to resist comparisons First, there was no hurricane Bertha in 1981 to make sure the feet are wet throughout the night and the following day (by the time I reached home just before midnight Sunday the gear was already smelling of mildew). Last time, with no long rides that season and only youthful heedlessness to keep me going, it was a struggle but this time I was recorded doing 12mph in a 30 limit by a policeman with a hand held radar; not a great speed but good enough to get round with an hour and a half to spare. In fact the last 100 km swept by as I felt better and rode faster than I ever have at the end of a 600. My bright and cheerful attitude reflected the weather which had turned to sunny skies and clear views from the Cotswolds to the Chilterns. But Saturday was a great day out on the bike too; unhurriedly passing through lovely countryside avoiding all towns and reaching the snapsleep turnaround at Chester 34 minutes later than all those years ago. Back then the route was an easy to follow roll call of English trunk roads: A41, A34, A44, A442, A41,

A49 and back again. Today it is all on lanes with variations in each direction. The forecast had put off some, but there were about 60 starters nevertheless, so enough to keep company. On the way up I rode with Tim Decker, a San Fairy Ann member and companion on the LEL, so the miles passed easily at an average of around 21 kph, 2kph faster than when I was 24. Good to know I’m getting no slower!

Mildenhall Rally I also did a 160 at the Mildenhall Rally over the Bank Holiday. Having ridden up there after work the day before and finding a cider festival at the local pub, I decided against getting up for the 4am 300 or the 8am 200 and instead took it easy with the 160. I certainly met that aim: in the first 100km there were three excellent cafes. The first, in the middle of nowhere, has a barber next door so I popped in for a trim; the second has a museum so popped in there too; the third does excellent lunches so I dawdled there as well. Eventually I got back to Mildenhall after my most relaxed audax ever.

Fairies Flat Five My other audax experience was helping with the Fairies Flat Five in Kent by turning out at St Mary’s Bay at 4am to control for the riders on the 300. This was most rewarding and I’d just as surely recommend that too. www.aukweb.net

This & That

The First Paris-Brest-Paris - 1891 It appears that the vast numbers of cars on the roads today is all down to Paris-Brest-Paris! As Brian Morris had his car MOTed, he glanced through a volume on the history of Peugeot in the showroom of Wokingham Motors and managed to persuade the garage to photocopy this article: Cycle races were very much in fashion in those days. Organised by the press, they drew larger and larger crowds each time, making the bicycle a truly popular machine. This was a godsend for cycle manufacturers, whose products benefited from this amazing promotion. Each brand including Peugeot - had to be there, basking in the aura of sportsmen who were the galley slaves of the road. On 6th September 1891, the director of the Petit Journal, Pierre Giffard, came out with a crazy idea, “cycling from Paris to Brest and back, ie. 1,200 km”. Such a long distance had never been covered on two wheels. However, the event did not have any time restrictions, it was open to all, at least to the 206 volunteers who entered for what the Petit Journal itself announced as the “national cycle race”. At the last moment, Giffard agreed to add a car, out of friendship for Armand Peugeot. It would not take part in the race, but would simply follow the route. However, the confrontation between bicycle and automobile was there, just beneath the surface. For Armand Peugeot, this invitation was a godsend. It was an opportunity to reveal the automobile, which was celebrating its first anniversary but was still completely unknown as it was so rare. Apart from a few pioneers and engineers, nobody had had the opportunity to see a car in motion. This was a chance to present the automobile on its home ground, the road, and to silence the first gossips who associated it with a fashionable machine designed for urban door-to-door motion. However, it was a bold move as there were very few people who thought the car capable of covering such a distance. A month earlier, Emile Levassor had gone to Etretat, for relaxation, in his Panhard & Levassor. www.aukweb.net

Starting from Paris, it took him 23 hours 15 minutes to cover the 225 km, at an average of 9.6 km/h. He lost almost one hour due to four “very long hills, at least 2.5 to 3 km each”, and another hour cleaning the engine’s burners clogged up with “bad gasoline”. He stopped nine times to fill up, not counting small stoppages, “ten minute stops [to] fill with water and apply oil”. When he arrived, Emile Levassor left the car in Etretat and took the train back to Paris. Armand Peugeot obviously planned to do better. The challenge depended on a new model, a Type 3 vis-a-vis, driven by Louis Rigoulot and his mechanic Auguste Doriot. The result was unexpected. While the winning cyclist, Charles Terron, won at an average speed of 16.8 km/h, the Peugeot Type 3 managed to follow, at a distance, doing an average 14.7 km/h. It was a genuine success for Peugeot, and for the many Peugeot cycle retailers, who gathered along the route, relaying one another every 100 km with petrol cans and toolboxes. They all saw

themselves, during the race, as future car salesmen and repairers. lt was a triumph for the automobile as the car’s mechanics went the distance. The Type 3 only suffered one breakdown when a differential broke near Morlaix, which immobilised it for a day. It did not matter. For the first time, an automobile had crossed France. The exploit was in fact far greater than that as the Type 3 had driven from Valentigney to Paris and had then taken part in the Paris-Brest and back race. Once the race was over, it returned to Valentigney under its own steam, where it was sold to a customer who was prepared to wait for it in the certainty that the car was well run-in. With 2,047 km on the clock, the automobile had earned that vital recognition that gave it acceptance as a method of transport. Peugeot revealed the usefulness of the automobile, without ever imagining that this machine would change the 20th century.

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Randonnées Ten things I loved on the Highlands, Glens and Western Isles 1300km Marcus Jackson-Baker In an attempt not to write “ride bike, eat, ride bike, eat, ride bike, eat, sleep”, I have selected my ten highlights of the ride (and there were a lot of highlights!). No particular order.

Red Squirrel I’ve never seen one in the wild before – other than a squashed one on a road once. It was early evening and I had just dropped onto the road alongside Loch Ness. I was hoping to spot Nessie, but instead I saw a red squirrel. Except it took me a while to realise I had seen one. Sleep deprivation can do funny things to your mind and make some thought processes rather cumbersome. As I rode along, there was a gateway with walls either side and on the end of one of the walls was this amazingly realistic statue of a red squirrel, “Wow, that’s a really good statue,” I thought to myself. Then it moved slightly, “Wow, that statue moves,” was my next thought. It took me a while to work out that it wasn’t a statue, but a real red squirrel! I put the brakes on almost alongside the squirrel – who looked at me and bounced off along the wall. It was a fleeting glimpse, it took me a while to work it out, but there it was, a live red squirrel! Lovely.

Spicey and Ricey Most people’s first night stop was Oban, after about 210km. This was one of the weirder long rides timing-wise. We’d started at a time that gave us no real chance of making the last ferry from Oban to Craignure at 18:00 (whilst it is perfectly possible for a strong rider to do a 7 hour hilly 210km, there was another ferry to negotiate as well en-route). So, almost everyone would reach Oban between 9 and 11pm ish and stop for the night waiting for the first ferry at 7:45. Most first days on long events are long – you are typically aiming to get deep into the ride before sleeping. PBP, for most riders, starts from around 4pm to 9pm and will involve riding through the first night, into the day and as far into the second night as you can manage – most people will ride 4-500km before stopping to sleep. All you are ever doing on long rides is building up your time buffer to give you time to sleep. You are trying to get 4-6 hours ahead of schedule each and every day. And here we were with an enforced 10 hour stop! Anyway, my club-mate Martin and I rode the last section of the day together (always a bit of a stretch for me, as Martin is very rapid indeed!). We’d arrived into Oban and found our hostel – well after a failed attempt when we went into the Backpackers Plus Hostel (carrying our bikes up two flights of stairs) only to be told our booking was for the Backpackers Hostel over the road. I had a real craving for something spicey, so I was pretty pleased to spot an Indian takeaway 2 minutes back down the road. So we went and ordered curry, this also enabled Martin to have a cheeky beer whilst we waited (the Scottish off-license laws are designed to make it hard for long-distance cyclists to get a beer or two after a long day!). It felt great, sat around the table in the hostel with Martin and a couple of Dutch riders, still feeling pretty good and fresh having enjoyed a superb day of cycling. The curry was pretty good and hit the spot perfectly.

Rannoch Moor On the Thursday night, I had slept at Glencoe at just over 1100km completed. It meant I had a reasonably relaxed final day with around 190km to do, and I had around 15 hours to complete it. I calculated a decent sleep into the equations and didn’t get on the road until 8am. I had an issue with food – I was out of food really, so hoped there was something en-route. I had one cereal bar, which I ate at the hostel, which helped a little. I hadn’t really eaten since around 8pm the night before at a pub. The day started with the massive climb up onto Rannoch Moor. Whilst the climb was very pretty, the road is also the only real route for everything, so it was pretty busy with cars and trucks which was a bit of a wake up after hundreds of km of deserted roads. As the road ramped up, the head winds also increased. I was in a bit of bother. I dug into my front bag to pull out an emergency energy gel. Not something I use very often on Audax rides – but I needed energy fast. The climb was superb with dramatic views. Seeing pockets of snow up on the mountains was great considering we’d spent 4 days in temperatures of 29-30 degrees. I felt like jumping off my bike and running up the mountains just to experience lying in that snow! The top of the moor really was special and it was nice to stop and take some photos. A couple of riders had slept on the moor the previous night – that must have been really magical.

The roller coaster of Kintyre In 1300km of riding, we saw a massive variety of scenery and experienced some magnificent climbing of every kind. One of the finest sections was early on in the ride – it also put the fear into us all as it was rather tough. We’d got off the ferry in Claonaig and were heading along the eastern coast of the Mull of Kintyre – it was exceptionally beautiful and rather challenging terrain with constant choppy climbing that is typical along coastlines. We were treated to fabulous views back onto Arran as we rode along some beautiful little single track. I think it was also the beginning of the realisation we were in for a hot few days – the temperatures were beginning to rise. A fabulous bit of road and really got us set up for the rest of the ride.

Day one sort of felt like a prologue, and we knew that this was going to be the last time we’d be able to relax and not think about time.

We arrived into Campbelltown and I think we all felt the same – “I hope the next 1200km isn’t all the same as that, or I’m not going to make it!”. Choppy, steep climbing can really take it’s toll on you – often it is hard to regain speed on the descents as they are twisty and challenging and don’t allow you to carry pace up the next hill.

I ate all sorts of food on the ride, but just sitting there eating curry is the meal I remember the most!

I would love to go back and do more riding in the area – at a more gentle pace!

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Randonnées Osprey On the fourth day, I rode pretty much solo all day – the field was well spread out. The section after the hostel was just magical. It was hot and remote and just spectacular. I’d seen many birds of prey over the ride so far – mainly eagles. As I rode along, way up on my right was a ridge with something big flying along. I couldn’t quite work out what it was. A few minutes later, I heard a whooshing sound, as the most enormous bird of prey flew very low over my head – shocked me a little. It was grey with a white head and just enormous. I am not great at identifying birds, but I did immediately think it was an osprey – subsequent googling seems to suggest I was right. The bird was awesome to see up close and personal and was yet another thing I hadn’t ever seen in the wild before.

Descent into Mordor On the second day, I rode much of the latter section with Matt and a group of three Leicester riders. A fabulous section (see below), and our first ride deeper into the night (with there being little need for front lights before around 10:30 pm). It was also our first real encounter with the midges! We’d climbed up near Loch Maree and we were being treated to some beautiful skies through the gloaming time. As it got dark, we could see the remains of a blood red sunset in the distance at the bottom of the valley. It did feel very primeval with some mysterious volcano or something hiding behind the hills. Matt said it felt Tolkien-esque and I think that nailed it really. It was one of those things that no photo would do it justice, but I will remember it forevermore. A truly magnificent bit of road and time. Lochinvar Without doubt, this was the best section of scenery we were treated to. We turned away from the main road (well, most people did – some did the main road in and out) and rode alongside some beautiful lochs with views of some great mountains.

We were just all enjoying the scenery and chatting about this, that and the other – stupid stuff at times, serious stuff at others. Having been on Skye, where Danny MacAskill is from, I had suggested to the Leicester riders that Matt had taught him everything he knew (totally untrue of course, but it provided some amusement for a while). Just riding along, suggesting that Matt really couldn’t show them his tricks as he was hindered by his panniers etc., but had he not been. We talked about all sorts of other stupid things through the 5 days – but that little episode sticks with me as a real highlight. Riding a long way is hard, and other people can make it easier and help tick off the miles more easily. Sometimes you only get to chat with other riders at controls, but often riding alongside them for only a few minutes can be some of the best times possible on bikes. Audax is a friendly scene, and we do all look after each other however we can. Even just a few quick moments chatting as you pass, or are passed by, someone can raise your spirits greatly.

Popping gorse On the final day, we rode through some more scrubland type environments. As I rode along, I kept on hearing cracks and soon worked out it was the gorse and it’s seed pods. At times, it was coming from all angles as we were surrounded by gorse. It was one of those magical bits of timing – a day or two either side and I might not have experience the cacophony of noise as the seeds were being fired everywhere (up to 30 foot according to a quick bit of research). Sounds can stay with your memories really quite well – I will remember the sound of popping for a long time.

Trantlebeg oasis We had to sort out our own accommodation for the whole ride, this was the one place that Mark, the organiser, had booked – primarily because there was nothing else for a long way. This was in the most remote part of the entire ride and was more than welcome. It was going to be a late night into the hostel – I was pleased to have reached the pub at Durness in good time to get some proper food (though it took a long time as it was rammed). The night section had proved difficult – I was getting tired and slow. I had to stop for a short nap at one point. I think the heat added to my general fatigue. I saw my arrival time at Trantlebeg drift back and back. I was actually pleased to find the hostel was around 6km closer than marked on the routesheet. Arriving into this beautiful little hostel http://www.achumore.co.uk/ was fantastic. Great to see Mark and enjoy a bit of food and a decent sleep at this little oasis in the middle of nowhere. The midges were pretty bad there though – I felt for the film crew (the event was filmed for a BBC Scotland documentary) filming us leaving.

The scenery just got better and better and then we took a turn back onto ourselves to start really climbing – that was amazing as suddenly we were looking back onto the roads we’d come along and the back side of the mountains we’d been looking at. And then we were treated to a really challenging section of cycling. Very narrow, steep, twisting single track road for miles and miles. Very, very beautiful and very tough. Some of the best riding on earth I reckon.

Trick cycling This is really about the banter and comradeship. I made many new friends, and strengthened old friendships. I love riding solo, but equally, it is great when you’re riding along at a relaxed pace in a group, chatting and joking. As I said, the end of day two was spent in the company of Matt and 3 Leicester riders.

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I managed to get some good sleep at the hostel, could have done with more though! I really felt for those still coming in when I was heading out – they had had long nights on the road.

So that’s 10 memories – I have dozens more. It was a super ride. Food and drink were an issue at a couple of points, but I just about got away with it. The ride was just fabulous, a route that allowed us to see huge variation in terrain. The roads were, on the whole, very quiet – there were some busy main roads that were a bit of a shock to the system. I just about managed to get enough sleep – as I wasn’t racing around, I had always planned to stop for as much as possible. My pace was slowed by the heat, so I did eat into that sleep somewhat. It is available as a permanent event – and can be ridden at the same pace as we did, or as a Populaire at 100km a day. Both would be a rewarding experience. http://marcusjb.wordpress.com/2014/07/27/ten-things-i-loved-onthe-highlands-glens-and-western-isles-1300km-audax/ Arrivée February 2015 No. 127

Randonnées

Clash of the Titans - AC Bristol v’s AC Hackney 400

AC Bristol at Clifton Suspension Bridge

We hit the road, descended Park Street, where Reg got to put his seventy year old rod brakes through their paces, then through the City and onto the Bristol – Bath Sustrans path to Warmley then onto the A420, it was going to be an A road bash mostly down the A4 and not much climbing so I wasn’t too concerned. Being well endowed with beer muscles I’m not a great climber and AC Bristol has some strong, quick riders. Surely I’d be able to at least keep up with Reg on his antique rust bucket? Not quite. As we got to the only proper climb, Tog Hill, the others slowly started to pull away from me, including Reg.

It had been christened Clash of the Titans on the YACF forum by Jamie Andrews. A challenge between two clubs. Audax Club Bristol would set off from Clifton Suspension Bridge and AC Hackney from Tower Bridge, we’d meet in Newbury at 100k for lunch. Riders would have the option of then turning back to ride a total of 200k or go all the way to their opposing teams starting point to make up 200k or ride the whole route there and back for 400k. There would be points awarded for the number of riders on each team, distances ridden, then the fun bit, points for riding fixed, points for beards, vintage and retro clothing and vintage bikes. Some riders got really carried away with these ideas. The winning team would receive a trophy. The idea for this was formulated the previous year when Paul, Luke and Neil of AC Bristol rode to Buckingham Palace on a DIY, a write up from Luke appeared in Arrivee. Our DIY man Tony Hull was keeping us informed ahead of the big day of how many riders from each team were entering. It looked like Bristol had the most riders, two of them Neil and Luke would be riding fixed. Only myself riding with a beard (or so I thought.) I had toyed with the idea of buying some big bushy fake beards from a fancy dress shop. Rumour had it that bearded female riders would get extra points. Although she’s a good sport, somehow I couldn’t see Irm Tischner agreeing to ride 400k with a fake beard stuck to her face. So on September 20th I met up with Jon Banks on the Bristol – Bath Sustrans path and we rode up to the Clifton suspension bridge to meet the other Bristol riders. It was a nice morning, a couple of riders were already there. All but two of our team had decided to ride the full 400k. Jason Webb, who we were borrowing from Chippenham Wheelers for the day, was meeting us in Chippenham and riding 300k. Daniel “Cudzo” Mahler would be riding with us to Newbury and back. Robyn Thomas had got the train from Cardiff to join us for the full 400. Andy Curran, AC Bristol’s top new signing was decked out in some great looking vintage threads and cap. Neil Veitch in Molteni orange and string back gloves. While waiting for the others to arrive I noticed a cyclist approaching. Something about him was familiar but not quite right. As he got closer the penny dropped and I burst out laughing as I recognised Pete Tredget (better known as Reg T) from under a mighty beard and riding what I can only describe as a heavy, three speed, sturmey archer geared, 1940’s pile of rust. It was truly fantastic!

They hadn’t got too far away, and as the road flattened out I put in a bit more effort and began to pull them back as they approached the A46 roundabout. Then my rear tyre deflated very quickly. I called out to Dave Johnston who was just ahead of me but he didn’t hear me and my team mates crossed the roundabout, over a slight rise and disappeared from view. I got the wheel off, inspected the tyre and removed a chunk of glass, replaced the tube, inflated it and then couldn’t for the life of me remove the pump from the valve. It was a new pump and I’d never used it before. I also really needed to pee. I’m at a busy roundabout trying not to pee myself with the pump stuck on the valve! Brilliant, how did this ride go so wrong so quickly? I struggled with it for some time (bike pump) until I yanked it so hard I half expected to tear off the valve but it disconnected without any damage. I got the next job out of the way and got a move on. A flat road, my favourite! All was good again. After a mile or so I saw a familiar cyclist approaching. Our esteemed DIY organiser Tony Hull on a search and rescue mission? “They’re waiting in a layby a couple of miles up the road Rob” he smiled. So off we went to catch them up. Tony then stayed with us for a while before turning off by the Chippenham bypass, he’d meet up with his fellow Chippenham Wheeler Club mates and ride with them to Merkins Farm Café just outside Bradford on Avon. I’m not sure if he’d planned to come and say hello or if it was just a happy coincidence. It was good to see him and we wished he’d joined us for the longer ride. We stopped in Chippenham to eat and to pick up our mate Jason Webb then up and off we went at a decent pace down the A4. Reg was doing really well, but not quite as well as our Bavarian Bullet, Irm Tischner who pulled him and most of us along to Newbury. AC Bristol arrived first at the Toby Carvery at Newbury, no sign of the Hackney riders. It later transpired they’d had problems earlier with pXXXtures and a wet start. In the pub we met up with Ian Negus who was stamping cards and sitting with Matt Chambers who’d cycled over for lunch. Gazing out of the window I saw a cyclist approaching wearing a very tall top hat, black suit and a huge beard. There was a ripple of laughter as AC Hackneys Ivan Cornell entered the pub dressed as Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the famed engineer who’d built the Clifton Suspension bridge. This was turning into the weirdest Audax I’ve been involved with (I’ve been involved with a few weird ones) but also a lot of fun. Soon the others arrived. The room was bulging at the seams with AC Hackney facial hair. One highly revered Hackney beard however was missing, Justin Jones was ill and couldn’t ride.

Reg is quite fast, so much so that rumour has it, it had only taken him two days to grow the beard. The bike had belonged to his Dad and was over seventy years old. Somebody joked that maybe we could just send Reg on his own and we’d still win the challenge. 14

Arrivée February 2015 No. 127

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Randonnées After lunch we parted company, wishing our Hackney friends luck and swapping our Daniel Mahler for their Tim Sollesse as they both had opted to ride to Newbury then return home to make it a 200k. It would give Tim the two points he needed to hit 100 points for the season. Tim was very handy when we got to London as far as navigation was concerned, we had a GPX route but Tim offered us a better option. It was still tricky and very slow going trying to stick together as a group during busy, early evening London traffic. Cutting through Hyde Park as the sun began to fade we reached Buckingham Palace and stopped to take photographs and plaster the gates with AC Bristol mudguard stickers. (We didn’t really, but there’s always next time!) We then carried on for more sightseeing, London looked great as darkness fell but was obviously very busy and again we struggled to stay together. Neil Veitch later confessed he’d have been happy to stop at an Italian restaurant for a good feed and a bottle of Chianti and get the train home. Neil has some truly brilliant ideas. It’s a pity he waited until 3.00am on the A4 to share that one with me.

doubt wondering what on earth we were doing cycling the A4 in the wee hours, as he got passed us, he gave us a few seconds of blue flashing lights, at first I thought he wanted to stop us, but then he drove off into the night. He was just saying hello. From Newbury the pace seemed to pick up and I found myself struggling. I chatted with Neil for a while and we briefly stopped to look at the sky, cloudless and full of stars. Reg was also beginning to tire, not surprising really. I slowed down with general fatigue and the others waited at Chippenham for me. We parted company with Jason who headed home to Melksham shortly followed by Rusty Reg, creaking back home to Keynsham. Some say that his bike is still lying in his front garden where he abandoned it that morning. Others say it’ll be going to Paris in Summer. Only Reg knows for sure and he’s keeping schtum. Back on the Bristol – Bath Sustrans path the route took us within a minute of my house, I did consider going home for a coffee but thought better of it. We got to the bottom of Park Street just as it was being closed to traffic due to the Bristol half marathon. We brushed off a loud, hi-viz clad jobs-worth and within a few minutes we were back at the suspension bridge taking more photo’s and talking about breakfast.

It had been a lot of fun, yet another way to enjoy Audax. Maybe a new inter Audax club format has been born? Bristol received the most points overall, Reg T was presented with the ashes sized trophy at the Nova Scotia Pub, the Arrivee of the Tasty Cheddar 100k. A well deserved souvenir.

AC Bristol at Tower Bridge

Thanks to Luke Joy Smith for putting it together, to our DIY organiser Tony Hull and everybody who took part. It was a blast, see you next time. Words by Rob Baird.

We got to Tower Bridge and spent a while taking pictures, texting and generally clogging up the pavement with bikes and getting in the way of everybody else. We parted company with Tim, congratulating him on his Randonneur 10,000 and began our return journey. It had taken ages to get into central London, leaving was a bit quicker with less traffic. We then encountered an insane looking pedal powered bar, with about six revellers pedalling away. We raced up to investigate and had a bit of a laugh with them. I ordered a pint but they refused to serve me. Jason filmed them as we rode along. We discussed the possibility of getting one for the Bryan Chapman or possibly a Lejog attempt. We then stopped at a MacDonald’s on the way out of London. I’m really not a fan but it’s tricky when there isn’t much about and you’ve got hungry cyclists in a hurry. We didn’t stay too long then set off back into the night, Jason being a chatty type stopping briefly in the car park to chat with some civilians. He filled them in with what we were doing, where to, how far etc. As he cycled away one of them shouted “Nice arse”. Which he seemed quite chuffed about. We were soon out of London, retracing our route westwards, passing Royal Ascot and stopping at a petrol station control at Virginia Water. Hot drinks and layers added we set off again and soon it was a quiet A4 bash homewards, stopping at another MacDonald’s in Newbury and incredibly getting there at the same time as the AC Hackney lads. Most of them had opted to ride 200k and get the train back, some staying in Bristol overnight. Newbury MacDonald’s was heaving with drunks but they barely gave us any attention, we commandeered a large space and littered it with our tired bodies. There must have been a general air of “don’t even go there!” about us. At some stage along the A4 we were slowly passed by a police car, no www.aukweb.net

Arrivée February 2015 No. 127

On Tour

Laid Back Around the World in 180 Days RICHARD EVANS has ridden a Super Randonneur series every year since he joined AUK in 2003… except last year, because he was too busy riding his bike. This article will not follow the traditional format of an article for Arrivée magazine, ie an hour-by-hour / day-by-day account of a long bike ride. That would be rather selfish, because it would fill up the entire magazine. And it’s not even about an Audax ride. So think of it as an abridged version of the laid back book to follow. Beware where loose pub talk can lead! In 1999 three fellow London Cycling Campaigners (Patrick Field, Mike Bridgeland and Charlie Lloyd) returned from Paris recounting epic tales from a long bike ride – they had just completed the legendary 1,200km Paris-Brest-Paris (PBP), the blue riband event of long-distance cycling with a history dating back to 1891, some 12 years older than the Tour de France. After listening to them for an hour in the pub, where all the best resolutions are made, I knew I had to do the next one. So I joined Audax UK in 2003 to do the qualifying rides and PBP in August that year on a Kingcycle recumbent. A decade of randonneuring followed, including two further PBPs and three LELs (London-Edinburgh-London). And a 4,000km ride around the Baltic in 2013 on my new Bacchetta recumbent. Then I felt ready to tackle the world. On 5th April 2014 I set off from Bikefix, the London-based purveyors of my new funny bike, to ride around the world. 20 riders headed out with me and 13 made it to Harwich for dinner in the Samuel Pepys pub where more friends and family joined for a

Kazakhstan desert

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Highway 3 on the climb up to the Allison Pass, Canadian Rockies, British Columbia

final pint and hurrah. Just one rider, Dave Bradshaw, also of this parish, joined me on the night ferry to Holland, probably the safest country in the world to ride a bike but sadly only 200km wide, so we were across and into Germany by the evening of 6th April. Dave bagged a DIY 200 for that day. Country borders came every few days after that as I crossed Poland (Dave turned back for home in Warsaw on 12th April), Belarus and Russia on some of the world’s most dangerous roads, sharing treacherously potholed highways with juggernauts speeding past my left shoulder leaving mere inches to spare. Three weeks and 4,000km after leaving London I arrived, surprisingly and gratefully intact, in Kazakhstan where I crossed into Asia at Uralsk. It took a further three weeks to ride 2,500km across Kazakhstan, the 8th biggest country in the world. Fierce headwinds and some appalling road surfaces pegged my average speed back to just 120km/day. These were hard days. I was frequently blown off the road by high winds on roads varying erratically from brand new international class highway to heavily rutted stony or dusty tracks where all evidence of any previous surface had long disappeared. Including

stops at cafes and shops, and an essential midday break from the fierce dry desert heat (often in a culvert under the road – shade was scarce), I was riding from dawn at 06:00 to well after sunset, usually stopping around 22:30, utterly exhausted. Average speeds ranged just 12-15km/h, and below 10km/h when road or wind conditions were at their worst.10km/h. I finally reached Almaty in eastern Kazakhstan on 15th May, where, having failed to secure a Chinese visa, I took a flight over the Himalayas down to Bangkok. After seven weeks on the road, and 7,000km under my wheels, I had lost 7kg. Perhaps I could sell this as a new weight loss technique when I get home? With 19 weeks still to go I was hoping that my weight would soon stabilise, or there would be very little left of me. The 2,000km ride from Bangkok down to Singapore was utterly different and much easier going. Road surfaces were excellent throughout Thailand and Malaysia. Winds were light to moderate, sometimes even going my way! It was hot and humid of course but easy to find shelter and rest for a few hours at noon. Daily monsoonal downpours were brief, warm and refreshing. Beer and dumplings helped me cope with my weight problem. I arrived in Singapore on 8th June and flew to Perth in Western Australia two days later. 8,500km. Suddenly it was midwinter! Only ten hours of daylight per day meant riding a few hours in the dark every day to make the target 200km. It was wonderful to have the company of my brother Jonathan, resident of Perth, who rode four days with me using the PerthAlbany-Perth Audax route heading southeast towards the outback. Cold nights, sunny days and crazy distances on the signposts with up to 200km between roadhouses. In a Ceduna bar a woman studied my face and pronounced correctly that I had just crossed the Nullarbor desert. How did she know? “Just do” she said, “you’ve got that look”. I guess it was the facial grime or stubble or bloodshot eyes or maybe the stench... www.aukweb.net

On Tour probably all of the above. I arrived in Melbourne on 5th July, 12,000km, and flew to Wellington NZ where I met up with brother Philip and bagged my first antipodal point – a true circumnavigation takes in two such points, bang opposite each other on the globe. With one or two exceptions London to Melbourne had been mostly flat. In NZ there is not a mile of flat road, and on 15th July Philip and I rode the hilliest highway of them all from Napier to Taupo with some 2,235m of climbing. We finished that day in the hot pools where we met Kevin Carr who is running round the world at 50km/day (ie more than a marathon!). His blog is called hardwayround. I considered renaming mine easywayround. Arrived at Philip’s house in Auckland 18th July. 13,300km. On 21st July I flew from Auckland to San Francisco then took the spectacularly scenic coastal highway 101 crossing California, Oregon and Washington. Riding around 160 hilly km/day used a lot of calories; this is my food diary for 25th July: 05:30 2 bowls muesli with pint milk banana and peach at roadside campsite under freeway bridge 08:30 huevos rancheros and coffee in café at Rio Dell 12:00 bread cheese ham tomatoes couscous salad banana outside supermarket in Eureka 14:00 banana bread and coffee in Arcata at fast food place (reliable for clean toilets and free wifi) 19:00 mug of chilli con carne and half loaf wholemeal with pint chocolate milk at general store in Orica In between above sundry snacks as I ride include trail mix nuts and raisins, dry and fresh fruit, chocolate and muesli bars, 1kg of bananas… I’m not sure how many calories this all added up to but my trousers were still loose! Shopping in a supermarket for milk and bread in Astoria, I stumbled across the gun counter, just next to dairy produce…only in America!! Adria showed me some guns, but she didn’t know much about them as she usually works on fruit and veg. But she did know that that Oregon is much better for buying guns, because background checks are much faster – just a day or two – than say California where they can take up to a week. She seemed to intimate that this is deeply unconstitutional.

met trucker Dave driving uranium ore to the processing plant. He said it’s not safe enough by train! He advised me not to worry about bear or wolf...it’s moose to beware of – weighing up to 2000lbs and with tiny brain they ram trains and trucks. That night I found a safe wild camp between the highway and the railway with a ladder up a signal gantry for my bear/wolf/moose escape route! In Ontario I spent a further week riding beside three of the Great Lakes followed by re-entry into USA at Niagara, across to Albany and down the Hudson valley into New York City on 8th September. 20,500km. From there I flew to Lisbon in Portugal and rode back to London via Valladolid in Spain, my second antipodal point. My third (and final) brother Antony joined me at Issoudun in France for the final four glorious days back to London where we were welcomed back at 5pm on 1st October by an enthusiastic crowd of family, colleagues and well-wishers at Bikefix in Lambs Conduit Street. 22,777km. The vast majority of people I met were kind, polite, inquisitive and helpful. Countless acts of spontaneous generosity by complete strangers, most frequently in Kazakhstan, included paid hotel and restaurant bills, cash, shared meals and accommodation… Several times I was warned to be wary of the people in the next town/province/country where people were aggressive savages! Upon arrival however I was always met by benevolent locals interested in where I was from, where I was going and my age (52). The only aggression I faced was on the roads: a sizeable minority of people turn into savage morons as soon as they get behind the wheel or onto a motorbike. Road danger was by far the greatest threat to my safety, and much worse in some countries than others. Best Netherlands; worst Russia. The bike, a Bacchetta Giro with Rohloff hub gears, proved ultra reliable. Only four punctures (Schwalbe Marathon Plus)! It was a heavy brute to haul around at 15kg + same again with Ortlieb panniers, seat bag and bed roll (bivvy bag, sleeping bag and thermarest) + 6kg of water, so climbing and acceleration were accomplished at a rather stately pace. Average cruising speeds in favourable conditions were around 20km/h.

Eucla Pass, Nullarbor desert My body was as reliable as the bike. No illness whatever, not even a headache or a dodgy tummy. So what’s next? PBP 2015, inevitably. Learn to swim properly and do an Ironman. Write the laid back book. Pipe and slippers. Who knows? The one thing I did not plan for before I set off was how to cope with being back and what to do next. The liberty was totally intoxicating. Sitting still behind a desk is proving harder than I ever imagined. I will survive and beer will help. So will watching Steve “Teethgrinder” Abraham on his epic quest next year to chase after the Tommy Godwin record (75,065 miles or 120,805 kilometres). He will have to ride over twice as far as I did every day for a year to achieve that. Good luck Steve! More photos and information can be found on the blog http://www.laidbackaroundtheworld. blogspot.co.uk/ The charity donations page is still open for RoadPeace https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/ laidbackrich The laid back book will be available in 2015, I hope! All proceeds will go to RoadPeace. Follow @laid_back_rich on twitter for progress and updates.

Highway 3 and Similkameen River on the descent from the Allison Pass

On 1st August I took the ferry from Port Angeles over to Victoria BC on Vancouver Island, Canada. 15,000km. At Horseshoe Bay in the Vancouver suburbs I met up with Bruce Gordon, also riding a Bacchetta funny bike. He has pedigree: a 153-day circumnavigation in 2011. He joined me for a fast day’s ride up to Hope on Highway 3 at the foot of the Rockies. A week of 5-hour climbs and 2-hour descents later (the wonder of which inspired me to poetry – see the August blog!) I emerged onto the vast prairie flatlands of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba where I www.aukweb.net

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Randonnées

New Randonneurs We welcome 437 members to the ranks of AUK Randonneurs. They have ridden 200 km or over for the first time in the 20013/14 season. (NB this list is generated automatically from our records so may be incorrect if you have changed your name, or if you have returned to riding after a break of 8 years or more) Steve ALBON Margaret ALDIS Stuart ALLAN Ian ALLCOCK Richard ALLCOCK Noel ANDERSON Michael ANSTICE Anthony ANTIPPAS Simon ASHBY Roy ASHMAN Giorgis-nikos ASPIOTIS Samuel ATKINS Philip BAILEY Gareth BAINES Mark BAKER Rob BAKER Jon BANKS Mark BARFIELD Matthew BARNES Linda BARRETT Mark BARRETT Neil BECKINGHAM Michael BENHAM Michael BENNETT Paul BERNARD Matthew BERRY Jeremy BESWICK Peter BEUKELMAN Peter BEZANT Chris BLACKMORE Stuart BLOFELD Leon BOARDMAN Jenny BONHAM Andrew BORI Yannis BOUTLAS Ken BOWMAN Thomas BRABBIN Dave BRACEY Erica BRADBURY James BRADBURY Ian BRADLEY Daren BRETT John BREW Neil BROMWICH Garry BROOKE Martin BROOKS Rob BROOKS Michael BROUGH Bernard BROWN Simon Joseph BROWNE Phil BROXTON Stuart BRUCE 18

Ludwig BRUNAGEL Nik BRUNNER Mark BRYAN Craster BRYCE Guy BUCKLAND Matthew BURROWS Paul BYRNE Andrew CADWALLADER Andrew CALDWELL Jack CAMPLIN Nicholas CANHAM Patrick CARR Stephen CARSON Ian CAUNT Tim CHAPMAN Alan CHARLESWORTH David CHARLESWORTH Glen CHARMAN Mark CHATBURN Alan CHELL Lisa CHICHESTER Conrad CHUA Kate CHURCHILL Martian CIOANA Leonard CLARK Daniel CLARKE David CLARKE Alan Hugh CLAYTON Shaun COLLIER Simon COPPING Lee CORBETT Barry CORRINGHAM Paul COSFORD Andrew COWPER Stephen COXALL Charles CRADDOCK Adam CROOK Steve CROWHURST Nathan CUMMINS Padraic CUNNIFFE Corrie CUTHBERTSON Patrick DALEY Michael DALY Bill DARK Martin DAVEY Eliot DAVIES Gary DAVIES Matthew DAVIES Mark DEMPSTER Robert DIXON Joseph DOBSON Ian DONOHOE

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Martin DOSSETT Adrian DOWNIE Philip DUNK Owen DUNN Matthew DUXBURY Terry DWYER Matthew EARDLEY Jon EAVES Nigel EDGE Andrew EDWARDS Gary EDWARDS Carlos EGRY Mark EIDEM Dominic ESTALL Christopher EVANS Justin EVANS Paul EVANS Sheelagh EVANS Wesley EVANS Stuart FAHEY Lewis FARNAN-JONES Robert FARROW Paul FAY Caroline FEARON Dave FEARON Edmund FITZPATRICK Jo FLINT James FOSBERY William FOWLER John FOWLIE Daniel FOX Nicholas FRANK Paul FROST Nathan GALLON Darren GAREY Cathy GELBIN Rob GIBSON Stuart GILMOUR Annie GLOVER David GODDING Brian GOLDSMITH Simon GOOCH Eddie GOODWIN Rahal GOONEWARDENE Jo GORDON Peter GOSLING Stephen GRAHAM Angela GREEN Neil GREEN Christine GREGORY David GREGORY Paul GREGORY

Scott GREGORY Steven GRIFFITHS Malcolm GUY Oliver HABIBI John HAILE Peter HAILWOOD Terry HAILWOOD Mike HALL Patrick HALL Garth HALLIN Sarah HAMILL Simon HARGRAVE Richard HARRIES Tim HARRISON Tim HARTSHORNE Michael HARVEY Peter HASELER Ben HASKINS Miles HASLAM Ben HAVELL Gareth HAWKSWORTH Philip HAY Andy HAYNES Neil HENN Les HEREWARD Paul HERRON Zoe HIBBARD Bruce HILL Nigel HINZE Edric HOBBS John HOBSON Gary HOCKING Lukas HODGSON Brian HOGAN Dave HOLLIN Paul HOLMES Edward HOLT Kyle HOONDERT Joe HOWIE Ian HULL Adam HUTCHINSON Dmitry ILCHENKO John IRWIN Laurence JACKSON Paul JACKSON Nia JAMES Telbert JAMES Peter JENKINS Richard JEWELL Phil JOHNSON Mark JONES Robert JONES

William JONES Kenn JORDAN Julian JOSEPH Dylan KARGER Carl KEEN Sarah KEKUS Patrick KING Christopher KIRBY Andrew KIRSFELDS Christopher KIRTLEY Simon KIRWAN Tim J KNIGHTS Fraser KYNASTON Andy LAFLIN Ben LAFLIN Kevin LAKE David LANE Tony LANSLEY Antony LAST Jenny LATHAM Nigel LAWS Allan LAWSON Steven LAYCOCK Graham LEATHER Rob LEE Trevor LILL Colin LINDLEY Ralph LOEWEN Kian LOOSE Eirlys LOUGHER Stuart LOW Piers LOWE Yvonne LOYNES Diana MACGREGOR Geoff MADDOCK Paul MADDOX Idai MAKAYA Paul MANSON Richard MARSAY Patricia MARSH Damon MASON Russ MASON Duncan MAY_ Greg MAY_ Kevin MAY_ Jan. MCCABE Angus MCKENDRICK Richard MCLELLAND Peta MCSHARRY Jim MEARNS Paul MELLON Richard MERRILL www.aukweb.net

Randonnées Michael METCALFE David MICHAEL Joel MIDDLETON Steven MIDGLEY Claire MILLS John MITCHELL William MOMMERSTEEG Christian MONTEZ Tomas MOROCHOVIC Dave MORRISON Tony MOUNTAIN James MOVERLEY Neil NASH-WILLIAMS Robin NAYLOR Craig NICHOLSON Thomas NICOLS Karl NIELSEN Holly NORRIS Dean NOTLEY Sean NUTTALL Sean O HIARNAIN Sandra O’CONNOR Dov O’NEIL James O’NEILL Peter O’SHEA Stephen OGDEN Steve ORCHARD Brad OWEN Joanne PAGE Andrew PALMER Lindsay PARKER Matthew PARR-BURMAN Mark PASHLEY Achim PATZNER Kelvin PAWSEY Gavin PEACOCK Julian PEARSE Marco PECCATORI Jack PETERSON John PHILLIPS Tim PICKERSGILL Mathew PITHIE Daniel PLANT Antony POLLARD Alexander PORTER Andrew PORTER Martin POTTER Wendy POTTS Nathan POULTON Shane POWELL Anthony POWIS David PRATT Peter PRESTON Alexander PRINCE Graeme PROVAN Michael QUINN Tom QUINN Chris RADCLIFFE Mark RAFFERTY www.aukweb.net

Dennis RAHILLY Arnie READ Robert READ Jonathan REED Nigel REES Amanda REEVE David RICH Cherry RICHARDS Simon RICHARDS Graeme RICHARDSON Joss RIDGLEY Stephen RIGLAR Christopher RIVERS Greg ROBERTSON Stuart ROBERTSON Kerry ROCHESTER Tom RODGERS Oscar RODRIGUEZ Colin ROLLAND Ken ROLLAND Steve ROSEWARNE Tom ROSEWARNE Dan ROUGH Pete ROWBOTHAM Andrew RUBAN David RYAN Ben RYLE Paul SALMONS Les SAUNBY Marcus SAUNDERS Penelope SCHENKEL Stephen SCOTT Aaron SEDLACEK Stephen SELWOOD David SHANNON James SHAW Martyn SHINER Liam SIMINGTON Gavin SIMMONS Alexander SIMPSON Ian SLACK Paul SMEDLEY Adrian SMITH Bill SMITH Derek SMITH Lan-lan SMITH Philip SMITH Steven SMITH Debbie SOUTHWOOD Taunton SOUTHWOOD Dylan SPENCER Eric SPENCER Ray STAGG Daniel STALEY Phil STEAD Andrew STEEL Olaf STORBECK David STOTT Howard STREDWICK

John STUTTLE James SUMMERS David SWALES James SWALES Maciej SZARECKI Nigel TAMPLIN James TAYLOR Lee TAYLOR Lisa TAYLOR Mark THOMAS Maria THOMPSON Simon TILL Simon TIPPETT Richard TOFTS Torcuill TORRANCE Stephen TREVISS Mark TRUMPER Tania TUCKER Ian TURNER Susan TWEDDELL William VAUDREY Gerard VEGLIO Paul VICKERS John VIDLER Ben VIVIAN Steve WADEY Tim WALKER Adam WALLACE Matthew WALTERS Stuart WARD Jonathan WARING Adam WATKINS Peter WATTS Christopher WAYMAN Peter WEBB Carole WELCH Miranda WELLER Ricky WELLS Angus WELSH Chris WESTON Mark WHITE Orlando WHITFIELD Martin WILCOCK Stephen WILLETTS Tecwyn WILLIAMS Adam WILSON Doug WILSON Steve WINDASS Carlos WONG-FUPUY David WOOD Peter WOOD Ian WOODLEY Ella WREDENFORS Harry WRIGHT James WYATT Phil WYETH Gareth YANULEVITCH Peter YARRANTON Greg ZAP

New Super Randonneurs We welcome 86 riders to the ranks of AUK SRs. They rode a 200, 300, 400 and 600 km in 2014

ALLISON Kenny

O’LEARY Allen

ALTY Nephi

PAGE Joanne

ARVIDSSON Ulfson

PICKERSGILL Tim

BAINES Gareth

PROCTOR Stuart

BAKER Mark

RADCLIFFE Chris

BANKS Jon

REED Jonathan

BLAIR James

BRADBURY James

RIGLAR Stephen

BROWN Bernard

ROBERT Iain

BROWNE Michael

ROGAN Peter

BRUNNER Nik

ROSBOTTOM John

BRYAN Mark

RUTTER Mark

CALLADINE Nigel

SABINE John

CAMPLIN Jack

SAMMONS Kevin

CHURCHILL Kate

SAWYER David

DARK Bill

SAYER Jackie

DAVIES Eliot

SCALLY Ian

DAVIES Ivor

SCOTT Stephen

FARNAN-JONES Lewis

SHEEHAN Keith

GAHAGAN Grant

SHORT Tracy

GILBERT Ian

SIMMONS Gavin

GREENWAY Jonathan

SMITH Steven

GREGORY David

SPENCER Dylan

HAGGER Mark

STALEY Daniel

HODGE Chris

STOVELL Andy

HOLDER Ben

TALBOT Kevin

HOWIE Joe

THEELKE Peter

ILCHENKO Dmitry

TILL Simon

IRELAND Richard

TISCHNER Irmgard

JAMES Mark

TOFTS Richard

JOHNSON Paul

TOWNLEY Sean

JORD Joe

TWEDDELL Susan

KEEN Carl

TWEDDELL William

KING Simon

WALTON Peter

KING Yvonne

WATKINS Adam

LAWS Nigel

WATTS Christopher

MACGREGOR Duncan

WEBB Peter

MANASSEH Paul

WHALLEY Steve

MCCLELLAND Glen

WHITE Will

MERRINGTON Graham

WILLIAMS Luke

METCALFE Michael

WILSON Adam

MILTON Neil

WINDSOR Luke

MORRIS Liam

WOOD Iain

MORRISON Dave

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Mileater 2013 Mileater Diaries and Mick Latimer Trophy Here is the summary of the Mileater diaries for 2013. Diaries are always history, at least in terms of the thoughts of their authors, so hopefully nothing lost in the time to print! For the third year running Peter Baker was the entrant with the highest recorded mileage of 22,384 miles and so wins the Mick Latimer trophy for 2013 followed by Judith Swallow with 17,241 miles (the opposite sex winner). Four more riders recorded over 10,000 miles in 2013. The average number of miles recorded was 6,803 miles, a slight increase on 2012. Diaries take many forms; from spreadsheets compiled from software (or DIY) of ‘minimalist’ records of dates and distances to fully documented records of the year – including photographs! Of course, even the minimalist diaries are unique individual records of the year, however, it’s always a treat to open a diary with cartoons, anecdotes or photographs because they’re so much more interesting – it’s also a privilege to share the Mileater’s recollections, many thanks! My diary, which I have been completing for well over 20 years, is actually quite boring; the date, a short description of the route (more often than not ‘commute’), the bike ridden and the distance. For the last couple of years I’ve also added some ‘cartoon’ identifiers of the weather that I saw used by one of the diarists (MJW) which I really liked! If I ever make a comment it’s usually about the horrible weather, some diabolical driving, falling off or some wildlife (like the two munjack deer seen on an early start on a DIY). In these days of Strava, Garmins and other computerised systems to record performance are these acceptable forms of entry to the Mileater? Of course I would be disappointed if all the entrants only produced a list of dates and distances, that’s not to say that such entries are unacceptable, on the contrary, some Mileater entrants do just that! I think the ‘rules’ should be clear though: 20

1. The record that is submitted to me has to be in a hard copy form, and preferably signed by the entrant as a record of their year. 2. The fee of £4 (diary only) or £14 (diary and medal) still applies. Of course you don’t have to have the diary we produce for the purpose and that saves AUK some money (the balance of any money left from the entry fees after the costs of diaries, medals and postage are taken out is income for AUK). The rest; the cartoons, the anecdotes, the photographs and the personal insights and recollections are entirely optional but I’m sure they would bring back the memories in the future in a way that a date and distance would not. Here is a selection of the diarists’ comments from 2013: I just want to ride my bike (?): ‘No cycling this week spent it eating instead.’ MJW January ‘Corker Perm. Phew am I pleased Christmas and New Year is over and I’m back out on my bike.’ LR January ‘… Ignored ‘road closed’ sign after heavy rain but was forced back 2k later by flooding under a bridge.’ ARi February ‘OMG I actually went out in the rain (and got wet) my we are in desperate times.’ RC February ‘After a night of too much beer and telling tales, my idea of another 100k to Maysville [? USA] became a DNS.’ SK April ‘… with detour to miss Meadowhead Farm (murder scene, Police cars at roads end, also film crew).‘ CH August ‘Auldhouse CCT again. Hedge cutting forced a stop and an about turn – even walked back 200yds and took a detour.’ CH August In pursuit of targets: ‘DIY Audax 100 Round the island with extra climbing to make sure of the AAA points.’ HS January ‘Worthing Winter Warmer. Very Cold with rain and sleet all the way round and snow riding up Blackdown. Walked down Quell Lane and up a couple of short bits …’ SC February ‘Big Wild Ride in Alaska. It was big, it was wild, it had a lot of

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road construction. Great weather some headwind.’ SK August The wonders of nature: ‘Training ride with extra beer, crumpet and an Essex blond! Barn Owl, kestrels, sparrow hawk and first slug in the bike shed’ TD February ‘Heard male and female Tawny owls on the way home’ EJW February ‘Raced a deer on the way home, the deer won.’ SC March ‘… Family of badgers crossing road at Hunningham – hard to believe the luck I’m having this year.’ EJW May ‘Great ride through green wooded hills, excellent scenery & very quiet roads to camp near Morlaix, Pine Marten running along hedge bottom.’ HS June ‘… also saw one stoat, a deer and heard my first cuckoo of the year’ SC early June ‘Brandish and Wilby – a lovely autumn ride .. got stung on the roof of my mouth by a bee – moral of story – keep trap shut when cycling!’ MC September The joys of ‘kit’: ‘Fine weather at last. A first try with my new trailer organised to transport the dog.’ PW January ‘One other ‘fixer’ riding and had a chat about gear ratios, chains and sprockets (v. v. sad)’ SC February ‘Still working on the ‘double bed’ (Greenspeed tandem trike repugnant). Locals challenged, eventually, my claim that my stoker, Dee, sometimes pedalled so well that she overtook me.’ NS July ‘Passed by a vintage Bentley on way home (ten yards of green bonnet with small union flag).’ EJW July ‘Rain pm brake pads evaporated!! Very exciting commute home.’ CL September ‘Came out of Tesco on Saturday to find my Thorne Sherpa had an engineer admiring it.’ AR December Many thanks to all of the diary writers who have written such entertaining diaries, without whom this article would be impossible. It’s always a pleasure to read the anecdotes and recollections in the diaries I’m sent. Please

accept my apologies for any misquotations or embarrassments, I have tried to maintain accurate copies of quotations but errors may have crept in, all of which are entirely my responsibility! Of course, if there’s anything in a diary that a contributor wishes to keep ‘private’ I will respect that desire and not publish in an article. Thanks especially to those I have quoted: AR – Alan Roadley, ARi – Andy Ringrose, CH - Colin Horn, EJW Ed Woodward, HS – Hilary Searle, LR – Louise Rigby, MC - Michael Cant, MJW – Mary Jane Watson, NS – Noel Simpson, PW – Petula Watson, RC - Robbie Calder, SC Steve Cockram, SK – Spencer Klassen and TD – Tom Deakins All 2013 entrants should now have their medals, please contact me if you have not received yours. Entering the Mileater The standard entry to the Mileater competition costs £4 per year and includes the normal diary. The engraved medal costs a further £10; a black and white impression of the multi-coloured medal can be found in the handbook. Entrants can choose to purchase a medal at the time of entry or at a later date if they wish. The Mileater competition and diary run from January 1st to December 31st each year, diaries must be returned by April 30th of the following year to count in the competition for the Mick Latimer trophy (although a medal will be produced whenever the diary is returned). If you would like to enter then send a cheque for £4 (or £14 if you wish to also receive the engraved medal) payable to Audax UK and an SAE (Large letter, over 100g postage please) to the organiser: Rob Hidderley, Woodfield House, 417a Stourbridge Road, Catshill, Bromsgrove B61 9LG. Rob Hidderley www.aukweb.net

Populaires

A Mallorcan DIY by GPS

A few days before flying out to Mallorca I contacted my local DIY organiser asking him to verify a DIY x GPS ride on the island, so after a few emails all was sorted. Seven of us landed on the Iberian island last March & during our transfer from the airport to our villa in the village of Campanet we spotted snow on the top of the Tramuntana ranges. So after a night of banter & pre ride fuelling in a local bar we embarked on a 100km ride up into the hills to the north of the island. A flat start took us to through the quiet village of Caimari before the wooded climb up the Col Sa Batalla, shortly after we came to the junction which if you turn right takes you to Sa Calobra, however we were saving that for another day. Instead we stayed on the Ma-10 slowly climbing towards Puig Major, it was great up here riding alongside the lake under warm blue skies with snow topped ridges. After the descent into Soller we had lunch in the bustling town square, and enjoyed pizza, paella, coke and coffee in the midday sun. The respite was short lived and a very fast pace took us out of Soller. I was soon in the red and off the back of the group. Avoiding the tunnel, we climbed over the top zig-zaging, more switchbacks than I can remember. We rejoined the main road at Alfabia before the very fast descent to Bunyola. The ascent started again up to the lesser known climb of Col de Hono, a tough little climb with a poor road surface in places ( I managed to stick a ‘Audax Club Bristol’ mudguard sticker on the Col sign). A well earned cafe stop in the village of Orient, where some of the local Almond cake replenished our bodies, before the fairly flat ride back to Campanet. A dip in the cool pool at the villa eased our aching muscles, then a visit to the local bar for some refreshments and some of the cyclist sized meals on offer. 104 kms for the day with 2750 metres of climbing, a great days cycling and we are planning to ride the route again in 2015, possibly in reverse! Ian Sparrow

Peter Gifford Holder of the PBP tandem trike recumbent championship and former AUK trike champion, Pete is seen here leaving the home of Dee and Noel Simpson in S.W. France. He travelled by the European Bike Express in September 2014 to Toulouse where he was met by his stoker, this time on 2 wheels and they cycled the 100 km home along the Canal du Midi. Sadly missing from the picture is the late John Radford - photo: Noel Simpson

Dave Hudson Dave finally gets to enjoy tea after serving so many on his audax events. The occasion was a memorial tea at Ditchling organised by Mac McHardy for his brother Bob who died on a crash on his own on a cyclepath on his way home after helping at one of Dave’s events photo: Mike Stoaling www.aukweb.net

Arrivée February 2015 No. 127

Populaires

Falling Leaves - October 2014 with Tim Harrison Typically I like to cycle on relatively flat roads and when it comes to entering Audax events I always elect to search using the filter “Exclude AAA”. But this year I have completed, for the first time, 200k and now smugly refer to myself as a Randonneur. I figured it was time again for a challenge and to see if I was capable of some decent climbing. A local event cropped up - the Winchcombe Cycling Club’s, Falling Leaves 100k, “A tough but scenic event showing the Cotswolds in their Autumn colours. Be prepared for some steep hills”. This promised 1750 metres of climbing and the possibility of earning the bronze level Grimpeur badge. As an avid badge collector this proved a temptation too far and my entry fee was duly sent off. In the meantime my daughter Sophie, who lives in London, advised she was planning to visit the weekend of the Audax and would I like to go out for a spin with her. It is fair to say she is not a seasoned cyclist having only bought a cheap mail order bike a few months ago and her cycling so far being restricted to two trips to work (about 15 miles) a couple of leisure rides and a few journeys along the Thames near Battersea. As a Randonneur I carefully explained what I had in the diary and how it wouldn’t be suitable for her, I may even have snorted a few times to enforce the point that this wasn’t an event for her. However, as ever my advice was unheeded and she let me know that she had entered and was looking forward to it. My generosity knows no bounds so when the cycling kit hit Aldi the week before the ride I treated her to a winter cycling jacket – I figured it would keep her warm once I had abandoned her a few miles in as she waited for a lift back having realised that Audax events are only for the truly hard! The weekend arrived, my daughter arrived and after the driest September even the rain arrived. I provided ample opportunities for her to pull out with dignity but she seemed not to notice. It looked like she would start so my wife kindly volunteered to be on duty to collect her when she got too tired. Ready for the off

Author and daughter before the unknown knew once we had set off there was no way we were not going to complete the course – whether we did it in the allotted time might be another matter. We connected with a small group of riders including “The Captain” who seemed to know where the route went so was a great help in relaxing our navigational efforts. We passed several riders fixing punctures and managed to keep upright on some very tricky/ scary descents. At the first control we had 30 minutes to spare and were still in company so felt quite good about our pace. The route was exceptionally well planned and remarkably quiet, sometimes we rode for miles without seeing another vehicle, which made it very pleasant indeed. On the outskirts of Bibury which is around the mid way point “The Captain” announced that he would be powering on through but that this was probably the best place to stop for a break so we parted company and made for the Bibury Trout Farm cafe. This stop cost us a lot of time as there was a giant queue of visiting tourists and entry to the toilet was by ticket, which you only received once you had bought something and involved more queuing. We were the last cyclists to leave the cafe and now had to navigate by ourselves. After a slightly shaky start when I thought we had gone wrong and had to be rapidly educated in the art of Google maps we made the next checkpoint with 40 minutes in hand. The remainder of the ride was more of the same, plenty of hills, quiet roads and beautiful scenery, in fact showing the Cotswolds in their autumn colours just as promised. The only hot spot being Bourton on the water which seemed to have a motorcycle chopper trike convention happening and a duck race on the river. We considered stopping for another break but decided to tough it out and head for home. After nearly 6 hours cycling including around an hour of heavy braking – it did seem that every hill descent was covered in gravel, blind bends and stop signs at the bottom so that most of the energy we used getting up was changed into heat on our brakes and wheels on the way down – we made it back to the arrivee with one hour to spare.

The big day dawned and fuelled with porridge oats we set out on our adventure with a decent sized group. We jostled our way to the front – I like to do this as I know it’s the only time I’m ever going to be there - the church bells rang out and we were off. The first hill is within a mile of the start, it’s steep and it’s long. As usual I was quickly overhauled by nearly everyone and Sophie became a distant speck some way back. I waited at the top and then we began our father/daughter bonding slog. I should reveal at this point that I do have admiration for my daughter’s determination and I 22

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A friendly welcome, especially as the organisers (Sarah Davies and Brian Hayward, another father/daughter combination) could now start to pack up as we were two of the final finishers. A hot cup of tea, some chat with other laggards made it all seem worthwhile. I was thrilled to have completed a AAA event, Sophie was delighted to bank a 100k ride and a bronze Grimpeur medal and as for the company, well I brought my own so it was perfect. The great thing about Audax is the almost never ending series of challenges that lie ahead and based on this event I will certainly have some very stiff family competition to contend with in the future. www.aukweb.net

Populaires

Family have a Taste of Cheddar with Steve Potts The Tasty Cheddar on 4th October 2014 was to be a new mile stone for myself. This was to be the first outing for 3 generations from my family to take part on a Audax event. Riding with me were my sons Tyron & Hadyn, my daughter Eve & 14 yr old grandson Kofi.

The sun had come out to play by the time we dismounted at the next control, Fortes Ice-cream parlour in Cheddar. The five of us checked in together then, finding a table inside, we ordered a round of milkshakes and chose from the menu. Kofi opted for burger & chips, not a normal diet for most cyclists! But if that was what was needed for my Grandson to tackle the Gorge, then so be it.

Arriving in Bristol at 09.00, the same as the start-time, was not the best of departures. To pull back some lost minutes, I sent a text message to Tyron who was waiting at Create Centre for the rest of the family group, to check us all in and collect our Brevet cards.

On leaving the control after our refuelling, Eve, Kofi & myself turn left Tyron & Hadyn turn right . (Puzzled faces from the AUK control table). Moments later the two boys come back up the hill. Comments from AUK table, ‘You are going the right way now’.

It was a wet start to this ride so we decided to use the road alternative rather than the Pill Path cycle route, which gets very muddy at times. Both alternatives merge together on Sheepway. This year’s event had us heading out to a new control point at the Lakeside cafe in Portishead. We turned off of Sheepway onto a mass of cycle paths. Uncertain of correct path, my 2005 dated OS Map did not show the instructed route and my sons Garmin were not happy with it also. So we decided to follow the leading group of cyclists. Before long the group split! Who do we follow? A large group with Reading CC badges on their saddlebags or a lone rider wearing a Wellington Wheelers top. I choose the Wellington Wheeler as I recognised Martin from previous West country Audaxing and knew he would be on this event.

Reason for my sons to return to the foot of the Gorge, was to set their Garmins to record the time it takes them to climb from the bottom to the top and then compare findings against similar minded cyclists. About three-quarters route distance, we hit the steepest hill climb on this event, which leads into Hinton Blewett. This hill had me walking whilst pushing my trusted steed, C. Butler. Thinking to oneself, if only I had young legs. Whilst Claud is thinking, is Steve now going to exchange me for a new Titanium model?

After the climb, we proceed to the next control at Ring ‘o’ Bells. Time for a quick drink and a team photo call. Thanks Jane (Bristol CTC) for snapping us...

The climb out of Portishead gave us spectacular views over the Bristol Channel. We made our way to the Clevedon sea front, passing the grand Victorian pier on our right, which is directly opposite the previous year’s control, Scarlets Cafe (keep meaning to take my Granddaughter to her namesake establishment). Soon after passing through Winscombe we joined the old Strawberry Rail Line, where steam trains used to haul the local picked strawberries to all parts of the country. Nowadays it’s a popular walking/cycle route. You could just imagine the old steam trains rolling along this line, especially when you went through the tunnel where your lights were required. We left the Strawberry Line, heading towards Axbridge. Cycling downhill before the centre of this market town, a women steps out in front of me and tells me to slow down as people are in the road. (The only person who was in the road was that woman who stepped off the pavement into the road!). We then travel on minor country lanes for the next 15km. Turning many times, mostly with no sign posts. (Needed to observe the route carefully during this section). After passing through Dundry we had to turn right onto the busy A38. It was difficult to find a gap amongst the volume of fast moving traffic. We took the safe option of riding on the pathway which ran alongside the road. Once we found it safe to cross the carriageway we then proceeded along the A38 for a while before following the lanes to Long Ashton. Soon afterwards we entered into Ashton Court Estate, this section was added a few years ago to avoid Bristol city traffic. This is now a pleasant and safer route, cycling through the estate with its well maintain lawns on either side. You need to be aware of the young children running around, and more aware of the dogs which were on those long uncontrollable extendable leads. After leaving the estate we followed the festive way signs back to the Crete Centre (start point). We then crossed the road to the final control at the Nova Scotia PH.

Thanks to Joe Prosser and his helpers from Bristol CTC for organising this ride. Meanwhile. Team POTTS are hoping to bring more family members on future rides. www.aukweb.net

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AAA Audax Altitude Award 2014 Rolls of Honour Many congratulations to the 2014 AAA Champion Martin Malins and the Opposite Sex Champion Mary Jane Watson

The original AAA Triple AAA and 3x3 AAA

For obtaining 20 AAA points over any period of time. A 3 or higher indicates a Triple AAA. A 9 or higher indicates a 3x3 AAA Name Ken Acland Stephen Agnew Nephi Alty Brian Atkins James Blair Ashley Brown Cathy Brown Steve Butterworth Pat Cherry Jim Churton John Clemens Ritchie Dixon Mike Eades Richard Ellis Lars Ericsson Martin Foley Ian Gilbert Barbara Hackworthy Georgina Harper David Haydon Mark Higgins David Jackson Justin Jones James Joy Chris Keeling-Roberts Martin Malins Ann Marshall David Matthews Tim Mitchell Dave Morrison Henry Orna Joanne Page Mark Pinto Steve Poulton Andrew Preston Dave Randerson Louise Rigby Stephen Rogers Ian Ryall Jonathan Saville Hilary Searle Neil Shand Kevin Talbot Tim Taylor Sean Townley Pete Tredget Mark Turner Jonathan Warner Richard Warner MaryJane Watson Colin Weaver Billy Weir Werner Wiethege Julian Williams Joss Wallace 24

AAA

1 3 2 3 3 3 3 2 18 5 18 1 1 6 3 8 1 4 5 2 7 4 14 1 20 31 31 14 3 2 5 4 1 14 9 25 27 9 9 9 3 1 1 4 9 6 1 12 6 13 13 27 3 14 1

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AAARTY For completing an AAA event in any 12 consecutive months AAA Name James Blair 1 Pat Cherry 2 John Clemens 2 Barbara Hackworthy 1 Mark Higgins 2 David Jackson 1 James Joy 1 Chris Keeling-Roberts 6 Martin Malins 7 Ann Marshall 8 Joanne Page 1 Andrew Preston 2 Louise Rigby 15 Hilary Searle 1 Jonathan Saville 3 Tim Taylor 2 Sean Townley 2 Mark Turner 1 Jonathan Walters 1 Billy Weir 4

Many congratulations also to the members listed below who have claimed an award since the start of the 2014 season. The figures show the awards obtained since each one started.

AAA Century

For obtaining 25, 50, 100 or 200 AAA points in a single season Name

Quarter

Half

Nephi Alty

Brian Atkins

James Blair

Ashley Brown

Cathy Brown

Steven Butterworth

Pat Cherry John Clemens

Ivor Davies

Richard Ellis

Lars Ericsson

Nick Firth

Martin Foley

Barbara Hackworthy

David Haydon

Mike Henley

Mark Higgins

Barry Horton

David Jackson

Justin Jones

AAA

1 2 1 1 1 1 3 2 3 1 1 1 1 9 2 1 2 4 1 1 4 1 4 4 5

1 2

Ann Marshall

Dave Morrison

Joanne Page

Steve Poulton

Andrew Preston

Louise Rigby

Ian Ryall

2 1

Tim Sollesse

Kevin Talbot

Tim Taylor

Sean Townley

Pete Tredget

Richard Warner

Colin Weaver

Julian Williams

Hilary Searle

MaryJane Watson

Martin Malins

Name Nephi Alty Brian Atkins James Blair James Bradbury Steven Butterworth Ivor Davies Lars Ericcson Richard Ellis Martin Foley Ian Gilbert Georgina Harper Mike Henley Barry Horton Justin Jones Ron Lowe Martin Malins Joanne Page Andrew Preston Dave Randerson Stephen Rogers Ian Ryall Kevin Talbot Pete Tredget Billy Weir Julian Williams

Double

Chris Keeling-Roberts

AAASR For completing an SR series of AAA events in one season

Century

1 1

AAA Allrounder An unofficial award for obtaining AAA points in BR’s in a single season. The top five riders were:

Name Martin Malins

Ian Ryall Sean Townley Martin Lucas Steven Abraham

AAA

111 93 88 82.75 67.5

More details at: www.AudaxAltitudeAward.org.uk Steve Snook, 6 Briggland Court Wilsden Bradford BD15 0HL steve.snook@tiscali.co.uk www.aukweb.net

AAA 12 Points Roll of Honour for obtaining 12 points or more in the 2014 season Name Martin Malins John Clemens Chris Keeling-Roberts Mary-Jane Watson Ian Ryall Ann Marshall Patrick Cherry Sean Townley Martin Lucas Joanne Page James Blair Cecil Ilsley James Colley Steven Abraham Andrew Preston Richard Ellis Louise Sheran Rigby Mike Lane Justin Jones Steve Ralphs Ashley Brown Cathy Brown Daryl Stickings Desmond Winterbone Robert Bialek Pete Tredget Lars Ericsson Ivor Davies Ben Taylor Paul Manasseh Barbara Hackworthy Brian Atkins David Jackson Mark Higgins Graham Merrington Sean Barker Mike Henley Luke Williams Julian Williams John Barkman Peter Forster Luke Joy-Smith Andy Watt Robyn Thomas Duncan Macgregor Paul Revell Mike Kelly Chris Wilby Simon Proven Tony Davis Mike Tattersall Alan Jones Stephen Rogers James Bradbury Mark Rutter Stephen Scott Hilary Searle Roy Clarke Paul Whitehead Kenny Atherton John Perrin Neil Veitch Roy Bishop Colin Weaver David Crampton Simon Daws Phil Nelson Theresa Jennings Mark Hagger Pat Hurt www.aukweb.net

Points

201 142 139.25 137.25 116 104.75 102 97.75 86.75 80.25 80 79.75 79 67.5 66.75 63.25 63.25 63 60.75 60 57.25 57.25 56.5 55.75 55.5 55.25 54.75 53.75 52.75 52.25 51.5 51 51 50.75 50.75 50.5 50.25 50.25 50 49.5 49.5 49 48.5 47.5 46.75 46.75 45.75 44.25 41.5 40.5 40.25 40 38.5 38.25 37.25 37.25 36.25 36 35.75 35.5 35.5 35.5 34.75 34.25 34 34 33.75 33.5 33 33

Name Jonathan Saville Leiv Boyum Andrew Register Gareth Baines Neil Shand Antony Pollard Martin Foley Tim Sollesse David Haydon Chris Watts Paul Rainbow Nephi Alty Peter Bond Adrian Flewitt Robin Tomes Christopher Breed Dave Morrison Kevin Talbot Andy Curran Eric Grill Geoff Crowther Robert Hydon Peter Loakes Tony Greenwood Alan Parkinson Steven Butterworth Brian Childs Toby Hopper Barry Horton Jon Roberts Richard Warner Aidan Hedley Chris Crookes Mark Hummerstone Jon Banks Ken Thomson Tim Taylor Martin Croxford Rimas Grigenas Mike Plumstead Stephen Poulton Mark Walsh Simon Till Mark Turner Marcus Jackson-Baker Dave Vine Peter Bell Phil Gradwell Adrian Hughes Adam Wilson Phil Hodgson Richard Leonard Reid Anderson Adam Kinsey Iain Robert Peter Goodings Ian Llewelyn Trevor Stephens Georgina Harper Mike Stoaling Ian Hennessey Peter Turner Julian Brown David Atkinson Kevin Firth Martin Wilcock Ian Gilbert James Joy Peter Lewis John Snook

Points

32.75 32.25 32.25 31.75 31.25 30.75 30.5 30.5 30.25 30.25 29.75 29.5 29.5 29.5 29.5 29 28.75 28.75 28.5 28.5 28.25 28 27.75 27.25 27.25 27 27 27 26.5 26.5 26.5 26.25 26 26 25.75 25.75 25.5 25.25 25 25 25 24.75 24.25 24.25 24 24 23.5 23.5 23.5 23.5 23.25 23.25 23 23 23 22.75 22.75 22.75 22.5 22.5 22.25 22 21.5 21.25 21.25 21.25 21 21 21 21

Name Colin Bezant Michael Browne Ivan Cornell George Hanna Steve Price Peter Rogan Phil Scott Jeff Berry Matthew Chambers Peter Summers Ritchie Dixon David Harris Chris Phillips Mark Pinto Jonathan Warner Richard Priddy Geoff Mason Paul Dytham John Rosbottom Ronnie Chard Rob Baird Jim Churton Graeme Mcculloch Julian Dyson Peter Mastenko Sean Quigly Adrian Lagan Neil Milton Malcolm Dancy Joe Jord Ian Oliver Gernot Stenz Paul Campbell Russell Carson Julian Humphrey Kevin Sammons Alan Stewart Marienus Stigter John Wilton Jamie Andrews Thomas Brabbin Julian Cole Ben Holder Maggie Lewis Steve Windass Gareth Blake Peter Coates Joe Howie Gordon Panicca Stephen Agnew Neil Fraser Angus Mckendrick Kevin Presland David Randerson Jonathan Spencer Dave Baxandall Mike Eades Henry Orna Trevor Wale Richard Walker Stuart Blofeld Roly Cockwell Andy Corless Matt Edwards Peter Johnson Steven Massey Marcus Mumford Simon Neatham James Reynolds Christopher Selby Smith

Points

20.75 20.75 20.75 20.75 20.75 20.75 20.75 20.5 20.25 20.25 20 20 20 20 20 19.75 19.5 19.25 19.25 19 18.75 18.75 18.75 18.5 18.5 18.5 18.25 18.25 18 18 18 18 17.75 17.75 17.75 17.75 17.75 17.75 17.5 17.25 17.25 17.25 17.25 17 17 16.75 16.75 16.75 16.75 16.5 16.5 16.5 16.5 16.5 16.5 16.25 16.25 16.25 16.25 16.25 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16

Name Fred Abbatt Robin Harper Sean Turner Guto Evans James O'Neill Mike Roberts Ken Acland Mark Gladwyn Marcus Saunders Peter Simon Yeshpaul Soor Daniele Cassisa Paul Barnes Ray Robinson David Stark Peter Corfe Nikolaus Gardiner Richard Goucher Robert Gray Mary Doyle William Tweddell Jonathan Walters Adam Watkins Nigel Armstrong Chris Asher Patrick King Richard Spencer Chris Cullen Jonathan Ellis Mark Fairweather Paul Martin David Miller Simon Parkhouse Stuart Ritchie David Walker John Weller Jocelyn Chappell Matthew Hallam Paul Mellon Tony Pember Cristina Ruiz-Perez Robin Snelson Steve Brawley Eliot Davies Jimmy Froggatt David Sawyer Simon Westlake Terry Hailwood Tony Mountain Arnie Read John Bastiani Stephen Ellis Richard Harding Paul Johnson Mel Kirkland Ron Lowe Neil Mcdade Mary Morgan Martyn Peggie Stephen Rumble Nigel Savery Michael Vennard Dave Bartlett Elaine Burgess Roger Burgess Frederick Foster David Harbottle Stephen Martin Merv Middleton Mike Sheldrake

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Points

15.75 15.75 15.75 15.5 15.5 15.5 15.25 15.25 15.25 15.25 15.25 15 14.75 14.75 14.75 14.5 14.5 14.5 14.5 14.25 14.25 14.25 14.25 14 14 14 14 13.75 13.75 13.75 13.75 13.75 13.75 13.75 13.75 13.75 13.5 13.5 13.5 13.5 13.5 13.5 13.25 13.25 13.25 13.25 13.25 13 13 13 12.75 12.75 12.75 12.75 12.75 12.75 12.75 12.75 12.75 12.75 12.75 12.75 12.25 12.25 12.25 12.25 12.25 12.25 12.25 12.25

On Tour I have been occasionally travelling to Japan on business for several years now, and it’s such a fascinating country that I always want to see more. Chris Beynon

Brompton and Sushi

Sometimes the timing of trips has allowed me to take the Brompton and head to the mountains for a weekend in the middle of a trip. Bromptons of course aren’t really designed to head up and down big mountain climbs, but anything bigger would be difficult to transport on the inevitable mix of trains & taxis on a business trip. So here we go with three servings of “Brompton and sushi”… April 2010 This should have been my second trip to Japan, but the volcano with the unpronounceable name erupted in Iceland, and the flight and trip was cancelled. June 2010 The trip was rearranged for early June, which has a reputation for being warm but quite wet, and the new schedule worked out nicely to take the Brompton. I was also very keen to get some riding in, because this Japan trip, and one to the US immediately before (not good for jetlag!) lost me four weekends of riding in a row and wiped out most of the 600 season. Pretty much my only 600 option was Pam Pilbeam’s ride the weekend after I got home. So early Saturday I rode out of my business hotel in Yokohama to the station, and got a local train to Atami at the top of the Izu Peninsular, arriving at midday. The plan was to cycle down the coast and then ride up the centre of the peninsular to the small hot spring town of Shuzeji, where I had a traditional Japanese hotel, a “ryokan”, booked. The main coast rode proved both busy, and as is often the case in Japan, quite narrow. So wherever possible I avoided it - sometimes following the old road around the numerous tunnels and sometimes wiggling along minor roads to small coastal villages. Some of these had all sorts of seafood hung up to dry

Nanadaru Spiral Bridge

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on racks. In the large town of Ito was a bronze of Japan’s first western style ship, built by Englishman William Adams in the early 1600s. Late afternoon I headed inland at Kawazu and joined route 414. This soon had an impressive spiral ramp to climb out of the valley – the Nanadaru Spiral Bridge. Think of a typical multi-story car park ramp, but on a massive scale. This road was both much quieter than the coast road, and for some reason, much wider. I headed north – through more tunnels – reaching Shuzeji at dusk. I wasted some time trying to find the little ryokan – its online map proved to be somewhat fictional. Once checked in I had a soak in the attached onsen (traditional hot spring bath). The bed was a futon laid out on the tatami mat floor. I don’t have a cycle computer on the Brompton, but later worked out via Google Maps that I’d ridden around 62km. I was navigating using the excellent “Touring Mapple” series of map books produced for motorcyclists, at the scale of 1:140,000. The main problems are that they use 100% Japanese characters, and while they have contours, they are printed so faintly that they are easy to misinterpret! In Japan it is rude to turn up at a small hotel to ask if they have a room – you should arrange it in advance – even if that’s only a minute beforehand in the tourist office in town. This does mean that it’s perfectly acceptable to ask your current hotel to phone ahead and book your next one, so I asked at reception if they could book me a hotel just north of Mt Fuji. I’d picked a good looking option from the guidebook, and the hotel manager spoke for about 20 seconds to them and hung up without consulting me. I asked what the problem was; answer “Too expensive”. I felt a bit put out that just because I’d turned up on a bike he clearly assumed I didn’t mind splashing out a bit on a hotel, and asked him how much. The reply was a lot of yen, which worked out at around £800. OK, fair call.

The following morning I had a very traditional Japanese breakfast for the first time. Lots of little pots with unusual ingredients, a complete fish cooked on a mini stove in front of me, all on a table about 1 foot off the floor, with just a cushion to sit on. Alongside the table was a tray with a thermos and a big pot I assumed was for tea. While good, the food was hardly sufficient for a day’s cycling – so having finished it I turned to the “teapot” to make my tea – only to find it was full of rice! I headed west out of town, climbing steadily to the Heda Pass at 725m – my highest point for the day (so I thought), with views over the densely wooded hills to the sea. If it wasn’t so misty I’d be able to see Mt Fuji, but I could only just see its lower slopes. After crossing a second, smaller pass, the Sanagi Pass, I had my first big mountain descent on the Brompton. The handling was definitely jittery at speed – not helped by the front pannier with all my stuff in. Half way down to the sea I stopped for 5 minutes to let the rims cool. I now cycled around the coast on the relatively busy road to Numazu, successfully navigating through the large town using Mapple and years of “sixth sense” navigational skills honed though years of riding on minor lanes at night with a dubious route sheet! I crossed the Shinkansen (bullet train) line I had been on a few days earlier, using minor roads to avoid the city of Fuji. I then took minor road 71 to the west of the volcano, being misled by its dead-straight line into assuming it was flat. In fact it gently but relentlessly climbed across the edge of Mt Fuji, soon entering the cloud. When booking the hotel I was told that I had to be there by 7pm for dinner. It was already 6:40 and the road was still climbing. Without a cycle computer I had no real idea of how much further I had to go, so I phoned the hotel, hoping that someone would speak English. Luckily they did – well enough for me to get the message through that I was still on my way. Also luckily, the road soon www.aukweb.net

On Tour started descending and I reached the hotel on Lake Kawaguchi around 7:30 – although it was by then pitch black. They had kept some food for me, and after that I had a soak in the onsen. I later worked out I’d done around 75km, and that the road past Fuji went up to around 1100m – so much much higher than the Heda pass that morning. Even so, I don’t really know why it took so long! Monday morning was damp – steady fine rain – which soon turned into steady heavy rain. The road followed the lake, which in better conditions would give stunning “lake + Mt Fuji” views, and then after Lake Yamanaka I climbed steadily up to the Mikuni Pass at around 1200m. Part way down the descent was an 18% gradient sign. It was still raining steadily, and the road had a special concrete surface to aid grip. Unfortunately grip wasn’t a characteristic of the Brompton’s brake blocks on the wet rims, and at 18%, squeezing the levers as hard as I could, I was still accelerating. The descent was therefore quite exciting(!) I made it round the next few bends using most of the road, and the gradient then eased and I regained some control. At the bottom of the descent I stopped for a few minutes to recover my composure! From there it was a simple route back into civilization, clocking up 70km, to get the train from Odawara back to Yokohama. I got round the 600 the following weekend OK, but the Sunday was a very slow and sleepy jetlagged day!

April 2011 Another planned trip, but the catastrophic 11th March earthquake, with resulting tsunami and nuclear meltdown, put Japan off-limits in FCO advice.

June 2011 Once again the trip was rearranged for early June, and again the schedule worked out nicely to take the Brompton. I was more adventurous this time, planning a route in the Wakayama region south of Kyoto. I had fitted better brake blocks after the previous year’s experiences! Again I was keen for some exercise, as I would be riding the 208km L’Étape du Tour from Issoire soon after getting home; some mountain riding in hot sticky weather would be excellent training. At the end of week 1 of the trip, I headed to the ancient capital of Nara – just one Shinkansen and a local train ride from Yokohama. After arriving, the remainder of Saturday was spent exploring the various temples on foot, then Sunday I left my suitcase at the little ryokan-styled B&B and caught a local train down to Susami on the south-west coast of Wakayama, arriving a bit before 2pm. Soon the sea wall alongside the road had a very poignant sign: 5.9m height – in the north of the country the March tsunami reached around 10m. I wondered what the residents of the town now thought about living there. It was a grey and damp day, so I was glad that I didn’t have far to go. On reaching the www.aukweb.net

way, but there were some train options for the last section.

Rock formations at Kushimoto

town of Kushimoto I headed to the tourist office so that they could book the youth hostel for me, on the peninsular just south of the town. By the time I left the office it was raining cats and dogs, and the woman who had served me came outside with the bus timetable, suggesting I shouldn’t try to cycle! There was another boat sculpture here – this time for the first American to visit Japan – Captain John Kendrick in 1791. The rain soon eased off and I reached the hostel, at the southernmost part of the Japanese mainland, after 44km. Being a Japanese hostel the bedding was laid out on the floor on tatami mats rather than the usual bunk beds, and I think I was the only resident in the large building. Overnight a howling gale outside whistled annoyingly though the gaps in the sliding windows, but in the morning it was sunny without a hint of a storm. Maybe I’d been dreaming? I first headed to Kii Oshima island which had a British-built lighthouse at the end before returning to Kushimoto for breakfast top-up – and camera battery top-up – in an American style burger place (sorry, I needed some western food!). I then headed up the east coast as far as Shingu before heading inland on a minor road. Parts of this road were covered in a mix of muddy run-off from the hillside, plus rocks, and lots of leaves battered off the trees. So I hadn’t been dreaming – there clearly had been a storm overnight! I continued through several hot spring resorts before picking a nice looking ryokan style hotel in Yunomine and risked walking in without a booking. There was an awkward pause when I asked for a room, but soon I was settled in, and as usual, headed to the onsen – in this case a private outside version called a rotenburo – and hot enough to cook in! Dinner (below) was excellent, with a good selection of sashimi. 114km today.

On Tuesday I was heading back inland through the mountains to Nara. I wasn’t certain if it would be practical to ride all the

After a reasonably easy start heading north, I turned off onto route 425. A sign warned of roadworks, ominously with what appeared to be times shown where the road would be closed, but I passed the roadworks a few km later. The road climbed steeply for km after km – I’m guessing often at 15% – which was very hard work on the Brompton. It was little more than single-track, and there was almost no traffic. One big sign half way up showed a graphic of a bear, plus lots of Japanese writing (so I don’t know precisely what it was warning!); soon after that a snake slithered across the road in from of me. There were no villages; just dense woods on the sides of the mountains. Eventually at around 1pm I reached the top – at 835m, so a climb of around 775m. An unlit tunnel about 1km long led to the start of a great descent (below). Half way down I dunked the wheels in a small stream to cool down.

Soon after that the road was closed by roadworks… There were major works going on to shore up the hillside above the road – either to prevent a landslip – or maybe to fix one that had already occurred. The road was not due to reopen for several hours. I couldn’t face up to riding back up the mountain I’d just descended, so I attracted the attention of the supervisor and with a mixture of sign language, a map, and desperate facial expressions, managed to convey that I really had to get to Nara tonight, and waiting here until late afternoon really wasn’t an option. Luckily he stopped the diggers and rushed me through the works. Relief! I thought that I’d now done most of the climbing for the day, but just like the previous year around Mt Fuji, that wasn’t to be. The main road I had joined climbed steadily for many km. Eventually I reached the summit at 705m around 4:30pm, and to my surprise the first 6 or 7km of the descent were in a tunnel. That explained why the road was so straight on the map – which I had mistaken for flatness. This tunnel was great – almost no traffic, wide smooth tarmac and well lit. I got my head down between the Brompton’s handlebars and reached terminal velocity. At one point the road briefly Arrivée February 2015 No. 127

On Tour popped out into daylight on a big spiral before disappearing back into the mountain again. I reached civilization again around 7pm, with busy traffic. I headed to the station at Yoshinoguchi and with two way sign language at the ticket office I found that I had three trains to catch to get back to Nara. Out here there was no bilingual signage, so I had to stay alert to make the right connections. It all worked out and I got back to Nara, with 144km of riding, and around 1150m of ascent on the main two climbs alone (so at least 1500m total?). I arrived at the B&B hot, sticky, and tired – and left early the following morning transformed back into a suit ready to see a customer a couple of Shinkansen stops away. I’m probably their only supplier that has turned up with a Brompton as well as a suitcase! As for the Étape, training in the Arctic would have been more appropriate. That ride had a stunning DNS and DNF rate, and any thought of “getting a good time” was replaced by basic survival, and I was pleased to get round OK. But no doubt the mountain climbing was good training, even if the temperature was at least 20’C lower in France.

October 2014 The next few years didn’t give any Brompton options, so it wasn’t until this October that a 12 day trip with a public holiday weekend in the middle gave the option for three days of riding. This time I wanted to head into the big mountains – the Japanese Alps – so the Brompton got treated to the latest dual pivot brakes front and back, and matching new brake levers. I also swapped the Mapple maps for OpenStreetMap on the Garmin, and took advantage of booking ryokans online. So Saturday morning I left Tokyo on the Nagano Shinkansen to Ueda, arriving at around 10:15. From there I did a big loop to the east into the mountains, ending up just to the west of Ueda for the night. It was beautiful sunny weather – a contrast to the grey June trips. I first climbed up to the Torii Pass at 1362m (not too bad a climb, as Ueda was at 420m), followed by a descent then the start of the big climb, up to the Jizo Pass (below) at the Yunomaru ski resort at 1740m (no chance of skiing with temperatures around 19’C at the summit). The only problem was a lack of food – so far nowhere had been open on this holiday weekend. Luckily a small shop was open at

the resort, and I got a coffee and a pack of apple pie biscuits with the wonderful English description “Putting it into your mouth its sweetness and moderate sourness are wonderful. You must feel just like biting fresh nature itself”. In fact the biscuits were pretty uninspiring – but I was too hungry to be fussy and eat the whole lot. With the Garmin, I had a speedometer for the first time on the Brompton, and discovered on the 1300m of descent that around 60kph was about my limit on a smooth straight road before survival instincts kicked in, but anything very wiggly and I quickly slowed to 20kph. The new brakes were wonderful, giving decent control and hence confidence for the first time, which meant that I braked less, and so never needed to stop to cool the rims. Japan has a lot of small-scale rice farmers, and it was harvest time. Lots of rice had already been cut, and was stacked on frames to dry. Some of this dried rice was being threshed in small machines in the fields, before the residue was burnt off. The smoke from that may be why I still have a cough as I write this article a week later! I cut across the main valley south of Ueda, and then took a minor single track road which climbed towards my destination near Aoki. Not knowing if the very old traditional ryokan would do evening meals, I found a small shop open in Aoki and bought the best I could from their poor selection: some prepackaged sweet rolls, a pack of processed cheese triangles, a bag of assorted nuts, yoghurt, orange juice, and a massive apple! I wasted time finding the ryokan, because it was marked in the wrong place on their online map, so it was dark by the time I arrived at 6:30pm. Only 89km, but 2090m of ascent – not bad on a Brompton! After my slightly bizarre DIY meal, I had a nice soak in the outdoor onsen, staring at the stars above. Sunday was planned as an easier day, because I wanted time to explore Matsumoto Castle (below) in the afternoon. So while

there was climbing, it wasn’t in the same league as Saturday, only reaching around 940m. However there were stunning views of some of the 3000m peaks (although not as far as the still smoking volcano Mt Ontake, which had erupted a few weeks earlier killing 24 hikers). I then descended to the Sai River, which I followed for many km before a final climb and descent into Matsumoto, reaching the castle around 3:30. This is one of the best 28

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preserved castles in Japan, dating from the late 1500s. On this sunny holiday weekend, half of Japan seemed to be visiting, and it was a steady queue all the way round the castle, which took the edge off the experience, and I didn’t get out until well gone 5pm. Luckily it wasn’t far to my modern ryokan in the hot spring town of Asama, with a total of 84km and 1290m ascent. Same ritual as before – DIY food (this time more Japanese, thanks to a well-stocked 7-11 store) followed by a soak in the onsen – then some email to deal with. In particular I had to contact the customer I was visiting on Tuesday, because the 2nd typhoon of my trip (Vongfong) was due Monday night into Tuesday and travel plans might need changing. The outcome was that the typhoon was moving quicker than expected, so I needed to be back in Tokyo earlier than originally planned, in case the Shinkansens stopped running. So my planned climb up to a 1700m ski resort got abandoned in favour of a reasonably direct route back to Ueda on the holiday Monday. I thought this new route on a relatively main road might be a bit dull, but in fact once I got properly into the mountains the road got narrow and twisty, and it was quite atmospheric in the pre-typhoon drizzle. Two short tunnels cut through the summits, with the second main summit at 1060m. I was pleased to find that the new brakes worked well in the wet, so the descent back towards Ueda wasn’t scary. The final run into town was uninspiring, wet, and with quite heavy traffic, but I got to the station around 12:30 and managed to change my reservation to a Shinkansen about 50 minutes later – which gave me time to clean and fold the bike, change, and buy some lunch. The shortened route was just 50km with 665m ascent, and the train got me back to Tokyo OK – the heavy rain came overnight before clear blue skies Tuesday morning.

So that’s my three servings of Brompton and sushi. I really like Japan – and like cycling there. Much like the UK it has a good network of roads, even in the mountains, and outside of towns and main roads the traffic is reasonably light. The ryokans with onsens are great to stay in, and Japanese food is varied and interesting. There are plenty of cultural sites such as temples and castles to explore. I’ve learnt far more about Japan in the several days of cycling (and some other days hiking and visiting temples) than all the weeks in business hotels and meetings. So I’ll take the Brompton back another time if the opportunity arises – but I’d also like to explore more of Japan on a proper cycling holiday for a couple of weeks. More recently I’ve been travelling to S.Korea a lot more than Japan, so maybe I’ll get the chance to write a new article, “Brompton and Kimchi”, then the X-rated sequel, “Brompton and Wriggling Octopus”!

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On Tour

OCD and a quiet day in Corsica Here’s a 110km (69 miles) circuit not far but remote and mountainous

A good starting point is Piedicroce in the Castagniccia, where Le Refuge hotel provides food and accommodation with views (see http://www.hotel-le-refuge.fr/photos) over the Orezza valley, home of the famous Corsican mineral water. After this, there are no shortcuts, no shops or restaurants, but a bar at Pietra-di-Verde provides nice coffee. There are also fountains every now and again, all with excellent drinking water. As with all high routes, a missed turning could cost hundreds of metres of height plus tens of kilometres in the wrong direction; a painful situation to retrieve. First climb is through the chestnuts to the Col d’Arcarotta, 819 m on the D71 towards Cervione and the coast. A right turn shortly after the summit takes you down to Piobetta, wooded and very narrow, so look out for cars. But here, cars are much rarer than the goats, pigs and cows who freely enjoy the miles of linear roadside grazing. The road soon opens out, hanging on the hillside overlooking the deep Alesani valley with the sea beyond. Soon after the bar at Pietra-di-Verde the descending is over and a right turn leads to the Col de S. Gavino, 697 m on the D117 towards Moita. This is harder than the Arcarotta, but typically of all Corsican climbs, it seems a lot easier when the weather is not too hot. It is better to avoid the hottest months (June to midSeptember) where 40° C is not uncommon. I did it at the end of September and the conditions were perfect with sunshine, rarely more than about 25°, a light breeze and the first signs of Autumn touching a few of the trees. Next up is the Col de Casardo, 1094 m on the D16 - a long, steady climb with the tiny village of Pianello providing a good picnic spot on the ascent with benches under the trees and a nearby tap for water. There’s a war memorial at the front of the church with a fine statue of a Corsican soldier. The Col de la Foata is barely noticeable on the way up and though claimable under OCD rules, my conscience won’t let me add its 834 m to my claim. The Casardo is my favourite of all cols; it is very open and provides never ending vistas of the central mountains above and around Corte, as well as of the distant Mediterranean. On the way down, a right turn (don’t miss it) towards Mazzola and Bustanico leads to a steep and www.aukweb.net

rough descent on single-track road with pigs and trees a-plenty. Just near this junction is another great picnic spot. It’s a simple fountain, dedicated to Napoleon, in the middle of nowhere and with seats, shade and a fence round to prevent unwanted porcine intrusion. After Bustanico, there’s a mean climb to the Col de St. Antoine, 996 m on the D39 towards Carticasi. At least I think it’s mean; I’m a bit tired by now and it’s hard to judge. Gentle undulations follow through more chestnuts. The route is now back on the edge of the Castagniccia which is well known for its chestnut forests. On the D639 (another turning not to be missed, signposted for Salicetto) there’s a substantial climb between San-Lorenzo and Salicetto but no col name or height appears on the road or my map. The good thing about this, apart from it being rather pretty, is that it gains height before reaching Morosaglia. There’s a bar at Morosaglia where coffee and drinks may be bought (but it’s not always open), but nothing more substantial. Turn right here and it’s fairly easy to the Col de Prato, 985 m on the D71. Then comes the lovely finish - a long sweeping descent back to Piedicroce with frequent views over the steep valleys that the road skirts. Most of the route is single track, a bit rough in places, and the traffic was negligible. It was so quiet I was able to count the cars; 30 encountered in 69 miles. If you “do the math” as they say over the pond, this averages out at 1 car every 2.3 miles. I just had to count them; I’m smitten by OCD. I can provide a list of Cols and further information on Corsica for anyone interested in visiting – parker.harrison@btinternet.com

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On Tour

Cols in the Caucasus with John Gilchrist

Mount Ararat (right) and Little Ararat (left)

Recently retired, I had intended to join a CTC tour of Armenia in 2009, but when this was cancelled due to the late withdrawal of some participants. I went to the Caucasus anyway, for seven weeks, starting in May at Trabzon, Turkey near the border with Georgia.

After two days of riding along the Black Sea shore the first pass that would qualify for an OCD claim was the Goderdzi Pass (2025m) reachable from the seaport of Batumi, Georgia. Although it is much nearer the Black Sea, once over the Goderdzi the streams and river flow all the way across to the Caspian.

Chance meeting with touring Germans at Pass of the Cross

It was the time of the spring migration, all done on foot. The flocks would fatten on the rich ‘Alpine’ pastures for 3 or 4 months. With deep soft snow everywhere except on the road all the animals, their keepers (and the cyclist) had to share a series of long avalanchetunnels with an occasional impatient motorist. The flocks were heading for the side-valleys on the north side of the mountain range. Fifty years or more ago the same scene would have been seen in the Alps but now they are nearly always trucked.

Early morning near the Goderdzi Pass

My camp was in the first summer-pasture village on the descent, which was now deserted but a few weeks later would be full of livestock and their keepers. So then it was mainly downhill through Borjomi – a Soviet-era spa – and Gori – sanctuary of St Joseph (Stalin) – to Mtsketa and its cathedral. Mtsketa is Georgia’s Canterbury. The Georgian Military Highway runs from Mtsketa through the skiresort of Gudauri crossing the Bolshoi Caucasus at the Pass of the Cross (2378m) and on down to the Russian border. 30

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On tour Afterwards it was a trip south to Armenia. There was quite enough to see, and passes to climb in the northern half of Armenia so the southern half had to await a shorter tour in 2014. The capital city, Yerevan has a view of Mount Ararat from almost every building (left). Armenians consider themselves descendants of Noah, whose Ark supposedly grounded there. Another remarkable sight near Yerevan is an upside-down version of the Giant’s Causeway (of Antrim) in a gorge just below the Hellenistic Temple of Garni.

Perhaps the most memorable col in Armenia was the Spitak Pass (2378m) to the north of Yerevan. The modern main road runs more to the west over a characterless lower pass and it is necessary to deliberately choose the Spitak. People in the village below will assure you that you are on the right track. The gap is anyway clearly visible ahead from there. In early June there was a hardened snowdrift on the northern side, passible by leaving the track and carrying the bike and the bags one by one, (double-packing - Ed) a little higher up where it was less steep.

Descending the North side of Spitak Pass

After spending the last night in Armenia at the home of the Olympic cross-country ski team (a couple) it was another pleasure as well as a necessity to pass through Georgia again as there is no open border between Armenia and Turkey. The prime attraction was the immense monastery of Vardzia, hollowed out of a cliff-face.

Basalt columns at Garni

There are plenty of ancient churches in both Georgia and Armenia. The Georgian Orthodox Church is akin to the Greek, Serbian and Russian but Armenia has its own Established Church, in fact the first ever. The interiors of Armenian churches are more sparsely decorated and the art is in the architecture and the Kachkars (intricately sculpted stone slabs).

While crossing back into Turkey a French cyclist happened to be coming the other way. We had a prolonged chat and exchanged money, guide-books and maps in no-man’s-land under the bemused eyes of the border guards of each country. Back in Turkey, the Ilgar Pass was perhaps the highest of the tour.

Lake Sevan, at 1950 m altitude has passes on its various approach roads. Coming from the north, the Sevan Pass summit (2114m) is almost traffic-free because the main road now goes through a long tunnel. From the south you would reach the historic Selim Caravanserai near the last bend before the summit of the Selim Pass (2410m).

Ilgar Pass

The Çamlibel Pass is signed 2640m but was certainly lower by my aneroid altimeter and I felt I should only claim 2440m for it.

Selim Caravanserai

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I can thoroughly recommend Georgia and Armenia for a change, though I never get tired of revisiting the Alps. Neither republic now needs a visa for Brits. Turkish Airlines took me efficiently from Manchester to Trabzon via Istanbul and back, and Air France from Manchester to Yerevan via Paris. Arrivée February 2015 No. 127

Randonnées

A Grand Tour of Wales Audax Mille Cymru 1020k with Stuart Blofeld... ….It’s nearly midnight now and getting very cold. I’ve been riding for close to 20 hours and still have over 20 arduous miles to go through the heart of Snowdonia before I get to the warmth and comfort of the Control at Betws y Coed. I’m feeling weary, totally alone and struggling to stay awake as I press on. Physically I’m holding it together and the legs are still strong despite the hundreds of miles and thousands of metres already climbed up to this point. But the questions of self-doubt and why am I here creep in and out of my vague consciousness. The very same questions that crop up in ultra-marathons - yet here I am again putting my body, mind and soul through the same struggles in search of that feeling of accomplishment through adversity and that next amazing high… Prologue: Rewind a few months and I find myself in an email exchange with my good friend and fellow ElliptiGO rider Idai Makaya. Idai had just entered the Audax Mille Cymru – touted as the toughest long-distance cycling challenge in Britain. Mille Cymru is a 1020km (635 miles) circular tour of Wales with an advertised 16,000 metres of climbing (that’s one and a half Everest’s!) and a time limit of just 75 hours to do it in. It didn’t take me long to decide that I wanted in! Idai, Alan and I agreed a similar plan, which would require us to complete each of the three main stages at an average moving pace of 11-12mph. This would allow us the luxury of just 2 hours sleep each day. Race Day Fast-forward to race morning and Idai and I awoke in the very comfortable and luxurious surroundings of our Travelodge. I’m not joking – in comparison with what was to come it really was 5* luxury. We went for breakfast at the adjoining Little Chef and discussed the day(s) ahead including last night’s weather forecast which didn’t make for comfortable viewing. Apparently we were in for a soaking on Day 1 with heavy downpours, hail, thunder and lightning all expected midafternoon. This made kit choice easy - on with the waterproof socks, and my lightweight but extremely waterproof and breathable Haglofs jackets was stuffed in my pack for quick access. I’d also invested in a handlebar bag which would neatly house all the required 32

mechanical kit, spares of everything, food, phone, route instructions. I hopefully wouldn’t need to rely too much of these though as I’d treated myself to a Garmin Etrex 30 which contained the entire 1020km route in 12 separate GPX tracks. . Breakfast done we made our way to the start in the small village of Upton Magna, Shrewsbury just up the road from where we were staying. Audax UK organise very low key events. This wasn’t a big branded Cycle Sportive, just the comfortable surroundings of the local village hall that put you at ease. Idai, Alan and I all smiles before the start at Upton Magna

Day 1: Stage 1 Upton Magna to Hay on Wye 58.5 miles Time 5:09:00 Elevation 4,823ft Day 1 was 166 miles in length with nearly 13,000ft of climbing including the Brecon Beacons but we wouldn’t have to wait until there for the big climbs. Just 10 flat miles into Stage 1 and we started our first climb up Long Mynd (?411m). It wasn’t steep but it was long, a little taster of what was to come. The roads were smooth going but

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Stuart Blofeld training on the Wiggle Dragon Devil ride

narrow with twists and turns and the occasional ill-placed lorry taking up the entire road. Idai, Alan and I were already riding at our own pace. There was no other way to tackle a distance as huge as this. The ElliptiGO is a unique machine but to get the most from it you have to find a style and pace that is right for you. What was efficient for me up the climbs in terms of pace and gearing wasn’t necessarily efficient for Alan or Idai. We all knew this so there was no attempt to ride together. The previous night’s weather forecast was looking like it might remain true as some very dark clouds rolled in menacingly over the horizon. I held off putting on my jacket to pre-empt the rain willing the clouds to change course. 10 minutes later and the heavens opened. I dived for cover under a large tree on the side of the road. Jacket on and also took the opportunity to eat some food. A pork pie and cheese & onion roll hit the spot. I saw Alan approaching so rejoined and we rode together pretty much to the first rest stop at Knighton at 38 miles in. It was a van in a carpark run by Audax

Idai, Alan and I all smiles before the start at Upton Magna

volunteers serving cake and tea. Perfect. My ride schedule allowed me 15 minutes at each stop so I made the most of this time. Alan’s wife Kim was also there. I took full advantage of Kim’s hospitality and great cooking and tucked into a bowl of stew. I had arrived right on my scheduled 12 mph moving pace so was buoyed by this and set off when my time was up. Alan’s schedule allowed him 25 minutes so we departed ways. I only know now that as I left this stop Idai was just arriving. Its worth pointing out that the stages split up for the purpose of this report relate to when my Garmin decided to start recording a new track. So they don’t necessarily always relate to the main Controls. I arrived in Hay on Wye mid afternoon. A lovely town, famous for bookshops. I couldn’t stop however and pushed on towards an almighty climb up Gospel Pass (?545m) which is the highest road pass in Wales at the head of the Vale of Ewyas in the Black Mountains. At the foot of climb however I spotted Drover Cycles just off the road. I had decided to change tyres for the Mille Cymru to the more robust Marathon’s a few days prior but I didn’t have any spare inner tubes so I dived into Drover’s to see if they had any of the quite rare 20” presta tubes. They did - result! They were very interested in the ElliptiGO and one of the shop attendants rode it around the car park briefly. I also asked about the next climb. And yes they confirmed it was huge. No time to waste then as I set off. www.aukweb.net

Randonnées Day 1: Stage 2 Hay on Wye to Raglan 56.5 miles Time 5:18:55 Elevation 4,604ft Gospe Pass was certainly memorable! It wasn’t insanely steep, just very long. It was the first time when I could really start getting into the groove of climbing “ultra-efficiently” whilst still maintaining a reasonable pace and not being reduced to an absolute crawl. So this meant getting the balance right and not overdoing it whilst also not going straight into the lowest gear possible. I have 8 gears on the ElliptiGO so would try and stay in 2nd or even 3rd gear if possible and only drop to 1st if it was absolutely necessary. With every big climb there is a big descent - an opportunity to

that required going through a pedestrian area and then up a one way street the wrong way (following the route directions!). Across the River Wye and then following the river all the way along the East bank to Tintern. This was a wonderful section and marked the 100 mile mark on Day 1 (with still 66 miles to go). 3 miles further and I met up with Kim at the Kingstone Brewery Control who was ready with hot beans and sausage. Glorious! This was also much more efficient time wise as this Control was a commercial café with a waiting time for food to be prepared and served. Something the cyclists could afford to do but on the ElliptiGO I was aware of every minute going no-where was seldom advantageous. I

Spectacular Gospel Pass looking back to Hay on Wye below

claw back some time and increase the average moving pace whilst getting in some “active rest”. It was a long winding narrow descent down, so not super quick but an enjoyable one. 6 hours of riding and I’d covered 71 miles and had reached Llanthony Control right on schedule. A coffee, ham and cheese rolls and big slice of cake and I was set for Stage 3. Upon leaving the Control there was Alan enjoying a bowl of noodles! It was much flatter from here all the way to Monmouth which was a tricky town centre section

arrived and left this Control at exactly the time in my plan meaning my moving average was exactly 12mph. Almost immediately after leaving Kingstone Brewery it was straight back into a long 500ft climb. By this stage I was fully in tune with the route and knew what to expect. The climbs were an integral part of the journey so I never grimaced or moaned. I actually enjoyed them and whilst far from being effortless there is a certain feeling of poetry in motion on the ElliptiGO as it floats up the mountainside.

‘GO on Wye’ at 100 miles

Day 1: Stage 3 – Raglan to Llanwrtyd Wells (Rest stop) 53.8 miles Time 6:17:29 Elevation 3,230ft Stage 3 was a total blur in my head. The profile suggests it was flattish in the first half pepperpotted with some short sharp climbs and then came the Brecon Beacons National Park. It’s an area of outstanding beauty, but by this point it was getting dark, and the night air was cooling rapidly. Riding in the dark changes your perspective and definitely (for me at least) makes the miles feel longer. Add the huge climbs into the pot and this made for slow going in the final 3 hours of the stage. When you thought you had reached the top of the final climb it just kept on going. Eventually though I did find the top and started the very long and fast descent. I was on auto-pilot for the rest of the stage and as I rolled into the Rest Control at Llanwrtyd Wells (smallest town in the UK) after 2am I was ready to stop. The RnR plan was: ½ hour to eat, 2 hours to sleep and ½ hour for prep and breakfast. It went like clockwork and the volunteers were great, with everything at hand that you could need. The sleeping quarters were in a separate hall up the road from where you ate, so this meant that after retrieving my drop bag, relaxing with food and coffee, sorting out phone and battery chargers, I had to pack everything up again and head back outside to find a bed. I could have done without that but the hall was well managed, dark and relatively quiet. A bit of faffing and then it was in with the ear plugs, on with eye covers and a snooze. No 3G signal meant that I couldn’t waste valuable sleep time on Facebook. Day 2: Stage 4 – Llanwrtyd Wells to Newport 62.4 miles Time 8:09:20 Elevation 4,429ft I was woken up for breakfast by a volunteer with a tap on the shoulder at the time specified. One is never going to feel brilliant after that amount of sleep following a day of riding the toughest terrain ever encountered, however I was so focused on the task at hand and acutely aware of the need to stay on schedule and not waste time. After a quick breakfast – Eat

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Natural cereal and For Goodness Shakes recovery drink I was set. Day 2 was a circular 190 mile route riding out west to the coast and St David’s (smallest city in the UK) and then back east returning to Llanwrtyd Wells for a second night at the same Control. This was a glorious day with the clouds from the previous day all but gone leaving us to ride the longest of the three days (mileage wise) in the bright sunshine. The morning of Day 2 was the most dramatic yet but not for the reasons I would have chosen. There was a (another) big climb to the top of Llanllwni Mountain (?402m) 30 miles into the stage. I crested the summit at precisely 8:20am – I know this not because I have an amazing memory but because this was the time that I took the following photo:

What are you looking at is a split rear wheel rim. The first I knew of what happened was a sudden clunking sound. I immediately stopped and checked around the bike to find the crack and large bulge in the rear rim with the brake block hitting it. Man this was serious…. but it could be resolved thanks to the spare rear wheels that Idai had with amazing foresight brought along. There was just one problem – they were in the back of Kim’s car and I hadn’t exchanged mobile numbers with Kim. So I was up the top of a mountain with a buckled split back wheel and no rear brake. Nice! I remained calmed and took the opportunity to ring Kriszti my wife. Next I rung Idai – no luck there. Then Race Director John – surely he would have Kim’s number as Alan would have given it as the emergency contact… right? Wrong! Just a home number 200 miles away. I had no choice but to continue to the next control at Cilgerran 19 miles away and hope that Kim would be there waiting for Alan. The descent with just the front brake sounds worst than it was. I

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Randonnées took it steady and the bike felt stable so I remained positive and pressed on. 7 miles out from Cilgerran and my prayers were answered. Kim came past me in the car and gave me a wave not suspecting that anything was untoward. I immediately responded with a flurry of hand gestures. I explained what happened and we pulled over in a nearby Vauxhall forecourt so I could grab a new wheel and hub. The wheel in question didn’t have any inner band, tyre, or hub fixings so I had to transfer everything from my wheel. It took over 30 minutes but by 10am all was sorted. Breakfast at the next Control was served up courtesy of two Audax volunteers who had opened up their lovely farm house and had been cooking for hungry riders all night. Two bowls of porridge and coffee really hit the spot. It’s worth noting that at all Controls I visited there were always other cyclists there too. Before the ride I fully expected to see the cyclists disappear into the distance never to be seen again. However the way at least half the field approached this type of longdistance ride is to take their time, sleep for longer than we (Alan, Idai and I) could, and generally just enjoy it. I pressed on to Newport which came and went, and headed for Fishguard and the city of St David’s.

Day 2: Stage 5 – Newport to Saundersfoot (via Fishguard and St David’s) 62.0 miles Time 6:02:06 Elevation 3,816ft The ride to St David’s was very pleasant indeed. The sun was shining, I was moving well and staying on pace. The route was best described as lumpy! The descent into Fishguard overlooking the harbour was awesome but this awesomeness was quickly replaced with sweat and toil as the climb back up the other side was mega steep and had me grind to almost a complete halt. It was 1st gear all the way out! I arrived in St David’s City after midday. The sun was beating down and it was tourist central with much interest being shown in the ElliptiGO. Cyclists were stopped at various convenience stores and cafés. St David’s was a ‘free control’ which meant you had to buy something or get an 34

ATM receipt as evidence of your passage through. I stopped at a deli on the high street and bought lunch. It was the first time that I really relaxed as I sat outside on a bench and watched life go by. Two chaps on a tandem were also here. I later found out that they had decided to throw in the towel soon after St David’s. So the distance and terrain was taking its toll. From St David’s (256 miles complete) there was still 100 miles left to ride that day before I could rest back at Llanwrtyd Wells Control. It was already early afternoon so it was going to be a long day. However the hours were made easier by miles and miles of beautiful coast line and beaches.

Day 2: Stage 6 – Saundersfoot to Llanwrtyd Wells (Rest stop) 60.8 miles Time 5:45:34 Elevation 2,993ft The final 60 mile stage on Day 2 headed back inland along the A40 through Carmarthen, Llandello and Llandovery. It was the flattest section of the whole ride - not so beautiful perhaps but I’ve never been happier to ride an A Road in my life. The highlight of this section was an amazing rainbow that stretched across the sky and remained there for an hour as I rode straight towards it to claim my pot of gold. Typically there wasn’t any gold at the end of the A40 only a sodding great big hill after Llandovery which totally finished me and the day off. Nevertheless I still made good time and managed to arrive at the sleep control slightly earlier than I had anticipated. What this meant is that I could take an extra hour of much needed sleep. I had covered 356 miles in 37 hours up to this point and had just 2 hours sleep so I didn’t spend so much timing eating and chatting as the previous night. But I did have the small luxury of a quick shower to freshen up which definitely soothed body and soul before then the lights went out. Day 3: Stage 7 – Llanwrtyd Wells to Pont-Rhyd-Y-Groes (Devil’s Staircase) 36.2 miles Time 7:54:52 Elevation 3,828ft I had made it to Day 3 – aptly titled ‘Return of the Dragon’ but all along the ride I had also been

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trying to keep tabs on how Idai and Alan were doing as well. This wasn’t a ride for personal glory; our shared goal was for the three of us on ElliptiGO’s to finish. But the news for Team GO wasn’t looking too promising. Idai and Alan’s moving pace was slightly slower, meaning that they didn’t have the luxury of sleeping at the main Rest Control. What transpired was that both Idai and Alan had ridden for over 45 hours without sleep in an attempt to stay inside the cutoffs. I can’t comprehend the physical and mental effort required to do this, as I knew how I felt after 20 hours of continuous riding.

walked. But who should be up the top of the climb – Marc the event photographer! He encouraged me to get back on, which I duly did. We got the shot, and I pressed on.

The first 14 miles out of Llanwrtyd Wells were some of the most beautiful yet along the spine of the Cambrian Mountains. A few peaks and troughs but nothing could prepare you for the sheer brutality of what was to come, the Devil’s Staircase (?475m) which is a 25% (1 in 4) climb that I had encountered in the Wiggle Dragon Devils ride. I had conquered it then but my legs

Day 3: Stage 8 – Pont-RhydY-Groes to Llanidloes 45.4 miles Time 5:01:06 Elevation 4,681ft The savage climbs now continued unabated one after the other – Gamallt (?471m) and Cenglau (?481m) to name but two. I rode every one of them and was still feeling strong. My average moving pace was taking a hammering with the constant climbs but this was just part of the course and I still managed an average speed of over 10mph throughout Stage 8, which included a mental zapping out and back climb from the breakfast control situated at Aberffrwd. Another Audax volunteer had opened up their house and served up beans on toast, cornflakes and muffins. I ate continuously for the 20 minutes that I was there which gave me enough energy to continue in the bright blazing sun of this third day. The scenery continued to be breathtaking as we rode through the Elan Valley, around three huge reservoirs and past Craig Goch dam (below) which was a sight to behold. As well as the manned Control’s on route, to prove your passage there were several Information Controls which required you to answer a question about a local landmark. This one read: What is the height of Craig Goch? The answer was 37 metres!

were much fresher than they were now. I lasted about 20 metres up this brute before it became clear that the effort to ride it was 10 fold - I got off and

From here we headed north and after a long a rapid descent arrived at the town of Llanidloes for lunch. A couple of cyclists recommended a deli whole food

I left Llanwrtyd Wells at 4:30am knowing pretty much that I was the sole survivor of Team GO. The ElliptiGO community is a close knit group joined by Facebook across the world and folk from across the pond were following our every move with Idai and I doing our best to keep everyone updated on our progress. SoI now had the full weight of expectation resting on my shoulders to demonstrate that such a long ride over this terrain and inside the time cut-offs was possible on the ElliptiGO. I set off only 2 hours within the cutoff.

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Randonnées vegetarian café so we stopped there. It was a great call, a huge slice of quiche and 3 salads washed down with an organic cola really hit the spot.

Day 3: Stage 9 – Llandiloes to Barmouth The highlight of stage 9 was an impromptu stop at Aberdovey for an ice-cream. This was the first time that the distance and lack of sleep was really starting to hit home. It was really hot and, despite being out of the mountains and onto some flatter coastal sections, the head wind was making it tough. I was still really concerned about the cutoffs despite still having a reasonable cushion. In short I just needed to stop to enjoy a moment of relaxation. It worked! I ordered a double chocolate wafer cone with Crème Brule. It was sheer bliss as I sat on camping chair outside the shop. Despite not moving forward the pressure of the cut-offs lifted off my shoulders. I left Aberdovery seaside town feeling 10 times better than when I arrived. From Aberdovery it was coastal road for another 20 or so miles. Nothing was easy now and my average speed was reducing but I focused less on this now and just started to enjoy myself again. Day 3: Stage 10 – Barmouth to Betws y Coed (via Snowdonia National Park) 65 miles Time 9:52:05 Elevation 5,037ft The Control at Barmouth was the much loved AUK Van of Delights serving up more amazing cake, this time chocolate brownie with macadamias! It was only here that I also remembered I had some Cappuccino sachets in my handlebar bag. So I sat and ate and drunk in the company of at least 10 other cyclists and had a quick chat. This was important because what followed was definitely the toughest stage of the ride. I already had 125 miles in my legs that day, and wasn’t far off 500 miles for the ride. I’d being GOing for over 55 hours, had slept less than 5 hours and was entering a night section. A calm and flattish first 10 miles was followed by a series of constant peaks and troughs, with a factor that hasn’t been an issue up to now – the cold mountain air. Snowdonia is not a warm place, especially at night, and just a few degrees drop in www.aukweb.net

the mountains is really noticeable. On a big climb out of Beddgelert I stopped to put on pretty much everything I had. 3 layers and water/windproof jacket and full length trousers, plus two pairs of gloves.. It was now well after 11pm and I was feeling really drowsy. I was alone and longed for some support from other cyclists to keep me more alert. [And this is where we pick up the start of my report]… ….It’s nearly midnight now and getting very cold. I’ve been riding for close to 20 hours and still have over 20 arduous miles to go through the heart of Snowdonia before I get to the warmth and comfort of the Control at Betws y Coed. I’m feeling weary, totally alone and struggling to stay awake as I press on. Physically I’m holding it together and the legs are still strong despite the hundreds of miles and thousands of metres already climbed up to this point. But the questions of self-doubt and why am I here creep in and out of my vague consciousness. The very same questions that crop up in ultra-marathons - yet here I am again putting my body, mind and soul through the same struggles in search of that feeling of accomplishment through adversity and that next amazing high… I used the next Info Control at Waunfawr to stop and look back. Shaun and Andy, whom I’d chatted frequently throughout the ride, were coming up the hill. We wrote down the answer to the question about the name of the house opposite the War Memorial and I commented that I would do what I could to stay with them as I could do with the company. They were cool and said they were taking it easy anyway. So we rode together from there into Llanberis (the start and finish of the Snowdonia Marathon), and I did what I could to keep up with them but only just.

miles had slowed considerably but at almost 550 miles now it would be stupid to think that I could sustain the same pace as the first day. Finally Betws y Coed came into sight after a long FREEZING COLD descent down the A5. I had never been more relieved to stop! I entered the rest control to hopefully find a warm bed and hot food. But there was very little if any room at the inn! The hall was rammed full of bodies laid everywhere. Phil Whitehurst and co. were attentively serving the needs of hungry cold cyclists. I had two plates full of corned beef hash and some pudding and called it a night. There was just one problem – where could I sleep. Phil who was in the event himself but pulled out early on through fatigue had taken on the roll as lead volunteer at Betws y Coed. He found me a spare blow up mattress and got me in the penthouse suite up on the balcony of the big hall. My head hit the pillow and I was out for the count!

Day 4: Stage 11 – Betws y Coed to Upton Magna 88 miles Time 8:31:10 Elevation 5,000ft approx I awoke just 1.5 hrs later at 4am fully kitted out as there was little point getting changed. Breakfast was a disappointment so I was out the door by 4:30am which gave me 9.5 hours to cover 88 miles to make the cut off before 2pm Monday afternoon. That was an average speed of just over 9mph which seemed well within my grasp. There was still the matter of two huge climbs in the early sections of this final stage aptly named ‘Home to the Shire’. The first at 7 miles – Cwm Hafodyredwydd (?485m) was a 16% gradient, this was followed at the 30 mile mark by Bwlch y Groes (?545m). Both were long steep climbs but the stunning scenery once again took away any ounce of

displeasure from the brutality of the terrain. With the final big climbs done and dusted it was time to enjoy the final big descent from the top of Bwlch y Groes all the way down the valley to the final control point at Llanwddyn Community Centre. Now this was the breakfast I’d been waiting for – beans, mushrooms and eggs on toast. Fresh orange and coffee. Nice! Breakfast finished it was time to roll out for the final section of the final stage on the final day. I felt brilliant. Half a mile out of the control and there was a sharp climb and my phone started ringing. It was Idai! We hadn’t spoken since the first few miles when we parted ways on Friday. Idai confirmed his exit from the race and gave me lots of encouraging words on my effort. I was very grateful for his kind words and this spurred me to push on in the final 46 miles to the finish. The final miles were easy in comparison with what had come before, nice rolling B roads with the occasional short climb and lots of long sweeping downhill sections. I was now just outside Shrewsbury and in stark contrast to the previous three days of quiet car free roads it was traffic central as I had to navigate many mini-roundabouts and queuing traffic weaving in and out to continue my journey. And then there were the signs for Upton Magna where I had started this ride 73.5 hours earlier. In that time I had covered 636 miles with over 43,000 ft of climbing and a little over 6 hours of sleep. What an adventure it had been. I reached the entrance to the Village Hall to be greeted by Idai. It was all over. I’d completed the Mille Cymru!

By the time we had reach the foot of the last big climb of the stage up Pen y Pass (?359m) they were out of sight. The climb was never-ending and it felt 10 times harder than when I ascended it on a marathon last year. Once I crested the top of the climb it was supposedly downhill for 10 miles into Betws y Coed, but in my state it felt anything but down. My pace in these final Arrivée February 2015 No. 127

Randonnées

Randonneur Round the Year Rolls of Honour Are you capable of riding a 200km (or longer) Audax event in every month throughout the year? If so, you could qualify for inclusion in the RRTY Roll of Honour and you could be included! Qualification: a validated BR or BRM in each of any 12 consecutive months, as listed on the AUK results website. Claims: to Mike Wigley at (email) mike@PeakAudax.co.uk or (post) Higher Grange Farm, Millcroft Lane, Delph, OL3 5UX. John ABREY Stephen AGNEW x 3 Geoff AIRD Paul ALDERSON Martyn ALDIS * Aidan ALLCOCK Jeff ALLEN * Dave ALLISON Reid ANDERSON Rhisiart AP GWILYM Chris ASHER Brian ATKINS x 3 * Dave ATKINSON Chris BAILEY * Jon BANKS Mark BEAUCHAMP x 3 Geoff BELL x 3 Ross BENTLEY-DAVIES Martin BERRY Richard BERRY x 2 Mark BERTONI Mel BETTS Mark BIGAM David BISSET * Gareth BLAKE Mike BLOOM * James BRADBURY David BRADSHAW Tony BRAMAH * Andrew BRENNAN Martin BREWSTER x 2 Martin BRICE Tony BRIGGS x 2 Richard BRITTON Garry BROAD Mark BROOKING x 2 Anton BROWN x 4 Julian BROWN x 2 Steven BRYCE Rob BULLYMENT Stephen BULMER x 2 Christopher BURTON Steve BUTTERWORTH * Chris BYRNE Robbie CALDER John CAPELL Russell CARSON x 2 Kevin CASSINGHAM Gary CATLOW Matt CHAMBERS Alfred CHAMINGS Kevin CHAPMAN x 2 * Mark CHARLTON Patrick CHERRY Raymond CHEUNG x 2 * Lisa CHICHESTER * John CIRCUIT 36

Matt CLARK John CLARKE Roy CLARKE x 3 Andy CLARKSON Linday CLAYTON John CLEMENS x 2 Sharon CLIFFORD x 2 David COLLEY x 3 * James COLLEY Ian COLLINS Michael COLLINS Michael CONWAY Paul CONYERS Rachel COOKE Elliot COOPER * Peter CORFE Andrew CORNWELL * David COUPE Andy COX x 2 Mark COX x 2 Colin CRAWFORD Sonia CRAWFORD Chris CROSSLAND x 2 * Sam CROSSLEY * Robert DALLISON Philip DANIELS Stephen DART * Martin DAVEY * Ivor DAVIES * Simon DAWS Tom DEAKINS x 4 Tim DECKER Rudolph DEL-PRADO Gordon DEWAR x 3 Emma DIXON Jonathan DIXON Neil DIXON * Ritchie DIXON Jonathan DUCKWORTH Paul DYTHAM * Mike EADES Dominic ELLIS John ELLIS x 4 Geoff ERICSON Lars ERICSSON x 2 Daniel ERSSER David FAWCETT David FENN x 3 * Caroline FENTON Ian FINCH Robert FINN * Kevin FIRTH Nick FIRTH x 3 Eric FLETCHER Richard FORREST Simon FORTUNE Mark FOSSARD x 3

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Badge: available at £2.50 to PayPal account ‘Mike@PeakAudax.co.uk’ or by cheque payable to ‘Mike Wigley’. Updates: the RRtY roll of honour can be found at www.PeakAudax. co.uk > RRTY Roll of Honour: 449 riders at 06/01/2015. (*Indicates new this year)

Jason FRASER * Grant GAHAGAN Norbert GAJDA x 2 David GALLE Jon GAMMAGE Peter GAWTHORNE x 3 * Ian GERRARD * Roger GIBSON Steve GINTY x 4 Steve GLOSTER Michael GOATLEY Julian GOUGH x 3 Tony GREEN x 2 * Jonathan GREENWAY x 3 Tony GREENWOOD x 2 Shaun GREGORY JNR Shaun GREGORY SNR x 2 Jim GRESTY x 2 Simon GROVE * Barbara HACKWORTH * Jim HAFFEY * Mark HAGGER Matthew HAIGH Nigel HALL x 2 John HAMILTON Bernie HAMMOND Clive HANDY Graham HANLEY x 2 Adrian HANSON-ABBOTT Lee HARGRAVES Ben HARRIS * David HAYDON John HAYES x 2 Malcolm HEATHCOTE Aidan HEDLEY Gerald HENDERSON x 2 Mike HENDERSON x 4 Ian HENNESSEY x 2 Andy HEYTING Gary HIBBARD Rob HIDDERLEY Mark HIGGINS x 3 Martin HILBERS Graham HODGES Innes HOGG x 3 Peter HOLDEN Neville HOLGATE x 2 Kevin HOPE Chris HOPKINSON Ian HORNE Brian HOWE * Joe HOWIE Dave HUDSON Ade HUGHES Mike HUNTING Richard HURLEY Don HUTCHISON

Trevor HYDE Peter IBBOTSON x 4 Michael IRONS Mark JACKLIN Dave JACKSON Ian JACKSON Tom JACKSON x 4 Marcus JACKSON-BAKER x 3 Ralph JAMES x 3 Mark JARVIS Miles JEFFERSON Bob JOHNSON Chris JOHNSON Pete JOHNSON David JOHNSTON x 3 Linda JOHNSTON Ray JOINER Justin JONES Joe JORD x 3 Barry JORDAN David KAHN x 3 Paul KELLY x 2 Ray KERRIDGE Nic KETLEY x 3 Garry KING Mel KIRKLAND x 2 Richard KITSON x 2 Tom KNOWLES x 2 Graham LACEY x 3 Neil LANCASTLE Mike LANE Dave LARRINGTON x 3 Carl LAVER Ron LAWRENCE x 2 Dave LAWRENSON Anne LEARMONTH Maggie LEWIS x 2 Pete LEWIS x 2 Ka-Wai LI Dave LIDDY Mark LISON Ian LLEWELYN Heather MACKAY Alan MACLEAN Graeme MAIR * Paul MANASSEH Brian MANN x 4 Ann MARSHALL x 2 Archie MARSHALL x 4 Chris MARTEN John MARTIN Paul MARTIN Peter MARTIN * Stephen MARTIN Peter MASTENKO Dave MATTHEWS Arabella MAUDE

Jim MCCORMICK Graeme MCCULLOCH Bob MCDOWALL Dick MCTAGGART Lucy MCTAGGART x 2 Jim MCCORMICK James MEARNS Wendy MEARS Jo MILES * David MILLER Stuart MILLER * Ian MILNE Chris MISON Mike MOODY Stuart MOORE Kevin MORELAND Duncan MURRAY Joe NAYLOR Jack NEAL Phil NELSON * Phil NETTLETON Martin NEWSTEAD x 3 Darryl NOLAN * John OAKSHOTT x 2 Tiho OBRENOVITCH x 3 Ian OLIVER Henry ORNA x 2 John OWEN Roger PADDEY x 2 * Joanne PAGE Paul PALMER Gordon PANICCA Richard PARKER x 2 David PARKES Duncan PARKES Alan PARKINSON Alex PATTISON x 2 Richard PEART John PERRIN Brian PERRY Margaret PHILLPOTTS x 3 Stephen POTTS Andy PRESTON x 3 Paul PRICE Richard PRIDDY * Stuart PROCTOR Brian RAINBOW x 2 Paul RAINBOW x 3 * Steve RALPHS x 3 David RANDERSON Alan RAYNER x 3 * Tim REDFEARN Andrew REGISTER x 3 Paul REVELL * Stephen RILEY David RINGER Mike ROBERTS x 2 www.aukweb.net

Randonnées Paul ROBERTS * Phil ROBSON Andrew RODGERS x 3 Stephen ROGERS x 4 David ROWELL Paul RULE Mark RUSBY Jeremy RUSS Chris RUTTER Ian RYALL x 4 * Jonathan SAVILLE x 2 Peter SCOULAR x 2 Terry SEANOR Jasmine SHARP Geoff SHARPE x 2 Rob SHAW Shawn SHAW x 3 Bill SHELDON Sheila SIMPSON Andrew SINCLAIR x 2 James SINGLEHURST Chris SMITH (Burnley) Dave SMITH x 3 Gerald SMITH x 2 Jane SMITH x 2 * Mark SMITH Peter SMITH Ron SMITH x 3 Tim SOLLESSE Marjorie SOUTH Peter SOUTH Mike SPENCER x 2 Simon SPOONER David STACEY * Daniel STALEY Robin STEVENS * Daryl STICKING John STONE x 3 Peter STOTT Ian STRAUGHAN John STRAUGHAN Judith SWALLOW x 4 Justin SYKES * John TALBOT * Kevin TALBOT Neil TALBOT x 2 Mike TATTERSALL x 2 Bruce TAYLOR Tim TAYLOR x 3 Andy TERRY x 2 Richard THOMAS Mike THOMPSON x 3 Ken THOMSON Martin TILLIN x 2 Mike TILLOTSON Robin TOMES x 4 John TOMLINSON * Sean TOWNLEY x 2 Christophe TRACEY * Pete TREDGET x 2 Sharon TRIVETT Brian TROKE x 2 Chris TURNER Mary TURNER Phil TURNER Stephen UNDERWOOD Jutta URENJAK x 3 Andy UTTLEY x 2 Michael VENNARD x 2 www.aukweb.net

Els VERMEULEN Ben WADDINGTON Ivan WADDINGTON x 2 Patrick WADSWORTH Mark WALSH Graham WANLESS x 2 John WARD Mark WATSON Robert WATSON Robin WEAVER Danial WEBB x 2 * Jason WEBB Robert WEBB x 3 Tony WEBSTER Leo WELLS Peter WESTON * Steve WHALLEY Richard WHITE Paul WHITEHEAD Mark WHITEHOUSE Werner WIETHEGE Chris WILBY Nick WILKINSON x 2 * Luke WILLIAMS Ken WILSON x 2 John WILTON Alan WITHERS x 2 Honor WOOD Michael WOOD Peter WOOD Rob WOOD Stephen WOOD Rob WORMALD Graham WYLLIE * Peter YARRANTON Adam YOUNG x 2 Armorel YOUNG x 2 Matt ZORN

RRtY x 5 Why stop at just the one year? Keep it going and you may be entitled to claim the RRTY x 5 badge. Qualification: 5 or more RRTY claims, may be consecutive or separate but no event can be counted twice Claims: to Mike Wigley as opposite Badge: available at £2.50 (see opposite) Roll of Honour: 40 riders at 06/01/2015. (* indicates new this year)

Richard ELLIS x 7 Tricia FARNHAM x 5 Peter FAULKS x 6 Richard HARDING x 5 * Georgina HARPER x 5 John HARWOOD x 6 Derek HEINE x 7 Tony HULL x 7 * Terry LISTER x 5 Martin MALINS x 8 Dave MINTER x 6 Tony PEMBER x 5 Winston PLOWES x 9 Mike PLUMSTEAD x 9 Jackie POPLAND x 5 Louise RIGBY x 6 Mark RIGBY x 6

The Browns with the Tandem Trophy

The Reunion - Photos: Steve Poulton. Drew Buck with Paris-Brest-Paris reminiscences

Mark SHANNON x 8 Chris SMITH (Diss) x 6 Jonathan STAINTON-ELLIS x 5

Paul STEWART x 5 Allan TAYLOR x 8 Andy TAYLOR-VEBEL x 7 Richard WARNER x 6 William WEIR x 5 Pippa WHEELER x 5 Julian WILLIAMS x 6 Nik WINDLE x 9 David WINSLADE x 6

Ultra RRtY Keep at it long enough and you could join the exclusive RRTY Ultra club. Qualification: 10 or more RRTY claims.. Claims: to Mike Wigley as above. Badge: available at £2.50 (see above).

Mike Lane with the Overall Points and Vets

Roll of Honour: 17 riders at 06/01/2015. (* indicates new this year) Dave BARTLETT * Don BLACK Roger CORTIS David DARRICOTT Tony DAVIS Phil DYSON

Steve ABRAHAM x 6 * Rob BAIRD x 5 * Sean BARKER x 5 Dave BAXANDALL x 6 Chris BEYNON x 7 * Peter BOND x 5 Brian CALLOW x 8 Geoff CLEAVER x 6 John CONNAGHAN x 5 Chris CROOKES x 5 Mary DOYLE x 6

* Peter HAMMOND * Toby HOPPER Francois HUGO Mike KELLY Dave LEWIS Richard PHIPPS Steve POULTON John RADFORD Andrew SOUTHWORTH Trevor WALE Mike WIGLEY

Arrivée February 2015 No. 127

On Tour

Bealach na Ba to Hautacam in Three Courses The seedcorn for this cycling feast was sown some years ago when my friend and his wife moved from Chepstow to Montmaurin, some 50k north of Bagneres -deLuchon in the Pyrenees. I visited them by car during the 2010 Tour de France, spending a memorable cycling day on the Port de Bales and witnessing the infamous “Chaingate” affair when Contador attacked at the precise moment Andy Schleck unshipped his chain. Over the next couple of years I gradually formulated the idea of riding from our home in Chester to Montmaurin. Many possibilities were mulled over and discarded until I finally decided on following an extended version of the 1000k Audax UK perm “Manche-Med”. This ride starts from the ferry terminal at Ouistreham and officially ends at Montpelier in order to catch the bike bus home. However, as I had onward plans beyond this route, permission was granted by Sheila Simpson to extend the ride a further 220k to finish on the Med at Gruissan Marina, some 25k south of Narbonne. Beyond Gruissan, the plan was to turn north west and ride on to Toulouse airport via the Port de Lers 1517m, taking 4 days to cover the final 400 km. At the airport I could pick up a hire car, visit my friends and pack the bike up to return to Manchester by air, a few days later. Total trip time was 3.5 weeks out and 2 hours return.

Preparation Firstly, I had not adventured on an unsupported tour, nor used a touring bike or taken my bike on a train since riding the UK end to end in 1999. Secondly, I had been using Look delta pedals continuously since 1990. These pedals necessitate large, protruding cleats under cycling shoes which cause a number of problems off the bike on a tour as you slide about like a duck on ice, damaging any good floors in the process. So, it was time for a major change in my bike, luggage and shoes. My steel Rossin race bike, vintage early 90’s, had been used on the end to end ride last century. In spite of this being a top end race bike of the era, it is fairly heavy and very strongly built. So I had this bike fitted with suitable braze on’s for mudguards. pump and rack - then chromed and sprayed Ferrari red with gold lettering. Looks stunning in my view and very practical. Experience has taught me that what you take on a ride always expands to fit the space available. Thus it was decided that all my gear had to be taken in a rear rack pack (Leyzyne) with small panniers that fold out of the sides. A harsh discipline, but necessary to cut weight down. The pack was carried on a lightweight alloy rack that was modified using alloy bar cut offs (from the top mounts) to allow purchase for the base of the small panniers. These bars were securely attached horizontally by filing a groove in the back to match the down legs of the rack and then fixing firmly in place using small screws and Araldite liquid metal. Then I took an extremely deep breath and changed the pedals to SPD’s. All sorts of concerns emerged such as would they damage my dodgy knee?, would they be uncomfortable? But I needn’t have worried. After a couple of rides the SPD’s felt perfectly natural and have proved a boon when walking. Next learning curve was the purchase of a Samsung Galaxy S4 Active smart phone for its multi functions giving cheap overseas phone calls (Skype or viber),

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mapping + GPS, emails, weather forecasts, camera, alarm clock, radio, music and translation facility. A lot to go at and I’m still learning. Given all these changes, it was necessary to have a rehearsal, in particular travelling by train with my bike for the first time in 15 years. Following an intensive search of travel options at the trainline.com decision was made to make return train journey to Achnasheen (where there is a handy hotel and bunkhouse just 1k from the station) in the west highlands of Scotland. From here I could ride the Bealach Na Ba pass to Applecross, stay overnight and then return along the famous coast road to Torridon and Achnasheen.

Entree Clutching some 27 tickets for the 8 trains to and from Achnasheen (at a cost of £55- for approx 1000 miles of rail travel!) I left home at 05:45 on May 14 to catch the early train from Chester to Glasgow and beyond. All went smoothly and I arrived at the Achnasheen hotel safely by 8:00pm. Next morning the day dawned bright but windy. So windy it was necessary, even with a loaded rackpack for extra ballast, to pedal downhill as I headed west towards Kishorn and the foot of the 2000 ft Bealach Na Ba. As I slowly climbed the pass, the road got steeper, the headwind got to gale force and it became almost impossible to see through the mist blanket. Cars and motorbikes emerged both ways through the mist in scary fashion on the narrow road. Eventually I had to walk upwards as it became impossible to balance the bike as horizon and road merged into a milky white blur. Then it became almost impossible to stand up in the

howling gale as I dragged my bike up to and over the invisible summit. To quote Graham Obree: “You really want the rain lashing into your face up there (in the natural wind tunnel over the summit); that’s part of the experience. People will think I am crazy for saying that, but the weather is part of its character”. Well, I guess I got the works on this occasion. Once down in Applecross I found the youth hostel in the woods (it’s actually part of an outdoor adventure centre) and settled in for a good rest after the day’s tribulations. Amazingly Applecross, in the middle of nowhere, has two Gourmet restaurants. The nearest one to the youth hostel is “The Walled Garden” which provided me with an excellent meal at very reasonable cost. Riding back on the narrow coast road to Shieldag next day was a scenic, if lumpy, delight. The views of the sea and Skye are stunning in a totally remote location. The wind was still howling, which enabled me to ride at 40kph with no effort or 15kph with big effort, depending on the twists and turns of the road. Shieldag is a small settlement with a pub where I could get lunch before riding back to Achnasheen via Kinlochewe. The weather remained fine as far as Kinlochewe with its excellent cafe. Then the rains came in, giving me a most unpleasant ride up a long, straight, windswept hilly road along Glen Docherty, back east to Achnasheen. Next morning I was at the station bright and early for the 11 hour train journey to Chester to conclude a successful rehearsal before my trip to France in June.

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On Tour Plat Principal Part 1 Manche-Med 1,000km Perm The first stage of Manche-Med is a relatively short ride of 64k to Falaise. The route heads south through Caen and the Falaise gap, scene of many battles following the D day landings on June 6 1944. My ferry crossing on June 5th from Portsmouth (£12.50 from Chester by rail amazing value!) was a special early morning sailing for the people heading over to the 70th anniversary commemorations next day, arriving at Ouistreham at 15:00. This crossing was a special experience as the Captain welcomed the elderly D day vets on board with their blazers, medals and memories. As the ferry approached Ouistreham we could see the facilities for the Queen, World political leaders and the vets being finalised on Sword Beach, just 1k to the right of the ferry port.

Day 1 Ouistreham to Falaise 61k Once disembarked, the route initially follows a canal to the centre of Caen for 10k. On this day, the canal path was crowded with people preparing for D day anniversary. There were several original craft on display in the water and the famous Pegasus Cafe and bridge (first part of France to be liberated) were heaving with crowds awaiting the arrival of various dignitaries. I believe David Cameron missed me by about four hours. The canal path leads to a yacht basin in the centre of Caen. My route directions were delightfully vague at this point as to how I navigated my way through the city to May-sur-Orne on the southern outskirts. I could not afford to waste time getting lost. In spite of my pathetic knowledge of French, I decided to ask 2 bicycle mounted, fully armed gendarmes to get me on the right road. After a discussion involving many gestures, pauses and words such as “tres complex” the two officers motioned me to follow them. These two guys led me through a maze of streets for several kilometres until they eventually turned back toward the city, leaving me with clear, visible directions to find Maysur-Orne. Many thanks messieurs - much appreciated! Apart from a strong headwind slowing me down and various directional problems due to the www.aukweb.net

French habit of driving new roads across established routes and changing all the road numbers randomly, I arrived safely in Falaise by 7:00pm. To my intense relief, the hotel booking was sound. So now I could settle down and recover from what was, in many ways, the trickiest and most stressful day of the ride.

Day 2 to Day 5 Falaise to Loches 305k total, cum 366k The route continued southwards through Le Mele sur Sarthe 75k; la Chartre-sur-le-Loire 110k; Amboise 71 k and on to Loches 49k. The roads were rural and well surfaced, traffic almost nonexistent and the terrain undulating. Weather stayed mostly kind with moderate headwinds until I got to the outskirts of the mediaeval town of Loche on day 5. Here, the clouds that had been gathering all week finally let rip with a massive thunderstorm. Today was Monday when, just like Sunday afternoon, most of France shuts down. Fortunately I chanced upon a cafe in the main square which remained open, where I could enjoy an extended lunchbreak as the storm raged around outside. This stage to Loches is deliberately kept short to allow time to explore this fascinating old town with its castle and links to Joan of Arc. The Hotel de France where I stayed overnight was maintained in keeping with the local mediaeval heritage but fortunately the plumbing worked and the breakfast was excellent. I returned to my lunchtime cafe in the evening, following a walk round the town, as every other bar, cafe and hotel restaurant was closed. Day 6 Loches to Argenton sur Creuse 90k, cum 456k The weather looked threatening next morning, resulting in another spectacular thunderstorm as I reached St Cyran-du-Jambot some 25k down the road. In this village they have a futuristic looking post office with a large overhanging roof which provided perfect shelter from the deluge. Shortly beyond this I arrived at the recommended morning coffee stop at Chatillonsur-Indres. Warning - do not use the first bar prior to the crossroads as it is dirty and the coffee unfit to drink in a filthy cup. I walked out in disgust, not

The author, David Matthews at Chenonceau

even daring to refill my water bottle in such an unhygienic establishment. Following this eventful morning ride, I stopped at the charming, isolated village of Migne for an al fresco lunch. The ride beyond here is a delight through the wetlands of the Brenne. Very quiet, very beautiful, lots of birdlife and no traffic. It was something of a culture shock to arrive in the busy town of Argenton sur Creuse after so many days of rural quiet. Overcompensation was to drink a cool beer in a cafe by the main multi-junction, watching the traffic get tied up in knots.

... the Massif Central, which in the context of this ride stretches 850k south to within 20k of the Med. Every day seemed to commence with a 2 hour ascent up to a high plateau which then rolled up and down until the final destination

Day 7 Argenton sur Creuse to Peyrat-le-Chateau 110k, cum 566k Argenton sur Creuse is gateway to the Massif Central, which in the context of this ride stretches 850k south to within 20k of the Med. Every day seemed to commence with a 2 hour ascent up to a high plateau which then rolled up and down until the final destination. Once again the clouds were gathering and let loose another huge thunderstorm at Bourganeuf, location of the afternoon rest stop. Unfortunately I was still some way short of the town when the storm hit, but luckily espied a builders junkyard at the side of the road. Here I spent the next half hour sat in the covered wood store until the storm passed over. The road beyond Bourganeuf was narrow, wooded and hilly. I was getting really tired after the day’s constant climbing and descending and got the first warning that my bodily food reserves were low as I almost bonked out during the last 5k to Peyrat-le-Chateau. The email contact for the local Chambre-de Hote had an English Arrivée February 2015 No. 127

On Tour name. Sure enough, I was welcomed in English and later directed to the local pub run by an English family. All the dinner guests here were English, including a very interesting couple who were house hunting in the area due to their imminent retirement from running an international school in Mongolia.

Day 8 Peyrat-le Chateau to Mauriac 114k, cum 680k As ever, the day started with a big climb - this time up to Lac de Vassiviere which was circumnavigated by the 46k time trial stage of the 1990 Tour de France. There is now a Poulidor tribute ride which follows this route around the lake. Beyond the lake, Sheila has discovered a complex maze of very small, beautiful back roads that eventually lead to the small village of Faux la Montagne. This is a good time to mention the downside of using a smartphone GPS for navigation. Before leaving UK I had downloaded the “maps with me” app which gives excellent, accurate coverage of French roads. Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to read the phone’s screen in bright light. The same problem applies to the camera which is impossible to read in any sort of bright light. I shall take a viewfinder camera on future rides, along with good old paper maps. Following various bodily contortions to find enough shade to read the GPS maps, I managed to safely navigate to Faux le Montagne. Here I raided the village shop for enough food & drink to sustain me through the rest of the day. The approach to the day’s destination at Mauriac from the Dordogne gorge (smart bridge!) is up a very long hill where the weather and dark storm clouds were closing in. My loaded bike felt extra heavy as I ground away up the slopes, hoping to avoid another soaking as there was no storm shelter in this remote area. The rain just held off until I got to Mauriac. Day 9 Mauriac to SaintEtienne-Cantales 51k, cum 731k This short day allows the option of a longer variant ascending Puy Mary 1589m - an option gratefully declined as I had been over it previously in 2008. Even 40

The Gorges de la Jonte

so, the short route is no pushover as it contains 2 long hard climbs following an initial steep descent from Mauriac. The hotel at Saint-EtienneCantales is in a beautiful location at the side of a large lake. This short stage allowed time to get all my grubby cycling gear washed and then have a good rest on the hotel terrace to prepare for the rigours ahead.

Day 10 Saint-EtienneCantales to Saint-Come d’Olt 110k, cum 841k A pleasant early morning ride alongside the lake led to more climbing and remote, beautiful scenery across the Causse de Severac. Then followed a major descent into the Gorges de Lot where I was able to buy some lunch bits at Vieillevie to enjoy at the side of the river. My overnight accommodation was at the Sisters of Mercy convent at Saint-Come d’Olt, just a few kilometres beyond Estaing. Once again the evening clouds gathered as I left Estaing but this time there was no escape from a soaking. I arrived at the convent dripping water all over the entrance floor hall, somewhat apprehensive as to how I would be received by the nuns in this bedraggled state. A word here about booking.com. I had used this site to book all my accommodation along the way, finding the site easy to use and the bookings reliable. In the comments section of the booking form, I mentioned that I would be arriving by bicycle. In France, this ensures a warm welcome and a safe store prearranged for the bike. Arriving at the convent I was met by a lay hostess who explained to me that the convent is an important staging post on the pilgrims’ route to Santiago de Compostella. Most pilgrims these days seem to arrive by bus, or walk a few short stages each year linked up by motor transport. The convent staff

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assumed I was on this east-west route, but no matter when I explained my north-south journey. The fact that I arrived by bicycle got me preferential treatment - indeed the best room, the Prince’s room, had been reserved for me, along with facilities to dry my soaking wet gear.

Day 11 Saint-Come d’Olt to Gatuzieres 104k, cum 945k Another long climb to start the day, up to the Causse de Severac plateau once more. I had plenty of company during the morning as hundreds of cyclists were riding the local sportive in the opposite direction. It was encouraging to be cheered through road junctions by the sportive marshals who looked on astonished at my loaded steel bike until they realised I was not participating in the sportive. Eventually I descended from the plateau to approach the lunch stop at Severac le Chateau along several kilometres of main road. Just as I turned off the main road which by-passed the town, a large bee flew into my mouth and left its sting on the inside of my lower lip. Soon I spotted a bus shelter nearby with a convenient bench which became my temporary first aid station. Using the mirror from my wash kit, tweezers and hygienic wipes I managed to remove the barb and swathe the puncture wound with antiseptic solution. Severac le Chateau has a good cafe opposite the central train station which provide me with a filling “Plat du jour”. This sustenance was badly needed as I had a most frustrating time navigating beyond the town, at one point taking a 15k diversion, to the start of the Gorge de la Jonte at Le Rozier. After a refreshing bar stop at Le Rozier, I started to climb up the spectacular Gorge. This gorge is how French gorges should be with a good road, steady climb and big rock walls all around. I was running late at this point so

pressed as hard as I could over the 35k climb to Gatuzieres - 10k uphill beyond the normal stage finish at Meyrueis. Gatuzieres is a micro hamlet with a church, a couple of houses and an unusual wooden building housing the local Chambre d’hôte. The facility is managed by a Dutch lady with baby, and husband working away, who is well used to all sorts of adventurers passing through. Nothing fazes her and she had pre-prepared a cold, substantial meal prior to my arrival as the nearest restaurant is back in Meyrueis. All the guests gathered to watch a world cup football match later that evening but I was soon fast asleep after the exertions of the day, complemented by a couple of glasses of local red wine.

Day 12 Gatuzieres to Sumene via Mont Aigoual 71k, cum 1015k If there is only one memory taken from this trip, it has to be the Chambre d’hôte at Sumene, some 12k east of the official stop at Le Vigan. This day started with a very long ascent to the Observatory on the summit of Mont Aigoual 1567m, the highest point of the Massif Central. The facilities up here include an excellent cafe which was most welcome, providing a lunch of steak hache and frites. A fine descent followed through the Herault valley, dropping some 1400m in the process. During this descent I clocked up 1000km since leaving Ouistreham - a significant moment. Just beyond Pont d’Herault at the foot of the valley I turned left up a very steep 180m climb towards Sumene , which really hurt my tired legs and lungs. “Perhaps I should have paid more to stay in a hotel at Le Vigan” were my thoughts as local riders came zooming past up the hill to rub in the fact of my slow, tired progress. Once over the sharp col there is a 140m descent to the small village of Sumene which is in an idyllic, isolated location surrounded by shapely hills. I was expecting a small building for my overnight stay, but the reality was far different. There is a dusty drive leading to this large house set in grounds with several outbuildings, situated just outside the village centre. I was www.aukweb.net

On Tour met at first by a well dressed young lady who could speak Spanish and French, but very little English. Then Madame arrived, who spoke no English at all, but by dint of various gestures we got my bike stored in a huge garage and myself in a small room at the end of a long upstairs corridor. The bathroom and showers were communal, but as no one else was around I treated these facilities as my own en suite. The house had a strange, somewhat bizarre atmosphere! First shock on entering the house was the sight of several children who turned out to be life size dolls. There were life size portraits of African women alongside the stairs. The top corridor was furnished and decorated in a manner reminiscent of the Arabian Nights---with more life size dolls on display. The main room downstairs contained a grand piano, Hi-fi system, jazz records and expensive, coffee table size art books laid out on the occasional tables. Hardly your normal Chambre d’hôte! Madame disappeared at 9:00pm and left me to read books and play records before I regained my room past the dolls and oriental coffee sets. I slept like a log, dreaming only of the hard return climb up the col next morning, leading back to normal civilisation.

Day 13 Sumene via Cirque de Navacelles to Lamaloules-Bains 102k, cum 1117k This was probably the joint hardest day of the trip (along with day 15 to Limoux). The official route leaves La Vigan to climb up 600m of ascent to a plateau with spectacular views of the vast, rocky cirque. A big descent then follows to to the bottom of the cirque, crosses the river at a small village marred by large hydroelectric facilities, and then makes another long climb up to St Maurice-Navacelles, a small village at the far edge of

the cirque. Beyond St Maurice, the normal route turns south east to Aniane for an overnight stop after 69k and then 61k travel next day to Montpelier at the end of the ride. My day started with the stiff climb out of Sumene which I found rather difficult early in the morning. Then the severity of the climb out of the Cirque de Navacelles, having already completed a long climb up to the plateau, came as an unwelcome surprise. However, the spectacular rocky scenery of the enormous cirque did compensate somewhat for the grinding effort up the climb. Once at St Maurice, I was able to get a good barbeque lunch which restored my spirits somewhat. After lunch I turned away south west from the official route to the town of Lodeve, some 20k distant down a very scenic, winding descent. The route from Lodeve up to Lunas gave an lengthy, unexpected climb with 600m ascent to a col, before descending some 20k through several small villages to the town of Bedarieux. By this time, I was getting really tired, thirsty and hungry from the day’s exertions and was struggling to find enough strength to ride the final 10k to Lamalou-les-Bains. Just beyond Bedarieux there is a large out-oftown shopping complex which caused me to get even more fatigued avoiding all the traffic racing about. Salvation! I saw MacDonald’s golden arch in the distance and immediately diverted to be refreshed by an ice-cream/fruit concoction. This fuelled me nicely to reach the spa town of Lamalou-les-Bains.

Day 14 Lamalou-les-Bains to Gruissan 103k, cum 1220k I had no real idea of my best route from here to the Med, but looking at the map I noticed a 15k route along the D14 passing through the Gorges de l’Orb to Cessenon This road starts at a suspension bridge some 10k east Sumene from the Chambre d’Hôte

In the valley of the Orb

of Lamalou-les-Bains near the village of Moulin. At the end of the Gorge my route continued south to Fleury, by-passing the city of Narbonne, and finally arriving at the Med at St-Pierrela-Mer, some 10k along the seashore from my final destination at Gruissan. The Gorges l’Orb turned out to be a cyclist’s delight. Beautiful scenery, easy gradients and quiet, well surfaced roads passing through immaculate villages; the home of Saint Chinian wine. The principal village is Roquebrun where I stopped for a restful morning coffee and enjoyed watching French rural life go slowly by. The weather was warm and fine through the gorges but as I headed further south, ominous storm clouds were gathering in

For the second time that day I set off on flooded roads, hoping that Gruissan would be a much classier place than St-Pierre (not difficult!). My wishes were granted as Gruissan turned out to be an upmarket town with a smart yacht marina at its centre. Hotel Port Beach, an expensive treat on reaching the Med,

the direction of the Med. Half way along the remote D134, lost among the high vineyards between Cazedarnes and Puisserguier, the rain started spitting as prelude to a major storm. I wound up to the best 5k time trial I could muster and just made it to a cafe in Puisserguier as sheets of rain hammered down from the black skies. There was nothing for it but to sit out the storm in the cafe, fortunately coinciding with lunch time.

maintained the high standard. That evening I enjoyed a wonderful meal of fresh fish and a couple of glasses of local wine to celebrate my safe arrival at the end of two weeks of memorable experiences.

Something like an hour later the rain had abated sufficiently to allow me to set out on flooded roads, nervously wondering when the next big storm would move in as I still had 45k to travel to Gruissan.

Day 15 Gruissan to Limoux 120k, cum 1340k Main challenge of the morning ride was to find a safe way through Narbonne to Montredon-des-Corbieres, turning point off the main road to Carcassone, some 5k beyond the city. The cycle paths through

Well, with impeccable timing, the rain hammered down again as I caught my first sight of the www.aukweb.net

Med at St-Pierre-la Mer. What a letdown after 1200k riding to be greeted by torrential rain in one of the tackiest seaside resorts I have ever had the misfortune to visit. The only compensation was meeting a young Russian cyclist sheltering under a leaky awning who was on her way from Marseille to Barcelona. We spent a pleasant half hour exchanging stories of our respective rides as we dodged raindrops spraying through gaps in the awning.

Now to turn away from the sea and head north east towards the Pyrenees, some 400k in the distance...

Plat Principal Part 2 Gruissan to Toulouse

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On Tour the city were initially safe and well marked but eventually disappeared at a huge motorway style junction with cars and lorries whirling about all over the place. I raced through this junction as safely as possible to the sanctuary of an industrial estate beyond, only to realise to my horror that I should have joined in with the mayhem to turn right at the busy junction. There was no chance of risking my life riding back through the junction. However by studying my GPS, hiding from the light beneath an upturned plastic swimming pool, I managed to sort out a safe route by ducking and weaving through several industrial estates until I could join the main road east at a safe point. Just as I reached a useable entry point to the main road, near the top of a small hill, more stress as my chain jammed solid in the front mech and twisted it out of line. Rapid running repairs at the side of the road, surrounded by noisy, speeding traffic, enabled me to temporarily engage a suitable gear to ride swiftly along the unpleasant, debris littered emergency lane of the D6113. I breathed a huge sigh of relief when I eventually turned off the main road into Montredon-desCorbieres some 5k later. Here I had some space to effectively repair my gears before setting out on peaceful, rural roads once more. My route beyond this point had been researched using the bike path section of gmaps. These maps work really well giving route options (as blue/grey traces on the map), elevation profiles and distance between selected points. On this occasion, as a bonus, I found myself to be on the waymarked route of the Knights Templar. This led me within sight of a few of their spectacular old castles and Cathedrals as I travelled along the valley of the Alsou. Beyond this valley, my route entered a remote hilly area where the map showed only small white roads for the next 35k to Limoux. The map did not lie - narrow roads, complex navigation, a sharp 200+m ascent to a col, beautiful mountain scenery with a really remote feel to the whole area. An unexpected, if gruelling, highlight of the entire trip. The gmap plot eventually led me 42

It is possible to continue over the Col d’Agnes 1570m from the summit of the Port de Lers, but one look at the drop between the two cols convinced me to take the easy option and descend directly to Massat, better known as the gateway to the Col-de Port.

Start of the Port de Lers, with the Tour de France sign

towards a strangely convoluted section at the end of the ride, avoiding the obvious route through St-Hilaire some 10k from Limoux. In spite of this given line, I must have deviated from the gmap route somewhere as the final long descent from the plateau led me directly into St Hilaire, where I was able to get some much needed refreshment at the local supermarket. I thought the lady in the shop gave me a strange look when I said I was going on to Limoux and it soon became apparent why I got the look (madman? sympathy?) and why the gmap had avoided this town. The only way out was up a very steep climb, then a descent and yet another steep climb before the final drop into Limoux. All a bit much after such a long, hard and at times stressful day!

Day 16 Limoux to Tarasconsur-Ariege 84k, cum 1424k Today’s ride started with a long but nicely graded 15k climb up to the Col del’Espinas, 494m, where I got my first sight of the snow covered Pyrenees in the distance. The quiet roads continued beyond my idyllic lunch spot beside a wooded river until I arrived at the large, busy town of Lavelanet, 45k from Limoux. The sun was blazing down as I made my way up the steep hills in town getting ever hotter, sweatier and more irritable until I eventually departed the outskirts on the very busy D117 towards Foix and Tarascon. The traffic got even worse when I eventually reached the N20 FoixTarascon motorway junction and this factor, along with road signs appropriate to cars rather than bikes, led me mistakenly to a very hilly road on the far side of the Ariege river. This road contained some of the steepest gradients of the trip, but once

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over them and in Tarascon I could console myself with the thought that I was now in the Pyrenees proper.

Day 17 Tarascon-sur-Ariege to St Lizier via “Port de Lers” 1517m 74k, cum 1498k The Port de Lers summit is some 1000m above Tarascon and has featured several times in the Tour de France. The ascent was one of the major objectives of my trip, the intention being that I would gain enough fitness by this stage to ride a loaded bike over the col. The first 20k are fairly amenable as you warm up along the approach road to the foot of the col at Auzat. Beyond here the col proper starts and the initial gradients were steep enough to lift my front wheel off the ground. All a bit out of control as I struggled to maintain my proud record of not walking up any hills throughout the trip. Fortunately the gradient eased after the first couple of kilometers and beyond these early slopes I was able to slowly grind my way up to the distant summit during the next 3 hours. Villa Bellsama at St Lizier

!5k west beyond Massat there is a road junction with the D3 leading on to St Girons in a further 13k. At this point, it is possible to divert from the modern route to take the old parallel road through the tunnels down the Gorges de Ribauto, one way only, on the east bank of the river. There are several big warning signs advising cyclists not to proceed unless they have lights to navigate through the tunnels. Fortunately my bike was equipped with small lights so I took a chance and rode on through the tunnels. These tunnels are dark and twisty and gave me a bit of excitement (in safety as they are “one way only” so there was no chance of oncoming traffic) before rejoining the main road near St Girons. My accommodation that night was in the nearby historic, mediaeval town of St Lizier, set on a hill overlooking St Girons. After several circuits of the village and its cathedral I eventually located the equally mediaeval looking Villa Bellsama right at the top of the hill. The Villa gave me by far the best overnight stay of the trip. Within its complex, rambling structure, I was given a huge low beamed bedroom with veranda and separate bathroom, all fitted out in expensive style. My bicycle took up residence in the library. The breakfast next day was amazing and B&B cost was a very reasonable 70 euros. Villa Bellsama is definitely on my list for a return visit.

Day 18 St Lizier to St Lys (near Toulouse) 84k, cum 1582k This was supposed to be the last day of the trip as I enjoyed a gentle ride to the hotel at St Lys where I could have a celebratory meal, then get a shuttle bus to the airport to collect my hire car the next day. The ride started well enough in good weather, following the D 627 as it gently led me to the wide bridge over the Garonne at www.aukweb.net

On Tour Cazeres. Afternoon stop was in a cafe at Rieumes where the walls were covered in posters advertising bull fights in the town. Not sure if this still happens as I deemed it inappropriate and possibly risky to ask. I eventually located my hotel some 2k beyond St Lys, situated in a field by the main road with nothing else around. First problem on arrival was no evening meal available. Second problem was no shuttle bus to the airport, some 25k distant, the next day. This was a real let down at the end of such a long, successful ride! Once I had gathered my thoughts, I elected to ride back to St Lys that evening in order to collect a take-away pizza and bottle of beer which was enjoyed in my room - though hardly the celebration envisaged. It was tempting to hire a taxi to get to the airport next day, but this would have cost at least 80 euros. This seemed a lot of money when I could ride there. Also, if I did ride to the airport, my overall distance would just exceed 1000 miles, an irresistible target.

Day 19 St Lys to Toulouse Blagnac via Cornebarrieu 40k, cum 1622km Next day dawned, just about, with pitch black skies, flashing lightning, thunder and driving rain. I had plotted a route to the airport through Fonsorbes and Colomieres which appeared to avoid the worst of the main roads into Toulouse. As the weather was so bad, I delayed my departure until the rain had stopped at around 10:00am. This timing had the further advantage of avoiding the worst of the rush hour into the city. All went according to plan until I reached a huge, very busy roundabout where the N124 cut east through Colomieres towards Toulouse. After fruitlessly spending half an hour attempting to follow badly signposted cycle paths to avoid this obstacle, I eventually decided to follow minor roads to Pibrac and then approach the airport from the north west through Cornebarrieu. Just beyond Pibrac I had my worst experience of the trip. I was descending a steep hill on a cycle path that curved around to www.aukweb.net

avoid a badly placed bus shelter. As I approached the curve, I suddenly noticed a number of smashed glass bottles on the path, partially hidden behind the bus shelter. Doing my utmost to avoid the broken glass, I took a wide line only to start skidding on some substance that probably came from the bottles and very nearly went flying off. Fortunately I just about held the slide and continued safely onwards but I still shudder when I think how close I came to a really nasty accident. Once I got close to the airport, the roads became dual carriageway expressways and rather cycle unfriendly. My only choice here was to hug the inside of the road and enter the airport very warily in a somewhat scary attempt to steer clear of the streams of traffic. Once inside the airport the hire car desk was located and I parked by bike at the side whilst I registered for the car. 10 seconds after parking the bike, there was an almighty hiss as the back tyre suddenly went flat. The first puncture 3 weeks, if it happened in a movie you wouldn’t believe it! Thus ended my continuous 18.5 day ride of 1622km; at which time my predominant emotion was one of thanks for staying safe. Now I could load the bike into a hire car and drive off to my friends’ house for some well deserved R&R.

Dessert Lourdes to Hautecam 1616m The weather during the next week proved very variable, some nice hot weather in between major thunderstorms heading north over Montmaurin from the Pyrenees. Finally a settled weather window was forecast for just one day at the end of the week, which gave me an opportunity to attempt the Hautecam climb, soon to be used as a stage finish during the 2014 Tour de France. The climb rises 1136m over 15.5km to a ski station from nearby Argeles-Gazost. This town is situated at the foot of the Col du Tourmalet to the east and Col d’Aubisque to the west. Hence it is frequently visited by riders on the sea to sea traverse of the Pyrenees - but the Hautecam climb requires a

special visit as it lies up a dead end to the south. The col has a fearsome reputation as one of the hardest climbs in the Pyrenees. It has been utilised several times by rocket fuelled riders in past editions of the Tour de France to despatch their rivals due to its strenuous nature. My hope was that fitness gained over 1000 miles of loaded, strenuous touring would enable me to climb the Hautecam without too much trauma. During the week preceding the attempt on the Hautecam it was essential to fit a new rear tyre on my bike as the original had been slashed wide open, probably by some debris collected in the road gutters around Blagnac. Unfortunately the only tyre I could get at the time was a very crude device bought from supermarket for 6 euro which felt like riding through treacle. The weather cleared up, as predicted, so I drove over to Argeles-Gazost early on Friday morning, grabbed a quick coffee at the local bar, and then cycled out the short distance to the foot of the col. The first 11k of the climb passed by well enough, hard but nothing too strenuous. But then, at approx 4.5k from the summit on one of the steeper sections, my energy just drained away. After a short rest I carried on climbing, but could only manage a further kilometer before collapsing at the side of the road yet again. I now understood that my energy reserves had been so depleted during the long ride through France that I had totally bonked out on the climb and needed some more energy bars to keep on going. Unfortunately, I had started the climb with just a couple of bars and these were long gone.

Refusing to admit defeat, I staggered on up the climb, with ever shorter bursts of riding between ever longer rests. My mind had visions of dazed Olympic Marathon runners wandering all over the road and staring wildly into the distance, unable to finish their event due to lack of blood sugar. But somehow I just could not face turning back, regardless of feeling totally shattered. Then, salvation! A couple of Dutch riders with a support van came past me as I sat once again at the side of the road. The guys in the van must have been speculating as to what this exhausted looking, elderly gent with steel bike, mudguards, rack and rubbish rear tyre was doing attempting such a hard climb and, like good Samaritans, pulled over to enquire if I needed any assistance. They very kindly topped up my water bottle and gave me not one but three energy bars - so I gradually regained some semblance of energy and managed to ride the remaining 3k to the bleak car park at the top of the climb. This climb gave me the most suffering on a bike within living memory and the final word on the subject has to remain with a French rider I met near the top who told me, ”You ‘ave to be careful on zis climb, ’eet is very, very ‘ard”. Too true monsieur! Fortunately there is a cafe at Hautecam summit where I was able to get a coke to restore my sugar level to slightly above zero. Next day I packed up the bike to fly home after a memorable trip 3.5 weeks out and then 2 hours to fly home for a good rest and lots of cake to restore my energy levels after the trauma of the Hautecam. David Matthews 08/14

The bleak summit of the Hautcam, showing the Tour de France finis line

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RRtY How Audax Cycling Saved my Life Enjoying the sunshine – having cycled up Alpe D’Huez – July 2011

Richard Betts

My participation in Audax cycling has saved my life. This may sound dramatic but I believe it to be wholeheartedly and unreservedly true. This article will demonstrate how I survived a life threatening illness because of the mental strength and physical stamina developed through pursuit of long distance cycling. These are qualities earned by all my fellow Audaxers by virtue of the endurance athletes we become. The article also tells the story of my failed attempt at completing the Randonneurs Round the Year (RRTY) award in 2012. My own failures are not something I like writing or talking about for obvious reasons. However there are important lessons to be learnt that will benefit the Audaxer looking to take on the RRTY and some observations on the benefits and risks of long-distance cycling I apologise in advance if there is a lot of medical history in this tale as opposed to pure cycling tales, but I think you will agree that this forms an essential part of the story. I learned to ride a bike when I was four and can remember cycling miles to go fruit picking and fishing when I was a young boy, but always thought of cycling as means of transport rather than a leisure pursuit or sport. My interest in cycling was really born in the 1980s with the advent of Mountain Biking. I bought myself a brand new Cannondale mountain bike with over-sized aluminium tubing. That bike became my pride and joy and I thoroughly enjoyed this new experience of cycling through woods, down hills, through mud. I also found that I could cycle to work on this bike with large knobbly tyres, whereas a bike with normal tyres would be more prone to damage. I was then lucky enough to live and work overseas and the bike got much more crosscountry action on a variety of terrains but recreational cycling still remained the poor relation and substitute for other activities such as diving and windsurfing. I moved back to the UK in 2003 and my weight ballooned and I realised I needed to take up 44

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another sport to regain my fitness. So, I joined the local rowing club and spent my Saturday mornings and Wednesday evenings rowing up and down the Severn. I also met Colin at the Rowing Club who was a keen cyclist. He lived quite near me and suggested that we cycle to and from the Rowing Club, to improve our fitness. Colin thought that I had cycling potential and suggested to me that I bought a road bike and then we could train together and do a few time trials and sportives. So Colin took me to a reputable bike shop and I bought a stunning looking bike on special offer. After a few weeks training together, Colin announced that he was moving. “Where to?” I asked. “Australia.” He said. However, I was already hooked, quit the rowing and concentrated on cycling. I started doing the odd charity ride and my first time trial. More importantly I started to learn cycling jargon and understand the mechanics of a bike and the maintenance required. I was becoming a cyclist and looking for some challenges to test myself. I did my first Audax in Norfolk in 2007. I was visiting my dear mother for a few days, working on all the little jobs around her house and garden that needed attention and I had brought my bike for the odd escape. I had been told by a cycling friend that I should consider doing an Audax, which he explained to be a long distance cycling event over an interesting route, usually visiting beautiful countryside. So after some internet research, I turned up at the Sports Hall in Bungay on Saturday 7th April 2007 to have a go at the ‘Castle Caper’ 100km route. I met a good friend on that first event, Jonathan, led the field initially, navigated poorly and got lost, but ultimately completed and more importantly I had found a cycling event I really enjoyed! From then on I completed Audaxes on a regular basis, but always considered anything more than 100km as beyond my capability. So I continued doing 100km events and thoroughly enjoyed them. I was soon doing a 150 km Audax and realising I could cycle further. I then did the Norfolk 100 miler to raise money for the British Heart Foundation. I then became involved with a group of friends who organised a short cycling tour of Wales and I cycled much further than I had ever gone before. We vowed to meet up for a cycling tour again in 2011 in the French Alps, to watch the Tour de France at first hand and celebrate my friend’s 50th birthday. He intended to cycle up five of the classic Tour cols and had named the project, ‘5 cols at 50’. We managed to cycle to the summit of the: Col D’Izoard, Col de la Madeleine, Col de Telegraphe, Sestrieres, Col de Colombieres, Alpe D’Huez.

My poor preparation was evident in the Alps by my struggle to keep up with my mates on some of the steeper gradients. I vowed to improve my fitness before we met up again so that they would have trouble keeping up with me. It’s amazing how competitive cycling with friends can make you! I considered my options and decided that a 200k Audax might be part of the solution. I decided to turn up on the day and register for the ‘Mr Pickwick Goes to Hay in a Day’ at Tewkesbury in September 2011. I realised that it was unusual for someone to register for a 200k on the day when the organiser and everybody else gave me strange looks. I could see that I needed to be well organised to do a 200k and start planning well in advance. I was unprepared, but thoroughly enjoyed it. There was only one real moment when I felt like aborting the ride. This happened when a wasp flew in between my helmet and glasses and stung me on the eyebrow. I was shocked and distraught and had broken an arm off my glasses in trying to rid myself of this pest while cycling. But once I had affected a repair to my glasses with an elastic band and generally settled myself down I continued on my way. I met some ‘Audax royalty’ on this route who had recently completed the PBP over in France. I was in awe of their stories and also the size of the meals they consumed at the control points/tea stops! I also learnt that long distance cycling success was linked to good nutrition and if that good nutrition was linked to hydration as well, then even better. I was not too bothered when there was a thunderstorm 25km from the finish. Although I was wet through I knew I was nearly there. I was less enthusiastic 10km later when I was lucky enough to get a puncture, although the rain had stopped by this time. I had not prepared correctly and had not packed any lights, assuming I would be back in good time before it became dark. Stopping for punctures under dark skies was eating into the precious daylight. However when I checked in at the finish at a local hostelry my spirits rose and I experienced that glorious feeling of achievement and selffulfilment that you do not get for shorter bike rides. I studied the Audax website that Sunday and found out about RRTY. This seemed like the sort of challenge I would enjoy and I decided to start in January 2012 and complete a 200km event every calendar month of 2012. I also read about Audax Altitude Award (AAA) points and decided it would be quite cool to accumulate a minimum of 12 AAA points while completing RRTY. Meanwhile I had been given a bike by a friend of my wife. Her husband was www.aukweb.net

RRtY something of a long-distance cyclist and had died a couple of years ago. During a recent spring clean she decided that she would give the bike to someone who would put some mileage on it. The bike was an old Dawes Galaxy touring bike, made in England, which dated it a bit. Fortunately her husband must have been the same height as me, because when I fitted the Brooks saddle it was a very comfortable bike to ride. I decided I would use this steady load-lugger instead of my lightweight carbon road bike because it seemed more suited to the task. I particularly liked the bar-end shifters, which once I had got used to, seemed perfect for Audax. I am fortunate in that I live near to Tewkesbury so it is easy for me to take part in the many of the excellent Audax events that Mark Rigby organises. On January 7th 2012, I pitched up early for the start of ‘Mr Pickwick’s January Sale’ 200km Audax on my trusty Galaxy, in the pitch darkness of a winter morning. I was shortly to discover the power of hub dynamos, as my fellow Audaxers lit up the country lanes with their powerful front lights. Soon the dark disappeared and I began to eat into the miles. I thought my preparation was much improved on my first 200 until I realised I had left my wallet at home! I had packed loads of food so was not unduly worried and managed to borrow £10 from fellow Audaxer Martyn, which kept me in hot drinks for the rest of the day. I enjoyed the long ascent up Edge Hill and enjoyed the views even more across the Civil War battlefield. The darkness seemed to return really early and I was in pitch darkness when I began the last stage through the Cotswolds. As there were no street lights, I found it difficult to read signposts, my route card, my map and my cycle computer display without stopping. I learnt another lesson. Bring a head torch when you are likely to be cycling in the dark. It was interesting to see the range of bikes that took part in this event. I rode most of the way with a gentleman on a Moulton, which was the first time I had seen one of these small wheeled bicycles. He told me that he was ‘mildly addicted’ to them. First one out of 12 completed. I was quite tired and put this down to lack of food on a cold day. I had never cycled so long or far in the dark before and had taken this for granted beforehand. In a way I found every 200km Audax to be a learning experience and picked up a bit of knowledge to improve performance every time. However I was starting to understand there was a significant difference between 100 and 200 km Audax events and it was not just the distance. The ‘randonneurs‘ seemed a different breed. My February 200Km Audax was the ‘Kennet Valley Run’ starting from Grazeley Village Hall near Reading. It was an early start again so I stopped the night in a local Premier Inn to ensure that I was nice and early. This time my preparation was good and I really felt I was cycling well on the Galaxy. The weather started damp then cleared up well to produce a lovely sunny winter afternoon, www.aukweb.net

which enabled me to appreciate the beautiful scenery. A reasonably flat but challenging course. I cycled and chatted for awhile to a gentleman from Worcester on a recumbent, who had completed the PBP. On one of the steepest ascents of the day, about 20km from the finish, I picked up a puncture, which caused me to finish in the dark. The organisers had laid on an excellent spread of food at the end. Second out of 12 complete and I could feel my stamina improving. In February I met up with my 3 cycling mates for a weekend cycling across Dartmoor over what must have been the coldest weekend of the year. It was evident that Audax was having a significant effect, because I could forge up hills and leave my mates behind. It was back to Tewkesbury on March 3rd to complete ‘Mr Pickwick’s March Madness’ a more undulating route with 1.75 AAA points. This was a lovely route across the Malvern Hills, down through the Forest of Dean, across the old Severn Bridge and back up the Severn Valley. It was starting to feel easier and I did not need lights. Three out of 12. April 7th, 2012. ‘Sam Weller’s April Foolery’. Another Audax from Tewkesbury as you can guess from the Dickens inspired name. I had met some cyclists while out training from the St John Cycling Club in Worcester and had arranged to do this event with them. So I set off from Tewkesbury on another early damp start with Mal and Irmgard. As always I went off too quick, trying to keep up with the peloton and was gasping for a cup of tea at the first control point. The day was wet and I found that cycling with two people forced me into an unfamiliar regime of speed, navigation and food stops. When we were well over half way I picked up a puncture and urged my fellow cyclists to go on. While I was fixing my puncture, a very nice man came out of his house and filled my water bottle and gave me two bananas. A very kind man, he told me he was a Bulgarian, married to a local lady. Once I got going again I found I was happier cycling at my own pace and being responsible for my own navigation. I met my fellow cyclists again at the finish. Another long day in the saddle, but 4 out of 12 now complete and another 1.75 AAA points added. I also found that although I like to meet and chat to people, I am happier to do the whole distance on my own. For my 5th 200km I became a bit more adventurous and travelled up north for ‘The Chevy Chase’ in Morpeth, Northumberland on May 6th, 2012. There was an ulterior motive. My eldest daughter was studying Physiology at Newcastle University and I had promised to visit her. I stopped at the Holiday Inn in Seaton Burn which was a mistake. The hotel was full of noisy drunks who were very loud and ensured there was no way I would get my eight hours preparation sleep. The weather was cold and grey all day but it stayed dry. The scenery was spectacular in Northumberland and there were hardly any cars on the roads. I met and cycled round with Richard, a seasoned Audax veteran who had completed RRTY for the last 3 years. The

route went across the MOD training area at Otterburn and I cycled up the steepest hill I have ever encountered. The Coquet valley was particularly beautiful and I really enjoyed the little cycling-friendly cafes where we stopped for tea and chocolate biscuit cake, a local delicacy. A very enjoyable Audax event, with lots of friendly people and 3.25 AAA points retrospectively awarded. 5 out of 12 now complete I had noticed that most of the serious Audaxers I had met that did serious distances had incorporated most of their weekly cycling into their daily commute. I vowed to cycle to work and back, a round trip of 50 miles, at least once a week. Then I received an unexpected call from my friend. His Dutch friends had given him two tickets to enter the Friesland 11 city tour in Holland. This is a historic cycle event that 20,000 people turn up for every year and is 242 km. He asked me if I would join him. Accommodation was already organised with his Dutch friends, I just needed to take a long weekends leave from work and turn up with my bike. I only needed to be asked once and on Thursday night after work we were down to catch the ferry at Dover. Our Dutch friends were excellent hosts and we enjoyed a great day out on the bike. Friesland is not reknowned for its hills and I found the flat 242km to be a fairly easy day in the saddle. The Dutch Trip had enhanced my reputation with work colleagues as a long distance cyclist and very soon I was approached by one of the Senior Managers to take part in the Company annual charity event, the Coast to Coast to Coast (C2C2C), cycling event in the North of England. I of course said that I would do it. The C2C2C was taking place at the end of June so I needed to get an easier Audax 200 out of the way early in June and preferably one without too much climbing to leave me fresh. I looked at the Audax Calendar and noticed that ‘Hereford Towns’ on June 10th had no AAA points allocated, so concluded that the majority of this route would be along routes that followed the river valleys. I was wrong. There were some huge climbs between Hay on Wye and Monmouth and I soon realised that this was one of the most challenging routes I had ever attempted. However my cycling ability had improved and I managed to complete it. It was quite gratifying to overtake some very fit looking young men from Hereford Triathlon Club on some of the long hills. I later received a note with my completed Brevet Card to indicate that following the submission of a GPS track, this 200 had been allocated 3.25 AAA points. No sooner had I cleaned my bike than I was getting ready for the company charity ride, the C2C2C which took place over the long weekend of the 14th – 17th June 2012. This ride was typical of the Summer of 2012 in supplying us with wet weather every day. The first day from Whitehaven to Alston was probably the hardest, concluding with the famous ascent of Hartside Pass before settling down for the night at the Miners Arrivée February 2015 No. 127

RRtY Arms. Next day we cycled to Whitley Bay on the North East coast for our overnight stay, before heading back west along the Hadrian’s Wall route to spend a convivial evening at Appleby-in-Westmoreland. On the last day the weather improved and we cycled along the Solway Firth fighting the wind all the way. I made the mistake of travelling overnight then going into work first thing in the morning and suffered with fatigue. I was feeling fitter and stronger all the time and must have lost half a stone in weight from the beginning of the year. I felt cocky enough to enter for the ‘Rough Diamond,’ a 300km event from Tewkesbury in August. Meanwhile I had July to think about and wanted a break from steep climbs and AAA points so registered for ‘The Garboldisham Groveller’ on the 8th, in the flatlands of Norfolk. This gave me an excuse to visit and stay with my dear old mum in Norwich. Following torrential rain in the morning some Audaxers looked at the weather forecast and decided not to turn up and risk a soaking. The remaining 39, including myself, set off already wearing wet weather gear. I had a good ride on a fairly easy course, spurred on to finish as quick as I could to escape the rain and get back to watch Andy Murray’s first ever Wimbledon final against Roger Federer. The volume of cycling I had achieved in the last two months was starting to pay off. I got back to my Mother’s house just in time to see Andy Murray’s tearful runners-up speech and, probably because I was exhausted, I shed a tear myself! So 7 out of 12 completed and the mighty 300km Rough Diamond to look forward to on the 11th August. This was further than I had ever cycled and decided that I would need someone to accompany me to keep me going and make sure I drank and ate enough. I asked my old friend Barry from Thornbury, a veteran of many Audaxes and an outstanding middle distance athlete in his younger days. Barry of course accepted the invitation to accompany me and I set about getting a few miles of training in so I could keep up with him for some of the way. At this time I felt as fit as I had been for years. I felt that if I completed the Rough Diamond that would be 8 out of 12 and I had broken the back of the RRTY. Little did I know that things were going to go wrong very soon and I would not get on a bike again for over a year. I was 53 when I became ill, 183 cm in height and 84 kg in weight. I was at a good level of fitness, commuting 50 miles on my bike twice a week and out for a long ride of approximately 70 miles at the weekend. Two of the main symptoms of cancer are sudden loss of weight and feeling fatigued for much of the time. Most readers will recognise these symptoms as part of longdistance cycling training so I suspected there was nothing untoward and continued training. I promised myself a rest in the week leading up to the event. However, I did not make it that far. 46

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On Friday 3rd August I returned home from work in my car and went for a haircut at the local barber shop. I can remember feeling exhausted as I sat in the barber’s chair and making a mental note to get an early night. I certainly did not think that would be my last requirement for a haircut for over a year; the chemotherapy would take care of that. The next morning I joined my two cycling friends for a ride over to Hagden Hill in Herefordshire. I felt OK, apart from when we stopped for a cup of tea and sitting down 20 minutes made me feel dreadful, or more specifically, nauseous and exhausted. However, just like the legendary British cyclist Tommy Simpson, I climbed back on my bike to complete the ride. After about 15 minutes back in the saddle I actually felt OK and flew up Evendine Hill. I arrived home shortly afterwards and, apart from the tiredness, felt OK. On Sunday 4th August I cooked Sunday lunch and my legs felt unusually weak and tired. I decided to stay off the bike all week so my legs would be well rested for the event on Saturday. On Monday 5th August I drove to work and noticed something strange. Normally I am ravenous by lunch time but for some reason I had lost my appetite, another classic cancer symptom. I had arranged to meet my Project Manager for lunch and really struggled to eat. This is such an unusual occurrence that I should have realised that something was wrong. I came in to work the next day and experienced severe headaches. I attended a meeting and found that sitting down was hurting my legs and I could not concentrate. By 4 pm I had made my apologies and gone home. The next morning on Wednesday 7th August 2013, I went to see my GP. He thought that I had a virus and told me to take a week off to recover. The symptoms became worse and when I woke on the morning of Thursday 8th August my legs were so weak I could hardly stand, my headaches were persistent and now I could not see clearly. My wife contacted NHS Direct and they told me to get over to my local A&E immediately. So my wife took me straight to the A&E at the Worcestershire Royal Hospital and I was immediately triaged by a nurse then a doctor. During the triage I discovered my poor vision was due to the fact I had double-vision and was seeing two fingers when the doctor held up one. My initial assessment had raised the alarm and various consultants were discussing the fact that I may well have a tumour or something similar in my head causing these problems so off I went for scans. The A&E was very good. There was no waiting about at all. Without a clear diagnosis, I was admitted to AMU for further medical investigation. (AMU = Acute Medical Unit also known as MAU or Medical Assessment Unit). I was moved out of AMU after a day and found myself in the Infectious Diseases Unit or IDU. To the IDU I was something of an enigma. My condition was worsening by the hour. Not only were my legs so immobile that I now needed a Zimmer frame to walk, but they

were also extremely painful, particularly my feet. At nights I needed to take a painkiller, Gabapentin, to suppress the incessant tingling to allow me to get to sleep. I later found out that the tingling pain was nerve pain. Also my face started to collapse on the right hand side just like a stroke victim. The consultants and doctors would stand round my bed and discuss my case and ask me all sorts of random questions. ‘Do you eat a lot of soft cheeses?’ ‘Do you keep animals?’ ‘Have you travelled to Africa recently?’ ‘Do you work with foreigners?’ The random nature of their questioning made me realise that they did not have a clue what was wrong with me. When I asked for a diagnosis they told me that I might have tuberculosis, lupus, meningitis, encephalitis, listeria, Weils Disease. They also asked me about my cycling. I overheard a doctor discussing my condition with a colleague. He was telling his colleague that I was a longdistance endurance cyclist who would be able to handle the medication easily. Following this conversation they gave me industrial doses of antibiotics intravenously and orally with six horse tablets every morning to prevent my condition worsening. I made a note not to tell any other medical professionals about my cycling. The next day my face had collapsed further and my appearance had become quite disturbing to my youngest daughter and a good friend who came to visit me. It was a relief for them to be sent out of my isolation ward while the neurologist examined me. After spending a long time bashing my legs with rubber hammers and testing my reflexes the neurologist admitted that he was baffled by my condition but was going to request that I was moved up to the Neurology Ward in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham. (QEH) My family were starting to become very worried. I had now been in the IDU for over a week and the doctors were no nearer to diagnosing my condition, despite all the blood tests, MRI Scans, CT scans, and a brain sensor test conducted by Clinical Physiologists. My condition was deteriorating on a daily basis and my speech was becoming incoherent. A huge amount of effort was going into my diagnosis as cultures were grown from blood samples and the doctors were in constant contact with my own GP surgery to investigate my old medical records. It was starting to develop into an episode of ‘House’ where diagnosis evades Hugh Laurie until the last five minutes and there is usually a happy ending, although I was far from convinced this would be the outcome. Indeed I was starting to believe that I would not survive and started to have some difficult conversations about the future with my wife and pragmatically, started to put things in order. My solicitor visited me and updated my last will and testament. It was decided that I would have a lumbar puncture and then go the next day to QEH for a PET Scan. The lumbar puncture was www.aukweb.net

RRtY performed late at night by a very tired and overworked registrar to extract a sample of cerebo-spinal fluid from my central nervous system by inserting a large needle at the base of my spine and syringing out a sample. Meanwhile the senior consultant told me that she was investigating blood disorders as a possible cause of my illness. On the morning of my PET Scan I had to abstain from eating or taking oral medication. This caused considerable pain and I had to be given an injection of morphine before I was taken up to Birmingham. The PET Scan was carried out on Friday 24th August, I arrived back that evening exhausted and immediately went to sleep. I was woken late at night and told that I would be moving to the haematology ward immediately and would receive my diagnosis the next morning. Saturday 25th August was the Summer Bank Holiday weekend. I had asked my wife and daughters to come into hospital so we could put any questions to the consultant. That was the first meeting with the consultant and he was to stay with me for the next year and beyond. He delivered my diagnosis in a, professional, direct manner. I had been diagnosed with High-Grade, B Cell, Non Hodgkin’s Lymphoma with Central Nervous System involvement. This is also known as Primary Central Nervous System Lymphoma or PCNSL. This was progressive and aggressive and confirmed by analysis of the cerebro spinal fluid which had indicated a density of greater than 900 lymphocytes when there should be less than 5. Treatment would start immediately with intrathecal chemotherapy consisting of cytarabine, methotrexate and hydrocortisone. There was some immediate improvement, my speech and walking improved. All weekend I was busy having a PICC line fitted, having X-Ray scans and Ultra Sound scans. I was surprised and delighted how many of the haematology doctors were on the ward at the weekend providing treatment. I needed lumbar punctures to have the chemotherapy applied intrathecally into the area at the base of the spine. I had two traumatic lumbar punctures in AMU and IDU and was amazed how painlessly this was administered in the haematology ward. A lot of supportive treatment was involved including regular use of eye drops and four different types of mouthwashes with regular anti-sickness tablets. This was my introduction to cancer treatment, something I had not expected and was not prepared for. My mind raced through all the normal questions: ‘Why me? I keep fit and have a healthy lifestyle. What have I done to deserve this? Will I survive? How will my family cope? One of the consultants told me that I had a 30% chance of survival. This was good enough for me and I decided that I was going to maintain a positive attitude and somehow get through this. I asked her what the cause of my illness was and she replied that if she knew the answer to that she www.aukweb.net

would win the Nobel Prize for medicine! To this day I am none the wiser what caused my illness. The first treatment of chemotherapy was a baptism of fire. I experienced a lot of pain in my lower jaw in combination with mucusitis. I visited the hospital dentist and had a tooth removed from my lower jaw after the chemotherapy had exposed an abscess underneath it. I also became neutropenic for the first time and realised what it was like to lose your immune system and pick up a nasty infection. In this case, C. difficile. I was discharged on the 11th of September 2012 to go home for a break before being readmitted on the 18th for more chemotherapy. This time I was fitted with a Hickmann line into my chest following a minor operation administered by a team of anaesthetists. This line became a very close companion over the next 10 months. It carried all the chemotherapy and enabled nurses to take samples of blood for testing without sticking needles in me all the time. I then embarked on the recommended protocol of chemotherapy treatment. I did find all these cycles of chemo very hard. At the end of each cycle I would go neutropenic, lose my immune system, pick up an infection and become extremely ill. The doctors would then hit me with a strong ‘domestos’ dose of anti-biotics, usually Meropenem and I would recover enough to go home for a few days, put some weight on, ready to face the next cycle of chemo. Sometimes I would become ill at home while still neutropenic. On one occasion I could not even walk and an ambulance had to be called. This time I was diagnosed with sepsis, which I later found out is a particularly nasty infection and claims the lives of 37,000 people in the UK annually. I received visits from hospital chaplains, who were lovely people to talk to, but I told them not to pray for me. I have never had a strong faith but in normal life when the chips were down and I felt I was really in trouble I would ask God for help. This time was different. I realised that God was not going to save me; I could only do that myself through my own resilience and strength of character. I thought of all the Audax 200 routes I had completed. I recalled cycling up long climbs in driving rain, in the dark and thinking about the determination to overcome the challenge. I knew that I would need to demonstrate that same steely resolve to get through my treatment. The chemo treatment continued until 17th December 2012. By this stage the consultants were telling me that I was coping well with chemo and suggesting that I went for a stem-cell transplant in Birmingham that would provide me with the best chance I could have of staying in remission. Initially I resisted this strategy because I did not think I had coped well with chemo so far and the transplant chemo is a lot more severe. On the 24th December 2012 I was back in the haematology ward with a high temperature caused by two nasty infections. I spent the most miserable Christmas of my life in

hospital fighting the infections. During this unplanned stay in hospital I had managed to canvass the opinions of as many doctors as I could about the merits of the stem-cell transplant and they were unanimous in their opinion that this would be the best thing for me. I therefore opted for this treatment. The senior consultant at Birmingham was initially reluctant to let me have this treatment because I had lost a lot of weight, I was weak and my mobility was poor due to my dropped foot and weak legs. However I went home to recuperate and did lots of physio and ate lots. When I next saw the senior consultant he approved my improved state and pencilled me in for a date in March 2013. I continued to eat like a demon and managed to get up to 80 kg in body weight.

March 2013.( I am visiting the Letter Box outside the Post Office in Newent dedicated to Olympic Gold Medallist Charlotte Dujardan. Note my lack of hair and brace for my right leg.)

I was admitted to the QEH in Birmingham on the 25th March 2013 for Stem Cell Transplant. This starts with heavy duty chemotherapy that destroys your bone marrow and then you have a transfusion of stem cells which are utilised to repair your body. I was given chemotherapy tailored to an involvement of the Central Nervous System and the regime consisted of first Carmustene, then Thio Tepa. At the beginning of May, my QEH consultant haematologist had decided that I had made a satisfactory recovery from the transplant and could be transferred back to the care of Worcestershire Royal. I continued the long recovery at home while getting physiotherapy for my legs and foot and trying to build up my body by eating more and getting some quality sleep. I started to feel a bit better week by week but my blood levels were taking a long time to recover. I finally met up with my consultant and he was able to tell me that I was now in full remission from the lymphoma and the latest PET scan had shown no signs of secondary cancer. As I enter 2015 I have one very clear objective. To enter and complete a 100km Audax event. Arrivée February 2015 No. 127

OCD

What does the OCD mean for YOU? Rod Dalitz The AUK AGM was a great opportunity to talk to AUK members, and find out what people thought about the OCD. Many AUK members like to ride over mountain passes, but too many have not spotted where the OCD fits into their riding. So here is an article which might better have been in the last issue of Arrivee, to explain and encourage members to claim the cols they have done. Unlike AAA points, which are applied to the whole ride whether it goes over one big mountain or a long series of small (but steep) ups and downs, the principle behind the OCD is simple: You ride over a big mountain pass, you claim it. Specifically, you count the height above sea level in metres, which you can take from, for example, the OS map in the UK, a signpost at the top in the Alps or Pyrenees, or whatever reference you can find, perhaps the Internet or an altimeter. (GPS with barometric altimeter are good, ordinary GPS really is not accurate for elevation.) Your elevation claims add up over your lifetime, and can be published annually in Arrivee, to achieve an OCD rank. Claiming cols does get a little more complicated, since there are additional rules, such as a minimum re-ascent of 100m between cols - you cannot go down and up just a few metres and claim another, you have to choose only one, usually the highest. A col or pass is a place where there is higher ground to both sides, and drainage into a different river ahead and behind. Also, you are allowed to claim a mountain summit, such as Mont Ventoux, as long as it is a true summit - that is, lower ground all around. To claim, you must have your bike with you, even if you are wheeling it or carrying it, perhaps over snow or boulders. It is not considered proper to claim cols under 300m, or 200 if they are on a small island starting from sea level. You cannot claim the same col twice in one day, or more than five times in a year, to avoid commuters or short out-andback rides making it too easy. Mont Ventoux is different, you may claim more than one ascent in one day, but that must be by different routes - yes, the three different routes have been done in a day, more than once. Arrivee 126, Autumn 2014, described a classic OCD ride: David Matthews wrote “Round the Atlas Mountains” about a tour in Morocco which was not subject to time limits and was not an Audax event, but was the kind of tour which riding Audax prepares you for. Passes like Tizi n’Tichka (a long way from being a “titch”) at 2260m make for a 48

Arrivée February 2015 No. 127

Hairpins approaching 2757m Stelvio Pass from the west long hard day, entirely in the Audax spirit Audax, the Long Distance Cyclists Association. Many AUK members love the mountains, many Audax routes take in good cols like Yad Moss on the 2014 National 400, or Snake Pass in the Peaks. Foreign Audax events like the Death Valley Double Century (320km to us metric Europeans) described in Arrivee 126, page 26, take in significant cols like 1231m on the Daylight Pass Road in the Funeral Mountains starting from below sea level. The Adventure Show by BBC Scotland publicised The Snow Roads Audax 300, unfortunately not a calendar event this year, but you can ride it as a permanent, it claims 4634m in 300km. Even PBP has one col, at Roc Trevezel, just 344m. European events like La Marmotte in the Alps have time limits but the times are longer than Audax rules. La Marmotte is a challenge ride with humungous climbs over Col de Glandon (1924m), Col de Telegraphe (1566m), Col de Galibier (2645m), Col de Lauteret (2058m), and finishes at Alpe d’Huez although that does not count as a col since it is only a high point on the side of the mountain. Classic multi-day challenge rides like Raid Pyreneen also have time limits, but times relaxed from Audax standard, due to the long climbs over the Tourmalet, Aubisque, Puymorens, and others which total 20,152m. Similar (but better) rides include the Raid Alpine, from Lac Geneva to Antibes on the Med, and Raid Dolomite from Lac Geneva to Trieste, which have been completed by many AUK members. So, the rides that interest OCD members are not far removed from the rides that interest Audax UK members. For those of you who are interested in claiming OCD points, you haven’t missed out. You can claim back to 1960, when the OCD was founded. Claims for the current year

should reach me by year-end Dec 31 for inclusion in the next Winter Arrivee, claims for previous years should reach me by midsummer or they may be delayed until next year. You do not need any proof, OCD claims are accepted on trust, since there are only certificates of rank to be won, no big prizes. What you will gain is a great deal of personal satisfaction. You can claim using the link at the foot of the OCD page www.aukweb.net/ocd/ or email me a spreadsheet or document. So why aren’t more Audax members taking an interest and claiming their cols? Part of my job as OCD Delegate in the coming year is raising the profile, explaining to more people what OCD is and how it works. Another part will be to make the process easier for members. I will encourage organisers to identify the cols on their routes, so that riders can perhaps cut-and-paste a list. Listing cols, and stating the total OCD claim in the calendar entry, might also encourage more riders to enter a ride. It should be clear that Arrivee accepts all kinds of articles and photos, not just from Audax events. So if you have a story to tell, or a prize photograph, send it in to one of the Arrivee editors, and if there is OCD content that should be flagged by the OCD logo. I have had several emails from AUK members who did enjoy OCD claims. The one which summed it up best: “Joining OCD has been a good incentive to keep me riding on days when I felt lazy and it has given an added incentive to explore roads that I have not visited before.” Well, that is just where I am coming from, years ago for me the Raid Pyreneen came to be a big life goal, but along the way there I found bigger and better things to do. Never look back! Enjoy your riding. www.aukweb.net

OCD OCD Claims received in 2013 Rank

Location

Total 2014

2014

Total 2013

2013

2012

6086

AUK OCD Claims for 2014 Abbatt

Fred

Officer

World

222247

64272

157975

34495

46900

5752

Acland

Ken

Officer

Europe

119296

Allan

Douglas

Commander

Europe

446702

34451

Officer

Europe 5966

4052

1797

BLAIR

James

5296

CARSON

Russell

13652

CUNLIFFE

Frank

429

Dalitz

Rod

Commander

Europe

Douthwaite

Stan

Commander

Eichmeier

Harald

Venerable

11169

Gilchrist

John

Venerable Officer

1397

GLADWYN

Mark

2818

GREEN

Ray

1748

HAILWOOD

Paul

Harrison

Paul

Venerable

Hinton

Peter

Commander Officer

11191

32074

7648

282843

5048

Europe

420379

43232

World

1333178

5358

1127000

8449

World

5308

5676

Europe

1251668

46077

307795

3979

Europe

181761

57245

World

5965

Europe

412251

37715

99587

48679 1914

377147

8518

9605

118,893

1205591

37654

37094

124516

70598

19512

2526

LISTER

Terry

2709

MALINS

Martin

12405

Morrison

Dave

Member

Europe

84658

22691

61857

34741

19947

1369

Poulton

Stephen

Officer

World

188005

1780

186225

9344

10682

740

PRESLAND

Kevin

Europe

24618

705927

18775

5786

1706

RICH

David

Member

World

55357

Wanless

Graham

Honorable

Europe

720913

14986

Waterton

Robert

Honorable

Europe

682832

24,756

658076

23041

Waterton

Helen

Honorable

Europe

697884

24,756

673128

22683

Webb

Alan

Commander

Europe

355643

14237

341406

49812

WIGLEY

Mike

6263

1309

There are several members who have claimed regularly in previous years, who have not claimed this year. There is no cutoff date, and I look forward to claims for previous years. Some claims in 2014 go back before 2000. I have also received some enquiries without any detail, and I encourage those members to complete their records. Rod Dalitz, 136 Muir Wood Road, Edinburgh EH14 5HF rod.dalitz@me.com

Photos from OCD Member, Ray Green, Below: Eric Daniels on Bushmansâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Nek Pass Below right, Ray at the top of Sani Pass Both cols in RSA/Lesotho.

www.aukweb.net

ArrivĂŠe February 2015 No. 127

Official Arrivee Contributers

WANTED Audax UK National 400 2016 Experienced organiser (or team of organisers) wanted to organise the 2016 Audax UK National 400. For more details please contact the Events Secretary: Martin Foley, at events@aukweb.net

You can send files to the editors quickly 1. Go to AUK website 2. Log in as a member 3. Go to Arrivee Magazine 4. Go to Upload Photos 5. Drag & drop photo &/or article files from your file manager 6. Type your name and any useful info (event, time, place, names) in the Description box 7. Use the link to check your files have uploaded. 8. Email the relevant editor to notify that there is something new in MediaFile.

LEL Equipment Surplus The London Edinburgh London team have a large amount of equipment remaining from this year’s event. We plan to use this stuff again in 2017, but until then it’s available to Audax UK organisers. We have the following equipment, that you are free to use. Inflatable beds and electric inflators Removal blankets (ideal for sleeping) Coffee machines Large saucepans Audax UK banners Towels Laptops (very basic – OK for internet browsing/on-the day validation) We can arrange competitive pallet delivery (enough to supply a 50-100 person event) to anywhere in the UK, subsidised by Audax UK for a maximum of £50. For more information contact Danial Webb: danial@londonedinburghlondon.com

Scottish Borders Spring Audax Weekend Celebrating the 10th running of our Moffat Toffee 200km we are holding a weekend double of events for 2015 on the lovely quiet roads of the Scottish Borders based at our HQ in Galashiels with food at the finish and anniversary medal included in the entry fee for all finishers. Why not come and stay for the whole weekend or more to enjoy the area and ride one or both of the events. Very quiet roads and good controls. Plenty of reasonably priced local accommodation. Sat 25th April 2015 – Moffat Toffee 200km- Classic Borders route taking in some of our best roads and finest views Sun 26th April 2015 – Broughton and Back 118km – Easier route than Saturday so makes a good second half but a lovely on it’s own too. More info from Audax UK website or from Lucy McTaggart: Pedaller1@sky.com Hope to see you there.

Lucy

The 2014 Trophy Awards

Photo: Steve Poulton

Arrivée February 2015 No. 127

www.aukweb.net

Official Audax UK Board and Delegates Many officials below, without email addresses or phone numbers, can be contacted quickly using the ‘contact us’ form on the AUK website: http://www.aukweb.net/official/contacts/ Chair: Chris Crossland, 14 Stanley Street West, Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire, HX6 1EF �� 01422 832853 Secretary: Paul Stewart, 25 Devonshire Gardens, Chiswick, London, W4 3TN Finance Director: Paul Salmons, Bluewater Drive, Elborough, Weston-Super-Mare BS24 8PF Director and Membership secretary: Mike Wigley, Higher Grange Farm, Millcroft Lane, Delph OL3 5UX Mike has the following Assistants: Findlay Watt (Renewals) Peter Gawthorne (Renewals) LRM/ACP correspondent: Chris Crossland Publicity and Publications Director: Danial Webb Publications managers: Winter Arrivée: Sheila Simpson, 33 Hawk Green Rd, Marple, Cheshire SK6 7HR sheila@aukadia.net ��0161-449 9309 (fax: 0709 237 4245) Spring Arrivée: Tim Wainwright, 4a Brambledown Rd, South Croydon CR2 0BL twain@blueyonder.co.uk �� 020 8657 8179 (fax: 020 8651 4515) Summer Arrivee: David Kenning, Little Orchard, Pean Hill, Whitstable CT5 3BQ davidwkenning@gmail.com Autumn Arrivée: Peter Moir, 2 Peel Close, Ducklington, Witney, Oxfordshire, OX29 7YB peter@moir.co.uk �� 01993 704913 Director and Calendar events secretary: Martin Foley, 78 Denholm Road Musselburgh East Lothian EH21 6TU Regional Events Delegates: Nigel Hall (Scotland & Northern England) Geoffrey Cleaver (Midlands & Eastern England) Pat Hurt (South East England) Ian Hennessey (South West England & Wales) Director and Permanents secretary: John Ward, 34 Avenue Road, Lymington, SO41 9GJ �� 01590 671205 DIY Regional Representatives: Joe Applegarth (North-East) Andy Clarkson (Yorkshire & East) Julian Dyson (North-West) Martin Foley (Scotland) Tony Hull (South-West England and South Wales) Chris Smith (Midlands, North and Mid-Wales) Paul Stewart (South-East) OCD Delegate: Rod Dalitz, 136 Muir Wood Road, Edinburgh EH14 5HF ��rod.dalitz@me.com Brevet card production secretary: Tony Greenwood, 38 Capper Road, Waterbeach CB25 9LY Production of Permanent cards is handled by: John Ward 34 Avenue Road, Lymington, SO41 9GJ Validation secretaries: Susan Gatehouse & Keith Harrison 11 Heather Avenue Hellesdon Norwich NR6 6LU Event Services Director & Recorder: Peter Lewis, 82 Pine Road, Chandlers Ford, Eastleigh, SO53 1JT �� 07592 018947 Also note - FWC (Fixed Wheel Challenge) and Super Fixed Wheel: Richard Phipps, 77 West Farm Avenue, Ashtead, Surrey KT21 2JZ. Audax Altitude Award Steve Snook, 6 Briggland Court Wilsden Bradford BD15 0HL ��steve.snook@tiscali.co.uk Systems Manager (AUKweb): Francis Cooke Assistants: Pete Coates, Matt Haigh, Terry Kay Directors Without Portfolio: Chris Boulton, 15 Adel Towers Close, Leeds LS16 8ES Lucy McTaggart, 30 Victoria Street, Galashiels TD1 1HL John Sabine, 107 Victoria Way, London SE7 7NU www.aukweb.net

Arrivée February 2015 No. 127

Official Minutes of the 38th Audax UK AGM (Draft) Held at the Yarnfield Park Training and Conference Centre nr Stone, Staffordshire on 15th November 2014. Board Members attending: Chris Crossland (Chair), Paul Stewart (Secretary), Linda Johnston (Treasurer), John Ward (Permanent Events Secretary), Peter Lewis (Recorder), Danial Webb (Publicity Secretary), Mike Wigley (Membership Secretary), Keith Harrison & Sue Gatehouse (Validation Secretary). At 14:10, before the meeting commenced, CC greeted members present whilst modelling the new AUK jersey. The meeting appreciated the fine athletic cut of the new jersey. CC asked members pause in remembrance of riders who have passed away since our last meeting including Bob McHardy, Les Lowe, Ron Mellor, Mrs D Hobbs, Brian Haywood, Don Black, Jim Stone, Alan Smith (‘Jogler’), Barbara Holden, and last but not least, John Radford. Helen Vecht asked also to remember Martin Pearson of Australia who rode LEL, and MW asked the meeting to inform the Board of any others who pass away during the year so they might similarly be remembered. CC gave details of the funeral and remembrance service to be held shortly for John Radford who had recently died as result of injuries incurred when he was hit by a car. He made some comments on the conduct of the AGM, noting that it had always been a forum for discussion and debate, sometimes for deep division but predominantly for agreement and he hoped that this could continue The introduction of postal voting might affect the conduct of the AGM but would result in wider participation in decisionmaking. CC also hoped there would be opportunity to speak less formally after the meeting, should members so desire. Background: AUK has commissioned Electoral Reform Services to manage the postal voting process, establishing a website to allow for the online recording of votes. An email with a copy of the Annual Report and Agenda document attached had been sent to circa 5000 members by email so they could submit votes directly. Another 1000 members who had not registered an email address or had otherwise opted out of electronic communications had received a ballot paper by post to be completed and returned to ERS as required (such members also had the option to record their votes online directly if they so desired), along with a printed copy of the Annual Report and Agenda. The ‘AUK Annual Report and Agenda’ document included the Directors reports, details of special resolutions and the AGM agenda, which included details of director posts and candidates for election. Postal voting ceased at noon on Wednesday 12th November whereon ERS provided details of those who had voted in order to enable us to deal with AGM registration, and the results of the ballot to the AUK returning officer. CC advised that JW was acting as returning officer and that results cast for each resolution were held in confidence by him until they were needed to be added to the votes cast in the meeting room. 1) TO RECORD THE NAMES OF THOSE PRESENT AT THIS MEETING. Including the aforementioned board members a total of 77 members attended the meeting. 2) TO RECORD APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE. Sheila Simpson, John Hamilton, Judith Swallow, Chris Hopkinson, Bob Hastings 3) TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE LAST AGM as a true record of that meeting Joe Applegarth and others asked how those not present at the last meeting, especially those who were voting for the first time by post, could be asked to approve the minutes of a meeting that they had not attended. CC noted that this might seem an appealing notion but that all members were entitled to vote on all business of the meeting, and that included the minutes. The resolution was passed with 503 votes for and 2 against. 4) MATTERS ARISING from the last meeting.

Keith Benton noted a comment in the Treasurer’s report that the Board had yet to formally accept the accounts and whether this had been done. CC noted that at the time the document went to press we were awaiting some information but that this had now been received and the Board had formally approved the accounts. The resolution passed with 502 votes for, 5 against. Mel Kirkland noted that abstentions had not been recorded. CC noted that such votes were recorded by virtue of the member not exercising the option to vote, and not being included in the votes cast. 6) TO CONSIDER THE ANNUAL ACCOUNTS AND TREASURER’S RECOMMENDATIONS The resolution was passed, with 499 votes for, and 6 against Linda Johnston was retiring after 5 years in post as Treasurer and the meeting offered a vote of thanks for her service. No nominations had been received for the post of Finance Director. CC noted he was in discussion with two members who were appropriately qualified and he hoped that he would be in a position to report on progress in the near future. 8.1 Special resolution to amend Articles 1, 5, 9 & 14 of the AUK Articles. Proposer: Paul Stewart, Secretary, on behalf of the AUK Board, Seconder: Peter Lewis, Recorder Rationale: The amendment to Article9 passed at AGM2013 removed the basis of the board structure. After due consideration the Board would reinstate the concept of an elected ‘executive board’ (with portfolio) albeit retaining the ability to define portfolios in accordance with operational requirements. Such ‘executive directors’ will be elected for a three years with overlapping terms of office to promote both continuity and commitment to the office for a specific period. Provision is also made for elected nonexecutive (non-portfolio) directors and for directors to be appointed to fill vacant director posts. The initial set of director posts are defined in Article 9.6. PS introduced the resolution as a development on the amendment to Article9 passed at AGM2013. Dave Matthews asked how the ‘overlapping terms of offices’ would be managed for posts elected at the same time. PS advised this would achieved by Directors standing down and putting themselves forward for re-election. Ashley Brown asked about the impact of longer terms on the accountability of directors. CC noted that directors would be accountable to the Board and the membership as now, and that non-executive directors would serve one-year terms. Dave Minter noted RUSA had a broadly similar system although directors were term limited. CC noted the latter as something which might be considered in future. The resolution was passed, with 476 votes for, 15 against. 8.2 Special resolution to amend Article 7.6 of the AUK Articles. Proposer: Paul Stewart, Secretary, on behalf of the AUK Board, Seconder: Peter Lewis, Recorder Rationale: This general revision of Article 7.6 is intended to: (a) clarify the process for the submission, review and amendment of AGM resolutions, (B) remove references to the nominations of directors which is the subject of Article 14, and (c) move the submission and amendment period for resolutions from August to September, so the amendment phase ends on 1st October and so aligns with the traditional ‘due date’ for director nominations and allow for an orderly progression towards the AGM. PS introduced the resolution as a development on the amendment to Article7.6 passed at AGM2013. DM noted the length of time between the submission deadline for resolutions and the AGM itself, which was ~6 weeks. PS noted this was required for collation of materials, preparation for voting and the voting process itself, and that the resolution improved on the current Article which had the submission deadline for resolutions a month earlier. Pat Hurt queried that proposals had to be made in writing. CC confirmed this included email (electronic communications). The resolution was passed, with 478 votes for, 11 against. 8.3 Special resolution for Sundry amendments to AUK Articles.

There were none.

Proposer: Paul Stewart, Secretary, on behalf of the AUK Board, Seconder: Peter Lewis, Recorder

5) TO CONSIDER DIRECTORS’ REPORTS.

Rationale: To perform some minor corrections to AUK Articles

Helen Vecht asked that the emailed copy of the Directors report be titled as coming from AUK rather than ERS as she had not appreciated the email was an AUK communication, and was concerned about reports on online forums regarding members not receiving their ballot papers by email. She had also found the format of the annual report unhelpful for her preferred method of reading electronic documents

PS introduced the resolution as a housekeeping exercise to correct minor inconsistencies in the Articles.

PS noted the identity of the email sender had not been considered but would be next year [Addendum: the email sender was ‘Online Voting’ and the email subject was ‘Audax UK Long Distance Cyclists’ Association Ltd - Ballot 2014’], and that about 1 week into the three week voting period it was recognised about 100 family members sharing email addresses had been left out of the initial ballot distribution. This was resolved by sending out ballots by post, along with ballots for another 50 members for whom the email had been returned as ‘undeliverable’. These were despatched on Oct 30, voting ending Nov 12. Overall no more than a dozen queries had been received from 6000+ members and PS was confident of the integrity of the process overall. Chris Boulton asked that in future the Annual Report might include sections looking back on the achievements of the year and looking forward to the next. CC noted the Directors were currently serving one year terms and that the proposal in a special resolution to be voted on later, which would extend terms of office of portfolio directors to three years would, if passed, encourage the Board to think more strategically for the future and help in the development of such reporting. MW noted an update to his report, which was that membership now stood at 6288. CC observed that overall we seemed to be growing by about 100 members a month.

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The resolution was passed, with 480 votes for, 9 against. 8.4 Special resolution to amend AUK Regulations & Appendices to allow EAPC on Brevet Populaire events Proposer: John Hamilton, Events Secretary, on behalf of the AUK Board, Seconder: Paul Stewart, Secretary (As JH was not present the motion was introduced by PS) Rationale: Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycles are becoming more widely available in the UK and their performance is defined by UK legislation (see https://www.gov.uk/electric-bike-rules). PS Introduced the motion as a response from a member (Kevin Hicks, a Super Randonneur with a major physical disability (one leg) who had approached the Board to ask for the option to use an EAPC to support his riding on BP events, as these were becoming increasingly challenging over time. The Board felt this was a reasonable move as BP events are intended to be popular/accessible rather than arduous. Asked to comment, Steve Snook (AAA Secretary) expressed an initial concern but that he was happy to see how it would develop, noting that if EAPC bikes did become popular there may be a need for an EAPCAAA award. Joe Applegarth said he was concerned this would advertise AUK rides as being for EAPC riders. Dave Matthews said he had experience of riding with EAPC riders and was quite happy on the flat but felt frustrated in the hills. Mark Rigby noted that BP rides could be

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Official longer than 100km and was concerned that there may be radical improvement in battery technology. Jim Hopper asked if EAPC’s were just for disabled riders and who would decide who was permitted to ride one. CC clarified there would be no such restriction on who could ride EAPC bikes. Sonya Crawford welcomed the development as she was recovering from illness and this would enable her to continue riding with her friends and be part of the sport she loved. Aiden Hedley asked how organisers would confirm bikes comply with government regulations. Keith Benton felt that the change was a ‘sledgehammer to crack a nut’ and asked members to vote against the motion and for the board to devise a solution which would allow organisers to decide which specific riders could use EAPC’s . Ashley Brown was concerned that novices would expect to be able to ride EAPC bikes on BR events as they would not understand the distinction between BP & BR events. David Minter said that AUK doesn’t accepts riders onto events, organisers do. He noted that the Mille Failte 1000km in Ireland was started by somebody who rode the route on an electric bike and was accepted onto the event but was not validated. The rider used drop bags with replacement batteries around the event. Andy Clarkson would like BPs to accept all types of vehicles including motorised skateboards so as to bury the possibility of ‘points for BPs’. Louise Rigby would like to be paced up hills by EAPC riders. Peter Coulson asked about insurance for EAPC riders on events. JW noted there was no problem as long as the organiser and rider were operating within the AUK framework (there could be no ‘halfway’ measures). Pauline Porter would like to see organisers offer events for less able riders. Geoff Cleaver said he runs mixed distance events down to 50km, and he does get approached by EAPC riders wanting to take part and finds it difficult to refuse them, as he cannot judge what is allowed or examine bikes. Ian Hobbs asked what the current regulation was. CC confirmed it was strictly ‘human powered’ machines. Mark Rigby felt that the change should be delayed as he felt new technology would emerge. PS restated the intent that the proposal only related to BP events and that the amendment was required to clarify the insurance situation. Whilst the AUK policy covers EAPC bikes, AUK regulations (currently) forbid them, so the amendment is required to ‘enable’ the AUK insurance for such riders, and thereby ensure that insurance is in place should an EAPC rider cause an incident leading to a claim by other riders on the event.

he/she to be entirely independent. JW declared himself the Returning Officer and noted that he was eligible for the role as he was not a proposer or seconder of any resolution, and that the postal voting was overseen by an independent body (ERS) which could provide scrutiny regarding the postal votes cast. A member said it had been reported on a forum that the Board knew the results of the votes ahead of time and this had been published online. JW assured the meeting this was not the case. The Board was aware of the electoral roll (those who had voted) as this was required for managing voting at the meeting, but not their votes. [Addendum: PS posted on the AUK forum shortly after voting commenced to indicate that online voting was proceeding, and that approx. 150 votes had been cast. No other comment was made then or subsequently]. Aidan Hedley noted the need for a mechanism for hosting on-line debates. Dave Minter noted there had been debate regarding the EAPC resolution and other resolutions on the AUK forum. Pauline Porter would encourage members to come to the AGM. MW reminded members there were vacancies on the Board for those who would like to directly help develop AUK policy. Perm Events Secretary: Single candidate, John Ward, elected with 471 votes for, 0 against. Keith Benton queried what the Events Services Director post covered and asked if it included ACP/LRM rep. PL said it included Recorder, Validations and Brevet Card Production, these roles previously being held by three separate directors. Event Services Director, Single candidate, Peter Lewis elected with 518 votes for, 6 against. Publicity and Publications: Single candidate, Danial Webb. Steve Poulton noted there had been a long debate about the old new logo, and a new logo had been introduced without any debate that he could recall, and asked why the logo had been changed again. DW explained that whilst the old new logo developed with Andy Alsop had been well received, the current designer working on branding suggested it would be more economic and practical to develop a complete suite of branding and the ‘Eagle & Chain wheel’ logo and lettering did not fit well with this.

Proposer: John Hamilton, Events Secretary, on behalf of the AUK Board, Seconder: Paul Stewart, Secretary (As JH was not present the motion was introduced by PS)

Dave Minter asked what would be progressed next year. DW said the main focus was the website. The layout work was advanced but there was a need to develop content. He had been holding back on publicity pending the availability of a more outward focused website. Joe Applegarth asked for a search facility so he could find things. Jeff Cleaver asked for support to hold address details for non-members and online entry for under 18s.

Rationale: To revise Appendix 13.2.n to:

Danial Webb was elected with 486 votes for, 21 against.

(a) Remove the specification of Competitive and Merit Trophies from the AUK Appendices, as these are the ambit of the AUK Board. The Trophies will be listed on the AUK website

Calendar Events Secretary: Two candidates, Martin Foley and Tim Sollesse

The resolution was passed, with 387 votes for, 116 against 8.5 Special resolution to amend AUK Regulations & Appendices regarding Awards and Trophies

(b) Restore the specification of the AUK Awards to the AUK Appendices, these previously having been removed to other areas of the AUK Handbook which is now being discontinued, and make it explicit that: • Distance and SR awards are open all riders and other Randonneur and Brevet awards are for subscribed AUK members only. (c) References to ISR, an LRM award administered by AUK, to be removed from the AUK Regulations and Appendices (d) The Randonneur Series of awards to include the Randonneur Round The Year award administered by Peak Audax. (e) To include the AAA and FWC awards PS introduced the resolution as a housekeeping exercise required by the discontinuation of the AUK handbook. In previous years details of awards had been removed from the AUK regulations as they were published in the handbook. As this was discontinued they should be restored to the regulations. Keith Benton queried why it was allowed that resolutions could be submitted where the proposer was not present. CC noted this was an effect of postal voting. Pauline Porter felt that was the problem with postal voting, ‘anybody could do anything’. Dave Matthew asked why it was necessary to have the debate in the AGM if matters were being decided by postal votes. CC said there was a need to give absentee voters the ability to vote to comply with company law. Richard Painter noted that the resolution to allow EAPC bikes might have been overturned by the meeting as it was passed with only 76% of the vote (75% being required) but almost half the members present had abstained, therefore it was not true to say the meeting had no power. MW noted that the amended wording referred to ‘Randonneur events within one season’ and that this was not intended to exclude RRTY and Ultra Randonneur awards which cross AUK seasons. The resolution was voted on and passed, 472 votes for, 13 against 8.6 Special resolution for sundry amendments to AUK Regulations & Appendices Proposer: John Hamilton, Events Secretary, on behalf of the AUK Board, Seconder: Paul Stewart, Secretary (As JH was not present the motion was introduced by PS) Rationale: To implement minor changes to AUK Regulations and Appendices for consistency with operational changes within AUK and external legislation & terminology. PS introduced the resolution as a housekeeping measure to allow for external and operational changes. Keith Benton again queried the absence of the proposer. Chris Boulton noted that the Resolution was being moved on behalf of the Board and so it did not really matter who proposed it at the meeting. Jim Hopper said that Board members should be present, and CC concurred. The resolution was passed, with 466 votes for, 9 against

Sonya Crawford introduced Martin Foley, saying she had known Martin for many years. He works as a mobile bike mechanic, was very knowledgeable and finds his events well organized. Pat Hurt introduced Tim Sollesse, saying Tim had been active for several years within AUK, brings a lot of energy to everything he does and would provide a good service to AUK. The meeting was invited to ask the candidates about their aims and objectives. MF said he would like to increase the involvement of organisers in developing processes and procedures for running events and look for feedback on how the Board can support organisers. TS said he would like to incorporate longer rides in the AUK calendar, for instance ‘RAIDS’, the Transcontinental Race, etc., and would work with the Publicity Secretary to develop the website. He would also see more challenges developed using Strava and to develop schemes to encourage riders to ride in different areas of the UK. Keith Benton asked if Strava would encourage riders not to ride organized events. TS described his idea of developing challenge awards similar to the RUSA ‘explorer’ scheme, and that Strava would encourage riders to ride further by allowing them to compare performances. Keith Benton said that’s for riders, what about Organisers. TS said he would encourage Organisers to develop regional SRs. Sonya Crawford noted that TS tended to refer to Southern areas and asked if he was aware of the North, to which TS agreed he was. Ashley Brown expressed concerns about rumours that smaller events were being discouraged in favor of larger events, and that this would mean less choice. MF said he was in favor of better not fewer events, not just putting on events for mates but encouraging wider participation. He was aware different organisers had different concerns, and felt there were regional differences and so he would survey organisers to get their feedback. TS would also include BPs as well as longer events, as BPs are important in developing new riders, and there was a need for more centralized Joe Applegarth asked how the candidates would support Steve Abraham’s record attempt. CC advised this would be considered elsewhere. Geoff Cleaver noted he organized days with a range of events ‘for all the family’ and would like more definitive guidance on processes and procedures for organizing events. Asked what the term of office was for the post, CC responded that it would be for 3 years. Mark Beauchamp asked what was Strava. TS advised it was an online website for recording and sharing challenges. PL asked about the candidates’ ability to attend Board Meetings in Birmingham. MF advised he was self-employed and so could manage his time to attend. Martin Foley was elected with 333 votes with Tim Sollesse’s 206 votes. In response to a question from the floor, CC noted that there were no candidates for Finance Director but that he was talking with two suitably qualified candidates with a view their having a ‘job share’ for this essential and onerous position. 10 Close

Chairman: Single candidate, Chris Crossland, elected with 506 votes for, 10 against.

Jim Hopper continued his tradition of closing the meeting with thanks to the Board and the members attending for their good humour. He also expressed interest in riding the Rutland SR when it was inaugurated!

Secretary: Single candidate, Paul Stewart, elected with 510 votes for, 7 against.

The meeting closed at 16:40.

9. Election of Directors

Mel Kirkland asked who the returning officer is and whether it would be preferable for

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http://www.aukweb.net/_resources/files/official/agm/2014/Minutes_AGM2014_Draft_141129.pdf

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Official Just a Second And once again I start this column with the comment that it’s been another eventful few months. Since my last column we have had the Annual Reunion and AGM, and started the new year with one AUK in particular planning on getting even more miles in than usual. But let’s start from the beginning. Annual Reunion and AGM: The Annual Reunion Weekend at Yarnfield in November proved very successful, with 100 members attending the Reunion Dinner. A good percentage of those brought their bikes and went out for a 60km ride on the Saturday morning led by Mike Wigley. In the afternoon the AGM was well attended with some lively debates, however, as was expected, voting was dominated by votes cast by non-attending members, something which inevitably brings into question the future role of the AGM and its relationship with the Reunion weekend. Consequently, Danial Webb and I have been asked by the Board to consult the membership regarding alternate arrangements, possibly decoupling the Annual Reunion and AGM so the Annual Reunion can be more focused on cycling with an informal meeting, and the formal AGM being held at a later date. More on that later. Overall the postal voting service provided by ERS worked well, however it was evident that the hardcopy postal voting was costly in terms of the number of votes cast. With this in mind the Board proposes to move towards 100% ‘online’ voting with printed ballots offered purely on an opt-in basis. Again more on that later. The other item of Reunion news is that the current (metal) AUK trophies will be retired and replaced with glass/acrylic trophies that can be ordered pre-engraved with the awardees’ names. This approach will bring considerable saving in both money and effort, and provide more flexibility in the awards that can be made. The current trophies have been offered for display to the Cycling Museum at Llandrindod Wells. Board Appointments: Following the AGM, the roles of Finance Director, ACP/LRM Rep and Directors without Portfolio were vacant. Chris Crossland has been discussing the FD role with a number of AUK members over recent months and consequently at the December Board Meeting, Paul Salmons, FCMA, MBA was appointed as Finance Director. In addition, Chris Boulton, Lucy McTaggart and John Sabine were appointed as Directors without Portfolio. Chris and Lucy will be well known to many as event organisers and bring experience in Governance and Coaching to the Board. John is a relatively young AUK but brings a level head and journalist skills to the table. The role of ACP/LRM Representative will be served by Chris Crossland as Chair with operational support from Peter Lewis as Events Services Director whilst the function of International Events Secretary is being retired. NB, as an executive role, the FD has a three year term of office whilst the non-exec Director Without Portfolio role has a one year term; regardless, all these appointments will expire at the next AGM and the postholders will need to stand for election if they wish to continue , which we hope they shall! The Board would like to thank our new Board Members for agreeing to serve and ask you to similarly extend your support and thanks to them. Insurance: The AUK insurance policy excess now stands at £500 per claim, and that this will be charged to the rider incurring the claim. Amendment to Regulation App7.1: Appropriate guidance to riders and DIY organisers in considering applications for AUK Brevets incorporating ‘other’ events will be published through the Permanents Section of the AUK website. Events: Geoffrey Cleaver has taken over from Tony Greenwood as Events Co-ordinator for Mid and Eastern England, and arrangements for the National 400 organised by Steve Carroll next June have been approved. Danial Webb will look at producing branding materials for the event. Publicity and Publications: AUK member John Hobson has developed a great new ‘AUK Stripes’ webapp (see http:// getyourstripes.co.uk/ ) which provides a visualisation of your audax record. The new AUK Magazine style website is currently scheduled to launch in March and work on the specification for the full new website is proceeding. OCD: Rod Dalitz reports a keen interest in OCD from some AUK members, though some established OCDers were concerned at the 54

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lack of OCD ‘presence’ in Arrivee and on the AUK Website. With this in mind plans are being advanced to integrate OCD into AUK events in much the same way that AAA is, i.e., so that events which are eligible for OCD points can be easily identified, and claims progressed. UAF style rides: There is a growing interest in UAF style (group) rides amongst some AUK members. There seems to be no objection to ‘UAF style’ rides being organised as AUK events, however enforced group riding is contrary to ACP regulations. If such is intended then a new category of event will need to be established, possibly in affiliation with UAF, an approach adopted by Audax Australia who have dual ACP/UAF affiliation. Otherwise if members want to organise UAF style events informally, either as Calendar events or Perms, then the message is simply, ‘go for it’. Steve Abrahams 1YTT: As I write, Steve is three days into his intrepid OneYearTimeTrial. You will already be aware of the Board’s support for Steve from the email that was sent out to members after Christmas asking for donations, and that has raised about £3000 so far, which is great, thank you! To kick things off, the Board also made a direct donation of £1500, and we hope to help raise a lot more by working with you – organisers and riders – through the year. Watch this space.

Accident Reports (see opposite) Most AUKs will be familiar with the post-season tabulation of incidents occurring on Audax events. For newer members, as part of the effort to maximise safety, a report is filed for all accidents on AUK events with a view to identifying the cause of accidents and taking steps as far as possible to prevent a recurrence. Organisers submit these reports along with their other post event materials to the validation team with the Returns form. A summary of these reports is shown in the following table. Please note that the organisers’ and riders names are not shown and the summary is my own précis of events derived from reading others’ versions of events. So what do the reports tell us? In terms of distance ridden per incident, the rate of incidents has fallen slightly, from 1 per 29kkm to 1 per 35kkpm. The most common causes of accidents related to road surface issues: potholes, cattle grids, gravel, mud, etc., with several riders reporting loss of control on descents. Happily only 1 in 3 accidents reported required paramedic or hospital intervention but even a ‘minor’ accident can have major consequences, with riders breaking arms, legs and hips in falls with others incurring the more common collarbone injuries. Other causes of accidents included ride collisions, not so much from bunch riding but from inattention, when leading riders slow for a turn taking those following – who may be consulting their routesheets – unawares. Lastly, several incidents involved motorists. Some of these caused riders to take ‘emergency actions’ to avoid collisions whilst others involved motorists succumbing to ‘road rage’ and personally assaulting cyclists. As long distance cyclists, we are very exposed to the dangers of the road and countryside, as we are often riding alone and at night. So all are encouraged to think of their own safety and how they manage their relationship with other road users. Members will be aware that AUK provides 3rd party liability insurance during events but for your peace of mind it may be advisable to take out insurance to cover personal injury or damage to your cycle. This is something to be negotiated on an individual basis through your usual insurance broker. Severity

Count

minor scrapes and bruises, no medical attention required injury requiring medical attention

Description

injury requiring operation

Total event kilometres ridden in the 2013/14 season: 2,169,146 Total number of events: 527 (Calendar) Events With best wishes to all for an enjoyable and above all a safe 2015 season, Paul Stewart, Secretary, Audax UK www.aukweb.net

Official Date

Offs

13/609 200

Event

Dist

10-Oct-13

13/674 100

13-Oct-13

13/433 100

13-Oct-13

13/223 100

07-Dec-13

13/223 100

07-Dec-13

13/738 100

07-Dec-13

13/716 200

07-Dec-13

14/190 100

16-Mar-14

14/504 300

29-Mar-14

14/28

Rider Err Mech Weather Road Other Motor

1 1 1 1 1

100

30-Mar-14

14/265 100

30-Mar-14

14/265 100

30-Mar-14

14/341 400

05-Apr-14

14/812 100

05-Apr-14

14/417 300

05-Apr-14

200

05-Apr-14

14/142 100

14/23

06-Apr-14

Summary

Ice

Rider fell on cattlegrid

Rider fell on gravel

Driver assulted cyclists

Pedestrian assulted cyclists

Mud on road

Rider forced off road

Collision and assault. Police called

Rider moved to avoid poor road surface and collided with another

Clipped a kerb.

Rider fell on cattlegrid

Rider overshot hairpin bend

2 1 1 1 1

Severity

Riders fell on avoiding collision between motor vehicles

Collision with following car

Poor road surface

Collision with car

Rider lack of attention

14/144 400

18-Apr-14

Rider taken ill during the event

14/545 300

26-Apr-14

Rider collided with post on entrance to cycle path

14/900 300

26-Apr-14

Pothole in road

14/901 400 01-May-14

Brake cable snapped. Rider made a controlled crash

14/151 300 03-May-14

Pothole in road

14/475 100 05-May-14

14/455 202 05-May-14

14/178 300 10-May-14

14/933 160 17-May-14 14/251 200 18-May-14 14/901 400 24-May-14

14/176 600 24-May-14

14/994 100

01-Jun-14

1 1

Rut in road

Rider taken ill during the event

Collision between riders in group

Rider collision

Rider fell at level crossing

Rider fell avoiding collision with car

Riders collided

1 1 1

14/288 300

07-Jun-14

14/983 100

08-Jun-14

14/148 100

08-Jun-14

1 1

14/562

22-Jun-14

14/558 100

25-Jun-14

3 1

Riders fell on gravel and cattlegrid

Ride fell avoiding driver overtaking closely & turning left

Rider failed to unclip pedal

Rider fell no explanation

Rider struck kerb

14/558 100

25-Jun-14

Rider struck by access barrier

14/414 300

04-Jul-14

Rider fell asleep on the road

14/119 300

05-Jul-14

Collision on singletrack road

14/208 200

13-Jul-14

Collision with pedestrian

14/174 100

13-Jul-14

Clipped verge avoiding motor vehicle

14/626

Rider clipped railway bridge

Riders in group affected by road conditions

Collision

13-Jul-14

14/942 107

19-Jul-14

14/575 200

20-Jul-14

100

20-Jul-14

14/308 200

14/14

02-Aug-14

14/451 200

10-Aug-14

1 1 1 1 3 1 1 1 1

Rider fell on gravel

Rider clipped kerbstone

Rider fell on mud on road

14/390 200

16-Aug-14

No details available

14/342 200

23-Aug-14

Rider lost control on descent

14/559 100

07-Sep-14

Rider hit by loose dog

14/379 200

27-Sep-14

Rider bitten by dog being walked by owner

14/603

28-Sep-14

Loss of control on descent avoiding horse & rider

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ArrivĂŠe February 2015 No. 127

Permanents Dist AAA Title Nephi Alty Saddleworth Series - with AAA Reid Anderson 200 2.75 Fleet Moss Randonnee Joe Applegarth DIY PERMANENTS SERIES (NE organiser) David Atkinson Dales Series - with AAA 100 0 Lucias Vale of York Meander Sean Barker 200 2 Saracen RC 200km No 1 200 0 Saracen RC 200km No 2 Mark Beauchamp 200 0 A taste of the test 200 0 An anoraks delight George Berwick 2260 0 Round the Coast 1500 0 The Eightsome Reel 2600 0 The Scottish Star 600 0 The Twilight 600 Colin Bezant The Cambrian Series - with AAA 100 2 Col de Bavella 400 6.75 Col de Sevi 210 3 Col de Verde 600 9.5 Col de Vergio 315 5.75 Col de Vizzavone Sarah Britton 100 0 Breakfast in Bampton 100 0 Exeter Circle 100 0 Mad Hatter 100 Lorraine Brown 400 0 Kingdom Come Brian Callow 214 0 Bournemouth Square Matthew Chambers 400 2.75 Faffers 400 Patrick Cherry Alpine Star Series - with AAA The Ibex Series - with AAA 50 1 Forts and Ferries Grimpeur 100 1.5 The Coastguard Permanent Andy Clarkson DIY PERMANENTS SERIES (Yorkshire and East) Geoffrey Cleaver 212 0 Two Battles Permanent Andy Corless NW England Series - with AAA Chris Crossland Bernies SR Series 606 1.75 Another 3 Coasts 600 310 0 Buttys Brid Trip 200 0 Doncaster Doddle 100 0 Goodbye Yorkshire Xmas Pudding 53 1.25 Leap into the Aire 09 50 1.25 Mellow Fruitfulness 60 1.25 Perm into the Aire 110 2.25 Perm into the Dales 100 2.5 Season of Mists 100 2.25 Spring into the Dales 09 607 1.75 The 3 Coasts 600 200 1.75 The Good Companions 56

Arrivée February 2015 No. 127

109 2.5 The Hebden Bridge Mini-V 405 6.5 The Old 240 202 1.5 The Red Rose Ride 403 0 The Spurn Head 400 400 0 Yorkshire Dales 300 0 Yorkshire Moors 200 0 Yorkshire Wolds Alan Davies 600 8 Sea Lovers 600 Thomas Deakins 100 0 Boudiccas Revenge 100 200 0 Boudiccas Revenge 200 200 0 Dick Turpins Day Out 600 0 The Flatliner Julian Dyson DIY PERMANENTS SERIES (North west) Chris Ellison 100 2 Mont Ventoux (100km) Martin Foley DIY PERMANENTS SERIES (Scotland & N East) 200 0 Border Hills 200 0 Down to Longtown 206 3 Saltire 200km Tom Fox 100 0 Alfreton - Harworth 100 0 Alfreton - Sudbury 200 0 Alfreton Figure of 8 100 2 Biggin Hilly Permanent 600 0 Four + Two 200 0 Horncastle 200 404 0 Moors and Wolds 400 100 0 National Arboretum Permanent 200 0 Notts, Lincs & Derbys 200 150 0 Oakham 150 300 0 Skeggy 100 0 To the Races Peter Gawthorne 400 0 Lakeland 400 300 1.75 Southport - Lakeland - Southport 600 1.5 Southport - Scarborough - Southport 200 1.5 Southport - Settle - Southport 200 0 Southport-York Pete Gifford 400 0 Fishlake 400 1000 0 Great Eastern Colin Gorton 120 2.75 Steve Coates Blackdown Grimpeur John Hamilton Pengwern Series Wandering Wolves Series 200 3.75 Barcud Coch 300 6 Enter the Dragon 1000 15 Mille Cymru 400 5.5 The Irish Mail 600 0 Windsor - Chester - Windsor 200 0 Wolves to Windsor Tom Hanley 400 0 Buccleuch 400 300 0 Cumberland Gap 500 0 Guid Nychburris 200 0 Oot Tae Carrick Ian Hennessey 300 0 Blackdowns & Levels 100 2 Coast Roads & Coach Roads

100 2.25 Devon & Somerset 600 0 Exe-Buzzard 600 200 3.25 Exmoor and Coast 600 8.25 Kernow & South West 600 300 0 Old Roads 300 150 0 Sea & levels 150 200 0 Sea & levels 200 200 4 Valley of the Rocks Jim Hopper 200 3 Peak District Permanent David Hudson 200 0 Buckbarn ~ Sutton Scotney 200 0 Daves Dover Dash 200 1000 0 ELs 1000 410 0 Els 400 205 0 Hailsham - Folkestone 200 212 0 Hailsham - Liss 200 200 0 Medway Meander 205 0 Pulborough - Reading 200 200 0 Seaford Yalding 200 200 0 Sedlescombe ~ Herne Bay 300 0 The Hailsham 300 611 0 The Hailsham 600 Tony Hull DIY PERMANENTS SERIES (South west) Mark Hummerstone End to End - 7 x 200km BR, BP, BR 1900 28.5 Hummers Lumpy End to End Pat Hurt 300 1.75 Cheddar Gorge 300 208 0 EWE Baaa 200 0 Marlborough Connection 200 0 Poor Student 200 Linda Johnston 200 0 Brittany Mesh 200 0 Brittany Seaboard 201 0 Carhaix and the Coast 220 0 Hidden Brittany 203 0 Menez - Hom et Roc Trevezel 200 0 Roscoff - Quimper Simon Jones 2600 0 Calais - Brindisi 1200 0 Igoumenitsa � Istanbul 1405 0 Roscoff - Nice 4014 0 The Orient Express 450 0 Tour of Kernow 3100 0 Trafalgar - Trafalgar Chris Keeling-Roberts 116 2.75 Cheshire Peak 205 4.5 Dark & White Peak 106 2.25 Dark Peak 100 3 Goyt Peak 108 2.5 Mid Peak 100 2.5 Monyash Peak 110 2.75 Staffs Peak 103 2.5 West Peak 103 2.25 White Peak Chris Kula-przezwanski 100 0 North Somerset 100 160 0 North Somerset 160 160 1.5 North Somerset Grimpeur 160 60 1 Over the Mendips Martin Lucas 1400 0 The Eiger Sanction 7 x 200km

New

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Permanents Martin Malins Extended Calendar Event Series 100 1.75 AAA Milne 100 1.75 The Reliable Peter Marshall 1250 0 Cherbourg - Perpignan 6 x 200km 200 0 Ouistreham Circuit 1100 0 Biarritz 5 x 200km (+100km) David Matthews 200 3.5 Barmouth Boulevard 100 2 Brenig Bach 130 2 Momma’s Mountain View 200 3.5 Pistyll Packing Momma 138 2.25 The Clwyd Gate 200 3.5 The Clwydian 206 3 Tour of the Berwyns Keith Matthews 200 2 Dorset Coast Robert Ninnes 200 2 Chester - Bala 200 0 Chester - Dolgellau 200 2.25 Chester to Bala (Backwards) 200 0 Chester to Dolgellau (Backwards) Alex Pattison 300 4.75 The Snow Roads John Perrin 200 2 ‘Gollen 614 0 Only Three Steps to Severn New 200 0 The Cheshire Loops 200 2.75 The Flashy Venetian 208 3 Totmonslow New Winston Plowes 100 2.25 Hebden Bridge Star 50 1.25 Hebden Bridge Starlet Jackie Popland 400 0 Youth Hostel Arrow 300 0 Youth Hostel Dart 200 0 Youth Hostel Dart Stephen Poulton Cheltenham Series Severn Series Corswold Series Spa Series 200 0 Banbury Cross 200 200 0 Bristol Double Avon 200 300 0 Central Scotland 300 1000 0 Centre Tour 1000 0 Eastern Tour 1200 0 England Grand Tour 200 0 Glos & Somerset 200 200 2.75 Gospel Pass 200 200 0 Malvern Elgar Dean 200 0 Midlands Vale 200 500 0 Midlands, SW and Wales Tour 600 0 North East Tour 500 0 Northern Tour 200 0 Pennine Tour 200 0 South East Oxford Loop 700 0 Southern Tour 50 1.25 Stroud 5 Valleys 400 0 SW and Wales Tour 205 0 Thames and Avon 200 100 0 Trossachs 1400 0 UK Grand Tour www.aukweb.net

300 0 Welsh & Borders Tour 150 2.25 YatMon 150 Herman Ramsey Manningtree Series 400 0 Asparagus and Strawberries 300 0 Green and Yellow Fields 100 0 The Ixworth File Alan Rayner Denmead Series 200 0 Solent - Hungerford 300 0 Solent - Malmesbury Paul Revell 100 2.25 La’al Lakeland 100 Mark Rigby Mr Pickwick Series 300 0 A rough Diamond 200 0 Benjamin Allens Spring Tonic 600 8.5 Bryan Chapman Memorial 600 8.5 Bryan Chapman Memorial BP 1337 18 High Roads, Glens and Sea Lochs BP 200 1.75 Kings, Castles, Priests and Churches 200 0 Sam Weller’s Trip to Wochma 1337 18 Coast, Highlands, Hebrides James Roberson 215 0 Cheshire Cycleway Andrew Rodgers 300 4 The Dean 300 Shawn Shaw 300 0 Aberystwyth - Poole Diagonal 200 0 Cherbourg - Ouistreham 200 0 Dorset Delight 300 4.5 Hardboiled 600 8.25 Hellfire 200 0 La Transmanche 300 0 Poole - Aberystwyth Diagonal 400 6 Porkers 200 0 St Malo - Cherbourg 200 0 St Malo - Ouistreham 200 0 St Malo Route 2 (East) 200 0 St Malo Route 3 (West) 200 0 St. Malo Route 1 (South) Sheila Simpson 50 2 Alpe d Huez Circuit 50 1.5 Cime de la Bonette 163 4.25 Circuit of Galibier 50 1 Col de Cayolle 100 2 Corniches des Cevennes 105 2 Grande Serre and Col dOrnon Circuit 115 3.5 Mini - Mercantour 50 1 Mont Aigoual 50 1 Mont Ventoux 100 0 Normandy Landings 100 0 North York 1200 0 Manche to Med 5 x 200, 14 BP, BR 114 0 Suisse Normande 190 4.75 The Mercantour 50 0 York - Selby Chris Smith DIY PERMANENTS SERIES (Midlands & Wales) Steve Snook 120 2.5 Deepdale and Fleet Moss 120 200 4.5 Park Rash and Swaledale 200 100 2 Silverdale and Wharfedale 100 50 1.25 Widdop 50

Tim Sollesse 100 0 Steam Ride:London-Oxford 200 0 Steam Ride:London-Oxford-London Peter South 100 1.5 Benidorm PRoF 100 110 1.75 Villajoyosa PRoF 100 Paul Stewart DIY PERMANENT SERIES (South east) 200 0 The Boat Ride 200 0 The Ditchling Devil Daryl Stickings 210 3.75 The Cambrian New 150 2.25 The Cambrian (Minor) New John Thompson 1000 0 Lowestoft - Arndnamurchan 1000 Stephen Underwood 300 0 Wiltshire Cycleway Andrew Uttley 200 0 A Ride Around Ben Klibreck Jonathan Walters 50 1 Surrey Hills 160 2.75 Sussexy Beast John Ward New Forest Series 100 0 Isle of Wight End to End Mary-jane Watson 100 1.75 Celts Trams and Castles (Isle of Man) 110 2.25 Three Peaks of Mann (Isle of Man) William Weir 200 3.5 Around Weald Expedition 100 1.75 Glen tae Ben 200 3.5 Meridian Hills Paul Whitehead 200 0 Summer Saunter to Wantage 200 0 Wantage Winter Wind Up Philip Whiteman 200 3.5 Montgomery Madness Werner Wiethege 100 1.75 Down to Downs Mike Wigley 207 0 A Mere Two Hundred 150 0 Audlem 200 0 Eccleshall 200 0 Holt 200 0 Holyhead-Prestatyn-Holyhead 200 0 Llanfair...gogogoch 200 400 0 Llanfair...gogogoch 400 200 0 Newport 100 0 Radway 200 0 Stockport Eureka 300 0 The Full Monty 600 0 To Holland and Back 200 0 Wilmslow-St Asaph-Wilmslow Chris Wilby 217 1.5 Cestyll Cymru New David Winslade Kent Series Oliver Wright 110 2 Grindleford Grimpeur 100 2.5 Hathersage - Elton - Roaches For full details visit: http://www.aukweb.net/perms/

Arrivée February 2015 No. 127

Calendar Events 100 11 Jan 09:30 Sun ROA 5000 200 17 Jan 08:00 Sat 100 24 Jan 09:00 Sat 200 24 Jan 07:00 Sat 100 24 Jan 09:00 Sat 200 25 Jan 08:00 Sun 150 25 Jan 08:30 Sun 150 01 Feb 08:00 Sun ROA 5000 100 01 Feb 09:00 Sun ROA 5000 200 01 Feb 07:30 Sun 200 07 Feb 08:00 Sat ROA 5000 100 07 Feb 09:00 Sat 200 07 Feb 07:30 Sat ROA 25000 100 08 Feb 09:00 Sun 100 08 Feb 08:30 Sun ROA 1000 200 14 Feb 07:00 Sat 200 18 Feb 07:30 Wed ROA 5000 120 21 Feb 09:00 Sat 200 21 Feb 08:00 Sat 200 21 Feb 08:00 Sat ROA 5000 58

Kings Worthy, Winchester Watership Down BP 108km 1235m £6.00 L F P R T M 140 14-28kph Winchester CTC coles.sue@gmail.com Sue Coles, 7 Ruffield Close Winchester SO22 5JL Chalfont St Peter The Willy Warmer BRM [PBP] 213km £7.00 L P R T M 75 G 15-30kph Willesden CC paudax@gmail.com Paul Stewart, 25 Devonshire Gardens Chiswick London W4 3TN Aztec West, Bristol Jack and Grace Cotton Memorial 100km BP 104km £5.00 P R T 15-30kph Audax Club Bristol info@audaxclubbristol.co.uk Paul Rainbow, 49 Quarrington Road Horfield Bristol Avon BS7 9PJ Cardiff Gate Dr. Foster’s Winter Warmer BRM [PBP] 201km £6.00 YH L P R T 15-30kph Cardiff Byways CC tonypember@gmail.com Tony Pember, 9 Donald Street Nelson Treharris CF46 6EB Hailsham Hills and Mills BP 102km 1850m AAA1.75 £6.00 R F P 85 14-25kph Andy Seviour Andy Seviour, 13 Blacksmiths Copse Hailsham East Sussex BN27 3XB Cheadle, Stockport A Mere Two Hundred BRM [PBP] 201km 800m £7.00 P R T 80 15-30kph Peak Audax David Colley, 5 Huncoat Avenue Heaton Chapel Stockport SK4 5HN Cheadle, Stockport A Mere Century BP 155km 600m £6.00 P R T 60 15-25kph Peak Audax David Colley, 5 Huncoat Avenue Heaton Chapel Stockport SK4 5HN Ashton Keynes, Cirencester Windrush Winter Warm Down BP 155km [650m] £5.00 L F P R T 15-30kph Corinium CC 01285 659 515 peter@quernsgate.co.uk Peter Holden, 39 Querns Lane Cirencester GL7 1RL Ashton Keynes, Cirencester Windrush Winter Warm-up BP 108km 650m £5.00 L F P R T 14-25kph Corinium CC 01285 659 515 peter@quernsgate.co.uk Peter Holden, 39 Querns Lane Cirencester GL7 1RL Denmead, nr Portsmouth a winter wind up to wantage BRM [PBP] 206km £6.00 P R T (21/01) 15-30kph Hampshire RC mrpaulwhitehead@yahoo.co.uk Paul Whitehead, 73 Spencer Road Emsworth Hampshire PO10 7XR Alfreton Straight on at Rosie’s BRM [PBP] 1190m £6.00 L P R T 15-30kph Alfreton CTC tomandsuefox@yahoo.co.uk Tom Fox, 180 Nottingham Road Alfreton Derbyshire DE55 7FP Dial Post, West Sussex Worthing Winter Warmer BP 104km £5 FPRT 15-30kph Worthing Excelsior CC 01903 240 280 Mick Irons, 36 Phrosso Road Worthing West Sussex BN11 5SL Tewkesbury Sam Weller’s day trip to Wochma BRM [PBP] 203km 2300m [2700m] £4.00 c p r nm t 100 15-25kph BlackSheep CC 01684 292 390 blacksheepaudax@gmail.com Mark Rigby, 16 Battle Road Tewkesbury Park Tewkesbury GL20 5TZ Chippenham Flapjack BP 102km £6.50 F P R T M 150 15-24kph Chip. & Dist. Whs. 01225 708449 Eric Fletcher, 174 Littleworth Lane Whitley Melksham Wiltshire SN12 8RE Leicester Rutland and Beyond BP 102km 1290m £4.00 F L P R S T 100 12-30kph Leic. Forest CC kimbo44@hotmail.com Kim Suffolk, 73 Colby Road Thurmaston Leicester LE4 8LG Cardiff Gate Malmesbury Mash BRM [PBP] 1000m £3.00 YH L P R T 15-30kph Newport Velo ritchie.t.tout@uk.pwc.com Ritchie Tout, Sunnyside Cottage Mynyddbach Monmouthshire NP16 6RT Gravesend Cyclopark Wye Wednesday BRM [PBP] £5.00 PRT 15-30kph Gravesend CTC 01474 815 213 tom56jackson@gmail.com Tom Jackson, 19 Denesway Meopham Kent DA13 0EA Hailsham Mad Jack’s- John Seviour Memorial BP 125km 2450m AAA2.5 £6.00 R F P 100 14-25kph Andy Seviour Andy Seviour, 13 Blacksmiths Copse Hailsham East Sussex BN27 3XB Kirkley Cycles, Ponteland Kirkley Gallop BRM [PBP] £5.00 L P T 15-30kph VC 167 northern.audax@gmail.com Aidan Hedley, 16 The Close Lanchester Durham DH7 0PX Rochdale North-West Passage BRM [PBP] 2100m £6.00 R T P 15-30kph W. Pennine RC 01706 372 447 Noel Healey, 95 Shore Mount Littleborough Lancs OL15 8EW Arrivée February 2015 No. 127

120 21 Feb 09:00 Sat ROA 5000 120 21 Feb 08:30 Sat 120 21 Feb 09:00 Sat 200 22 Feb 08:00 Sun 150 22 Feb 08:30 Sun 100 22 Feb 09:00 Sun 100 22 Feb 09:00 Sun ROA 2000 50 22 Feb 09:00 Sun ROA 2000 100 22 Feb 10:00 Sun 150 28 Feb 08:30 Sat ROA 25000 100 01 Mar 08:30 Sun 200 01 Mar 08:00 Sun 100 01 Mar 09:00 Sun 200 01 Mar 07:30 Sun 200 07 Mar 08:00 Sat 100 07 Mar 10:00 Sat 200 07 Mar 07:00 Sat ROA 5000 200 07 Mar 07:30 Sat 200 07 Mar 07:30 Sat 100 07 Mar 09:00 Sat

Rochdale mini-North-West Passage BP 1450m £6.00 R T P 10-20kph W. Pennine RC 01706 372 447 Noel Healey, 95 Shore Mount Littleborough Lancs OL15 8EW Whitlenge, Hartlebury, S of Kidderminster Sunrise Express BP 121km £6.75 P R T 100 15-30kph Beacon Roads CC 01562 731606 montgomery@beaconrcc.org.uk P Whiteman, 2 Drayton Terr Drayton Belbroughton Stourbridge DY9 0BW Whitlenge, Hartlebury, S of Kidderminster Snowdrop Express BP £6.75 P R T 100 15-30kph Beacon Roads CC 01562 731606 montgomery@beaconrcc.org.uk P Whiteman, 2 Drayton Terr Drayton Belbroughton Stourbridge DY9 0BW Cheadle, Stockport Newport BRM [PBP] 201km 750m £6.00 P R T 80 15-30kph Peak Audax tim@mothy.org.uk Tim Hughes, 5 Peterhouse Road Sutton Macclesfield SK11 0EN Cheadle, Stockport Radway BP 153km 450m £6.00 P R T 50 15-25kph Peak Audax tim@mothy.org.uk Tim Hughes, 5 Peterhouse Road Sutton Macclesfield SK11 0EN Corscombe, near Beaminster The Primrose Path BP 102km 1955m AAA2 £7.00 P L R T 55 12.5-25kph Arthur Vince 01935 863 429 arthur.vince@btinternet.com Arthur Vince, 3 Back Lane East Coker Yeovil BA22 9JN Henham, S of Saffron Walden Victoria C. C. - Brazier’s Run BP 106km £10.00 A(1) L P R S T 15-30kph Victoria CC kieronyates@mac.com Kieron Yates, 6 Aberdeen Terrace London SE3 0QX Henham, S of Saffron Walden Victoria C. C. - Brazier’s Run BP £9.00 A(1) L P R S T 10-25kph Victoria CC kieronyates@mac.com Kieron Yates, 6 Aberdeen Terrace London SE3 0QX Old Town Hall, Musselburgh 24th Tour of East Lothian BP 106km £10.00 L P R T NM (10/02) 12.5-30kph Musselburgh RCC 07852105204 Alistair Mackintosh, 5 Durham Road South Edinburgh EH15 3PD Droitwich Over the Malverns BP 159km 1500m £3.00 C P R T M 60 12.5-25kph Gavin Greenhow 01905 775 803 Gavin Greenhow, 44 Newland Road Droitwich WR9 7AG Bynea, Llanelli Carmarthenshire Stopper BP 102km 1720m AAA1.75 £4.50 C L F P R T 50 12-25kph Swansea DA 01792391492 jb@reynoldston.com John Bastiani, The Brambles Reynoldston Swansea SA3 1AA Exeter Mad March Coasts and Quantocks BRM [PBP] 201km 2725m AAA2 [1500m] £7.00 YH F P R T X 15-30kph Exeter Whs 01404 841553 robinwheeler571@btinternet.com Pippa Wheeler, Rull Barn Payhembury Honiton Devon EX14 3JQ Exeter Mad March Exeter Excursion BP £7.00 YH F P R T 12-25kph Exeter Whs 01404 841553 robinwheeler571@btinternet.com Pippa Wheeler, Rull Barn Payhembury Honiton Devon EX14 3JQ Pendleton, Lancashire Delightful Dales BRM [PBP] 208km 3300m AAA3.25 [3600m] £5.00 L P R T 15-30kph Burnley Sportiv burnleysportiv@yahoo.com Andy Corless, 31 Castlerigg Drive Ightenhill Burnley Lancashire BB12 8AT Aldbrough St John, nr Darlington Yorkshire Gallop BRM [PBP] 1480m £5.00 X P R T 14.3-30kph VC 167 01325 374 112 nigel.hall@finklecroft.me.uk Nigel Hall, Finkle Croft Aldbrough St John Nr. Richmond DL11 7TD Aldbrough St John, nr Darlington Ripon Canter BP 572m £5.00 X L P R T 12-25kph VC 167 01325 374 112 nigel.hall@finklecroft.me.uk Nigel Hall, Finkle Croft Aldbrough St John Nr. Richmond DL11 7TD Cardiff Gate, NW Cardiff Making Hay BRM [PBP] 203km 2450m £5.50 YH L P R T 15-30kph Cardiff Byways CC 02920 341768 evansrichardd@googlemail.com Richard Evans, 73 Conway Road Cardiff CF11 9NW Churchend, Dunmow The Horsepower 200 BRM [PBP] £8.00 A [1] C L P T R M 22/02 15-30kph Flitchbikes CC tom.deakins@btinternet.com Thomas Deakins, 31 The Causeway Great Dunmow Essex CM6 2AA Grazeley, S of Reading The Kennet Valley Run BRM [PBP] 207km 1763m £7.50 L P R T 15-30kph Reading CTC mes84uk@gmail.com Mick Simmons, 84 Kidmore Road Caversham Reading RG4 7NA Grazeley, S of Reading The Kennet Valley 100 BP 895m £6.00 L P R T 12-30kph Reading CTC mes84uk@gmail.com Mick Simmons, 84 Kidmore Road Caversham Reading RG4 7NA www.aukweb.net

Calendar Events 200 07 Mar Tewkesbury Mr. Pickwick’s March Madness 07:30 Sat BRM [PBP] 209km 2600m AAA1.75 [1700m] £4.00 c f p r nm t 100 15-25kph BlackSheep CC 01684 292 390 blacksheepaudax@gmail.com ROA 25000 Mark Rigby, 16 Battle Road Tewkesbury Park Tewkesbury GL20 5TZ 200 08 Mar Dalmeny Forth and Tay 08:00 Sun BRM [PBP] 208km 2500m £7.00 F L P R T 15-30kph Audax Ecosse martinfoley@btinternet.com Martin Foley, 78 Denholm Road Musselburgh East Lothian EH21 6TU 100 08 Mar North Petherton, S of Bridgwater Dunkery Dash 09:00 Sun BP 102km 1600m AAA1.5 £8.00 F L P R T 15-30kph Bridgwater CC ktudball@aol.com Keith Tudball, 9 Winford Close Portishead N Somerset BS20 6YG 100 08 Mar Otford, Sevenoaks Kent Invicta Grimpeur 100 09:30 Sun BP 1890m AAA2 £8.00 F L P R T NM 12-25kph West Kent CTC pmcmaster@blueyonder.co.uk Patrick McMaster, 207 Colyer Road Northfleet Kent DA11 8AT 50 08 Mar Otford, Sevenoaks Kent Invicta Hilly 50 10:00 Sun BP 945m AAA1 £7.00 F L P R T NM 12-25kph West Kent CTC pmcmaster@blueyonder.co.uk Patrick McMaster, 207 Colyer Road Northfleet Kent DA11 8AT 100 14 Mar Alfreton Three Fields 09:00 Sat BP 104km 1270m £5.00 L P R T 100 12-30kph Alfreton CTC tomandsuefox@yahoo.co.uk ROA 5000 Tom Fox, 180 Nottingham Road Alfreton Derbyshire DE55 7FP 200 14 Mar Andoversford, Nr Cheltenham Cheltenham New Flyer 08:00 Sat BRM [PBP] £6 LPRT 15-30kph CTC West stephen.poulton@btinternet.com ROA 5000 S Poulton, Leckhampton Lodge 23 Moorend Park Rd Leckhampton Cheltenham GL53 0LA 150 14 Mar Andoversford, Nr Cheltenham Cider with Rosie 150 08:30 Sat BP 152km £6.00 P R T L 12.5-30kph CTC West stephen.poulton@btinternet.com ROA 5000 S Poulton, Leckhampton Lodge 23 Moorend Park Rd Leckhampton Cheltenham GL53 0LA 100 14 Mar Andoversford, Nr Cheltenham Character Coln 09:00 Sat BP £5 P R T L 12.5-25kph CTC West stephen.poulton@btinternet.com ROA 5000 S Poulton, Leckhampton Lodge 23 Moorend Park Rd Leckhampton Cheltenham GL53 0LA 200 14 Mar Carlton le Moorland, Lincolnshire Yellowbelly Tour 08:00 Sat BRM [PBP] £6.00 200,RM,P,R,T,NM 15-30kph Lincoln Whs richard.parker05@gmail.com Richard Parker, 28 High Street Carlton Le Moorland Lincoln LN5 9HT 100 14 Mar Catherington, near Portsmouth Lasham Loop 09:00 Sat BP 105km 1500m AAA1.5 £5.00 L P R T 15-30kph Hantspol CC jondse@ntlworld.com Jonathan Ellis, 42 Wessex Road Waterlooville Hampshire PO8 0HS 150 14 Mar Chepstow Gospel Pass 07:30 Sat BP 2280m AAA2.25 £3.00 X P R (150) 15-30kph Audax Club Bristol ROA 5000 Nik Peregrine, 46 Bridge Street Chepstow NP16 5EY 200 15 Mar Halifax The Red Rose Ride 08:00 Sun BRM [PBP] 2600m AAA1.5 [1500m] £5.00 L P R T 15-30kph West Yorkshire CTC dmdodwell@gmail.com Dave Dodwell, 32 Parkside Avenue Queensbury Bradford BD13 2HQ 200 15 Mar London, Ruislip Lido, Woody Bay (beach) Station Steam Ride 08:00 Sun BRM [PBP] 2128m £7.00 L P R T YH 15-30kph Audax Club Hackney timsollesse@gmail.com Tim Sollesse, 59 Lynwood Rd 59 Lynwood Road Ealing London W5 1JG 110 15 Mar London, Ruislip Lido, Woody Bay ‘beach’ Station Steam Ride 08:30 Sun BP 117km £6.00 L P R T YH 14.3-30kph AC Hackney timsollesse@gmail.com Tim Sollesse, 59 Lynwood Rd 59 Lynwood Road Ealing London W5 1JG 100 15 Mar Seaham Seaham Sircular 09:00 Sun BP 1700m AAA1.75 £5.00 F L P R T 15-30kph Dave Sharpe david-sharpe@lineone.net Dave Sharpe, 3 Elizabeth Street Seaham County Durham SR7 7TP 200 21 Mar Alfreton Roses to Wrags 08:00 Sat BRM [PBP] 212km 1391m £6.00 F P R T 150 15-30kph Alfreton CTC tomandsuefox@yahoo.co.uk ROA 5000 Tom Fox, 180 Nottingham Road Alfreton Derbyshire DE55 7FP 100 21 Mar Copdock, Nr. Ipswich The Copdock Circuit - Spring in South Suffolk 09:00 Sat BP £5.00 L P R T M 12-30kph Suffolk CTC the.kells@talk21.com Dennis Kell, 9 Pheasant Rise Copdock Ipswich Suffolk IP8 3LF 200 21 Mar Leominster The Cambrian 07:00 Sat BRM [PBP] 210km 3750m AAA3.75 £5.00 L P R T 15-30kph Hereford Wheelers cambrianaudax@gmail.com Daryl Stickings, 22 Frome Court Bartestree Hereford HR1 4DX 140 21 Mar Leominster The Cambrian - Minor 08:00 Sat BP 148km 2250m AAA2.25 £5.00 L P R T 12.5-30kph Hereford & Dist. Whs cambrianaudax@gmail.com Daryl Stickings, 22 Frome Court Bartestree Hereford HR1 4DX www.aukweb.net

84 21 Mar 09:00 Sat New Event 200 21 Mar 08:00 Sat ROA 5000 160 21 Mar 09:00 Sat ROA 5000 110 21 Mar 10:00 Sat ROA 5000 100 22 Mar 09:00 Sun ROA 4000 200 22 Mar 08:00 Sun 100 22 Mar 10:00 Sun 300 28 Mar 06:00 Sat 300 28 Mar 07:30 Sat 300 28 Mar 02:00 Sat 200 28 Mar 08:00 Sat 200 28 Mar 08:00 Sat 100 28 Mar 09:00 Sat 100 29 Mar 09:00 Sun 200 29 Mar 08:00 Sun Updated 120 29 Mar 09:00 Sun Updated 71 29 Mar 09:30 Sun New Event 200 29 Mar 08:00 Sun Updated 110 29 Mar 09:30 Sun Updated 110 29 Mar 10:30 Sun Updated

Leominster The Cambrian - Welsh Marches BP 920m £5.00 L P R T 10-22.5kph Hereford & Dist. Whs cambrianaudax@gmail.com Daryl Stickings, 22 Frome Court Bartestree Hereford HR1 4DX Ugley The Springtime 200 BRM [PBP] 203km £5.00 A(2) L P R T S NM 15-30kph Shaftesbury CC 01245 467 683 Terry Anderson, 1 Claypits Road Boreham Chelmsford Essex CM3 3BZ Ugley The Springtime 150 BP 162km £5.00 A(2) L P R T S NM 15-30kph Shaftesbury CC 01245 467 683 Terry Anderson, 1 Claypits Road Boreham Chelmsford Essex CM3 3BZ Ugley The Springtime 100 BP 112km £5.00 a(2) L P R T S NM 15-30kph Shaftesbury CC 01245 467 683 Terry Anderson, 1 Claypits Road Boreham Chelmsford Essex CM3 3BZ Alford, Lincs The Wold and Fen BP £6.00 L P F T 12-25kph Alford Whs 01507 443 000 alan.hockham@hotmail.com Alan Hockham, 11 Trustthorpe Road Sutton on Sea Lincs LN12 2LX Golden Green,Tonbridge Man of Kent 200 BRM [PBP] 203km 1526m [1425m] £7.00 F L P R T (120) 15-30kph San Fairy Ann CC manofkentaudax@gmail.com David Winslade, 3 Albany Close Tonbridge Kent TN9 2EY Wigginton, N of York Fountains Monk’y-business BP 102km 641m £2.00 L P R T 12-25kph North Yorks DA 01904 795 695 gerry.boswell@hotmail.co.uk Gerry Boswell, 5 Invicta Court Acomb York YO24 3NL Oxford The Dean 06:00 Start Time BRM [PBP] 307km 4000m AAA4 £4.00 YH B P X 15-30kph Norton Whs a_rodgers8@hotmail.com Andrew Rodgers, 99 Rivelin Street Sheffield South Yorkshire S6 5DL Oxford The Dean 07:30 Start Time BRM [PBP] 307km 4000m AAA4 £4.00 YH B P X 15-30kph Norton Whs a_rodgers8@hotmail.com Andrew Rodgers, 99 Rivelin Street Sheffield South Yorkshire S6 5DL Poole hard boiled 300 BRM [PBP] 4400m AAA4.5 £10.00 L P M (50) 15-30kph Wessex CTC Shawn Shaw, 22 Shaftesbury Road Longfleet Poole Dorset BH15 2LT Symington, Biggar More Passes than Mastermind BRM [PBP] 2600m AAA1.75 [1760m] £7.00 F L P R 15-30kph Audax Ecosse 01750 20838 Russell Carson, 21 Ladylands Terrace Selkirk TD7 4BB Wormingford, Near Colchester Wormingford Dragon BRM [PBP] 211km £7.00 R L P T 15-30kph CC Sudbury auk@lythgo.me.uk Viv Marsh, Lythgo Chapel Lane West Bergholt Colchester Essex CO6 3EF Wormingford, Near Colchester Wormingford Wyrm BP 105km £5.00 R L P T 15-30kph CC Sudbury auk@lythgo.me.uk Viv Marsh, Lythgo Chapel Lane West Bergholt Colchester Essex CO6 3EF Birdwell Community Centre Birdwell-Snaith-Birdwell BP 109km £5.00 F L P R T 15-30kph Birdwell Whs 01226 726 754 stevemyatt1@yahoo.co.uk Steve Myatt, 11 Spring Lane Carlton Barnsley S71 3EX Lichfield Vale of Belvoir BRM [PBP] 211km 1498m [1329m] £5.00 P R T L 15-30kph CTC North Birmingham bikeway@virginmedia.com Roy Bishop, 88 Millfield Road Handsworth Wood Birmingham B20 1EB Lichfield Charnwood Forest BP 1055m £5.00 P R T L 12.5-30kph CTC North Birmingham 01213572570 bikeway@virginmedia.com ROY BISHOP, 88 Millfield Road Handsworth Wood Birmingham B20 1EB Lichfield Ramble through Heather BP 470m £5.00 G R P T NM 10-25kph CTC North Birmingham 01213572570 bikeway@virginmedia.com Roy Bishop, 88 Millfield Road Handsworth Wood Birmingham B20 1EB Long Ashton, Bristol Barry’s Bristol Ball Buster BRM [PBP] 214km 2000m £7.00 F L P R T NM (200) 15-30kph Las Vegas Inst of Sport info@audaxclubbristol.co.uk Paul Rainbow, 49 Quarrington Road Horfield Bristol Avon BS7 9PJ Long Ashton, Bristol Barry’s Bristol Bash BP 116km 1100m £7.00 F L P R T NM (250) 12.5-30kph Las Vegas Inst of Sport info@audaxclubbristol.co.uk Paul Rainbow, 49 Quarrington Road Horfield Bristol Avon BS7 9PJ Long Ashton, Bristol Barry’s Bristol Blast BP 116km £7.00 F L P R T NM (200) 12.5-30kph Las Vegas Inst of Sport info@audaxclubbristol.co.uk Paul Rainbow, 49 Quarrington Road Horfield Bristol Avon BS7 9PJ Arrivée February 2015 No. 127

Calendar Events 200 29 Mar 08:00 Sun 200 29 Mar 08:15 Sun Updated 110 29 Mar 10:30 Sun Updated 60 29 Mar 11:00 Sun 200 29 Mar 07:45 Sun ROA 5000 100 29 Mar 09:00 Sun ROA 5000 400 03 Apr ::::: Fri 300 03 Apr 06:00 Fri 300 04 Apr 06:00 Sat 200 04 Apr 08:00 Sat ROA 10000 200 04 Apr 08:00 Sat 300 04 Apr 05:30 Sat ROA 25000 160 05 Apr 08:30 Sun ROA 10000 300 05 Apr 06:30 Sun 200 05 Apr 08:00 Sun 100 05 Apr 10:00 Sun ROA 10000 100 06 Apr 09:00 Mon ROA 5000 100 08 Apr 10:00 Wed 100 08 Apr 10:00 Wed 200 11 Apr 08:00 Sat 60

Poynton, S of Stockport Chirk BRM [PBP] £6.00 F P 15-30kph Peak Audax daz@delph45.fsnet.co.uk Darryl Nolan, 5 Grasmere Road Royton Oldham OL2 6SR Stevenage Stevenage Start of Summertime Specials BRM [PBP] 210km 1240m £6.00 P R T 200 15-30kph CTC Hertfordshire luke.peters@live.com Luke Peters, 86 Skipton Close Stevenage Hertfordshire SG2 8TW Stevenage Stevenage Start of Summertime Specials BP 890m £5.00 P R T 200 12.5-25kph Stevenage & North Herts luke.peters@live.com Luke Peters, 86 Skipton Close Stevenage Hertfordshire SG2 8TW Stevenage Stevenage Start of Summertime Specials BP 520m £4.00 P R T 200 12.5-25kph Stevenage & North Herts 07414 596877 luke.peters@live.com Luke Peters, 86 Skipton Close Stevenage Hertfordshire SG2 8TW Wareham Dorset Coast BRM [PBP] 207km 2850m AAA2.75 £11.00 C L F R P T M 1/4 15-30kph Wessex CTC 01305 263 272 pete_loakes@yahoo.com Peter Loakes, 1 Church Cottage West Stafford Dorchester DT2 8AB Wareham Coastlet BP 102km 1300m £6.00 C L F R P T M 1/4 12-25kph Wessex DA 01305 263 272 pete_loakes@yahoo.com Peter Loakes, 1 Church Cottage West Stafford Dorchester DT2 8AB Anywhere, to York Easter Fleches to York BRM £12.00 Fee per Team. 4th also 15-30kph Audax UK dk.benton@virgin.net Keith Benton, 127 Greenshaw Drive Wigginton York YO32 2DB Rowlands Castle, nr Portsmouth wonderfull wessex BRM [PBP] £8.00 f l p r 15-30kph Hampshire RC mrpaulwhitehead@yahoo.co.uk Paul Whitehead, 73 Spencer Road Emsworth Hampshire PO10 7XR Chalfont St Peter, SL9 9QX 3Down BRM [PBP] 2497m [3100m] £8.00 L P R T 15-30kph Willesden CC ianoli2010-audax@yahoo.co.uk Ian Oliver, 68 St Dunstans Avenue London W3 6QJ Honiton Valley of the Rocks 200 BRM [PBP] 205km 3900m AAA4 £7.00 L P R T 40 15-30kph Exeter Whs ian@ukcyclist.co.uk Ian Hennessey, 10 High Street Honiton EX14 1PU Huntingdon Double Dutch BRM [PBP] £4.00 X 15-30kph West Sussex CTC malinseastg@tiscali.co.uk Martin Malins, 4 North Common Weybridge Surrey KT13 9DN Tewkesbury Helfa Cymraeg Benjamin Allen ar. BRM [PBP] 302km £6.50 100, C,F,L,P,R,T,S,NM. 15-30kph BlackSheep CC 01684 292 390 blacksheepaudax@gmail.com Mark Rigby, 16 Battle Road Tewkesbury Park Tewkesbury GL20 5TZ Honiton Glastonbury 100 Miler BP 166km 1440m £6.00 f l p r t 14.3-30kph Exeter Wheelers 01404 46993 ian@ukcyclist.co.uk Ian Hennessey, 10 High Street Honiton EX14 1PU Penzance Many Rivers to Cross BRM [PBP] 307km 4940m AAA5 £3.00 BXYHC 14.3-30kph Audax Kernow martyn.aldis@syntagma.co.uk Martyn Aldis, Sundown 25a Kersey Rd Flushing Falmouth Cornwall TR11 5TR Penzance Four Hundreds 200 BRM [PBP] 207km 3760m AAA3.75 £3.00 BYHXC 14.3-30kph Audax Kernow martyn.aldis@syntagma.co.uk Martyn Aldis, Sundown 25a Kersey Rd Flushing Falmouth Cornwall TR11 5TR Stalybridge Black Magic BP 105km 2375m AAA2.25 £4.00 PRT60 3/4 12.5-30kph Peak Audax CTC 01457 870 421 mike@PeakAudax.co.uk Mike Wigley, Higher Grange Fm Millcroft Lane Delph Saddleworth OL3 5UX Kilburn, N.of Derby National Arboretum BP 103km £5 P R T 12-30kph Alfreton CTC 01773 833 593 tomandsuefox@yahoo.co.uk Tom Fox, 180 Nottingham Road Alfreton Derbyshire DE55 7FP Marple, near Stockport An Icecream Wensdae BP 109km 800m £5.00 P R T 30 15-30kph Peak Audax chris.keelingroberts@ntlworld.com Chris Keeling-Roberts, 17 Lower Strines Road Marple Cheshire SK6 7DL Marple, near Stockport Monyash Peak BP 105km 2400m AAA2.5 £5.00 P R T 30 12.5-30kph Peak Audax chris.keelingroberts@ntlworld.com Chris Keeling-Roberts, 17 Lower Strines Road Marple Cheshire SK6 7DL Bynea, Llanelli Carmarthenshire Snapper BRM [PBP] 202km 2200m £8.00 C L F P R T 50 15-30kph Swansea & W Wales CTC jb@reynoldston.com John Bastiani, The Brambles Reynoldston Swansea West Glamorgan SA3 1AA Arrivée February 2015 No. 127

300 11 Apr 06:00 Sat ROA 5000 50 11 Apr 09:00 Sat 160 11 Apr 09:00 Sat 100 11 Apr 09:00 Sat 300 11 Apr 00:01 Sat 110 11 Apr 09:30 Sat 200 11 Apr 08:00 Sat ROA 10000 150 11 Apr 09:00 Sat ROA 10000 110 11 Apr 09:30 Sat ROA 10000 50 11 Apr 10:00 Sat ROA 10000 300 11 Apr 07:00 Sat ROA 10000 300 11 Apr 06:00 Sat ROA 10000 200 11 Apr 08:00 Sat 100 11 Apr 09:00 Sat 100 12 Apr 09:00 Sun 50 12 Apr 10:00 Sun 100 12 Apr 10:00 Sun 100 12 Apr 09:30 Sun 52 12 Apr 10:00 Sun 110 12 Apr 09:00 Sun ROA 25000

Cirencester Heart of England 300 BRM [PBP] 307km 2800m £6.00 A(2) L P R T 100 15-30kph Corinium CC 01285 659 515 peter@quernsgate.co.uk Peter Holden, 39 Querns Lane Cirencester Glos GL7 1RL Huntly, Aberdeenshire Huntly Fifty BP £2.00 F G P R T 10-30kph Huntly development trus Oliver Giles, The Spinney Carron Aberlour Aberdeenshire AB38 7QP Huntly, Aberdeenshire Huntly Hundred Mile BP £5.00 F G P R T 15-30kph Huntly Development Trus Oliver Giles, The Spinney Carron Aberlour Aberdeenshire AB38 7QP Huntly, Aberdeenshire Huntly Hundred BP £5.00 F G P R T 12-30kph Huntley Development Trus Oliver Giles, The Spinney Carron Aberlour Aberdeenshire AB38 7QP Manningtree, Colchester Green & Yellow Fields BRM [PBP] 305km 1500m £4.00 XCTM 15-25kph Flitchbikes CC tom.deakins@btinternet.com Thomas Deakins, 31 The Causeway Great Dunmow Essex CM6 2AA Reepham, nr Lincoln Lincoln Imp BP 112km 200m £5.00 P R F L T 10-30kph Lincolnshire CTC Andrew Townhill, 80 Rudgard Avenue Cherrry Willingham Lincoln LN3 4JG Tamworth, Pretty Pigs PH Two Battles BRM [PBP] 209km 2300m £7.00 P R T 50 15-30kph Geoff Cleaver audaxgeoff@gmail.com Geoffrey Cleaver, 43 Goodere Drive Polesworth Tamworth Staffs B78 1BY Tamworth, Pretty Pigs PH Towering Trees BP 157km 1630m £7.00 P R T 50 14-30kph Geoff Cleaver audaxgeoff@gmail.com Geoffrey Cleaver, 43 Goodere Drive Polesworth Tamworth Staffs B78 1BY Tamworth, Pretty Pigs PH The Essex Bridge BP £7.00 P R T 50 15-30kph Geoff Cleaver audaxgeoff@gmail.com Geoffrey Cleaver, 43 Goodere Drive Polesworth Tamworth Staffs B78 1BY Tamworth, Pretty Pigs PH Just a Chuffing 50 BP £6 P R T 50 10-20kph Geoff Cleaver audaxgeoff@gmail.com Geoffrey Cleaver, 43 Goodere Drive Polesworth Tamworth Staffs B78 1BY Upton Magna, E of Shrewsbury Yr Elenydd @ 7 BRM [PBP] 305km 4950m AAA5 £10.00 A(2) C F L P R T (100) 15-25kph CTC Shropshire undulates@hotmail.co.uk John Hamilton, 22 Oaks Crescent Wellington Telford TF1 2HF Upton Magna, E of Shrewsbury Yr Elenydd @ 6 BRM [PBP] 305km 4950m AAA5 £10.00 A(2) C F L P R T (100) 15-25kph CTC Shropshire undulates@hotmail.co.uk John Hamilton, 22 Oaks Crescent Wellington Telford TF1 2HF Worrall, nr. Sheffield Paris and Moscow in the Spring BR £5.00 L P R T (09/04) 15-30kph Sheffield District CTC bigT.ridinghigh@gmail.com Tony Gore, 8 Ladysmith Avenue Nether Edge Sheffield S7 1SF Worrall, nr Sheffield Paris in the Spring BP 103km £5.00 L P R T (75) (09/04) 12.5-25kph Sheffield District CTC bigT.ridinghigh@gmail.com Tony Gore, 8 Ladysmith Avenue Sheffield S7 1SF Falmouth A Cornish 100 BP 103km £5.00 F L P R S T 12-25kph Falmouth Whs. Adrian Hitchman, 39 Mongleath Rd Falmouth Cornwall TR11 4PN Falmouth A Bunny Hop BP £5.00 F L P R S T 8-20kph Falmouth Whs Adrian Hitchman , 39 Mongleath Rd Falmouth Cornwall TR11 4PN Kirkintilloch Ivy’s Mad Max Audax Challenge BP £8.50 P,R,T,NM 15-30kph Glasgow Ivy CC richardbarnes776@hotmail.com Richard Barnes, 14 St Columba Drive Kirkintilloch G66 3JN Minehead Exmoor Spring BP £5.00 L P R T 100 12.5-25kph Minehead CC Richard Miles, 1 Lower Park Minehead Somerset TA24 8AX Minehead Exmoor Spring 50 BP £5.00 YH L P R T 10-20kph Minehead CC Richard Miles, 1 Lower Park Minehead Somerset TA24 8AX Mytholmroyd Spring into the Dales BP 115km 2350m AAA2.25 £4.50 L R T YH 12-24kph West Yorkshire CTC chris.crossland@halifaxctc.org.uk Chris Crossland, 14 Stanley Street West Sowerby Bridge West Yorkshire HX6 1EF www.aukweb.net

Calendar Events 57 12 Apr 10:00 Sun ROA 25000 110 12 Apr 09:30 Sun 200 12 Apr 08:00 Sun 100 12 Apr 09:00 Sun Change of Date 100 12 Apr 09:00 Sun Updated 300 18 Apr 06:00 Sat Updated ROA 10000 400 18 Apr 05:00 Sat Change of Date 300 18 Apr 06:00 Sat 300 18 Apr 23:00 Sat 300 18 Apr 05:00 Sat ROA 5000 80 19 Apr 10:00 Sun 110 19 Apr 09:00 Sun 64 19 Apr 09:30 Sun 110 19 Apr 09:00 Sun 200 19 Apr 08:00 Sun 100 19 Apr 09:00 Sun 110 22 Apr 10:00 Wed Updated 200 25 Apr 08:15 Sat ROA 25000 200 25 Apr 08:00 Sat ROA 5000 130 25 Apr 08:30 Sat ROA 5000

Mytholmroyd Leap into the Aire BP 1325m AAA1.25 £4.00 L R T YH 8-20kph West Yorkshire CTC 01422 832 853 chris.crossland@halifaxctc.org.uk Chris Crossland, 14 Stanley St. West Sowerby Bridge W. Yorks HX6 1EF Northmoor, W of Oxford The Harlequin Hack BP 600m £6.00 YH C F L P R S T 100 15-30kph Harlequins CC jordancottage@sky.com Ken Knight, Jordan Cottage Picklescott Church Stretton Shropshire SY6 6NR Pendleton, Lancashire Dales Delight 200 BRM [PBP] 203km 3600m AAA3.5 [4100m] £5 L P R T 15-30kph Burnley Sportiv burnleysportiv@yahoo.com Andy Corless, 31 Castlerigg Drive Ightenhill Burnley Lancashire BB12 8AT Polegate, E Sussex For those who dont do hills 100 BP 101km 650m £6.00 F P T (50) 15-30kph Christopher Tracey Christrauk@yahoo.co.uk Christopher Tracey, 20 Salisbury Road Seaford East Sussex BN25 2DD Polegate, E Sussex Hell of the Sussex Coastal Hills BP 101km 1893m AAA1.75 £6.00 P F T (50) 13-25kph Christopher Tracey Christrauk@yahoo.co.uk Christopher Tracey, 20 Salisbury Road Seaford East Sussex BN25 2DD Alfreton Everybody Rides to Skeggy! BRM [PBP] 302km 1141m £7.00 L R P T X 100 15-30kph Alfreton CTC tomandsuefox@yahoo.co.uk Tom Fox, 180 Nottingham Road Alfreton Derbyshire DE55 7FP Coryton, NW Cardiff Buckingham Blinder BRM [PBP] £10.00 X 15-30kph Cardiff Byways CC Robyn Thomas, 44 Cosmeston Street Cardiff CF24 4LR Musselburgh Merse and Moors BRM [PBP] 4200m AAA4.25 £7.00 X P L R (50) 15-30kph Audax Ecosse martinfoley@btinternet.com Martin Foley, 78 Denholm Road Musselburgh East Lothian EH21 6TU Poynton, S of Stockport Plains BRM [PBP] 310km 1600m £5.00 P X 15-30kph Peak Audax hamhort84@talktalk.net Peter Hammond, 3 Dorac Ave Heald Green Cheadle Stockport Cheshire SK8 3NZ West Stafford, Dorchester 3D 300 BRM [PBP] 312km 5150m AAA5.25 £6.00 A(2) C F L P R T 30 15-25kph Wessex CTC 01305 263 272 pete_loakes@yahoo.com Peter Loakes, 1 Church Cottage West Stafford Dorchester DT2 8AB Abingdon, Oxon Freewheeling Festival Ride BP £4.00 T G F 12/4 13-30kph Didcot Phoenix CC Matthew Chambers, 23 Abbey Brook Didcot OX11 7FY Bishops Lydeard, NW of Taunton Dustman Dave’s Doddle BP £4.50 L P R T 10-30kph Wellington Whs Philip Leavey, The Spinney Chitterwell Wellington Somerset TA21 0HF Bishops Lydeard, NW of Taunton Dustman Dave’s Diddy Doddle BP £3.50 L P R T 10-30kph Wellington Whs Philip Leavey, The Spinney Chitterwell Wellington Somerset TA21 0HF Droitwich Spa Saracen Spring Century BP 114km 775m £8.00 F,L,P,R.T 15-30kph Saracen Road Club saracenroadclub@gmail.com Sean Barker, 16 Leahouse Road Stirchley Birmingham B30 2DD Earlswood, nr Solihull MC&AC 125th Anniversary BRM [PBP] 203km £7.00 P R T 15-30kph MC & AC Jim Lee, 107 Shustoke Road Solihull West Midlands B91 2QR Merthyr Tydfil Rhondda Traverse BP 109km 2100m AAA2 £5.00 P R T 12-30kph Merthyr CC dpjones2014@gmail.com David Jones, 2 Brunswick Street Merthyr Tydfil CF47 8SB Maidenhead Boulters Bash BP £3.00 P R T 15-30kph Willesden CC Ian Why, 83 Langdale Drive Hayes UB4 8SS Droitwich Three Counties Revisited BRM [PBP] 207km £4.00 C P R T M 15-30kph Gavin Greenhow 01905 775 803 Gavin Greenhow, 44 Newland Road Droitwich WR9 7AG Eureka Cafe, Wirral Eureka Excursion BRM [PBP] 215km £6.00 R L P T 70 15-30kph Chester & N Wales CTC dmanu@outlook.com David Matthews, Hill View Cott Cross Lanes Oscroft Tarvin Cheshire CH3 8NG Eureka Cafe, Wirral Tea in Prospect BP 135km £6.00 L P R T 70 12.5-25kph Chester & N Wales CTC dmanu@outlook.com David Matthews, Hill View Cott Cross Lanes Oscroft Tarvin Cheshire CH3 8NG

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68 25 Apr 09:00 Sat ROA 5000 200 25 Apr 08:00 Sat ROA 10000 150 25 Apr 09:00 Sat ROA 10000 110 25 Apr 10:00 Sat ROA 10000 300 25 Apr 06:00 Sat ROA 5000 110 25 Apr 09:00 Sat 400 25 Apr 08:00 Sat 300 25 Apr 06:00 Sat 400 25 Apr 06:00 Sat 100 25 Apr 09:00 Sat Updated 200 25 Apr 08:00 Sat 100 26 Apr 09:00 Sun ROA 10000 160 26 Apr 08:00 Sun 100 26 Apr 09:30 Sun 100 26 Apr 09:00 Sun 400 02 May 06:00 Sat ROA 25000 110 02 May 10:00 Sat 54 02 May 10:30 Sat 400 02 May 14:00 Sat 200 02 May 08:00 Sat ROA 5000

Eureka Cafe, Wirral Two Mills Twirl BP £6.00 R L P T 50 10-25kph Chester & N Wales CTC dmanu@outlook.com David Matthews, Hill View Cott Cross Lanes Oscroft Tarvin Cheshire CH3 8NG Galashiels Moffat Toffee The Tenth Anniversary BRM [PBP] 204km 2500m [2300m] £10.00 P,L,R,T,S 15-30kph Audax Ecosse pedaller1@sky.com Lucy Mctaggart, 30 Victoria Street Galashiels Scottish Borders TD1 1HL Galashiels Dick McTs 150 Classic BP £8.00 PLRTS 15-30kph Audax Ecosse 01896 758 181 pedaller1@sky.com Lucy McTaggart, 30 Victoria St. Galashiels Scottish Borders TD1 1HL Galashiels The Ettrick Valley Run BP 116km £7.00 PLRTS 15-30kph Audax Ecosse 01896 758 181 pedaller1@sky.com Lucy McTaggart, 30 Victoria St. Galashiels Scottish Borders TD1 1HL Meopham Oasts and Coasts 300Km BRM [PBP] 3178m £6.00 L P T R 15-30kph Tom Jackson 01474 815 213 tom56jackson@gmail.com Tom Jackson, 19 Denesway Meopham Kent DA13 0EA Morley Village Hall ,nr Wymondham, Norfolk The Morley Meander BP 113km 600m £5.00 LPRTS 15-30kph VC Norwich jagreenway30@googlemail.com Jonathan Greenway, 12 Hardley Street Hardley Norwich NR14 6BY Newton Abbot TQ12 1LJ Turf n Surf 400 BRM [PBP] 5400m AAA5.5 £15.00 A(2) L P R T S 15-30kph Devon CTC 07762257917 turfnsurfaudax@gmail.com Rod Pash, c/o 53 Regent Street Exeter EX2 9EG Newton Abbot TQ12 1LJ Turf n Surf 300 BRM [PBP] 4050m AAA4 £12.00 A(2) L P R T S 15-30kph Devon CTC 01626 873562 turfnsurfaudax@gmail.com Rod Pash, c/o 53 Regent Street Exeter EX2 9EG Preston, Lancashire Heartbeat 400 BRM [PBP] 404km 4000m AAA4 £7.50 L P R T 15-30kph Burnley Sportiv burnleysportiv@yahoo.com Andy Corless, 31 Castlerigg Drive Ightenhill Burnley Lancashire BB12 8AT Trowell, Nottingham Charnwood in the Spring BP 105km 950m £6.00 L P R T 150 12.5-30kph Nottinghamshire CTC Terry Scott, 21 Winterbourne Drive Stapleford Nottingham Notts NG9 8NH Wigginton Wiggy 200 BRM [PBP] 1400m £3.00 A(1) L P T (15/4) 15-30kph CTC North Yorks 01904 769 378 dk.benton@virgin.net Keith Benton, 127 Greenshaw Drive Wigginton York YO32 2DB Galashiels Broughton and Back BP 1380m £7.00 P,L,R,T,S 12-30kph Audax Ecosse 01896 758 181 pedaller1@sky.com Lucy McTaggart, 30 Victoria St. Galashiels Scottish Borders TD1 1HL High Ham, SW of Street The Nutty Nuns 165km BP 165km £7.00 F L P R T 15-30kph CTC West 01823 690 038 lillymark@btinternet.com Mark Lilly, Applehayes Main Road Middlezoy Bridgwater TA7 0PB High Ham, SW of Street The Merry Monk BP 105km £7.00 F L P R T (200) 12.5-25kph CTC West 01823 690 038 lillymark@btinternet.com Mark Lilly, Applehayes Main Road Middlezoy Bridgwater TA7 0PB Newton Abbot TQ12 1LJ Turf n Surf 100 BP [1500m] £7.50 L P R T S 12-25kph Devon CTC 07762257917 turfnsurfaudax@gmail.com Rod Pash, c/o 53 Regent Street Exeter EX2 9EG Chepstow Brevet Cymru BRM [PBP] 401km 4900m AAA2.25 [2300m] £9.00 c f l p r t nm z 100 15-30kph BlackSheep CC 01684 292 390 blacksheepaudax@gmail.com Mark Rigby, 16 Battle Road Tewkesbury Park Tewkesbury GL20 5TZ Parkend, Forest of Dean The Lumpy Scrumpy 100 BP 1850m AAA1.75 £5.00 YH C P T 75 12-25kph Royal Dean Forest C.C. p.steve21@yahoo.co.uk Steve Price, 7 Allsopp Close Newnham On Severn Glos GL14 1DP Parkend, Forest of Dean Dean Bluebell Doddle BP 1200m AAA1.25 £4.00 YH C P T 75 12-25kph Royal Dean Forest CC p.steve21@yahoo.co.uk Steve Price, 7 Allsopp Close Newnham On Severn Glos GL14 1DP Poole Porkers 400 BRM [PBP] 5900m AAA6 £10.00 L P R T M (50) (20/4) 15-30kph Wessex CTC Shawn Shaw, 22 Shaftesbury Road Longfleet Poole Dorset BH15 2LT Whaley Thorns, N of Mansfield Lincolnshire Cross BRM [PBP] 211km £6.00 L P R T (100) 15-30kph Bolsover & District CC 01246 825 351 matt.connley@talktalk.net Matt Connley, 7 Eskdale Close Bolsover Chesterfield S44 6RL Arrivée February 2015 No. 127

Calendar Events 100 03 May 9::00 Sun 200 04 May 08:00 Mon ROA 10000 110 04 May 10:00 Mon ROA 10000 53 04 May 11:00 Mon ROA 10000 100 06 May 10:00 Wed 400 08 May 21:00 Fri New Event 100 09 May 09:30 Sat 400 09 May 06:00 Sat 300 09 May 06:00 Sat ROA 10000 200 09 May 08:00 Sat 200 09 May 08:00 Sat 100 09 May 09:00 Sat 400 09 May 09:00 Sat 400 09 May 09:00 Sat ROA 10000 300 09 May 05:00 Sat Change of Date 100 09 May 10:00 Sat 200 09 May 08:00 Sat ROA 5000 130 09 May 08:30 Sat ROA 5000 110 10 May 09:00 Sun 55 10 May 10:00 Sun 62

Grange School Pavilion, Hartford Ron Sant Memorial Ride BP 106km £5 P R T S 15-30kph Weaver Valley Derek Heine, 10 Whitehall Drive Hartford Northwich Cheshire CW8 1SJ Bredbury, Stockport May-as-well Solstice BRM [PBP] 202km 700m £5.00 P R T 60 (05/03) 15-30kph Peak Audax 01457 870 421 mike@PeakAudax.co.uk Mike Wigley, Higher Grange Fm Millcroft Lane Delph Saddleworth OL3 5UX High Easter, Nr Chelmsford The Counties Festival 100 BP £5 L P R T (70) 15-30kph ECCA 01245 467 683 Terry Anderson, 1 Claypits Road Boreham Chelmsford Essex CM3 3BZ High Easter, Nr Chelmsford The Counties Festival 50 BP £5 L P R T (70) 12-25kph ECCA 01245 467 683 Terry Anderson, 1 Claypits Road Boreham Chelmsford Essex CM3 3BZ Hurst, East of Reading Dinton 100 BP 103km £3.00 L P R T 60 15-30kph Reading CTC emaich7@gmail.com Mike Hardiman, 7 Somerset Close Woosehill Wokingham RG41 3AJ Corstorphine, Edinburgh The Auld Alliance BRM [PBP] 3324m £12.50 X F L T 15-25kph Audax Ecosse graemewyllie@aol.com Graeme Wyllie, 16 Corstorphine House Avenue Edinburgh EH12 7AD Alveston, N Bristol South Glos 100 BP 106km £6.00 P R T 150 12.5-25kph Bristol CTC 01179 672893 Alex Rendu, Whitethorn Cock Road Kingswood Bristol BS15 9SJ Chalfont St Peter, Bucks Severn Across BRM [PBP] 407km 3500m £7.50 YH L P R T 70 15-30kph Willesden CC Liam FitzPatrick, 13 Heron Close Rickmansworth Herts WD3 1NF Honiton Old Roads 300 BRM [PBP] 3400m £8.00 LPRT 15-30kph Exeter Whs 01404 46993 ian@ukcyclist.co.uk Ian Hennessey, 10 High Street Honiton EX14 1PU Kirkley Cycles, Ponteland Chevy Chase BRM [PBP] 201km 3000m AAA3 £12.00 F L P R T 15-30kph Tyneside Vagabonds northern.audax@gmail.com Aidan Hedley, 16 The Close Lanchester Durham DH7 0PX Lodge Moor, Sheffield The Sheffrec Full Monty BRM [PBP] 202km 4000m AAA4 £5.00 L P R T 15-30kph Sheffrec CC henry@henryfoxhall.co.uk Henry Foxhall, West View Grindlow Great Hucklow Buxton Derbys SK17 8RJ Lodge Moor, Sheffield The Sheffrec Mini Monty BP 109km 2100m AAA2 £5.00 L P R T 10-25kph Sheffrec CC henry@henryfoxhall.co.uk Henry Foxhall, West View Grindlow Great Hucklow Buxton Derbys SK17 8RJ Manningtree, Colchester Asparagus & Strawberries BRM [PBP] 414km 2600m £4.00 XCTM 15-25kph Flitchbikes CC tom.deakins@btinternet.com Thomas Deakins, 31 The Causeway Great Dunmow Essex CM6 2AA Poynton, S of Stockport Llanfairpwllgwyngyll...........gogogoch 400 BRM [PBP] 2600m £9.50 XP 15-30kph Peak Audax 01457 870 421 mike@PeakAudax.co.uk Mike Wigley, Higher Grange Fm Millcroft Lane Delph Saddleworth OL3 5UX Wigginton, York Wigginton 300 BRM [PBP] 302km 2305m £5.00 L P R T 15-30kph CTC North Yorks 01904 769 378 dk.benton@virgin.net Keith Benton, 127 Greenshaw Drive Wigginton York YO32 2DB Wigginton, York Wiggy 100 BP £3.00 A(1) YH L P R T 12-24kph CTC North Yorks 01904 769 378 dk.benton@virgin.net Keith Benton, 127 Greenshaw Drive Wigginton York YO32 2DB Willington Hall, E of Chester Seamons CC Tour of the Berwyns BRM [PBP] 205km 3100m AAA3 £6.00 L P R T 75 (05/05) 15-30kph SEAMONS CC dmanu@outlook.com David Matthews, Hill View Cott Cross Lanes Oscroft Tarvin Cheshire CH3 8NG Willington Hall, E of Chester Seamons CC Llangollen Panorama BP 138km 1750m AAA1.5 [1600m] £6.00 L P R T 75 (05/05) 12.5-25kph Seamons CC dmanu@outlook.com David Matthews, Hill View Cott Cross Lanes Oscroft Tarvin Cheshire CH3 8NG Evesham Every time a bell rings..... BP 112km 885m £6.00 C P R T 15-30kph Jim Lee Jim Lee, 107 Shustoke Road Solihull West Midlands B91 2QR Evesham The clapper BP 375m £5.00 C P R T 10-20kph Jim Lee Jim Lee, 107 Shustoke Road Solihull West Midlands B91 2QR Arrivée February 2015 No. 127

100 10 May 09:00 Sun 200 10 May 08:00 Sun ROA 10000 160 10 May 08:00 Sun ROA 10000 100 10 May 10:00 Sun ROA 10000 200 10 May 08:00 Sun 160 10 May 08:30 Sun 100 10 May 09:00 Sun 300 10 May 06:00 Sun 200 10 May 08:00 Sun 160 10 May 08:30 Sun 100 10 May 09:00 Sun 54 10 May 10:00 Sun 400 16 May 10:30 Sat 50 16 May 10:30 Sat 160 16 May 08:00 Sat 100 16 May 09:00 Sat 400 16 May 06:00 Sat 300 16 May 07:00 Sat 200 16 May 08:00 Sat 100 16 May 10:00 Sat

Kirkley Cycles, Ponteland Burma Road BP 1600m AAA1.5 £6.00 FPRT 12-25kph Tyneside Vagabonds northern.audax@gmail.com Aidan Hedley, 16 The Close Lanchester Durham DH7 0PX Lymington New Forest Excursion BR 204km £6.00 C L P R T 100 (8/5) 15-30kph Cycling New Forest cyclingnewforest@gmail.com John Ward, 34 Avenue Road Lymington SO41 9GJ Lymington New Forest Century BP £6.00 C L P R T 100 (8/5) 15-30kph Cycling New Forest 01590 671 205 cyclingnewforest@gmail.com John Ward, 34 Avenue Road Lymington Hants SO41 9GJ Lymington New Forest Day Out BP 104km [2m] £6.00 C L P R T 100 10-20kph Cycling New Forest 01590 671 205 cyclingnewforest@gmail.com John Ward, 34 Avenue Road Lymington Hants SO41 9GJ Meopham, nr Gravesend Hop Garden 200km BRM [PBP] [1800m] £8.00 F L P R T NM 15-30kph Gravesend CTC pmcmaster@blueyonder.co.uk Patrick McMaster, 207 Colyer Road Northfleet Kent DA11 8AT Meopham, nr Gravesend Hop Garden Century Ride BP [1550m] £8.00 F L P R T NM 15-30kph Gravesend CTC pmcmaster@blueyonder.co.uk Patrick McMaster, 207 Colyer Road Northfleet Kent DA11 8AT Meopham, nr Gravesend Hop Garden 100km BP 975m £8.00 F L P R T NM 10-30kph Gravesend CTC pmcmaster@blueyonder.co.uk Patrick McMaster, 207 Colyer Road Northfleet Kent DA11 8AT Pendleton, Lancashire Blanchland Blinder BRM [PBP] 302km 4600m AAA4.5 £6.50 P R T X 15-30kph Burnley Sportiv burnleysportiv@yahoo.com Andy Corless, 31 Castlerigg Drive Ightenhill Burnley Lancashire BB12 8AT Shenstone, Staffs Castleton Classic BRM [PBP] 213km 2963m AAA3 £7.50 F L P R T 15-30kph CTC North Birmingham audax@nbctc.co.uk Terry Dwyer, 5 Damson Grove Solihull B92 9EN Shenstone, Staffs Derbyshire Dales BP 1680m £7.00 F L P R T 15-30kph CTC North Birmingham audax@nbctc.co.uk Terry Dwyer, 5 Damson Grove Solihull B92 9EN Shenstone, Staffs Staffordshire Lanes BP 102km 680m £5.50 L P R T 12.5-25kph CTC North Birmingham audax@nbctc.co.uk Terry Dwyer, 5 Damson Grove Solihull B92 9EN Shenstone, Staffs Rosliston Roller BP £4.00 F,P,R,T 10-25kph CTC North Birmingham audax@nbctc.co.uk Terry Dwyer, 5 Damson Grove Solihull B92 9EN Alfreton Moors and Wolds 400 BRM [PBP] 404km 2425m £8.00 P R T X 15-30kph Alfreton CTC nigel.randell8664@gmail.com Nigel Randell, 15 Hammer Leys South Normanton Derbyshire DE55 3AX Alfreton Victorian Post Boxes 50 BP 669m £3.00 FLPT 10-25kph Alfreton CTC nigel.randell8664@gmail.com Nigel Randell, 15 Hammer Leys South Normanton Derbyshire DE55 3AX Meriden, Warwickshire Cotswold Challenge BP 1300m £8.00 C L P R T NM 100 15-30kph CTC Heart of England audax2015@ctc-heartofengland.org.uk Jon Porteous, Tumnus Corner Springhill Gdns Webheath Redditch Worcs B97 5SY Meriden, Warwickshire Warwickshire Wanderer BP 105km 602m [1000m] £8.00 C L P R T NM 100 12-25kph CTC Heart of England audax2015@ctc-heartofengland.org.uk Jon Porteous, Tumnus Corner Springhill Gdns Webheath Redditch Worcs B97 5SY Musselburgh The Southern Uplands BRM [PBP] 5000m AAA5 £2.00 X P T 15-30kph Audax Ecosse martinfoley@btinternet.com Martin Foley, 78 Denholm Road Musselburgh East Lothian EH21 6TU Troutbeck Bridge, Cumbria The Westmorland Spartans BRM [PBP] 4000m AAA4 £6.00 A(2) P YH L R T S (60) 15-30kph Lakes School Windermere paul@revells.com Paul Revell, Kirklands, Brow Edge, Backbarrow Ulverston Cumbria LA12 8QL Troutbeck Bridge, Cumbria The Cumbrian 200 BR 203km 3900m AAA4 £6.00 YH L P R T S A(2) (60) 15-30kph Lakes School Windermere paul@revells.com Paul Revell, Kirklands Brow Edge Backbarrow Cumbria LA12 8QL Troutbeck Bridge, Cumbria La’al Lakeland 100 BP 107km 2350m AAA2.25 £5.00 YH L P R T S (60) 12.5-30kph Lakes School Windermere paul@revells.com Paul Revell, Kirklands, Brow Edge, Backbarrow Ulverston Cumbria LA12 8QL www.aukweb.net

Calendar Events 160 16 May 08:00 Sat 100 16 May 09:00 Sat 200 16 May 08:00 Sat 160 16 May 08:30 Sat 200 17 May 07:30 Sun 150 17 May 08:30 Sun 110 17 May 09:00 Sun 160 17 May 08:30 Sun 100 17 May 09:00 Sun 54 17 May 09:30 Sun 110 17 May 9::00 Sun 200 17 May 08:00 Sun 100 17 May 09:30 Sun 600 23 May 06:00 Sat 600 23 May 06:00 Sat 200 23 May 08:30 Sat 100 23 May 9::00 Sat 60 23 May 09:30 Sat 300 23 May 06:00 Sat 400 23 May 05:30 Sat ROA 25000

Uffculme School, Uffculme Coast to Coast BP 1900m [1500m] £6.00 P R T 14-25kph CTC Devon Roy Russell, 52 Whitchurch Avenue Exeter EX2 5NT Uffculme School, Uffculme Coast and Back BP 1300m [1500m] £6.00 P R T 12-20kph CTC Devon Roy Russell, 52 Whitchurch Avenue Exeter EX2 5NT Winsford, Cheshire Scouting Mam Tor BR 207km 2570m AAA2.25 [2150m] £7.75 P R T 15-30kph Peak Audax CTC pjbscott@sky.com Phil Scott, 59 Hawkshead Way Winsford Cheshire CW7 2SY Winsford, Cheshire Edale Run BP 167km 2370m AAA2.25 [2150m] £7.75 P R T 15-30kph Peak Audax CTC pjbscott@sky.com Phil Scott, 59 Hawkshead Way Winsford Cheshire CW7 2SY Claughton, N of Preston Fleet Moss 212 BR 212km 3290m AAA3.25 £5.50 P R T 15-30kph Ribble Valley C & RC harveygws@btinternet.com Susan Harvey, 15 Kingsley Drive Chorley PR7 2NE Claughton, N of Preston Lunesdale Populaire BP 158km 2280m AAA2.25 £5.50 P R T 100 13-30kph Ribble Valley C & RC harveygws@btinternet.com Susan Harvey, 15 Kingsley Drive Chorley PR7 2NE Claughton, N of Preston Pilgrim’s Way BP 112km 1540m £5.50 P R T 10-25kph Ribble Valley C & RC harveygws@btinternet.com Susan Harvey, 15 Kingsley Drive Chorley PR7 2NE Devoran, S of Truro The Granite and Serpentine Way BP 167km 1880m [1671m] £6.00 C F L P R T 15-30kph Audax Kernow martyn.aldis@syntagma.co.uk Martyn Aldis, Sundown 25a Kersey Rd Flushing Falmouth Cornwall TR11 5TR Devoran, S of Truro A Lizard Loop BP 106km 1419m [1637m] £5.00 C F L P R T 12.5-28kph Audax Kernow martyn.aldis@syntagma.co.uk Martyn Aldis, Sundown 25a Kersey Rd Flushing Falmouth Cornwall TR11 5TR Devoran, S of Truro Carns and Killas BP 730m [760m] £5.00 C F L P R T 10-28kph Audax Kernow martyn.aldis@syntagma.co.uk Martyn Aldis, Sundown 25a Kersey Rd Flushing Falmouth Cornwall TR11 5TR Falmer Sports Centre, ,Brighton Brighton Rock BP 117km £7.50 F L P R T S NM 15-30kph Brighton & Hove CTC brightonandhovectc@gmail.com Brighton and Hove CTC Events Sec, 85 Hangleton Rd Hove East Sussex BN3 7GH Look Mum No Hands!49 Old St, London EC1V 9HX The Great Escape BR 2000m £7.00 YH F T NM R 15-30kph Islington CC 07918 147548 secretary@islington.cc Islington Cycling Club, 20 Castle Road Finchley LONDON N12 9ED Uffington, near Wantage Blowingstone-White Horse BP 107km 1162m [1346m] £5.00 P T R 15-30kph Oxfordshire CTC Nick Dunton, 44a High Street Sutton Courtenay Abingdon Oxon OX14 4AP Chepstow Bryan Chapman Memorial (Classic) BRM [PBP] 619km 8300m AAA8.25 £30.00 BD C F L P R S T Z (4/5) 15-30kph Newport Velo ritchie.t.tout@uk.pwc.com Ritchie Tout, Sunnyside Cottage Mynyddbach NP16 6RT Churchend, Dunmow The Flatlands BRM [PBP] 606km £6.00 X A(1) C L P R TM (16/05) 15-30kph Flitchbikes CC tom.deakins@btinternet.com Thomas Deakins, 31 The Causeway Great Dunmow Essex CM6 2AA Dore, Nr Sheffield Peaks, Troughs and Plain BR 3000m £5.00 L P R T 12.5-30kph Sheffield District CTC 0114 258 8932 cripps@uwclub.net John Cripps, 8 Brincliffe Crescent Sheffield S11 9AW Dore, Sheffield Peaks and Troughs BP 103km 2100m AAA2 £5.00 F L P T 12-30kph Sheffield District CTC 0114 258 8932 cripps@uwclub.net John Cripps, 8 Brincliffe Crescent Sheffield S11 9AW Dore, Sheffield Feeling a Bit Peaky BP 1150m AAA1.25 £5.00 F L P T 10-22kph Sheffield District CTC 0114 258 8932 cripps@uwclub.net John Cripps, 8 Brincliffe Crescent Sheffield S11 9AW Kirkley Cycles, Ponteland The Mosstrooper BRM [PBP] 4100m AAA4 £12.00 F P T A(1) 15-30kph Tyneside Vagabonds northern.audax@gmail.com Aidan Hedley, 16 The Close Lanchester Durham DH7 0PX Mytholmroyd, West Yorkshire The Old 240 BRM [PBP] 407km 6400m AAA6.5 £8.00 A L P R T S YH 15-30kph West Yorkshire CTC 01422 832 853 chris.crossland@halifaxctc.org.uk Chris Crossland, 14 Stanley St. West Sowerby Bridge W. Yorks HX6 1EF

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400 23 May 05:30 Sat ROA 25000 600 23 May 06:00 Sat 600 23 May 06:00 Sat Updated 200 24 May 08:00 Sun 100 24 May 10:00 Sun 400 29 May 22:00 Fri 600 30 May 06:00 Sat ROA 10000 600 30 May 06:00 Sat 200 30 May 07:30 Sat 170 30 May 08:30 Sat 130 30 May 09:00 Sat 600 30 May 06:00 Sat ROA 5000 100 30 May 09:00 Sat Updated 200 31 May 08:00 Sun 150 31 May 08:30 Sun Change of Date 110 31 May 09:00 Sun 400 05 Jun 22:30 Fri 600 06 Jun 06:00 Sat ROA 10000 600 06 Jun 06:00 Sat 600 06 Jun 06:00 Sat ROA 10000

Mytholmroyd, West Yorkshire Not Quite The Spurn Head 400 BRM [PBP] 403km 2450m £8.00 A L P R T S YH 15-30kph West Yorkshire CTC 01422 832 853 chris.crossland@halifaxctc.org.uk Chris Crossland, 14 Stanley St. West Sowerby Bridge W. Yorks HX6 1EF Poole Brimstone 600 BRM [PBP] 7600m AAA7.5 £10.00 L P M (50) (24/5) 15-30kph Wessex CTC Shawn Shaw, 22 Shaftesbury Road Longfleet Poole Dorset BH15 2LT Waltham Abbey Beast from the East BRM [PBP] [2388m] £20.00 F P T Z 15-30kph Willesden CC Mark Brooking, 48 Howard Close Waltham Abbey Essex EN9 1XA Broken Cross, nr Macclesfield World’s End BR 210km 2450m AAA2 [1930m] £8.00 F L P R T 14.3-25kph Peak Audax perrin_john@sky.com John Perrin, 20 Princes Way Macclesfield Cheshire SK11 8UB Canterbury The Blackhouse Hill Revival BP 107km 1675m AAA1.75 £5.00 FLPRT 14-26kph Patrick Cherry licencetoclimb@gmail.com Patrick Cherry, 28 Barton Road Canterbury Kent CT1 1YQ Wem, Shropshire Snowdon & Coast BRM [PBP] 410km £14.00 A(1) F L P R T 15-25kph CTC Shropshire sandehargraves@gmail.com Edwin Hargraves, 22 Trentham Road Wem North Shropshire SY4 5HN Exeter Kernow and Southwest 600 BRM [PBP] 8200m AAA8.25 £17.00 YH L F R Z 60 15-25kph Exeter Whs 01404 46993 ian@ukcyclist.co.uk Ian Hennessey, 10 High Street Honiton EX14 1PU Kirkley Cycles, Ponteland The Border Raid BRM [PBP] 5500m £10.00 A(2) F L P T 15-30kph Tyneside Vagabonds northern.audax@gmail.com Aidan Hedley, 16 The Close Lanchester Durham DH7 0PX Wem, Shropshire Four Rivers Ride BR 215km 3150m AAA3.25 £7.00 F L P R T 40 15-30kph CTC Shropshire sandehargraves@gmail.com Edwin Hargraves, 22 Trentham Road Wem North Shropshire SY4 5HN Wem, Shropshire Three Rivers Ride BP 2200m AAA1.75 [1800m] £7.00 F L P R T 50 15-30kph CTC Shropshire sandehargraves@gmail.com Edwin Hargraves, 22 Trentham Road Wem North Shropshire SY4 5HN Wem, Shropshire Two Rivers Ride BP £7.00 L F P R T 50 12-24kph CTC Shropshire sandehargraves@gmail.com Edwin Hargraves, 22 Trentham Road Wem North Shropshire SY4 5HN Windsor Windsor Chester Windsor BRM [PBP] 5537m £30.00 A(1) F L P R T S Z (200) 15-30kph LEL 2013 auk@danialwebb.com Danial Webb, 11 Heather Avenue Hellesdon Norwich NR6 6LU Windsor The Windsor Flyer BP £7.50 F G L NM T 12-30kph LEL 2013 leshere@ntlworld.com Les Hereward, 20 Webster Close Oxshott Surrey KT22 0SF Elstead, Surrey The Stonehenge 200 BR 209km 2210m £5.00 F L P R T 15-30kph CTC West Surrey 01428 642013 nickandmarion.davison@hotmail.co.uk Nicholas Davison, The Bield Mill Copse Road Haslemere Surrey GU27 3DN Elstead, Surrey The Danebury 150 BP 152km £5.00 F L P R T 13-30kph CTC West Surrey 01428 642013 nickandmarion.davison@hotmail.co.uk Nicholas Davison, The Bield Mill Copse Road Haslemere Surrey GU27 3DN Elstead, Surrey The Elstead 100 BP 113km £5.00 F L P R T 12-30kph CTC West Surrey 01428 642013 nickandmarion.davison@hotmail.co.uk Nicholas Davison, The Bield Mill Copse Road Haslemere Surrey GU27 3DN Clayhidon, near Taunton Avalon Sunrise 400 BRM [PBP] 407km 3300m £15.00 flprtc 15-30kph Exeter Whs Jamie Andrews, Cemetery Lodge Ashill Road Uffculme Devon EX15 3DP Alfreton 9 Counties 600k BRM [PBP] £10.00 X,F,L,T,P 15-30kph Alfreton CTC 01773 833 593 tomandsuefox@yahoo.co.uk Tom Fox, 180 Nottingham Road Alfreton Derbyshire DE55 7FP Ballachulish Mull of Kintyre BRM [PBP] 7677m AAA6.5 [6705m] £25.00 YH C F L P R T S 15-24kph Audax Ecosse graemewyllie@aol.com Graeme Wyllie, 16 Corstorphine House Avenue Edinburgh EH12 7AD Poynton, S of Stockport A Pair of Kirtons BRM [PBP] 3000m £10.00 x 15-30kph Peak Audax 01457 870 421 mike@PeakAudax.co.uk Mike Wigley, Higher Grange Fm Millcroft Lane Delph Saddleworth OL3 5UX Arrivée February 2015 No. 127

Calendar Events 100 07 Jun Abergavenny Monmouthshire Meander 09:00 Sun BP 1500m AAA1.5 £5.00 YH F P L T 15-25kph Abergavenny RC waville@yahoo.com Jonathan Saville, 9 Trehonddu Llanvihangel Crucorney Abergavenny Monmouthshire NP7 8DG 100 07 Jun Hewas Water, The Merlin Centre Merlin’s Coast to Coast 09:00 Sun BP 101km 1429m £10.00 F P R T NM 12-30kph Probus Pedallers 01726 338354 Kathryn Mcfarlane, 3 Bos Noweth Probus Truro Cornwall TR2 4HE 50 07 Jun Merlin Centre Hewas Water, Nr St Austell The Clay Country Tour :9:00 Sun BP £10.00 FPRT 15-30kph Kathryn Mcfarlane 01726 338354 Kathryn Mcfarlane, 3 Bos Noweth Probus Truro Cornwall TR2 4HE 200 07 Jun Ware Herts High Five 08:00 Sun BR 209km 1634m [1509m] £5.00 L P R S T 15-30kph Hertfordshire Wheelers 07985 019214 graham.knight5@gmail.com Graham Knight, 25 Lordship Road Cheshunt Waltham Cross Herts EN7 5DR 160 07 Jun Ware Four Counties 150 09:00 Sun BP £5.00 L P R S T 15-30kph Hertfordshire Wheelers 07985 019214 graham.knight5@gmail.com Graham Knight, 25 Lordship Road Cheshunt Waltham Cross Herts EN7 5DR 100 07 Jun Ware Two Counties 100 10:30 Sun BP 108km £5.00 L P R S T 12-25kph Hertfordshire Wheelers 07985 019214 graham.knight5@gmail.com Graham Knight, 25 Lordship Road Cheshunt Waltham Cross Herts EN7 5DR 51 07 Jun Ware One County 50 12:00 Sun BP £3.00 L P R S T 10-20kph Hertfordshire Wheelers 07985 019214 graham.knight5@gmail.com Graham Knight, 25 Lordship Road Cheshunt Waltham Cross Herts EN7 5DR 200 07 Jun Wimbledon Common The London Ditchling Devil 08:00 Sun BR 205km 2400m [2700m] £15.00 F P R T 15-30kph Willesden CC paudax@gmail.com Paul Stewart, 25 Devonshire Gardens Chiswick London W4 3TN 200 13 Jun Bridge of Weir, Renfrewshire nr Glasgow A Fyne Cowal 08:00 Sat BR £10.50 L P R T 15-30kph Glasgow DA graham.hanley@btinternet.com Graham Hanley, kelton 59 kilgraston road bridge of weir pa11 3dp 600 13 Jun Bushley, Tewkesbury Mae Mr Pickwick... 05:00 Sat BRM [PBP] 601km 9500m AAA9.5 £17.50 C F L P R T S Z NM 100 15-25kph BlackSheep CC 01684 292 390 blacksheepaudax@gmail.com ROA 25000 Mark Rigby, 16 Battle Road Tewkesbury Park Tewkesbury GL20 5TZ 600 13 Jun Bushley, Tewkesbury Mae Mr Pickwick... 05:30 Sat BRM [PBP] 601km 9500m AAA9.5 £17.50 C F L P R T S Z NM 100 15-25kph BlackSheep CC 01684 292 390 blacksheepaudax@gmail.com ROA 25000 Mark Rigby, 16 Battle Road Tewkesbury Park Tewkesbury GL20 5TZ 600 13 Jun Pendleton, Lancashire Pendle 600 06:00 Sat BRM [PBP] 613km 10150m AAA10 [9000m] £10.00 BD F L P R S T Z 15-30kph Burnley Sportiv burnleysportiv@yahoo.com Andy Corless, 31 Castlerigg Drive Ightenhill Burnley Lancashire BB12 8AT 100 14 Jun Caton, NE of Lancaster Bowland Forest Populaire 09:00 Sun BP 1800m AAA1.75 £3.00 P R T 75 12.5-20kph CTC Lancaster 01524 36061 mikehutchinson@fastmail.fm ROA 5000 Mike Hutchinson, Heatherdene 9 Whinfell Drive Lancaster LA1 4NY 110 14 Jun Congleton, Cheshire Just the Plains of Cheshire 09:00 Sun BP 118km 724m £5.00 P R T 15-30kph Congleton CC 01260 271258 Rob Waghorn, The Querns Congleton Edge Cheshire CW12 3NB 110 14 Jun Congleton, Cheshire Just the Hills of Cheshire 08:30 Sun BP 1700m AAA1.75 £5.00 P R T 12.5-25kph Congleton CC 01260 271258 Rob Waghorn, The Querns Congleton Edge Cheshire CW12 3NB 200 14 Jun Congleton, Cheshire The Hills & Plains of Cheshire 08:00 Sun BR 210km 2285m AAA1.5 [1500m] £6.00 P R T 15-30kph Congleton CC 01260 271258 Rob Waghorn, The Querns Congleton Edge Cheshire CW12 3NB 100 14 Jun Wharncliffeside Community Cote De Midup Et Bradfield 09:00 Sun BP 108km 2150m AAA2.25 £5.00 LPRT(120) 12-30kph Birdwell Whs woodyauk@btinternet.com John Woodhouse, 9 Brightholmlee Lane Wharncliffeside Sheffield Yorks S35 0DD 200 14 Jun Woodrush RFC, Wythall, S Birmingham Cotswold Expedition 08:00 Sun BR 212km £9.00 C L P R S T 100 15-30kph Updated Beacon RCC pete@petemarshall.me Pete Marshall, 45 Butler Road Solihull West Midlands B92 7QL 160 14 Jun Woodrush RFC, Wythall, S Birmingham Cotswold Journey 08:30 Sun BP £9.00 C L P R S T 100 15-30kph New Event Beacon RCC pete@petemarshall.me Pete Marshall, 45 Butler Road Solihull West Midlands B92 7QL 100 14 Jun Woodrush RFC, Wythall, S Birmingham Anticlockwise Cotswold Outing 09:30 Sun BP 108km £9.00 C L P R S T 80 12-25kph New Event Beacon RCC pete@petemarshall.me Pete Marshall, 45 Butler Road Solihull West Midlands B92 7QL 64

Arrivée February 2015 No. 127

100 14 Jun Woodrush RFC, Wythall, S Birmingham Clockwise Cotswold Outing 09:00 Sun BP 108km £9.00 C L P R S T 80 12-25kph New Event Beacon RCC pete@petemarshall.me Pete Marshall, 45 Butler Road Solihull West Midlands B92 7QL 100 20 Jun Knavesmire, York Rally 100km 09:00 Sat BP £7.50 A(1)C F L P R T S 15-25kph York Rally committee 01904 795 695 gerry.boswell@hotmail.co.uk Gerry Boswell, 5 Invicta Court Acomb York YO24 3NL 600 20 Jun Leighton Buzzard The Buzzard 07:00 Sat BRM [PBP] 5600m £5 X 15-30kph Exeter Whs 01404 46993 ian@ukcyclist.co.uk ROA 10000 Ian Hennessey, 10 High Street Honiton EX14 1PU 600 20 Jun Mytholmroyd, W. of Halifax The 3 Coasts 600 06:00 Sat BRM [PBP] 607km 5611m AAA1.75 [1631m] £10.00 A(3) L P R T Z YH 15-30kph West Yorkshire CTC 01422 832 853 chris.crossland@halifaxctc.org.uk ROA 25000 Chris Crossland, 14 Stanley St. West Sowerby Bridge W. Yorks HX6 1EF 600 20 Jun Mytholmroyd, W. of Halifax The East & West Coasts 600 06:00 Sat BRM [PBP] 605km 4380m [5380m] £10.00 A(3) L P R T Z YH 15-30kph West Yorkshire CTC 01422 832 853 chris.crossland@halifaxctc.org.uk ROA 25000 Chris Crossland, 14 Stanley St. West Sowerby Bridge W. Yorks HX6 1EF 300 21 Jun Bethersden, nr Ashford, Kent Fairies Flattest Possible 300 02:00 Sun BR 304km £7.00 C F L P R T 15-30kph San Fairy Ann CC manofkentaudax@gmail.com David Winslade, 3 Albany Close Tonbridge Kent TN9 2EY 200 21 Jun Bethersden, nr Ashford, Kent Fairies Half-Flat 200 08:00 Sun BR 201km 1000m £6.00 C,F,L,P,R,T 15-30kph San Fairy Ann CC manofkentaudax@gmail.com David Winslade, 3 Albany Close Tonbridge Kent TN9 2EY 150 21 Jun Bethersden, nr Ashford, Kent Fairies Fairly Flat 150k 08:30 Sun BP £6.00 C,F,L,P,R,T 15-30kph San Fairy Ann CC manofkentaudax@gmail.com David Winslade, 3 Albany Close Tonbridge Kent TN9 2EY 100 21 Jun Bethersden, nr Ashford, Kent Fairies Flat 100k 09:00 Sun BP £6.00 C,F,L,P,R,T 15-30kph San Fairy Ann CC manofkentaudax@gmail.com David Winslade, 3 Albany Close Tonbridge Kent TN9 2EY 50 21 Jun Bethersden, nr Ashford, Kent Fairies Easy Peasy 50k 10:00 Sun BP £5.00 C,F,L,P,R,T 15-30kph San Fairy Ann CC manofkentaudax@gmail.com David Winslade, 3 Albany Close Tonbridge Kent TN9 2EY 160 21 Jun Coppice House, Crewe Tough Stuff 08:00 Sun BP 162km [502m] £13.00 L P R T NM (150) 15-30kph Up and Under Cycling Clu admin@upandundergroup.com Andy Fewtrell, Up and Under Foundation Coppice House Quakers Coppice Crewe CW1 6FA 100 21 Jun Coppice House, Crewe Good Stuff 09:00 Sun BP 102km 502m £13.00 L P R T NM (150) 12-30kph Up and Under Cycling Clu admin@upandundergroup.com Andy Fewtrell, Up and Under Foundation Coppice House Quakers Coppice Crewe CW1 6FA 51 21 Jun Coppice House, Crewe Foundation Ride 09:30 Sun BP 189m £13.00 L P R T NM (100) 10-25kph Up and Under Cycling Clu admin@upandundergroup.com Andy Fewtrell, Up and Under Foundation Coppice House Quakers Coppice Crewe CW1 6FA 200 21 Jun Mytholmroyd, W. of Halifax The Good Companions 08:30 Sun BR 2697m AAA1.75 [1631m] £5.00 A(2) L P R T YH 15-30kph West Yorkshire CTC 01422 832 853 chris.crossland@halifaxctc.org.uk ROA 25000 Chris Crossland, 14 Stanley St. West Sowerby Bridge W. Yorks HX6 1EF 300 27 Jun Beech Hill, S of Reading Rural South 06:00 Sat BR £6.50 L P R T 15-30kph Reading CTC offroad@readingctc.co.uk Ian Doyle, 22 Clements Mead Tilehurst Reading RG31 5UJ 200 27 Jun Beech Hill, S of Reading Alan Furley’s Up the Downs 08:00 Sat BR 202km 2100m £7.00 F L P R T 100 15-30kph Change of Date Reading CTC 01491 651284 philipmdyson@btinternet.com Phil Dyson, 25 Papist Way Cholsey Wallingford Oxon OX10 9LL 100 27 Jun Beech Hill, S of Reading Alan Furley’s Down the Ups 09:00 Sat BP 105km 1000m £6.50 F L P R T 12.5-30kph Change of Date Reading CTC 01491 651284 philipmdyson@btinternet.com Phil Dyson, 25 Papist Way Cholsey Wallingford Oxon OX10 9LL 200 27 Jun Hulme End, nr Hartington Knockerdown 08:00 Sat BR 209km [3150m] £6.00 F L P R T 14.3-25kph Peak Audax perrin_john@sky.com John Perrin, 20 Princes Way Macclesfield Cheshire SK11 8UB 120 27 Jun Hulme End, nr Hartington Lutudarum 09:30 Sat BP 1800m AAA1.75 £6.00 C F P T 12.5-25kph Peak Audax perrin_john@sky.com John Perrin, 20 Princes Way Macclesfield Cheshire SK11 8UB 300 27 Jun Stornoway, Isle of Lewis Golden Road and Standing Stones 06:00 Sat BR 3850m [3200m] £12.00 50 L R T F C A(2) 15-30kph Hebridean CC ian_d_gilbert@yahoo.co.uk Ian Gilbert, 19 Churchill Drive Stornoway Isle of Lewis HS1 2NP www.aukweb.net

Calendar Events 110 27 Jun 10:00 Sat 67 28 Jun 10:00 Sun 66 28 Jun 10:00 Sun 150 28 Jun 08:30 Sun 100 28 Jun 09:00 Sun 200 28 Jun 08:00 Sun 100 04 Jul 10:00 Sat 140 04 Jul 23:00 Sat ROA 4000 200 04 Jul 08:00 Sat 400 04 Jul 07:00 Sat 100 05 Jul 08:30 Sun 200 05 Jul 08:00 Sun 170 05 Jul 08:30 Sun 100 05 Jul 09:00 Sun 100 05 Jul 10:00 Sun Change of Date 51 05 Jul 10:30 Sun Change of Date 200 05 Jul 08:00 Sun 100 05 Jul 09:00 Sun 55 05 Jul 10:00 Sun 300 10 Jul 21:00 Fri

Stornoway, Isle of Lewis Hebridean Hundred BP 113km 1068m £6.00 50 L P R T F C 12.5-30kph Hebridean CC ian_d_gilbert@yahoo.co.uk Ian Gilbert, 19 Churchill Drive Stornoway Isle of Lewis HS1 2NP Carharrack, Cornwall Mines and Mineral Railways (ON-road) BP 820m £5.00 C L P R T 8-28kph Audax Kernow brindisijones@tiscali.co.uk Simon Jones, The Cottage Pulla Cross Truro Cornwall TR4 8SA Carharrack, Cornwall Mines and Mineral Railways (OFF-road) BP 1257m [773m] £5.00 C L P R T 8-28kph Audax Kernow brindisijones@tiscali.co.uk Simon Jones, The Cottage Pulla Cross Truro Cornwall TR4 8SA Hampton in Arden Solihull CC mini Randonnee BP 156km £5.00 RFPT 15-30kph Solihull CC chat2rog@gmail.com Roger Cliffe, 11 Warren Drive Dorridge Solihull B93 8JY Hampton in Arden A Warwickshire Wander ! BP £4.00 F P R T 15-30kph Solihull CC chat2rog@gmail.com Roger Cliffe, 11 Warren Drive Dorridge Solihull B93 8JY Old Sils Rugby Club, Junction 5 M42 A Cotswold Adventure BR 207km £6.50 U FPRTS NM 15-30kph Solihull CC chat2rog@gmail.com Roger Cliffe, 11 Warren Drive Dorridge Solihull B93 8JY Barcombe near Lewes AAA Milne BP 1700m AAA1.75 £3.00 F P 12.5-25kph Grimpeurs du Sud malinseastg@tiscali.co.uk Martin Malins, 4 North Common Weybridge Surrey KT13 9DN Bovey Tracey, Devon Dartmoor Ghost BP 145km 2300m AAA2.25 £12.00 FLRT 12.5-22.5kph CTC Devon 07599 648769 kevin.hindstreet@btinternet.com Kevin Presland, c/o Rob Simmonds Hillcrest East Town Lane Kenton EX6 8NH Pateley Bridge Dales Grimpeur 200 BR 215km 4596m AAA4.5 £6.00 L P R S T 15-30kph Hambleton RC paul.roberts901@tiscali.co.uk Paul Roberts, 37 The Close Romanby Northallerton DL7 8BL Stonehaven Old Military Roads BRM 6000m AAA6 £6.00 X P L R T (25) 15-30kph Stephen Reed Stephen Reed, CAIRNBANNO 34 Dunnottar Avenue STONEHAVEN AB39 2JJ Combe Down, Bath Mendip Transmitter BP 1650m AAA1.75 £7.00 N.P.R.T 15-30kph Bath CC Robert Mcmillan, 228 Bloomfield Road Bath BA2 2AX Denshaw, Saddleworth Bowland BR 3500m AAA3.5 [4400m] £5.00 P R T 14.3-30kph Saddleworth Clarion 07850 208 977 nephialty@gmail.com Nephi Alty, Heath House View Ridings Lane Golcar Huddersfield HD7 4PZ Denshaw, Saddleworth Slaidburn BP 3000m AAA3 £5.00 P R T 12.5-25kph Saddleworth Clarion nephialty@gmail.com Nephi Alty, Heath House View Ridings Lane Golcar Huddersfield HD7 4PZ Denshaw, Saddleworth Widdop BP 2100m AAA2 £5.00 P R T 10-25kph Saddleworth Clarion 07850 208 977 nephialty@gmail.com Nephi Alty, Heath House View Ridings Lane Golcar Huddersfield HD7 4PZ Easingwold, N of York Mother Shipton 100k BP 103km 769m £2.00 L P R T 12-25kph CTC North Yorks 01904 795 695 gerry.boswell@hotmail.co.uk Gerry Boswell, 5 Invicta Court Acomb York YO24 3NL Easingwold, N of York Linton Locks 50k BP 204m £2.00 L P R T 12-25kph CTC North Yorks 01904 795 695 gerry.boswell@hotmail.co.uk Gerry Boswell, 5 Invicta Court Acomb York YO24 3NL Smallworth, Garboldisham, Diss Garboldisham Groveller BR £6.00 L P R T 15-30kph Diss CTC tomandeileenelkins@hotmail.co.uk Tom Elkins, 6 Marston Lane Norwich NR4 6LZ Smallworth, Garboldisham, nr Diss Garboldisham Grafter BP £6.00 P R T F L 15-30kph Diss CTC tomandeileenelkins@hotmail.co.uk Tom Elkins, 6 Marston Lane Norwich NR4 6LZ Smallworth, Garboldisham, nr Diss Garboldisham Grinder BP £6.00 L P R F T 12-30kph Diss CTC tomandeileenelkins@hotmail.co.uk Tom Elkins, 6 Marston Lane Norwich NR4 6LZ Great Dunmow, Essex Hereward the Wake BRM 301km £9.00 X C R L P T M (03/07) 15-30kph Flitchbikes CC tom.deakins@btinternet.com Thomas Deakins, 31 The Causeway Great Dunmow Essex CM6 2AA

www.aukweb.net

200 11 Jul 08:00 Sat 100 11 Jul 09:30 Sat 400 11 Jul 06:00 Sat 150 11 Jul 09:15 Sat ROA 4000 50 11 Jul 10:00 Sat ROA 4000 200 11 Jul 08:00 Sat Change of Date ROA 10000 160 11 Jul 09:00 Sat Change of Date ROA 10000 110 11 Jul 09:30 Sat Change of Date ROA 10000 300 11 Jul 06:00 Sat ROA 25000 100 12 Jul 09:30 Sun 200 12 Jul 08:00 Sun ROA 4000 110 18 Jul 09:00 Sat Updated 200 18 Jul 08:00 Sat 160 18 Jul 08:45 Sat 100 18 Jul 09:30 Sat 200 18 Jul 08:30 Sat 200 18 Jul 08:00 Sat ROA 5000 100 18 Jul 08:30 Sat ROA 5000 60 18 Jul 09:00 Sat ROA 5000 200 19 Jul 08:00 Sun ROA 5000

Aldbrough St John, Nr Richmond Hartside 200 BR 203km 2752m AAA3 [3000m] £6.00 FLPRT 14.3-30kph VC167 07887628513 david.atkinson577@virgin.net David Atkinson, 4 Borrowby Avenue Northallerton North Yorkshire DL6 1AL Aldbrough St John, Nr Richmond Northern Dales Summer Outing BP 1475m [3000m] £4.50 FLPRT 10-30kph VC167 07887618913 david.atkinson577@virgin.net David Atkinson, 4 Borrowby Avenue Northallerton North Yorkshire DL6 1AL Carlton le Moorland, Lincolnshire Lincolnshire Poacher BRM £8.00 X A1, C, L, P, R, T 15-30kph Lincoln Whs richard.parker05@gmail.com Richard Parker, 28 High Street Carlton Le Moorland Lincoln Lincs LN5 9HT Forfar Amulree 150 BP 1552m £5.00 C P T S 15-30kph Angus CC 01307 466123 d.c.husband@btinternet.com David Husband , 78 Old Halkerton Road Forfar DD8 1JP Forfar Lintrathen Loop BP 587m £2.50 C L T R P 10-25kph Angus CC 01307 466123 d.c.husband@btinternet.com David Husband , 78 Old Halkerton Road Forfar DD8 1JP Tamworth, Pretty Pigs PH Brix\’n Water BR 216km 2300m £7.00 P R T 50 14.4-30kph Geoff Cleaver audaxgeoff@gmail.com Geoff Cleaver, 43 Goodere Drive Polesworth Tamworth B78 1BY Tamworth, Pretty Pigs PH Brix\’n Bouquet BP 1400m [2300m] £7.00 P R T 50 14.4-30kph Geoff Cleaver audaxgeoff@gmail.com Geoff Cleaver, 43 Goodere Drive Polesworth Tamworth B78 1BY Tamworth, Pretty Pigs PH Double Bouquet BP 912m [2300m] £7.00 P R T 50 14.4-30kph Geoff Cleaver audaxgeoff@gmail.com Geoff Cleaver, 43 Goodere Drive Polesworth Tamworth B78 1BY Tewkesbury A Rough Diamond BRM 301km 2500m [3450m] £6.50 c f l p r t nm 100 15-25kph BlackSheep CC 01684 292 390 blacksheepaudax@gmail.com Mark Rigby, 16 Battle Road Tewkesbury Park Tewkesbury GL20 5TZ East Finchley, N2 9ED Suburban Breakout BP 103km 1085m [755m] £5.00 PRT 15-30kph Central London CTC nick@centrallondonctc.org.uk Nick Bloom, 32 Fortis Green Avenue Fortis Green London N2 9NA Forfar Deeside Loop BR 2450m AAA2 [2025m] £10.00 L C P R T 15-30kph Angus CC d.c.husband@btinternet.com David Husband, 78 Old Halkerton Road Forfar Angus DD8 1JP Alfreton In Memory of Tommy BP 115km 1050m £5.00 L P R T 12-30kph Alfreton CTC Amanda Reeve, 82 Rutland Rd Westwood Nottingham NG16 5NQ Bath Raglan castle BR 203km 2500m £6.00 Xtrpc 15-30kph Bath CC Robert Mcmillan, 228 Bloomfield Road Bath BA2 2AX Bildeston, Suffolk 100 miles of Suffolk Lanes BP 168km £5.00 L P R T S 15-30kph CC Sudbury pamandrobinw@gmail.com Robin Weaver, 14 Chapel Street Bildeston Ipswich Suffolk IP7 7EP Bildeston, Suffolk Bildeston Lanes BP 104km £5.00 L P R T S 15-30kph CC Sudbury pamandrobinw@gmail.com Robin Weaver, 14 Chapel Street Bildeston Ipswich Suffolk IP7 7EP Bildeston, Suffolk Suffolk Lanes Extravaganza BR 209km £5.00 L P R T 15-30kph CC Sudbury 01449 741048 pamandrobinw@gmail.com Robin Weaver, 14 Chapel Street Bildeston Ipswich Suffolk IP7 7EP Corwen Barmouth Boulevard BR 204km 3650m AAA3.75 £5.50 P R T 50 15-30kph Chester & North Wales CT dmanu@outlook.com David Matthews, Hill View Cott Cross Lanes Oscroft Tarvin Cheshire CH3 8NG Corwen The Brenig Bach BP 107km 1920m AAA2 £5.50 P R T 50 12.5-25kph Chester & North Wales CT dmanu@outlook.com David Matthews, Hill View Cott Cross Lanes Oscroft Tarvin Cheshire CH3 8NG Corwen The Bala Parade BP 700m [1000m] £5.50 P R T 50 10-25kph Chester & North Wales CT dmanu@outlook.com David Matthews, Hill View Cott Cross Lanes Oscroft Tarvin Cheshire CH3 8NG Newton Abbot, Devon Torplex Two Hundred BR 210km 2900m AAA3 £7.50 F L P R S T 15-30kph CTC Devon brodie@bikerider.com Graham Brodie, Homelands 10 Courtenay Rd Newton Abbot Devon TQ12 1HP Arrivée February 2015 No. 127

Calendar Events 100 19 Jul Newton Abbot, Devon Devon Delight 09:00 Sun BP 107km £7.50 F L P R S T 10-25kph CTC Devon brodie@bikerider.com ROA 5000 Graham Brodie, Homelands 10 Courtenay Rd Newton Abbot Devon TQ12 1HP 200 19 Jul Steyning, W Sussex The Devils Punchbowl 200 08:00 Sun BR 205km 2248m £6.00 F P T 15-30kph David Hudson ROA 25000 Dave Hudson, 151 Middle Road Shoreham-by-Sea BN43 6LG 100 19 Jul Steyning, W Sussex The Devils Punchbowl 100 09:00 Sun BP 108km 1200m £6.00 F P T 15-30kph David Hudson ROA 25000 Dave Hudson, 151 Middle Road Shoreham-by-Sea BN43 6LG 200 25 Jul Belbroughton, N Worcestershire Kidderminster Killer 08:00 Sat BR 214km 3750m AAA3.75 £7.75 F L P R S T (70) (8/8) 14.3-30kph Beacon RCC 01562731606 montgomery@beaconrcc.org.uk Philip Whiteman, 2 Drayton Terr Drayton Belbroughton, Stourbridge DY9 0BW 120 25 Jul Belbroughton, N Worcestershire From Clee to Heaven 09:00 Sat BP 1950m AAA2 £7.25 F L P R S T (65) 13-25kph Beacon RCC 01562 731606 montgomery@beaconrcc.org.uk Philip Whiteman, 2 Drayton Terr Drayton Belbroughton Stourbridge DY9 0BW 400 25 Jul Dingwall National 400 10:00 Sat BRM 408km 2500m £35.00 L P R F T S Z 15-30kph CTC Highland 01862 871 136 biker_carroll@hotmail.com ROA 10000 Steve Carroll, Creag Charrach Rockfield Village Portmahomack IV20 1RF 200 26 Jul Rhos-On-Sea, Conwy Cestyll Cymru 08:15 Sun BR 203km 2265m AAA1.5 [1500m] £8.00 A L P R T 15-30kph Rhos-on-Sea CC 07542 428 462 cbwilby@gmail.com Chris Wilby, Gwenallt Henryd Road Gyffin Conwy LL32 8HN 130 26 Jul Rhos-On-Sea, Conwy The Legend of Gelert 09:15 Sun BP 1400m £8.00 A L P R T 12.5-25kph Rhos-on-Sea CC cbwilby@gmail.com Chris Wilby, Gwenallt Henryd Road Gyffin Conwy LL32 8HN 50 26 Jul Rhos-On-Sea, Conwy Glan-y-Mor 10:00 Sun BP 750m £5.00 A L P R T 10-20kph Rhos-on-Sea CC cbwilby@gmail.com Chris Wilby, Gwenallt Henryd Road Gyffin Conwy LL32 8HN 100 29 Jul Marple Dark Peak Grimpeur 10:00 Wed BP 106km 2290m AAA2.25 £5.00 P R T 60 (257) 12.5-25kph Peak Audax Derek Heine, 10 Whitehall Drive Hartford Northwich Cheshire CW8 1SJ 100 05 Aug Marple Memorial Park White Peak Grimpeur 10:00 Wed BP 103km 2310m AAA2.25 £5.00 P R T 60 (8/8) 12.5-25kph Change of Date Peak Audax 01457 870421 mike@PeakAudax.co.uk ROA 10000 Mike Wigley, Higher Grange Fm Millcroft Lane Delph Oldham Saddleworth OL3 5UX 100 08 Aug Churchend, Dunmow, Essex Flitchbikes 100 09:30 Sat BP 103km £7.00 C L P R T M (01/08) 12.5-25kph Flitchbikes CC tom.deakins@btinternet.com Thomas Deakins, 31 The Causeway Great Dunmow Essex CM6 2AA 200 08 Aug Churchend, Gt Dunmow, Essex Flitchbikes 200 08:30 Sat BR 201km £7.00 C L P R T M (01/08) 15-30kph Flitchbikes CC tom.deakins@btinternet.com Thomas Deakins, 31 The Causeway Great Dunmow Essex CM6 2AA 200 08 Aug Tewkesbury Benjamin Allen’s Spring Tonic. 08:00 Sat BR 206km 2050m £4.00 P T C NM (100) 15-25kph BlackSheep CC 01684 292 390 blacksheepaudax@gmail.com ROA 25000 Mark Rigby, 16 Battle Rd Tewkesbury Park Tewkesbury Gloucs GL20 5TZ 200 09 Aug Old Ma’s Tattenhall, Cheshire Pistyll Packing Momma 08:00 Sun BR 209km 3400m AAA3.5 £5.50 P R 50 T L 15-30kph Chester & N Wales CTC dmanu@outlook.com ROA 5000 David Matthews, Hill View Cott Cross Lanes Oscroft Tarvin Cheshire CH3 8NG 130 09 Aug Old Ma’s Tattenhall, Cheshire Momma’s Mountain Views 08:30 Sun BP 137km 2000m AAA2 £5.50 P R 50 T L 12.5-25kph Chester & N Wales CTC dmanu@outlook.com ROA 5000 David Matthews, Hill View Cott Cross Lanes Oscroft Tarvin Cheshire CH3 8NG 50 09 Aug Old Ma’s Tattenhall, Cheshire Momma’s Leafy Lanes 09:00 Sun BP £5.50 P R 50 T L 10-20kph Chester & N Wales CTC dmanu@outlook.com ROA 5000 David Matthews, Hill View Cott Cross Lanes Oscroft Tarvin Cheshire CH3 8NG 200 09 Aug Padiham, Lancashire Tan Hill 200 08:00 Sun BRM 206km 4500m AAA4.5 £5 P X 15-30kph Burnley Sportiv burnleysportiv@yahoo.com Andy Corless, 31 Castlerigg Drive Ightenhill Burnley Lancashire BB12 8AT 100 12 Aug Marple, Memorial Park, SK6 Mid Peak Grimpeur 10:00 Wed BP 109km 2400m AAA2.5 £5.00 L P R T 40 (31/7) 12.5-25kph Peak Audax chris.keelingroberts@ntlworld.com Chris Keeling-Roberts, 17 Lower Strines Road Marple Cheshire SK6 7DL 160 15 Aug Scaladale, Isle of Harris Harris Hills 160 09:00 Sat BP 2800m AAA2.75 £8.00 YH L P R T S F (40) 14.3-30kph Hebridean CC ian_d_gilbert@yahoo.co.uk Ian Gilbert, 19 Churchill Drive Stornoway Isle of Lewis HS1 2NP 66

Arrivée February 2015 No. 127

100 15 Aug Scaladale, Isle of Harris Harris Hills 100 10:00 Sat BP 1600m AAA1.5 £6.00 YH L P R T S (40) 12.5-30kph Hebridean CC ian_d_gilbert@yahoo.co.uk Ian Gilbert, 19 Churchill Drive Stornoway Isle of Lewis HS1 2NP 110 16 Aug Shere Village Hall, Guildford Tour of the Hills 09:40 Sun BP 115km 2300m AAA2.25 £8.00 F L P R T 225 15-30kph CTC West Surrey 01483 810028 dggray7@hotmail.com Don Gray, Greenleas Beech Lane Normandy Surrey GU3 2JH 100 19 Aug Marple West Peak Grimpeur 10:00 Wed BP 103km 2400m AAA2.5 £5.00 P R T 60 (16/8) 12.5-25kph Peak Audax davecatlow@PeakAudax.co.uk David Catlow, 9 Friars Close Rainow Macclesfield SK10 5UQ 100 23 Aug Droitwich Saracen Century Audax 09:00 Sun BP 106km 1600m AAA1.5 [1500m] £8 L P R T 12.5-25kph Saracen RC saracenroadclub@gmail.com Sean Barker, 16 Leahouse Road Stirchley Birmingham B30 2DD 200 29 Aug Newtonmore Rothes Reccie 08:00 Sat BR 202km £3.00 C YH L P R T 15-30kph CTC Highland biker_carroll@hotmail.com ROA 10000 Steve Carroll, Creag Charrach Rockfield Tain Ross-shire IV20 1RF 100 29 Aug Newtonmore Grantown Gallop 10:00 Sat BP 104km £3.00 C YH L P R T 12-25kph CTC Highland biker_carroll@hotmail.com ROA 10000 Steve Carroll, Creag Charrach Rockfield Tain Ross-shire IV20 1RF 200 06 Sep Lymington New Forest On and Off Shore 07:15 Sun BR 202km 2150m £19.00 L P R T 100 (4/9) Ferry 15-30kph Cycling New Forest 01590 671 205 cyclingnewforest@gmail.com ROA 10000 John Ward, 34 Avenue Road Lymington Hants SO41 9GJ 150 06 Sep Lymington New Forest and Isle of Wight Century 07:15 Sun BP £19.00 L P R T 100 (4/9) Ferry 15-30kph Cycling New Forest 01590 671 205 cyclingnewforest@gmail.com ROA 10000 John Ward, 34 Avenue Road Lymington Hants SO41 9GJ 100 06 Sep Lymington New Forest and Coast 10:00 Sun BP 102km £6.00 C L P R T 100 10-20kph Cycling New Forest 01590 671 205 cyclingnewforest@gmail.com ROA 10000 John Ward, 34 Avenue Road Lymington Hants SO41 9GJ 200 12 Sep Richmond, N Yorks Dales Dales Tour Plus 08:00 Sat BR 3150m AAA3.25 £6.00 C F L P R T 14.4-30kph VC167 07887628513 david.atkinson577@virgin.net David Atkinson, 4 Borrowby Avenue Northallerton North Yorkshire DL6 1AL 150 12 Sep Richmond, N Yorks Dave’s Dales Tour 160KM 08:30 Sat BP 2500m AAA2.5 £5.50 C F L P R T 12-30kph VC167 07887628513 david.atkinson577@virgin.net David Atkinson, 4 Borrowby Avenue Northallerton North Yorkshire DL6 1AL 100 12 Sep Richmond, N Yorks Lucia’s Vale of York Meander 100KM 10:00 Sat BP £5.50 C F L P R T 10-20kph VC167 078887628513 david.atkinson577@virgin.net David Atkinson, 4 Borrowby Avenue Northallerton North Yorkshire DL6 1AL 100 12 Sep Richmond, N Yorks Dave’s Mini Dales Tour 100KM 09:30 Sat BP 1900m AAA2 £5.50 C F L P R T 10-20kph VC167 07887628513 david.atkinson577@virgin.net David Atkinson, 4 Borrowby Avenue Northallerton North Yorkshire DL6 1AL 200 12 Sep Tamworth, Pretty Pigs PH Wem, we get there 08:30 Sat BR 208km 1400m £7.00 X P R 50 (31/8) 15-30kph Geoff Cleaver audaxgeoff@gmail.com ROA 10000 Geoffrey Cleaver, 43 Goodere Drive Polesworth Tamworth Staffs B78 1BY 110 12 Sep Tamworth, Pretty Pigs PH Charnwood Challenge 09:00 Sat BP 111km 1094m £7.00 P R T 50 (31/8) 12.5-30kph Geoff Cleaver audaxgeoff@gmail.com ROA 10000 Geoffrey Cleaver, 43 Goodere Drive Polesworth Tamworth Staffs B78 1BY 51 12 Sep Tamworth, Pretty Pigs PH National Forest 50 09:30 Sat BP 400m £6.00 P R T 50 (31/8) 10-20kph Geoff Cleaver audaxgeoff@gmail.com ROA 10000 Geoffrey Cleaver, 43 Goodere Drive Polesworth Tamworth Staffs B78 1BY 160 19 Sep Husbands Bosworth Welland Wonder 160 08:00 Sat BP 1675m £5.00 LPRT 15-30kph Welland Valley CC 01858545376 ROA 3000 Mike Vybiral, Logan Cottage Grange Lane E Langton Market Harborough Leics LE16 7TF 110 19 Sep Husbands Bosworth Welland Wonder 100 08:30 Sat BP 116km 1350m £5.00 LPRT 12-24kph Welland Valley CC 01858545376 ROA 3000 Mike Vybiral, Logan Cottage Grange Lane E Langton Market Harborough Leics LE16 7TF 53 19 Sep Husbands Bosworth Welland Wonder 50 09:00 Sat BP 525m £5.00 LPRT 12-24kph Welland Valley CC 01858545376 ROA 3000 Mike Vybiral, Logan Cottage Grange Lane E Langton Market Harborough Leics LE16 7TF 100 19 Sep Rodborough, Stroud Budding 100 10:00 Sat BP 106km 1770m AAA1.75 [1650m] £5.00 L P R S T (60) 12.5-25kph Dursley RC 01453 762235 james.reynolds@lein-ad.com James Reynolds, Ambleside The Butts Rodborough Stroud GL5 3UG www.aukweb.net

Calendar Events 61 19 Sep Rodborough, Stroud Awdry 60 11:00 Sat BP 1000m AAA1 £5.00 LPRST(60) 12.5-25kph Dursley RC 01453 762235 james.reynolds@lein-ad.com James Reynolds, Ambleside The Butts Rodborough Stroud GL5 3UG 200 20 Sep Musselburgh The Erit Lass 08:00 Sun BR 3000m AAA3 £8.00 F L P R T 15-30kph Audax Ecosse martinfoley@btinternet.com Martin Foley, 78 Denholm Road Musselburgh East Lothian EH21 6TU 200 26 Sep Broken Cross, nr Macclesfield Venetian Nights 08:00 Sat BR 210km 2750m AAA2.25 [2333m] £8.00 F L P R T 14.3-25kph Peak Audax perrin_john@sky.com John Perrin, 20 Princes Way Macclesfield Cheshire SK11 8UB 200 27 Sep Denmead, Nr Portsmouth WYLYE AND EBBLE VALLEY 07:30 Sun BR £6.00 L P R T M 15-30kph Hampshire RC mrpaulwhitehead@yahoo.co.uk Paul Whitehead, 73 Spencer Road Emsworth Hampshire PO10 7XR 100 27 Sep Kirkintilloch Ivy’s Mid Scotland Meander 10:00 Sun BP 1311m £8.50 P. R. T. NM. 15-30kph Glasgow Ivy richardbarnes776@hotmail.com Richard Barnes, 14 St Columba Drive Kirkintilloch G66 3JN 200 27 Sep Pendleton, Lancashire Last Chance Dales Dance 200 07:30 Sun BRM 3300m AAA3.25 [3000m] £5.00 L P R T 15-30kph Burnley Sportiv burnleysportiv@yahoo.com Andy Corless, 31 Castlerigg Drive Ightenhill Burnley Lancashire BB12 8AT 200 03 Oct Galashiels Etal-u-Can 08:00 Sat BR 204km 2379m £10.00 PLRTS 15-30kph Change of Date Audax Ecosse 01896 758 181 pedaller1@sky.com ROA 10000 Lucy McTaggart, 30 Victoria St. Galashiels Scottish Borders TD1 1HL 100 04 Oct Galashiels Ride of the Valkyries 10:00 Sun BP 106km 1200m [1517m] £8.00 PLRTS 12-30kph Change of Date Audax Ecosse 01896 758 181 pedaller1@sky.com ROA 10000 Lucy McTaggart, 30 Victoria St. Galashiels Scottish Borders TD1 1HL 100 04 Oct Wigginton, N of York Gerry’s Autumn Brevet 10:00 Sun BP 101km 942m £3.00 L P R T 12-25kph CTC North Yorks 01904 795 695 gerry.boswell@hotmail.co.uk Gerry Boswell, 5 Invicta Court Acomb York YO24 3NL 100 11 Oct Abergavenny Marches Grimpeur 09:00 Sun BP 1950m AAA2 £9.00 YH F P L T 12.5-25kph Abergavenny RC waville@yahoo.com Jonathan Saville, 9 Trehonddu Llanvihangel Crucorney Abergavenny Monmouthshire NP7 8DG 100 11 Oct Alfreton, NW of Nottingham Beware of the plague 09:00 Sun BP 107km 1900m AAA2 £6.00 P R T F 12.5-25kph Alfreton CTC martynleighton@uwclub.net Martyn Leighton, 46 Ashford Rise Belper Derbyshire DE56 1TJ 120 11 Oct Birdwell Community Centre, S70 5TQ Rarnd Tarn 09:00 Sun BP 125km 1929m £5.00 L P R T 15-30kph Updated Birdwell Whs bob@bobwaterhouse.wanadoo.co.uk Robert Waterhouse, 46 Racecourse Road Swinton Mexborough S64 8DP 200 11 Oct Congleton Rugby Club Horseshoe Pass 08:00 Sun BR 210km £5.00 P R (60) 15-30kph Congleton CC dhurst085@aol.com Denise Hurst, 10 Firwood Road Biddulph Staffordshire ST8 7ED 170 11 Oct Congleton Rugby Club Chirk Aqueduct 08:30 Sun BP 175km £5.00 P R (60) 15-30kph Congleton CC dhurst085@aol.com Denise Hurst, 10 Firwood Road Biddulph Staffordshire ST8 7ED 100 11 Oct Hailsham, E Sussex The Autumn Tints 100 09:00 Sun BP 103km 1200m [1100m] £6.00 F P 15-30kph David Hudson ROA 25000 David Hudson, 151 Middle Road Shoreham by Sea West Sussex BN43 6LG 100 11 Oct Mytholmroyd Season of Mists 09:00 Sun BP 105km 2555m AAA2.5 £4.50 P L R T YH 12-24kph West Yorkshire CTC 01422 832 853 chris.crossland@halifaxctc.org.uk ROA 25000 Chris Crossland, 14 Stanley St. West Sowerby Bridge W. Yorks HX6 1EF 55 11 Oct Mytholmroyd Mellow Fruitfulness 10:00 Sun BP 1200m AAA1.25 £4.00 P L R T YH 8-20kph West Yorkshire CTC 01422 832 853 chris.crossland@halifaxctc.org.uk ROA 25000 Chris Crossland, 14 Stanley St. West Sowerby Bridge W. Yorks HX6 1EF 150 17 Oct Trowell, West of Nottingham An Autumn day out. 08:15 Sat BP 153km 1135m £7.00 L P R T(80) 15-30kph Updated Nottinghamshire CTC Terry Scott, 21 Winterbourne Drive Stapleford Nottingham Notts NG9 8NH 200 18 Oct Carlton Colville,Lowestoft, Suffolk The Silly Suffolk 08:00 Sun BR £5.00 FRTP 15-30kph VC Baracchi johntommo6@btinternet.com John Thompson, 136 Dell Road Oulton Broad Lowestoft Suffolk NR33 9NT 160 18 Oct Carlton Colville,Lowestoft, Suffolk The Silly Suffolk 09:00 Sun BP £5.00 FRTP 15-30kph VC Baracchi johntommo6@btinternet.com John Thompson, 136 Dell Road Oulton Broad Lowestoft Suffolk NR33 9NT www.aukweb.net

100 25 Oct 09:00 Sun ROA 4000 100 25 Oct 08:00 Sun ROA 4000 200 31 Oct 08:00 Sat ROA 10000 200 07 Nov 07:30 Sat 200 08 Nov 08:00 Sun 160 08 Nov 08:30 Sun 200 05 Dec 08:00 Sat ROA 10000 100 05 Dec 09:00 Sat ROA 10000

Bovey Tracey The Dartmoor Devil @ 9 BP 106km 2500m AAA2.5 £8.00 F P R T 125 (20/10) 12.5-25kph CTC Devon 01626 833 749 kevin.hindstreet@btinternet.com Kevin Presland, Hind Street House Hind Street Bovey Tracey Devon TQ13 9HT Bovey Tracey The Dartmoor Devil @ 8 BP 106km 2500m AAA2.5 £8.00 F P R T 125 (20/10) 12.5-25kph CTC Devon 01626 833 749 kevin.hindstreet@btinternet.com Kevin Presland, Hind Street House Hind Street Bovey Tracey Devon TQ13 9HT Galashiels The Long Dark Teatime of The Soul BR 2000m £5.00 P,R,T 15-30kph Audax Ecosse 01896 758 181 pedaller1@sky.com Lucy McTaggart, 30 Victoria St. Galashiels Scottish Borders TD1 1HL Cholsey, E of Didcot Upper Thames BR 212km 1900m [1943m] £6.00 L P R T M 15-30kph Thames Valley Audax 01491 651 284 philipmdyson@btinternet.com Phil Dyson, 25 Papist Way Cholsey Wallingford Oxon OX10 9LL Cheadle, Stockport Eureka! BR 210km 800m £6.00 P R T M 60 15-30kph Peak Audax hamhort84@talktalk.net Peter Hammond, 3 Dorac Ave Heald Green Cheadle Stockport Cheshire SK8 3NZ Cheadle, Stockport Cheshire Safari BP 570m £6.00 P R T M 60 15-25kph Peak Audax hamhort84@talktalk.net Peter Hammond, 3 Dorac Ave Heald Green Cheadle Stockport Cheshire SK8 3NZ Tamworth, Pretty Pigs PH Tinsel and Lanes BR 211km 2060m £7.00 P R T 60 15-30kph Geoff Cleaver audaxgeoff@gmail.com Geoffrey Cleaver, 43 Goodere Drive Polesworth Tamworth Staffs B78 1BY Tamworth, Pretty Pigs PH Flowers to Furnace BP 104km 940m £7 P R T 50 12-30kph Geoff Cleaver audaxgeoff@gmail.com Geoff Cleaver, 43 Goodere Drive Polesworth Tamworth B78 1BY

Number 1 - One Year Time Trial. Photo: Judith Swallow

Arrivée February 2015 No. 127

2015 January 01 a few minutes after midnight, 10 yards down the road and the first pedal stroke of Steve Abrahamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 1YTT challenge (article on page 3). Photo: Phil Whitehurst.