THE WESSEX NEWSLETTER Edited independently in three of the CTC Wessex member group areas and published quarterly. Please contact your nearest member group or access the club website for information on any events www.wessexctc.org for all CTC Wessex activities
CTC WESSEX SECRETARY Peter Loakes, Church Cottage, West Stafford, DT2 8AB (01305) 263272 CTC BOURNEMOUTH Cheryl Owen, 1 Bond Road, Poole BH15 3RT (01202) 738428 CTC SALISBURY Alan Clarke, “Hill House”, Kelsey Road, Salisbury SP1 1JR (01722) 322188 CTC WEST DORSET Mike Durham, 74 Westhill, Wyke Regis, Weymouth DT4 9NE (01305) 770140 CTC BLACKMORE VALE Richard Gow, Wildfell, Crown Rd, Marnhull, DT10 1LN (01258) 821391
Main Calendar Dates For 2010 Sept 12th Sept 19th Sept 26th Oct 10th Oct 10th Oct 13th Nov 6th
Dorset Dirt 50km Off-Road Bournemouth Square 200km Wessex Grand Meet at Breamore Gridiron 100km CTC West Dorset AGM CTC Bournemouth AGM CTC Wessex AGM
Ken Reed Brian Callow
01305 772654 01202 526606
Terry Walsh Mike Durham Cheryl Owen Peter Loakes
01202 247888 01305 770140 01202 738428 01305 263272
COMBINED BOURNEMOUTH GROUPS
GRAND CHRISTMAS TEA @ £3/head 2pm for 3pm Sunday 5th December Sturminster Marshall Old School Hall NAME(S): ___________________________ ADDRESS ___________________________ PHONE:
___________________________
Send this booking and money to: Joan Courtney The Studio, 2a Glencoe Road, Poole BH12 2DW By the absolute deadline of 21st November
Thinking about Christmas yet? No I bet you’re not, Bah Humbug! But you should be as Joan Courtney and her team are busy again preparing a feast for you all. Last year’s combined Christmas Tea was such a roaring success that we are urged to repeat the experience. This year we are engaging the services of Trio Catering, three ladies who have just set up in business and opened a cafe at Fleets Park. Don’t be fooled by the £3 per head, the repast is going to be worth far more than that, but you have to book early. The deadline is 21st November. I said deadline, not deadline plus a few more days because you’re a special case, you’ve been away, you’ve been ill, you forgot, your Granny died etc. etc . . . Book it now, put it on the calendar and forget it until December and make Joan’s and everyone’s life that much easier. Another special event on the calendar is the inter-section meet at Breamore on September 26th. Salisbury, West Dorset and Blackmore Vale are all expected to be there as detailed in the Summer Newsletter. To help you get there, Mike Walsh will lead a slow ride starting at 9:00 from Hurn Stores with coffee at Gilberts in Sherfield English and lunch at Breamore. And the big one hardly needs mentioning, which is our Gridiron 100km. Entries are already flooding in and we expect our usual 500 or 600 entrants. www.wessexctc.org for details and entry form. Some of us were taken by this picture on the left, printed in the national papers recently. Once you get over the first impact, you see what a terrific and relevant send off that it really must be for an honoured club member. See you up the road.
Keith Matthews - Editor 3
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CTC Blackmore Vale Rides These take place every week alternating between Saturday & Sunday.Meet 10am, set off at 10.30am. 01963 32840 - Richard & Margaret Nicholl or 01258 821391 - Richard Gow
Day Sat Sun Sat Sun Sat
Date 11th Sep 19th Sep 25th Sep 3rd Oct 9th Oct
Sun 17th Oct Sat 23rd Oct Sun 31st Oct Sat 6th Nov Sun Sat Sun Sat Sun Sat Sun Sat
14th Nov 20th Nov 28th Nov 4th Dec 12th Dec 18th Dec 26th Dec 1st Jan
Meet Lunch & Tea Compton Abbas Airfield Witchampton / Compton A John Peel Cafe Shaftesbury Dinton / Shaftesbury Poets Corner Cafe Stur Newton Tolpuddle / Sturminster Oliver's Cafe, Cheap St, Sherborne Evershot The Place, Market Place, Castle Street Cary - in High St on R.ight Waitrose Supermarket, Gillingham Old Wardour Castle Chapel Cross Tea Room, South Lytes Cary Manor (last picCadbury: N of A303 nic lunch of 2010) Stourhead NT cafe Lake Gdn Cent, Crockerton D'Urberville Centre, Colliers Picnic lunch after AGM Wood, Wool, BA20 6DL then short local ride Castle Garden Centre, Sherborne Morrison, Yeovil Angel Corner Tea Room, Mere Kitch Gdn Cafe, Pythouse Morrisons Supermarket, Wincanton RNAS Museum, Yeovilton Dike's Supermarket, Stalbridge Sherborne Udder Farm Shop, East Stour Shaftesbury Memorial Hall, Wincanton Red Lion, Kilmington To be announced at Christmas Dinner on 14 December Meet at NT visitor centre, at 11am NT cafe at 1pm for NYD walkies.
FOR SALE Raleigh Elan 501 double butted 23” frame. Shimano Exage components 12 gears, 52/40 chainrings 14/16/18/20/22/24 block 700C wheels Needs new tyres and inner tubes and some TLC. The bike is 25 yrs old but hardly ridden. Its been garaged since. Chris 01202 698889 £75
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Lead RG Mary RC RH BW RG RN NT/RG J+R RG Mary RN P+L/RC J+R RN All
FOR SALE Dawes (Handbuilt) Horizon, almost as good as new, sadly ridden only a few hundred miles. Frame 21” Double butted 501 tubing. Rear pannier carrier. Shimano Altus A20 Rear Mech 21 gears. Alesa Rims with Exage HB-RM50 hubs and Sprint tyres. Quick release. Shimano calips brakes with hooded levers. Vetta Lite Gel Saddle. Vetta computer. Carradice Long Flap Touring saddlebag – well used but in vgc. Twin Tention Pannier bags. Owners manuals for bike and computer. Bargain at £250 Peter Du Lieu Tel 01202 745472 Pedpet75@yahoo.com..
AGM Time Again! Don’t yawn, don’t be bored, AGMs are a necessary evil but handled properly without undue pomp and ceremony they can be a good chance to meet and talk and chew over what the club is doing. To add to your pleasure, we have two of the things. Our own for CTC Bournemouth which will be held on October 13th at the Kinson Conservative Club. 19:30 Then there is the AGM of the wider grouping of CTC Wessex where we are joined by our friends from Dorchester, Salisbury and Blackmore Vale. This is held on November 6th at the D’Urberville Centre, Wool. 13:00 And there is one more too, the National AGM of the entire CTC which is to be held in Weymouth next May. 2011 is the Centenary year of the CTC in Wessex and so this National AGM and Dinner is also part of our celebrations. Ken Reed tells us all about it overleaf and he is asking for helpers to lead rides. Please read on . . .
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CTC AGM & National Dinner 2011 By Ken Reed The venue for the 2011 National AGM & Prize Presentation on the 14th May is the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy, the spectacular venue for the sailing events of the 2012 Olympics, http://www.wpnsa.org.uk/. We at CTC Wessex are of course celebrating our centenary in 2011 and the CTC Dinner and AGM will be part of this. We hope that many local members will come to welcome our many visitors from other parts of the country. The AGM weekend is one of the highlights of the CTC calendar. The weekend consists of the Annual General Meeting, the National Dinner (including presentation of prizes) and the opportunity to take part in one of a selection of guided cycle rides in the local area. The weekend takes place in a different part of the UK each year and is hosted by a local group within the region. The AGM, held on the Saturday afternoon, gives members the opportunity to debate important topics within CTC. The Dinner and Prize Presentation take place on the Saturday evening, with special guests and prize winners present. On Sunday 15th May, as part of the centenary celebrations, CTC Wessex will be leading rides for all abilities. The road rides will start from Weymouth and take in the lovely village of Abbotsbury http://www.abbotsbury-tourism.co.uk/. Its ancient cottages host many tea shops and the odd pub. The potterers will be able to wander beside the Fleet and visit the tiny “Moonfleet” church http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moonfleet. On the way we will look down on the famous Swannery. The climax of the longer rides will be Hardy’s Monument with views on a clear day taking in Poole Harbour, the Isle of Wight, Devon and Somerset. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hardy_Monument There will be a real treat for mountain bikers. The rides on Portland are some of the best kept secrets in the off road world. Whether you like easy off road on good tracks or the most difficult technical stuff you will find it here. There are no trees to obscure the views of the World Heritage Jurassic Coast. http://www.jurassiccoast.com/ We will need volunteers, particularly over the weekend, to welcome and assist our visitors. On Saturday we would like to be able to meet most trains at Weymouth and guide visitors to the Academy. On the Sunday we need leaders for the rides with others to assist on the rides and to act as back markers. If you are able to help please could you contact Anne or Ken by email anneandken@neale.net or phone 01305 77265
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The Annual Glastonbury Tour
By Shawn Shaw
Nostalgic memories abound of the Bournemouth & Poole General Section setting out in the early morning cool of Summer taking breakfast on route at the Happy Eater, Henstridge or latterly in Wincanton. A direct yet rural route devised by Eric Watson had rushing descents and gruelling broken upward roads that provided sweeping panoramas one moment and cream thatchcottaged snuggled-down hamlets the next. A welcome finish was the drink at the Anchor pub in Shapwick on the return. But I speak not of years gone by, of times before SIS or Ergo, of when a “narrow seven” was the latest thing, or when lycra was just an industrial chemists dream. No, 2010 it is and West Dorset Sunday Section is the group!
I joined them last year when four of us trundled off north. Sharon led the way with a few notes provided by Janet Read. Podimore Services was the coffee stop and we stoked up with tea and a bun at Milborne Port Garden Centre to help us back. It rained and it blew against us after tea but it was a fine day’s cycling. Eight of us took to the road this year. Sharon remained true to the ‘traditional route’ (just being lazy she says). Podimore was as busy but the pain aux raisins and coffee slipped down easily. We found our spot from last year under the great spreading Cedar with the Tor framed by one of its branches and had a
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photo shoot (dodging vehicles to do so; much busier than last year when you stood still). Then on across the levels into Glastonbury. A picnic lunch in the grounds of the parish church and then another photo shoot at the market cross by a stranger beguiled into it by Andy’s winning ways and gentle good nature. Sharon: ‘Anyone know a good pub?’ The heavy air of Glastonbury stirred the vague memories of a nice place that The Generals had used and Ern was sure that the West Dorsets had enjoyed the same one, ‘just on the outskirts’. Dodgey memory not withstanding we went straight to it. The garden terrace of the Rifleman’s Arms was not as I remember from all those years ago; the terrace was bigger; the garden less; the view over the levels, once framed by saplings, now reduced by their hard won maturity. The local farmhouse cider was still an honest brew. The fancy was to have tea in Sherborne and after much busy main road to Illchester we became rural riders once more through Limington, Mudford and Sandford Orcas to the Half Moon and some tea. Bodies were fortified with crumble, flapjacks and other nutritious dietary necessities. Yes, Fortified. I should have realised but with last years rain it didn’t happen. It? Ah yes. IT is the time trial/road race to Top of Town car park and appears to be a traditional attribute of this sections ‘day out’. We knew the caff would be closed but IT happened anyway. Yes I did join in (it would have been rude not to!) and I blew up horribly, wobbly legs and all. Still it was a great day and thanks to the gang for having me along (I may even have been forgiven for taking them the pretty way through Sandford Orcas, but then again, maybe not just yet).
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Bournemouth Cycling Centre
By Alan McRae
It will do exactly what is says on the tin! It's a centre for cycling, and in the middle of Bournemouth, or more particularly Slades Farm Open Space, Ensbury Park. It will be more than "just a track" where club cyclists thrash round for training or competition because, being situated in the middle of a conurbation and right next to two schools, it is there to serve the wider community. And by this we mean for the young/ young at heart/ men/ women/ boys/ girls/ I used to ride etc etc. Each week, activities will be specifically targeted at particular groups of participants, and with sessions ranging from "complete novice" through "Improvers" to "Bike Fit" etc, the Centre will provide an ideal opportunity for people to acquire the skill and level of fitness to get into, or back into, cycling. These people will however need encouragement and support to move towards this more active lifestyle that most of us cyclists enjoy, and this is where you could contribute. If you enjoy meeting people and passing your enthusiasm to be active on to others then an opportunity exists for you to run these sessions as the "coach". We would of course provide the necessary training and you would receive expenses. The recruitment campaign will start in the Autumn, the Centre is being built over the winter and will be open for business from around April. So now is the time to register any interest you have. Dave Gilham from the Bournemouth Arrow is putting together the training programme and can be contacted on 01202 871061 or david.gilham@o2.co.uk This Centre will be the first of its kind in the country and here is an opportunity to be in at the beginning of this exciting new venture. This is the project that originally we in the CTC Bournemouth offered ÂŁ1000 towards. This money has been held in safe keeping while the project sorted itself out and gained the necessary funding and planning permissions. We will now be passing over that cash. Editor
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Two Riders were Approaching
By Big Bob
. . .and the wind began to howl What a summer . . . well so far anyway. I’m making notes for this article on a beautiful sunny early morning in July, on the seafront, with a mug of Kiosk tea in hand, sat by my recently rebuilt Roberts touring heavyweight wondering what on earth I’ve done to deserve it all, It must be either my vow of Poverty and Chastity or the fact I’ve been kind to Shawn S at least twice this year. The start of the year however was not so auspicious. Our early February Cycling jamboree to Majorca to coincide with the Tour of Mallorca road race was abandoned this year due to bad weather. Following in early May a dash was made for Tuscany only to be cancelled at the very last minute while at the Airport by a handful of Volcanic dust. Luckily quick thinking by Debbie L, saw us all flying out on a different Airline three days later. Unfortunately, bike box weight restrictions left us all bikeless apart from Les and Wendy H, who wisely used lighter bike bags. Monsoon type rain of an intensity I have never experienced in Italy before hit us for several days but nevertheless one day still saw us on the far side of the Voltera hill. To see our very own Sky team with Bradley Wiggins, well placed and out of the saddle, on the climb, amid the rolling thunder. This was the Giro
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(The Tour of Italy) in all it’s savage intensity on a stage which saw all the surviving riders streaked in the thick white mud of the dirt roads around Sienna. Struggling back to the top of the hill we crammed into our hire car as the storm rumbled while through the smeared windscreen two lone riders, amid flickering lightening, were seen climbing up toward the hilltop town of Voltera. Our very own Les and Wendy H. Amazingly they had made the ride, in the appalling conditions, from the coast at Cecina to Voltera and were still smiling. A hasty retreat was made down to the valley and a small Café where we all drank reviving hot chocolate and munched cake while watching the last of the days Giro’s stage on the Café television. After a few days the weather improved as we wandered through the Gaia nature reserve and quiet olive
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groves while on one magic day I got separated from the group and promptly lost in the old dreamy walled town of Lucca where I followed some beckoning “ will of the wisp” through shady courtyards, alleyways and ancient squares. While leaving that strange town which seems built of music at the end of the day Tony L, and I dropped into an old Luccan bike shop where we wandered into the cool interior workshop. There, surrounded by rows of varnished component drawers and well used Campagnolo tools we joined two mechanics and watched the finish of that days Giro stage on a television Marconi must have used. We both agreed, what a way to earn a living, in such a town, in such a workshop, with such people, repairing all kinds of bikes which the whole population seem to use for transport, recreation and shopping but above all stopping on the morning ride to work at a convenient café for that coffee! Ah there’s a thought.
addressed). To this end we are blessed indeed in having the use of our excellent Newsletter “CycleInk” although it is regrettable we can only publish four times a year.* A lot can happen in that period of time making it difficult to be topical on the current issues. Incredible as it may seem I could be dead when you read this, or have begat another child, or have finally resolved the bitter conflict between Hillary Clinton and Harriet Harman over whom I should live with.
Lets return to the wonder of the bike and remember, “Friends may come and friends may go, indeed partners also, but the bike goes on forever”. A trusty friend in the bike shed. When as a callow youth, thoroughly “Bonked out” on a longer ride an older wiser head said. “Don’t worry lad, the bike will get you home”. And how true that has been both actually and emotionally, on more than one occasion. In times of high despair, which occur in the best of lives, the But enough of this, others are far more bike awaits for consoling rides qualified than I in recording the through a slightly darker, but minutia of the Cycling inspired nevertheless, an enchanting landscape. holiday and the A to B of the Cycle In times of happiness through tour. Our mission together dear reader bubbling countryside bathed in whether you are reading this, lycrasunshine. Now although a little older, clad on top of Bulbarrow, or sat in the miracle still strikes me that a your trouser clips in a Tesco’s café, is collection of tubes, metal, wire and the investigation of the intellectual rubber can be so imbibed with life and side of our great pastime. The open such a doorway of wonderment motivation, the philosophy, the and friendship. Far more than thinking side of Cycling, damn it the transport it is also a procurer of weird very soul of the bike. (This sounds a experiences. touch butch I know but it must be
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Two years ago I ended a robust day’s ride at a small village in Brittany with three stalwart companions, John B, Tony L, and Dereck P. After a spirited finishing sprint we all fell into a café-bar hot and thirsty. One cold draught lager followed another until halfway through the evening I realized sat on my lap was a full blown (if you’ll forgive the expression) transvestite. Hasty exit, grabbed bike, fled for Gite at edge of village. It is an event my comrades of the day find great amusement in reminding me of periodically. Now, on to news from our own residential Cycling retirement hotel , Le Hotel du Velo Sportiv where there are just three apartments and one studio flat left from the latest batch released, so if you do like the Countryside and Cycling do take the plunge into the good life. While on the subject several Cyclos have emailed me, curious about our Cycling based Retirement Hotel. The House Committee have asked me to refer to earlier articles where photographs of the original building and the birth of the inspired idea took place. I pass this on in the hope it may be of use. The Track Meeting we are hosting, touched on in the last article, is almost upon us and looking from my bedroom window I’ve seen several tip toeing figures with white beards heading for the grass track in the grounds for a crafty practice early in the morning. But it would do your heart good to see the way people are coming together to help with the
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enterprise. Why even our esteemed editor was seen quietly chuckling away in the Library corner cutting and stringing together the colourful donated ladies underwear which we are using as economy bunting. Unfortunately we cannot afford at the moment for event stewards around the track perimeter to use Radio for communication so I have devised a series of hand and arm signals which we previewed from the track centre and it was incredible the number of stewards who were eager to inform me that two riders had passed at that point. We all have high hopes for the day and with Mike B, and Four Pints Dave running the track-side Bar what can go wrong? Finally, I must tell you about a project which has captivated me. It came about while a few of us were lazing on the stone balustraded Dining Hall balcony drinking coffee and enjoying the morning sunshine too idle to join one of the House Runs for lunch at a local village Pub. Jean B, our valued estate grounds Café manageress, made the point that with all the Classic owned bikes around the Hotel and grounds we really ought to have a Cycle Museum. There was a moment of silence and then everyone babbled at once. Of course we could convert part of the old stable block and there would certainly be no shortage of curator volunteers. Now the problem arose as to what bikes should be admitted. Jean herself magnanimously started the proceedings by offering to donate the bike on which on one
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memorable run she lost her innocence. (I think big Fred, as he was known as in those days, was also on the ride ). John E, looked up and suggested the bike on which, on a much remembered group tour, he had half his leg ripped off by something like the Hound of the Baskervilles after climbing out of the Golden Valley on the Welsh Borders.
The hubbub on the Dining Hall balcony was becoming beyond the bounds of good taste and after hearing a chair go over and John W’s raised voice declaring “His memories were his own business and no one was having his bloody bike”, I beat a hasty retreat to the bike shed and quietly pedaled off down the lane toward the village Pub to join some of the others for lunch. I had no idea people’s By this time everyone had entered into memories and their Bikes could be so the spirit of the enterprise and Jo G, emotionally intertwined and I think put up her hand and proffered the bike the whole project will have to be on which she first played Doctors and revisited at a later date. Nurses. I did not question her statement too deeply thinking it best Ah well, I have drunk the tea, finished left alone. Dereck P, looking like a the notes, and although it is extremely man who had made a sudden decision, pleasant in the seafront sunshine I’m put down his coffee cup with a clatter off to the New Forest for a leisurely and with a voice charged with pedal among that shimmering emotion volunteered the bike on greenness. I had a quick peep at Le which, riding in late puberty, an apple Hotel’s evening dinner menu and saw had fallen on his head and he had we are promised Apple and Rhubarb realized what women were for . . . or Crumble with hot Custard and joy of was it a woman fell on his head and joys, optional ice cream, Cycling fare he had realized what apples were for. indeed. Well, off I go but do By this time things were becoming remember wherever you are to live Le confusing and even a trifle raucous. Hotel’s house motto . . . The least I could do was to put forward my own contribution which In Carmen Quod Procul was the bike on which I first realized Plenus Thrash how irritating I could be. This when I was leading an excursion for the local Ride on Methodist Peace and Reconciliation group and three lay Ministers simultaneously grabbed for my throat Big Bob on arrival at the morning coffee stop!
* no it isn’t a pity! Four times a year is enough (for the Newsletter that is) I do want to try and get out more you know. Editor
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Mike’s Diary
By Mike Walsh
On my Tour du Canada ride I met and became friends with a number of cyclists. Three of them have just undertaken the inaugural ride titled . This is a ride from Vancouver to Inuvik beyond which there is only an ice road. On the ride two of my friends got married in Dawson City. Their jerseys, special for the wedding, were a treat.
My club, Bournemouth Jubilee, was also represented as the best man wore our jersey.
UK PUBLIC HEALTH CONFERENCE AT THE BIC The Conference Development Consultant of the above proposed that bike rides be made available to the candidates. The bikes were provided by Front Bike Hire and I was enrolled to lead a ride during the lunch breaks. This option was taken up by a good number as can be seen in the photo. The various abilities meant that there
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was a long very broken line along the promenade; thankfully I was assisted by Sally Funnel, Cycling Officer for Poole Borough and Jason Falconer, Bike It Officer. I am holding Jason’s Coppi in the photo. The rain on the next day reduced the number but a few still wished to ride along the promenade. The very lightweight ponchos provided were inappropriate but I had anticipated the problem and had sufficient waterproof tops for all riders. I am informed the rides were very well received.
POOLE LEISURE CYCLING This ride is for novices, starting from Upton House at 2:00 on the first Saturday of every month during British Summer Time. We make a circuit of Holes Bay stopping at Hamworthy for a cup of tea, or whatever is your tipple. David Anderson will be taking over the leadership when he is fully recovered. The ride is generally made up of people who have been on the Pedal Again in Poole courses run from Upton House. It is a social grouping that gains confidence of cycling including on the road. All are welcome, experienced riders naturally give support just by riding with this group. André Barber is behind Caroline and Keith Matthews also rode with us on this occasion. One more ride this year October 2nd!
PEDAL AGAIN IN POOLE We held a course in this in May and with five riders who said they could not ride a bike we had our work cut out. It was a three week course run on consecutive Saturdays starting at 2:00 from the front of Upton House. There were Borough bikes available for people without bikes and these are stored in Upton House. As usual Steve Grey took charge of the new riders helped by André Barber and eventually myself whilst Mo and a husband of one of the attendees lead the ride along the cycle paths in around Upton House for the other eight. Steve’s amazing ability with absolute beginners has always brought success to all who persevere. We do have a couple who don’t come back. Again we all meet up for a cup of tea. We use the Peacock Rooms hoping to get there about 3:30. Again experienced riders would be welcome to assist
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LONDON-EDINBURGH-LONDON 2009
I have rediscovered a couple of photos of my involvement in the above, I did not ride or even think of riding. Not for me, but I did volunteer to drive the van with the bag drops. What an adventure, not as anticipated or anything like it. If anyone keeps in touch by the AUK Yahoo Group they will be well aware of the scope of my adventure. I performed a number of tasks at Lee Valley the head quarters not related to bags or driving but did eventually drive a van stopping at a number of the controls dropping off various items including bags. I was at one control when Margaret Philpot arrived. My drive continued stopping at controls until Middleton Tyas which was the last bag drop on our route. Unloading the bags I was volunteered to be bag man at Middleton Tyas and thus shower and bed assistant. I must add that I had a very warm welcome when I arrived at the control from Julia Baker-Beale from Lover. We have met on a number of 100 km much more local to Bournemouth. The crew at Middleton Tyas came from all corners of the country. A good mix with a common goal lead by Tommy Long. How the others survived without sleep is beyond me. I was very fortunate that a rider’s wife had booked a room in a nearby travellers hotel which I used. I was still embarrassed enough to only have about four hours sleep a night as my fellow crew members seem to take a lot less. Eventually I had the excuse of having to drive the van back to Lee Valley thus escaping the clean up at Middleton Tyas, another embarrassment. On the way back we had the company of a rider who packed. Upon arrival at
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Lee Valley I was invited to the evening meal but decided I could get home by that evening so declined. Then I discovered that there was a rail strike on the local line. I blagged a lift to Harlow which on the Luton Airport line and still had a service even if limited. Home in my own bed and I did not have to get up the following day, what a relief. I did hear one volunteer saying that he will be taking the easier option next time and ride the event. The appreciation of the riders that I met was my reward for all the effort. A great memory!
The 23rd Dorset Downs was run on the 16th May and there were 111 entrants. The riders were started from Top o’ Town Café by the CTC Wessex President Malcolm Howell at 10:00. The route takes in some of the most scenic parts of West Dorset. I had the extra reward of my niece and her husband entering for the first time. See cover picture.
HOSPITAL STAFF CYCLING The Bournemouth and Christchurch hospital arranged a cycling promotion, which was supported by Primera and a battery powered cycle supplier (I forget the name – I wonder why). I attended both the events at Bournemouth Hospital at the invitation of Dave Mansfield, to promote cycling and the local CTC rides. I rode a couple of the battery-powered bikes and was very impressed; if the time ever comes I will seriously consider one. I arranged on two following Saturdays to lead a ride from the hospital to Hengistbury Head. Both rides had a few participants but the rain on the second Saturday did keep the numbers down. The riders still say they enjoyed the rides and I have subsequently seen one out with the Christchurch Bicycle Club. I think smiling in the rain on a bike does imply that fun was had, evidenced by the picture!
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Informal Wayfarers Rides to Burley This ride happens every Saturday and is completely informal. There is no leader and no back up, but generally an experienced cyclist somewhere around. The route is designed for beginners but joined in by all abilities.
Start 08:45 at Waitrose Supermarket, Christchurch every Saturday Or 09:00 at The Oak PH, Burton
Or just make your own way to the New Forest Tea Rooms, Burley for 10:00
Contributions and Photographs The committee meeting date is the deadline for Newsletter contributions. Editorial policy is to print all contributions, with minimal editing for the purposes of layout only. Contribute by any way you like. Photographs are welcome in any form.
http://www.bournemouthctc.org “CycleInk” is the Newsletter of CTC Bournemouth a division of the CTC Wessex Member Group of the Cyclists’ Touring Club. Published four times a year for members. Views expressed are not necessarily those of the club.
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