Penny Farthing Champs 2023

Many thanks to Tony for the ride to/from Hillingdon Cycle Circuit.

A great little video of the event, can you spot yourself?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhYmCz3oZC8

C&M Ride into Old Money or Penny Farthing Racing

Last year the Pickwick Bicycle Club held the first Penny Farthing Racing at Hayes Track in Minet Country Park. This year it also incorporated the UK Penny Farthing championship. I advertised it on the A's & B's Whatsapp groups, the response was surprisingly good. 18 signed up for the ride.

The 11's stop was at the Pheasantry in Bushey Park, and in dribs and drabs the throng assembled. We managed to leave just before 11 and in 2 groups, myself leading the first and Simon leading the second. The route there consisted of lots off-road, along the River Crane, Hounslow Heath, a nature reserve at the side of Heathrow and Cranford Park (where we encountered, abusive travellers, their caravans, dogs and very vocal children). That soon passed and onto the little churchyard where Tony Hanncock's remains are buried.

We were then soon at our lunch stop, The Botwell Inn, Wetherspoons, in Hayes, where a friend of mine, Tony Cates from the Uxbridge CTC group, joined us. Service was a little slow for Wetherspoons, but we were soon fed and watered and ready for the 1-mile cycle to the cycle track. There were lots of bikes, Penny Farthings, old and new, there was even one on display for a company that still made them!

There was plenty of time to look at the bikes and chat with the owners, but eventually, the race was underway. The speed at which leaders achieve was a fast "A" ride pace, and the final lap would have had Mark Cavendish smiling. When the racing had finished, our whole group did a lap of the track, but at a more moderate pace.

Then heading back towards Bushey Park on a less off-road course. And at various points, the group gradually dispersed to make their ways home. A really lovely day out, only around 25 miles for me, but a great event to see, look out for the same time next year! Thank you all for your company and to Simon for leading the second group, plus those who back-marked.

Tony..

Cycling gear in Aldi from Thursday 21/09/23

 

Trying to find the Isle of Wight.....Ride Report 17/09/23

...on Bookham Common.

The day began with 9 at Stoke D'Abernon which over the next 40 minutes reduced to 5. I chose to go south-west via the Tilt Road to Ockham & East Clandon where we took Blakes Lane going east to join the rather busy A246.

There were a plethora of cyclists out on this rather humid & overcast late summers day & all were, I suspect, aware of an approaching thunderstorm.

"The Drift" is a joy to ride along with basically a brand new surface.....no hole filling here. 😀

Graham had assured me the suitabilty of the off-road section across to Fetcham (the first left after crossing Eff Junc r/w bridge).

And sure enough it was a good choice.

But it has to be said I have great difficulty choosing the correct track across Bookham Common & have got lost more than once.😬

And sure enough at a four finger post....took the wrong turning.

As Simon quite rightly pointed out much later in the pub......."you should of gone left there".

The sky was darkening and with the whiff of rain in the air we all agreed to lunch at The Edmund Tylney instead of The Assembly Rooms. (Apologies to any folk hoping to meet us there 😬)

After two hours of chit-chat, a mildly annoying chap talking nonsense, & an appearance by Keith, we went our separate ways.

Thanks to Graham, Terry, Tony, Pam & Maureen (to 11's or shortly after)....David & Jennie, Simon, Colin G for your company all day. 

PS It did rain......but not as much as the forecast indicated.

 

The delights of Bagshot - 10 Sept

It was a perfect summer day, apart from the weather forecast. 33 degrees, thunderstorms, large hailstones and downpours.   Also, it's actually autumn, but nobody told the weather.

Such trifles don't bother Cheam and Morden riders, or maybe they just don't look at the weather forecast.  Six of us arrived at Addlestone, rather hot and sweaty in the early morning humidity.   After sampling the delights of the Golden Cafe, we left Graham to do his own thing and set off, seeking shade on the Basingstoke Canal.  This worked quite well, nobody fell in, and we stayed reasonably cool as we rode all the way through Woking to Goldsworth Park for a bit more waterside fun.   This was a very pleasant route we used to do regularly with Graham about a decade ago.   A little wiggle round Chobham before offering the option of riding through Pennypot ford (no takers) and then off to Bagshot.   It was now overcast and a bit cooler than expected, so we sat outside at the Kings Arms and were treated to large portions at very reasonable prices.

There was a deluge forecast for just after lunch, but all we encountered was a baby shower.   No, a real "Baby Shower" with the blooming mum-to-be surrounded by her friends, no doubt offering her plenty of useful advice.   When it started spotting with actual rain, we left with all haste, hoping to dodge the heavy stuff.   The route through the posh bits of Windlesham and Sunninghill allowed us to indulge in a bit of house-envying, before we joined the real upper crust at the Guards Polo Club for a few chukkas.  Then it was downhill all the way to Virginia Water and tea at Great Cockrow steam railway.   The rain seemed to catch up with us and there were more than a few spots, but once we got on the move we seemed to escape again as we all headed to Chertsey, where we bumped into Ray Youlden before all parting company in Shepperton.

Thank you to all for enjoyable company on the ride, to the weather for cooperating, and to Jennie for back marking.

Hersham to Lower Green Bridleway

It's reopened. No improvement between the two branches of the Ember but the rest is smooth tarmac and full width.

 

 

Ride report - 03/09/23

My debut lead after 7 years & we find ourselves at Dobbies, Woodcote Green.

A gargantuan of a place, in fact the 3rd largest GC in the UK with parking for 660 cars.

Chatting in the warm sun, it was a relaxed affair because lunch was a short ride away.

Great to see Ed & Lilian at 11's...& Chris rode a short distance with us while he recuperates from a nasty bout of Lymes disease..so it was Dave, Geoff, Sue, Keith, Brian, Steve, Paul & Maggie joined me via Oaks Park & How Lane to The Sportsman at Mogador.

Soup & bacon rolls were in evidence as I slapped on factor 50.

Thanks to Dave for backmarking.