Anerley Gazette, December 2022
A highlight of our Club year is the AGM. You will all have received the Minutes of the meeting from Fran, our Honorary Secretary, and the attached copies of reports from other Committee Members. So no need for me to go into further details. Except for two things.
The first being that Denise is now the new club Touring Secretary. As you would expect from Denise, an inveterate long distance tourer, she has already hit the ground running. Read all about a Club tour next year, in Snowdonia. Interested? Read all about it here https://anerleybc.org/anerley-b-c-trip-to-wales-2023/
The second AGM item of special interest, was that much discussion revolved around activities and events that could be organised during 2023. Let us ensure that “could be” becomes “Will be!” More about that follows in some of the items below.
THE PAST-2022 and THE FUTURE-2023
Another year nearly over, so an appropriate time to look back at some of what we did. The effects of climate change were very apparent in 2022, with record rainfalls – and severe drought! But on the plus side – we also had records for the number of days without rain, hours of sunshine and high temperatures.
Now that winter is upon us, make use of the winter evenings by planning for things that you want to do in the summer days of 2023. And maps are invaluable for such planning!
This is how a summer tour evolved for this year https://anerleybc.org/why-marlborough/
But that was just one cycling event by a very small group of our club members. The summer season provided a whole array of sporting events. So who better to remind us of what our membership got up to, than Mark H, our long serving Club Racing Secretary!
Anerley B.C in action! https://anerleybc.org/sports-round-up-for-2022/
Fed up with cycling the same old routes to the same old places? Feel like going on a new adventure? Try something new in 2023 – take on a British Cycle Quest and discover new routes, new places . . . . .
Follow in Tim’s wheel tracks https://anerleybc.org/questing-on-two-wheels/
Time to Wind Down?
After a long hot summer, it is not only cyclists that need a bit of down time to rest and recover. Our bikes are also in need of a bit of TLC. At the top of my list, and why is explained here: https://anerleybc.org/disc-brake-pad-wear-and-more/
The Joys of Gravel Riding in Winter
If there has been a new trend in bike ownership in the past year or so, it has been Gravel Bikes. However my impression from our Ride Register, is that there have not been many off road rides on tracks and byways best suited to Gravel bikes, as distinct from mountain bike rock hopping and mud.
We are fortunate in being surrounded by a great variety of suitable routes for Gravel bikes. Maps provide a great source to find them! Below is an example of just such a ride by John Diamond. Well worth a visit – OS map 187 again, and the WW1 memorials are at Grid Ref 212/ 561
Get inspired to do more such rides when spring and summer return, see John’s ride here: https://anerleybc.org/the-joys-of-gravel-riding-in-winter/
More on the Welsh Marches
Hiking, Gravel biking, or Road biking, the Welsh Marches has lots to offer, as I was discovering on my long weekend based at Clun. Our afternoon hike took us through the Hafren Forest and up the Plynlimon Massive, the heights of which provide the sources of both the Rivers Severn and Wye, Mountain bike country, but principally a place for hiking. An interesting area with lots to do and see, not just biking and hiking, as shown here https://anerleybc.org/the-welsh-marches-part-3
FOOD FOR THOUGHT!
And I don’t want to spoil your Christmas dinner, so don’t read this until New Year’s Eve, when your thoughts might be on the annual resolution to reduce the waist line and lose a bit of weight.
It didn’t work last year, so it probably won’t work this year – but – it might – if you find why it didn’t work before, and now follow the very latest knowledge of the researchers. These are the scientists who spend their working lives, studying and thinking about food. Yum! Yum! Yum!
Here are 3 linked items about what you should or should not do, to remain fit, healthy, and at last succeed in achieving that ideal weight. It will save you at least £2,000 in not having to buy that super- light weight, carbon fibre bike, to help you cycle up those ever steepening Surrey hills. So sit down, rest your weary legs and wade through this lot!
https://www.bicycling.com/health-nutrition/a42108729/questions-for-an-obesity-researcher/
https://www.bicycling.com/health-nutrition/a25438226/metabolic-health-markers/
https://www.bicycling.com/health-nutrition/a31224920/ideal-weight-for-cycling/
Des – Wishing you all a healthier, fitter and slimmer, 2023!
The Credit Crunch – For Some!
The newspapers, TV news, etc, are full of doom and gloom – raging inflation, rising prices, food banks and much more. Des recommends (or maybe not) a Lamborghini Bike at £15,000 or, for the smaller budget, a Campagnolo gold plated corkscrew at €1,950.
https://anerleybc.org/the-credit-crunch-for-some/
The Anerley Gazette wishes you all a Very Merry Christmas
Our final club gathering took place aty Snowhill Garden Centre. Some people really threw themselves into the Christmas spirit!
REMINDERS!
And to close – Don’t forget that our Annual Dinner and Awards Evening is on Saturday 11th February – get in touch with Jo to book your seat.
And reminder 2: Again – with 80+ Club members, hopefully many of us are doing interesting things on our bikes, going to new and interesting places. Things that we might like to read about in the Anerley Gazette. Haven’t some of us ridden sportives, or gone cycle touring this year? Foreign tours or interesting gravel bike rides in our beautiful countryside? And it does not just have to be about cycling, last month we had two interesting items about walking (if Brian’s climb up Kilimanjaro is a walk!) and Dee’s Coast to Coast Adventure. So please do take the time to share your experiences with our club members via the Gazette.
On the subject of walking, there are several Club members who have suggested that we should do some winter walks instead of just bike rides. So perhaps something to write about in the next month Anerley Gazette!
anerleygazette@gmail.com
Current Covid guidance from our Club Captain
The government has removed all domestic COVID restrictions in England. So dealing with COVID has effectively become advice on how to reduce the risks of catching and spreading COVID. This includes the following:
Get vaccinated
Let fresh air in if meeting indoors, or meet outside:
Consider wearing a face covering in crowded, enclosed spaces
Get tested if you have COVID-19 symptoms, and stay at home if positive”
Peter Roberts