The Bugle | Blast 354

Friday 28th September 2018
Touring Edition



 

QUOTE  OF THE WEEK

“It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” - Ernest Hemingway

BICYCLIST OF THE WEEK

TomTom on Tour. Here in Picardy last autumn before doing the Tour de Picos with John D, Des & Tom V. Last Saturday Tom went up to Oxford on an overnight 70 miler before leaving for France again yesterday.

All this and our champion 'all-upper' and regular Tuesday Leader. A true pillar of the club. Where to next Tom?

 

BICYCLE WHEEL OF THE WEEK

Got a flat - but on the car. No problem. Well only if you can find a way to attach it to the axle. Cable ties did I hear?

Story here: http://www.musclecarszone.com/big-bicycle-wheel-support-weight-car/


 

CALLING OUR LONG DISTANCE TOURISTS

A 235km [146 miles in Britspeak] event in Northern Holland. Not a Sportive, not a race, not even an audax.
More like a giant, organised Dynamo
You've got between 16 and 19 hours. There will be food and drink
It's on Whitsun, Monday June 10th,
There are No Hills None. Plat als een dubbeltje.

One or two of us from the club will hopefully be joining with friends to do this with 15,000 others. But first we have to get a team of ten through the ballot on December 1st. Let me know if you are interested.

A relaxed alternative to the Pru100:  https://www.fietselfstedentocht.frl/nl-NL/about-the-eleven-cities-bicycle-tour

 

CALLING ALL REMAINERS

An opportunity to remain in the EU a little longer. A ride leaving Britain on March 29th. Should be OK getting out. Not sure about getting back - but that could be a bonus!

No destination decided - but a Belgian Brewery might be good. Again let me know if you are interested and have any suggestions. Brexiteers welcome too if they promise not to annoy the natives.

 

CATFORD HILL CLIMB: NEW CHAMPION REQUIRED

Last week we mentioned that SF Edge was the first winner of this competition now held up York Hill in 1887. This prompted a lovely mail from one of our readers in Wales:

"My husband and I are also parents of the present Catford Hill Climb record holder, Philip Mason, and wonder when on earth someone is going to break that record.  Phil was definitely in top form that year, 1984 if I remember without looking it up, and came third in the National HC in Bath a few weeks later. 

The Catford event was held well before the storm of 1987 so all the trees and their falling leaves were well in evidence.  It was a beautiful calm balmy Autumn Sunday morning that year, which would have helped, and the start and finish positions were exactly the same as today so why hasn’t it been broken?  Steve Marchant was a fraction of seconds behind Phil that day and would also have broken the record."

 

ROAD & PATH CYCLING ASSOCIATION

Pete S  spotted this sign on the side of the oldest pub in Chester. Apparently the Road and Path Cycling Association dates back to 1889. Pete also found this info online; 

The Road & Path Cycling Association formed as a Limited Company in 1889. It existed for only two or three decades into the 20th century.  At the time it was probably seen as a rival to the Cyclists Touring Club, the National Cycling Union (NCU) and the National Clarion Cycling Club, offering as it did benefits of membership:

The Road and Path Cycling Association are displaying the greatest energy and arranging and supplying full details for delightful spins about pretty and interesting parts of the country around London. Cyclists who have not the chance, or the wish, to ride with their own particular friends will be well advised in sending for particulars to Mr. R. B. Oakley, the hon. secretary, at Rooms 22 to 24, 11, Queen Victoria-street, E.C. There is every chance that these carefully-planned parties will prove very successful

Making your mark was a bit competitive between the organisations to identify cycling friendly hostelries and more. Here is the CTC 'wings' on 'The Smugglers' at alfriston. Our regular stop on the Estbourne Ride:

OUR KID'S DAYS MAY BE NUMBERED ...

The head of Stanley Park High, in Carshalton has had a terrific idea. All pupils to his school will, from Monday, have display a number plate if they cycle to school. No plate, no entry. This so any naughty behaviour out of school and thee culprit can be reported and dealt with.

This is so brilliant one wonders why no-one thought of it before. I mean kids on bikes can be a nuisance. Why stop there? More kids get to school by other means and can cause even more nuisance.

Hence I really look forward to the scherme being extended to those that walk and run [tattoo-ed to their foreheads perhaps?] and particulary to those delivered by car - already having number plates. Wouldn't it be great if that number plate was seen doing anything wrong around town - then it too should be banned from the delivering kids to school.

I can't wait for the next amazing idea to get more kids on bikes : https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-45636870

RIDE REPORTS

Saturday 22nd September: Pete, Miles & Karen get proper closure beyond Bletchingly: https://anerleybc.org/saturday-ride-22nd-september-2018/

Thursday 28th September: The Centenery of AB Calder's death of his wounds in Rouen. Today six members of the club remembered what he and other club members sacrificed in that war. A picture today from the military cemetery en route from Purley to Paris..

UPCOMING RIDES

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FINALLY: The Sunday Ride to Aldi