February 2002

NEWS FROM DOWN UNDER

Hello…. Sid Old 'reporting' from Down Under.

We arrived in Perth Australia on 1st December 2001 to be met with a temperature of 80f plus. Wow. We have been here for a little over two months now. We have bought a bungalow and a car and received our shipment of furniture from the U.K - all intact I am pleased to say. We feel as if we have been here forever.

I go out training four mornings a week with three friends covering on average between 40/60 miles per morning at the moment. I am not very fit so get hammered. I thought I was fit enough to ride a 35 min.crit last week though but I soon realised that I was not ready to compete when after three laps of a ten lap race I was shelled out of the back.

One of the first tasks after arriving here was to discard my mudguards and add an extra bottle cage to my bike. I need to drink four bottles of water in a 60-mile ride to combat dehydration especially when the temperature reaches 90/100, as it has been some days. It is high summer here now.

I had a new experience the other day when I inadvertently rode over a 5ft.poisonous snake. We see kangaroos, iguanas and lots of different coloured parrots while out and about plus many other creatures we are not used to. We have a beautiful park opposite our house and all and more wild life live in there. Vicki does not like spiders at all and believe me some of them can be as big as a man’s hand. They are called ‘huntsman’. Not that we have seen one yet. If I find one would you like me to send it to you?

I will sign off for the moment, so that I can go back to my ‘recliner’ in the garden with my cold beer in the shade of our palm trees.

Regards
Sid and Vicki

CLUB WEEKEND IRON BRIDGE 2001

It was a beautiful sunny day (this can’t be, it’s normally raining) and 26 of us met in the Mills. After a chat and a cup of tea and loading the bags into the support cars, we assembled outside for the photo shoot, and then we set off 20 of us on bikes and 5 in cars. Before long the group had swollen to 30 or more having caught the laughing group halfway down Capenhurst Lane, (wonder if I will see the front today?).

The pace was nice and steady as we headed away, with anticipation of what was to come. The laughing group turned off shortly after, leaving the rest of us heading for Ellesmere for lunch. After a quick pee stop shortly after Shocklach (too much tea) we decided to visit an old church Jack had told us about but realised we had already passed it so we pressed on. Just before Ellesmere there was a sharp climb, Chris Byrne, Mike Garner, and a few others decided to be first to the café and attacked up the climb. Luckily Peter Byrne shouts "PUNCTURE" and we all stopped while he fixed it.

We decided to send smaller groups to the café so not to overcrowd it, Chris, Mike and a few others went in the first wave, then the 2nd wave a few minutes later. Peter was a long time fixing his puncture, because the valve extension for deep section rims has stuck on the tube (He will have these bone shaker wheels). Pete eventually repairs the puncture and the last group head for Ellesmere.

Jack McAllister and Steve Light who had been following in the cars, and Mike Daily who rode out having had to work until 11a.m join us for lunch, it’s beans on toast all round. One beans on toast FOC with the café having made one too many but this did not go to waste (with cyclists? You must be joking), and we’re ready to leave the café around 2pm. Before we get going we have two more punctures: Cliff (Smiler) Dutton and Pete Davies these were soon repaired and with the help of Steve Light’s track pump with its extra, extra long hose inflated to 100 p.s.i. We’re ready to go.

Dave (Routefinder general) Russell had planned the route with the help of his computer - we had 6 pages of maps taking us through Wem, Shawbury, Attingham etc and all the muddiest lanes he could find, with everybody trying not to be behind any of those without mudguards. Stopping several times to look at the map and doing a circuit of one small village. With the speed a bit too fast for these narrow lanes the inevitable was about to happen, as we came around a sharp right hander, a van coming in the opposite direction and going too fast caused Peter Young and Geoff Brandt to swerve and crash. Bikes OK, but Geoff had hurt his shoulder but he was able to carry on.

The going had been fairly flat so far and only 5 miles to go to Ironbridge, GREAT! But Dave Russell had other plans. "We're going the wrong way," he said so we turned around and headed in the opposite direction away from Ironbridge! And take the next left. As we turn left Jack McAllister and Steve Light shout us from a car park, and after a short stop and some home-made bun loaf Jack had made and the drinking bottles topped up by Steve, it’s off again. Dave found us some nice long and some quite severe climbs for the last 8 miles or so then it’s down a long descent and into Ironbridge. But which way is the hostel? After looking at the map and several consultations later we ask somebody the way.

We arrive at the YHA at Coalport just the other side of Ironbridge around 5 p.m. and after sorting out where to put the bikes and the sleeping arrangements it’s a quick shower and into casuals, dinner is at 7 p.m. which was well worth the wait. A 3-course menu and all the coffee or tea you could drink. Mike Garner, Chris Byrne, and Andrew Christie had already found one of the local drinking houses before dinner and had sampled the beer. We made our way over the bridge across the river to the Boathouse a quaint little pub with just enough seats for us all. After several pints, Ronny (the guitar man) Birkett gave us a few tunes with Roly and myself helping with the vocals (I must have been drunk). I think it was around 11 p.m. when some of them made tracks back to the hostel, leaving only the ---- heads behind who followed on around 11.30 p.m. waking all those who had returned early from their beauty sleep. I fell fast asleep even the sound of Danny’s snoring that apparently sounds like a jet engine did not awake me.

I was woken by somebody shouting to Danny to go back to bed after he had forgotten to put his watch back thinking that it was 7.30 instead of 6.30.

The next morning everybody was down for breakfast at around 8 p.m. I felt very rough due to alcohol poisoning but tried to eat some breakfast. We all assembled outside the hostel a slightly smaller group then yesterday, having lost Keith Boardman, Peter Young and his partner Carol, and Geoff Brandt whose shoulder was still sore from yesterday’s crash. Ronny Birkett and Mike Daly had decided to take the shorter way home. We left the hostel around 10-am and ride ½ mile down to Ironbridge and stop to look at the map. This way GULP!

A lovely long climb, up we go, it must have been about a mile or so long or seemed like. I finally reach the top some way off the back of the group and feeling I should have gone home in one of the cars. The group stops at the top to look at the map and I manage to catch up. We make our way towards Much Wenlock and over the edge of the Wrekin Beacons and several more climbs for the next 7 miles or so, and then we drop down to the flatter plains of Shropshire. We met up with the rest of the group in the café at Prees Heath and sit down to a well deserved lunch followed by some more of Jack’s bun loaf, he must have made lots of the stuff.

The ride back to the Mills went with out incident except for Andy Temp trying to get Mike Garner to go on the front and ending up on the grass verge. We arrived back at the Mills around 3.30 with the sun still shining. Everyone collected their bags and made their way home. Cliff and I sat outside and chatted while we waited for Carol (his wife) to pick him up. Then I rode home while Cliff had the long haul back to Cheltenham. An excellent weekend I hope the weather is as good for the next one but I can’t promise!

Mel Vasey

LIVERPOOL 10

As mentioned in last month’s newsletter we are having a club night out in Liverpool. For anyone interested it is a week on Saturday, and I think the consensus of opinion was that we should meet up at 8pm in Yates’s in Queen Square. On the ground floor preferably. Hope to see you there.

Les Kennedy

TEAM TIME TRIALS 2 UP AND 4 UPS

Chris Quinn and I are trying to organise the club to enter more time trials and with a view to this Chris has searched the R.T.T.C handbook and come up with several 2 up and 4up Time trials.

Come to the clubroom for more information or contact Chris or me for the dates we have at the moment.

The 4up in particular is going to take some organising not to mention practice!

But the first of these isn’t to July so lets get organised.

Peter

R.T.T.C HANDBOOKS

The R.T.T.C handbooks are now available and are selling out fast, I have already sold the first 24 and had to order a further supply, so if you haven’t had yours yet you can get them from me at the clubroom or contact me, and I will arrange delivery.

CLUB TEA

A message to all that attended the Christmas Club Tea that you need to pay £5 to Ru as soon as possible.

BRING AND BUY SALE

At the clubroom on Thursday 28th February we are holding a bring and buy sale.

So get in your garage and dust down the cobwebs and bring along any spare kit or equipment you may have (also free donations will be gratefully accepted as our young juveniles are always looking for a bargain or even a freebie)

TURBO SESSIONS

We have resumed the turbo sessions that we held before Christmas; the date of the next one is February 21st 7.30 START!

Either Clive Walmsley or myself will take these sessions so bring your bike, a turbo, drinks, a towel and a fan to keep you cool.

Its good fun and good training.

RACING AND TESTING

Are you new to the club or the sport? Would you like more information about racing be it time trialing track or road?

If you would like to know more about the mysteries of the BCF, RTTC, TLI, LVRC, or VTTC. Come down to the clubroom and we will be happy to help you with any enquiries.

We have two BCF qualified coaches in our club as well as numerous experienced riders, who will be more than pleased to help you.

If you cant make the clubroom don’t hesitate to phone or email me or Chris Quinn Chris.Quinn@EmersonProcess.com

Keep sending any articles for inclusion in your newsletter!!!

SILVER TROPHY SEARCH

Has anyone in the club got any information on the whereabouts of one of our old trophies?

When we recently overhauled our collection of cups and shields it was pointed out that one of our trophies is missing!

It is an old silver Teapot so it is quite distinctive; any information please let me know.

IAN BOULT

Our best wishes go out to Ian Boult. As some members will know he has been quite ill recently. But latest reports are that he has had surgery and is out of intensive care and on the mend!

Get back on your bike soon Ian as you are needed in the Isle of Man!

TEST FOR TESTERS

Have you had a max heart rate test? If not why not arrange one at the clubroom?

The club have a turbo, with power output indicator, which can be used inconjuntion with your heart rate monitor not only to determine your maximum heart rate, but also your state of fitness.

For more details contact Geoff Brandt or myself.

These facilities exist in the club and could make a big difference to your season, so why not make use of them?

TRACK NIGHT

The last track night of the winter is coming up on the 21st March, 8pm at Manchester Velodrome.

Hire your bike in advance on 0161 223 2244.

Previous Newsletters:
2002 January
2001 January February March April May June July August September October November December
2000 January February March April May June July August September October November December
1999 January February March April May June July August September October November December
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