Ampthill Cyclists

Waterloo Sunset- Village People Revival Tour 2011?

2011-10-17T10:42:00.000-07:00

Tour 2011- London-Essex- Hertford- Home- Coming Soon
For more photos click on

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ampthillbikesbeerandbanter/

They'll Always Have Paris

2011-09-21T11:31:00.000-07:00

Following the mass ride to Addenbrookes and back earlier in the summer, Ampthill Cyclists have been involved in another, even more impressive, charity ride with new recruits Pauls 1&2 completing a grueling 300 mile ride from London to Paris. The ride was in aid of the very worthy Alzheimer's Society and donations can be made by following the link in Paul Heerey's email to the Chairman below
Both Pauls can be seen looking tres chic in their newly acquired Ampthill shirts in the photo opposite.
Great effort chaps!

Subject: London to Paris Sponsored Bike Ride
Brian

Paul Hoare and myself completed our cycle to Paris on Sunday after four days, 305 miles and too many hills to count! On the whole, weather was good with not too much rain although the wind on the last couple of days was pretty bad.

Thought you might like to share with the guys the photographic evidence of our achievements and confirmation that the 'Old Sun' shirts made it all the way to the Eiffel Tower!

The ride was organised to raise money for the Alzheimer's Society and so far between us we've raised over £3,000. If anyone wants to add to this sum then they can still do so via the following link:

http://www.justgiving.com/Paul-Heerey0

See you soon.

Regards.

Paul & Paul

X- Rated

2011-09-13T12:47:00.000-07:00

The X-men Commeth

With the summer rain coming down all morning and well into the afternoon, the number of potential riders was falling like Indian test wickets. One after another the pessimists in the crew decided there was no chance of it clearing up and decided to opt out of the evening ride. Even our own Iron Man, Everton, decided it was going to be too wet (possibly fear of rust?) and elected to go to the gym along with several other of our more sensible colleagues.

Everton has recently qualified as an X-Biking instructor and runs several classes a week at the local leisure centre. X-Biking is a cross between spinning, cross training and sadomasochism, especially when Ev's calling the shots, Those who have been joining in have certainly seen increased fitness levels in a very short period of time. We' re hoping Everton will be able to arrange weekly sessions for the whole club when our Thursday night rides finish in a few weeks time.

Anyway, back to the real cycling. By 4 o'clock we were down to about four definites and a couple of "maybes". It was still raining but the Ampthill weather centre still insisted it would stop at 18.00, there'd be a brief but heavy shower at 19.00 and then it would clear up. After a brief debate about deferring until 19.00, the optimists amongst us decided to throw caution to the wind and seven of us set-off into the gloom at our usual time.

Our optimism was somewhat tempered by the black clouds on the horizon and we chose a prudent route that would keep us reasonably close to home should we need to bail out at any time. Heading out to Tingrith via Steppingly, we began the slow grind up Long Lane to Toddington. At a touch under two miles, Long Lane is aptly named; about two thirds of it is up-hill and it has always been one of our bigger challenges. At least tonight it was cool, the wind was behind us and there were none of the fast boys to make we mere mortals feel inadequate. Even so, David Doors was very glad to complete his inaugural assent and can now well and truly claim to be an Ampthill Cyclist.

As we entered Toddington on the dot of 19.00 the heavens opened right on cue. Pulling over to don water proofs, some how we managed to lose Kieth and Greavsie. Most of us were convinced Mick had done his usual disappearing-off-the-front trick and as Kieth is one of the fastest descenders amongst us we thought he'd led the charge down hill into Milton Bryan. It was only when phones started ringing at he bottom of the hill and we picked up some fairly abusive messages that we realised we'd left them both at the top of Long Lane.
Milton Bryan is a somewhat genteel village and the locals clearly don't think much of being invaded by Lycra clad louts from the other side of Woburn Park. I think they thought we were casing the joint as we waited for Mick & Kieth and we got some very strange looks from passing traffic.
Fortunately the rain had stopped and after regrouping we headed on to Woburn, climbing through the deer park to Eversholt, Steppingly and back to the Albion and the Old Sun for some excellent beer and some not too bad banter.

Not the longest of rides, but well worth the effort and the soaking. One up for optimism.

Perfect Day?

2011-08-13T08:43:00.000-07:00

Scenes of Southill

It wasn't quite like the song, the day wasn't really perfect but the end certainly was.

Weather was excellent, company was stimulating and as for the route...

A variation on an old favourite, we headed out to Maulden, up Limbersley lane and across to Ickwell via Old Warden before turning for home via Southill and Ireland . Picking up the newly surfaced cycle track along the A507 we cut through to Clophill and the Stone Jug.

The rolling landscape around Southill and Old Warden must be some of the nicest in Bedfordshire and with the evening sun reflecting off the ripening corn it was easy to imagine we were in far more exotic climes.

Having remarked earlier in the season on the novelty of being a group of more than 10, it now seems to be the norm; this week there were 12 of us. With the majority wearing club colours and, for once, managing to stick in something resembling a peleton, we cut an impressive dash across the Bedfordshire countryside, cruising at a steady 20 mph for much of the ride.

Where's my bike?

This felt pretty good until we we joined the route of Bedford CC's weekly time trial on the edge of Old Warden- and realised we couldn't keep up with the "real" cyclists. Mick & Gary had a very good go- trying to catch an attractive female rider as she sped past the main group. I'm sure it wasn't the first time these two have been left as broken, breathless wrecks by a woman and it probably won't be the last.

The previous week the Stone Jug had been swamped by Morris Men and their groupies so we'd decided to ride on to the White Hart at Maulden. This felt very alien but it was quite nice to ride up Badger Hill without a pint of beer in each leg for once.

Don't Try This at Home!

I'm not sure what attracts grown men to dress up in brightly coloured silly clothes and travel around the pubs of England making lots of noise but the Morris Men probablyy think pretty much the same about us.
It was nice to see the Chairman in the pub, chauffeured by Madame Chair. He's recovering from a pretty nasty mountain bike accident that involved a face plant and and resulted in two broken fingers (See opposite). Although unable to ride for a month or so, he can at least still hold a beer glass and he's been able to type enough to send off the latest order for club kit. It's incredible how excited middle aged men can get about the buying of new clothes and we must have looked like a bunch of women at a Tupperware Party as we compared orders. It will be interesting to see how Mick copes with his new bib tights when he gets caught short on the way home from the pub.
Not for the first time, we decided the beer and the atmosphere in the Stone Jug was too good to leave so we had another pint before tackling the dreaded Badger Hill.
A very pleasant 24 miles in great countryside and great company.

Who Are You?

2011-07-27T11:38:00.000-07:00

While it may be an exaggeration to say that Ampthill Cyclists have "gone viral", it's almost impossible to keep up with the rate the club's growing. Having seen hardly any new members for several years, it seems new faces are turning up on a weekly basis. And they seem to come back week after week.
At the last count 23 different riders had been out this season and the Chairman's considering introducing name tags. I'm not sure if this is so he remebers our names or his own!

The past month or so has seen routes taking in variously Salford via Cranfield & Marston, Pulloxhill via Campton, Clophill via Tingrith & Gravenhurst and Ridgmont via Eversholt, Woburn & Aspley Guise.

One epic ride went via Wilstead, Cotton End and Ickwell totalling some 32 miles. Some reports have this as a masterly piece of route planning while others suggest that nobody really knew where they were going and they just followed their noses. Any way, it was a bit of a shock for new recruit John Paul (JP). At 22 miles, the previous week's ride had been the furthest he'd ever ridden, nevertheless he managed the additonal 10 miles and keeps coming back for more.

By all accounts some serious re-hydration took place at the Stone Jug & Old Sun that night and one or two members had to face some difficult conversations when they finally got home.

Like the rest of the group, the new riders are of mixed age and fitness, Paul 1 & Paul 2 are training for a charity ride to Paris, Keith ( not to be confused with our resident typo, Kieth) bought a bike, rode 70 miles for the British Heart Foundation and then decided he'd like to carry on; Young Andy looks like he was born on a bike.

The overall pace has undoubtedly increased. One member commented on the distinct smell of testosterone at the front of the pack the other week as Everton and the newbies tested each other out. Somebody else remarked that the smell's always there but it's usually masked by the stench of bullshit!

Anyway, it's all making for an interesting and fun packed summer and bodes well for the end of season tour.

Our Finest Hour? 10th-12th June

2011-07-04T01:34:00.000-07:00

Starting with our very own Ironman- Everton, completing a 100 mile trek around Ampthill in just over 24 hrs ("Why?" you may well ask) and finishing with a small but select team (Chedge,Blunty, Everton & Mick) winning the Amphtill Festival boules trophy, this must have been one of our most noteworthy weekends. Sandwiched between these two events 11 members plus two wives completed a gruelling charity ride to Addenbrookes Hospital and back to raise money for the Starlight Children's Foundation and The Sick Children's Trust (See Bethan's Bike Ride below).

In total, some 40 riders took part in this 80+ mile trip which took in a photo opportunity at Bedford hospital and finished the with a knees-up at Ampthill Rugby Club. Latest reports indicate that the total amount raised was approaching a magnificent £20,000. The club members involved were: -

Mr & Mrs Chairman, Mr & Mrs CP, (both couples riding in tandem), Loren, Mick, John, Gary, Burts Jnr & Snr, Clive, Mick & Mark, with back-up provided by Joe K-J.

This was a superb effort, thanks in no small part to Loren's organisation and cajoling.

We really aren't sure why Everton undertook his challenge and I'm not absolutely certain that he is either, but it's certainly provided a good conversation point. There's apparently no truth in the rumour that was locked out and spent the night wandering between Ampthill & Maulden looking for his key.

Equally silly but much less demanding was Le Bicyclette's retention of the Ampthill boules trophy in torrential rain. This was the third time in succession that a team from the club has won the competition. Unfortunately this year's turnout was hampered by the weather but at least it stayed dry for the two big challenges of the weekend.

Do You Come From a Land Down Under?

2011-06-16T03:14:00.000-07:00

Having recently discovered a new tool that analyses traffic flow to this blog, it was intriguing to see that there have been nearly 3000 hits from Australia in the past year.

Now, I'm aware of at least three cyclists from the Ampthill area who have emigrated in the past few years but I can't imagine any of them is homesick enough to spend their time looking at posts about cycling in Bedfordshire when they could be out riding in the sun (or watching England whip their hosts on the cricket pitch.)

I don't know much about T'internet, but am advised by a mate who works in web advertising that search engines pick up on certain words in the text.

At the risk of being accused of applying racial stereotypes, I suppose Beer and Banter may stand out to the average Australian and there was mention of the Southern Cross hotel in one post but other than that, it's hard to see the attraction. If you do happen to be reading this on the other side of the world, drop us a line to say what attracted you in the first place. (Assuming this post has not alienated you forever!)

At least one can see some connection to Australia but as to last month's hits from Kazakhstan.... I did read Vinokourov was looking for anew team but I don't think he'd like playing domestic the Everton!

Cock & Bull- 2nd June

2011-06-04T02:28:00.000-07:00

I was a bit worried to read the the first line of the Chairman's text which said " I'm thinking of Cock"! Having opened the note I realised he was proposing a ride to the Cock at Broom. Lying at the outer edge of our range for a Thursday night ride, this quirky little pub has been the subject of an annual pilgrimage since the very early days of Ampthill Cyclists.

With only three weeks to mid-summers day and maximum daylight hours and yet another pretty well perfect evening for cycling, this proved to be an excellent proposal. Once again 10 riders set out via Water End, Clophill and Haynes, before Crossing the A600 to Ireland. Southill and Broom.

As predicted, David the Doors wasn't put off by his first outing and the rest of the crew included Richard the Pub (first ride of the year), Everton, Brian, Clive, Chedge, Nick, Gary, Loren and Mick. We trundled along at a very respectable 15 mph through some beautiful countryside and chocolate box villages and arrived at the Cock at in a little under an hour.

We've been going to the Cock for as long as we've been riding out on Thursday evenings. There's no denying that it's interesting- being one of very few pubs without a proper bar servery. The barman stands in the cellar which is a few steps below the bar and pours beer directly from the cask. As you can imagine, it goes down a storm with the CAMRA types but unfortunately it seems to lack regular local customers.

The beer's not bad (hard to muck it up when there are no pipes to clean) but the place is looking tired and I'd go so far as to say it's not even the best pub in Broom any more- that title going to the White Horse. Anyway, it was pleasant to sit in the courtyard and quoff a couple of pints before heading back towards home.

The route back picked up the surfaced bridleway around the back of Chicksands to Apsley Corner and then retraced our tracks back to Haynes. Avoiding the pull of the Stone Jug we decided to take the high road, dropping down Limbersley Lane to the White Hart in Maulden.

The Dangerous Brothers, aka Everton & Mick, went off the front. No problem when you know where you are going but somehow they managed to confuse London Lane with Limbersley Lane, ending up in Houghton Conquest. The Chairman received a very sheepish phone call from Mick to say he'd not be joining us at the White Hart but would go straight to the Old Sun. This would've been funny had we not realised that Mick was holding the kitty.

After a swift pint of GK IPA (bought out of a second whip) we left the White Hart, some heading home and others going off to the Old Sun in the hope that Mick hadn't drunk his way through the remains of the kitty.

By the time we got back we'd just about clocked 30 miles at 15 mph having had a very enjoyable evening. Good call Chairman!

One Hit Wonders19th May

2011-06-01T10:05:00.000-07:00

There can't have been many Thursday evenings when we've broken double figures (cyclists not miles), but the continued good weather brought out 10 riders on another bright spring evening.

Our numbers were bolstered by latest recruit, David-the-Doors. After seeing our website (yes someone actually reads it!), David had been trying to track us down for a number of weeks. He finally managed to make contact having been given a number by somebody he met in the pub- very apposite for Ampthill Cyclists. Despite getting the full induction from Mick, indications were that he'd return in the future, unlike countless others who have only managed a single outing.

The list of "one hit wonders" is too long to produce here but, like The Crazy World of Arthur Brown See (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOErZuzZpS8) one or two of them do stand out. The reasons for not returning, I'm sure, are many and varied but I think more than their fair share are linked to alcohol. In some cases this is because "serious" cyclists have turned up expecting an 80k training run and have been shocked that we stopped in a pub (the clue's in the strap line!), while others have expected a two wheeled pub crawl and could not cope with the "Bikes" part. One local hod carrier and his mate had obviously spent the afternoon in the pub before joining us. They were last seen somewhere around the Chequers at Millbrook.

Some six or seven years ago we were approached by a guy in the Stone Jug and asked if he could come along the following week. As he was in the pub and had seen that we all liked a glass of beer,it seemed reasonable to think that he'd sussed the level of the club We were delighted that somebody wanted to join us and looked forward to seeing him out with us. I'm not sure who was most shocked when he turned the next Thursday up with wife, teenage daughter & son in tow but it was no surprise when they failed to make a second appearance.

Any way onto the ride. The route was a mixture of regular haunts and some roads less travelled as we set off through Steppingley, past Tingrith to Westoning and on to Harlington. Dropping down Harlington Hill we rode through Barton and on to Higham Gobian, Shillington and Clophill before stopping off at the Stone Jug.
Apart from Mr Hopes stopping the traffic in Barton to avoid having his front light run over, there were few incidents. The pace was brisk and it was pretty evident who had been training for the Addenbrookes run (see below) and who's still in couch potato mode but it looked like the Chairman had been doing some moonlight rides judging by the way he sped up Badger Hill en route to the Old Sun.
BR/Chedge/Clive/Mick/Nick/Gary/Everton/Keith/John/David-the Doors. About 24 miles.

Bethan's Bike Ride- 11th June 2011

2011-06-01T09:37:00.000-07:00

To paraphrase Lance Armstong, it's not just about the bikes, beer & banter. Like many of the guys, Loren has long term connections with Ampthill Rugby Club and was moved to receive the note below from a first team prop Simon Sapvins. The up-shot is that Mick, Brian, Richard-the-Pub, Mark-the Fireman, Clive, Gary, John & CP have all signed up for the 90+ mile ride. When asked last week, it seemed they are at various points in their training regimes from "haven't started" to "not been off the bike for a month" but I'm sure pure determination will get them through what promises to be a tough but extremely rewarding day.

The latest available info is that an incredible £7600 has already been pledged to the event. If you'd like to make a donation, use the link below.

http://www.justgiving.com/bethansbikeridestarlightchildrensfoundation
http://www.justgiving.com/bethansbikeridethesickchildrenstrust

Good Luck to all concerned and best wishes to Bethan and her family.

Dear Friends,

Over the last ten months, as you are aware, Bethan has been seriouslly ill and reguarly in and out of hospital. During this time it gave Angharad and I time to reflect and we became increasingly aware how important charities are in providing help, fun, and support to the seriously sick children and their families. This time made Angharad and I think of ways in which we could potentially raise money for charity and after a few drinks on New Year's Eve with a couple of the Ampthill Rugby oldboys (the old is the giveaway!) we came up with the idea of a charity bike ride to Bedford Hospital and then Addenbrookes and back.

We have set the date of Saturday 11th June 2011 for the bike ride and we will be setting off from Ampthill Rugby Club early in the morning, cycling to Bedford Hospital, onto Addenbrookes for a few photo's, and then back to Ampthill to meet family and friends at the rugby club for a BBQ and few beers with plenty of John Wayne impressions and the opportunity to raise more money for the charities. Please spread the word to friends and family to put the date in the diary and join us up at the club to see us ride back and celebrate afterwards.

The charities that we have chosen are Starlight (www.starlight.org.uk) and the Sick Childrens Trust (www.sickchildrenstrust.org) and both have already advised that they will fully support the ride and event. We will also shortly be setting up a just giving page for both charities to enable the fund raising to commence.

Although we have spoken to some of you about joining us for the whole ride or a section (i.e. Ampthill to Bedford , Addenbrookes to Ampthill) we need to firm up numbers and some of us will need to commence some training (!). If you are interested in coming on what will be a great day for a couple of worthwhile charities then please let us know asap. Please note that numbers are not restricted and the more people that take part the more money we will make so if you are interested or feel there is anybody else that might be interested then please let us know. If you are a yes please let us know your T Shirt Sizes as Angharad will organise them from the Charities.

If you need any insentive then just watch Starlight at 7:30pm every wednesday night on Channel Five and you'll then respond with a definate yes! Bethan appears in the episode on the 13th April.

Look forward to hearing from you.

Simon & Angharad x

Days of Albion- 5th May

2011-05-22T05:57:00.000-07:00

During his time at Anfield, one of the many criticisms of Gerad Houllier was that Liverpool almost never fielded the same team in consecutive games. In recent times much can be said of Ampthill Cycle Club,as the increased membership and inability of many of us to manage our diaries means you just never know who's going to show up.

Variety is the spice of life,as they say, and this has certainly added to the enjoyment over the last couple of years. So far this season, the first three rides have seen an average of seven riders while 14 different members have been out.

This week's motley clue comprised Mick,Chedge, Everton, John, Young Joe, Kieth and Mark-the-Fireman.
The absence of the Chairman added to the usual disorganisation and meant there was no pre-planned route. Thinking on our feet, or in the saddle, we decided on the old favourite of Steppingly, Eversholt, Milton Bryan, Potsgrove & Woburn, with an initial plan to stop at the Green Man on the way home. After calling for Kieth like a bunch of sub- adolescent school boys, we finally got on the way on another bright and breezy April evening.
Squad rotation and the tendency to consume too much beer during the season are probably the only two similarities we have with Premier League football teams. However if we were a Premier League Club then, surely Everton would be a our very own Ryan Giggs- gracefully driving us on despite being several years older than most of the crew. [Mention of RG is in no way a gratuitous attempt to drive traffic to this site-Ed]
Much as I'd like to think of myself as the David Beckham of the team, the fact that I'm well past my sell by date and spend most of my time right at the back probably makes me more of a David "Calamity" James. Any way, enough of football.

With varying levels of fitness this early in the season, it was not surprising that we were well strung out up the climb to Milton Bryan but we re-grouped before tackling the main road towards Woburn. It was strange riding through Potsgrove without Joe K-J providing his "All Our Yesterdays" commentary- but there were one or passable impersonations from the"young old boys".

Everton pulled us along at a brisk pace and we arrived in Woburn well ahead of schedule. After a quick conflab we agreed it was too early to go to the Green Man and that we would ride around the perimeter wall of Woburn Abbey rather than going through the deer park. So, 30 seconds later off sets half the team, heading straight through the middle of the deer park.
I'm really beginning to think we should change our name to the Goldfish Cycling Club!

We'd agreed to stop at the French Horn before heading back to Ampthill but after another brief debate we decided to head to the Albion for some real beer in a real pub (at sensible prices). This proved to be a very good call and, as seems to be increasingly the case, we decided the beer was so good that we made this our only stop of the night.

Come Out to Play (Now the Light Nights Are Here) 21/4/2011

2011-05-02T05:19:00.000-07:00

22 Dreams may not be Paul Weller's greatest album; indeed some of the fillers sound like they were lifted from Pearl & Dean cinema ads, but, hidden amongst the also-rans is the excellent Light Nights (see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGqDn00As0c).

The light, and un-seasonally sunny, nights certainly proved a great draw for our first official ride of 2011, and eight goodmen and true (Brian, Blunty, Mark the Fireman, Mick, Loren, Clive and Chedge) set out from the Old Sunon a warm Thursday. It's become something of a tradition that the first ride of the year heads out out to Haynes, via Clophill and Great Lane. All too often it's been a truncated affair with the elements convincing us to spend as much time in the pub as on the bike. This year was different and we added an extra loop through Silver End, along the A600 towards Shefford, picking up the surfaced bridelway behind Chicksands before rejoining our original route at Apsley Corner.

Spirits were buoyed by the glorious weather and the golden rape fields of the Bedfordshire countryside mirrored the the bright sunshine. Shorts revealed many pairs of knees that wouldn't normally be seen until well into May, but perhaps the most unusual thing was that Mick had cleaned and lubed his bike, had batteries in his lights AND a spare tube!

As we headed towards the Stone Jug, Mark the Fireman just happened to drop out the he would be celebrating his 50th birthday while on rugby tour over the weekend. I'd always thought that Mark was several years, rather than a few months, younger than me and kidded myself that that was the main reason for our relative fitness levels. This is clearly not the case. Nor can I blame the fitness gap on having had a harder paper round than him since he has spent much of his life chasing around putting out fires while I've been pushing a pen (or keyboard) for most of mine. Perhaps the clue lies at least in part in the fact that Mark left us outside the Stone Jug to pack for rugby tour while the rest of us went in to sample the local ales! Anyway, Happy Birthday, Mark- we drank a toast in your absence.

The welcome at the Stone Jug was as warm as the weather, and the beer up to its' usual high standard. It was very hard to drag ourselves away for the slog up Badger Hill and chase back to the Old Sun. Continuing the theme of warmth, most of the remaining crew partook of Paddy's extra hot curry, making the most of Friday being a bank holiday and staying for an extra pint or two.
A very enjoyable if not record-breaking 22 miles.

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

2010-12-27T07:50:00.000-08:00

They say that time passes quicler as we get older and I can certainly say that my 50th year seems to have gone considerably fasterer than each of the previous 49. It hardly seems any time since I was writing about last year's Christmas ride and meal, but here we are half way through the festive season and looking forward to the New Year celebrations.

This years Christmas do was held on 4th December. Heavy snow during the preceding week had put the ride in some doubt, but a timely thaw enabled half a dozen hardy souls to complete a short trip around Ireland, Northill and Southill, partaking of an obligatory beer or two in the Stone Jug before heading home in drizzle to get ready for the evening's festivities.

Newly self appointed Social Secretary, Mick, had selected the Green Man at Eversholt as this year's venue. This is a fairly regular stopping off point for us during the summer and Mick has developed something of a love-hate relationship with the landlady- You've guessed it; he loves her and she, well at best tolerates him as long as we keep him on a short leash. She was delighted to accept the phone booking but apparently was a bit taken aback when Mick turned up to pay the deposit. I suppose in the current climate, beggars really can't be choosers, and she was happy to take his money.

Due to various holidays and other commitments, numbers were a bit down on previous years but by all accounts a very good time was had by all- food, service and beer all coming up to scratch, and there was a some good hearted banter with the other groups in the restaurant.

Highlight of the evening was the annual awarding of the Pink Barbie Cycle Helmet to the biggest arse of the year. Despite having done an excellent job of organising the revelries, Mick had done more than enough through the year to retain the trophy he won last year. I'm told Ladbrooks have stopped taking bets on him completing a hat-trick and winning the trophy outright in 2011!

For many of us, one of the highlights of Christmas in Ampthill has long been the annual carol service at the Old Sun. Like Ampthill Cyclists, there are differing views as to when this first started, but it was well over twenty years ago and it's still going strong. This is thanks to the conducting of Raff Troianno and a subset of Ampthill Town Band.

This year's event took place on 21st December and, despite the snow lying deep and crisp and even, the Old Sun was full to the gunnels. This was in no small way due to the cycle club turning out en masse with about half of our regualr members and their respective partners in attendance.

Several of the crew, including Joe, CP and Clive do have very good voices; unfortunately they couldn't make it this year. We thought we harmonised beautifully, but a subsequent posting on Facebook of our rendition of While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks ( to the tune of Ilkley Moor Bar T'at) proved this not to be the case.

The emphasis has really always been on quantity rather than quality and, despite Raff's attempts to whip us into shape over the years I don't think the Old Sun Choral Society will be coming to a venue near you any time soon.

Anyway it was a rousing, fun packed evening thanks to Paddy, Jenny, Jay, Raff and the band.

Merry Xmas and Happy New Year.

Three Peaks Challenge

2010-11-07T08:30:00.000-08:00

While the rest of us were messing about in the relative molehills of the Chilterns, Everton and Andrew Paisley were taking part in a serious ride as they tackled the Thee Peaks Challenge on their bikes. Below is Everton's account of this epic journey. it puts our tour in perspective!: -

"Hi everyone

Back in one piece last Thursday evening. Most certainly the hardest thing I have ever done !!

Climbed Snowdon on Friday 25th and the following day cycled 113 miles and camped for the night in Wigan (delightful place - not). The following day we cycled a further 100 miles and should have climbed Scafell Pike on the same day but we had underestimated the hills in and around the Lake District (a lot of 25% hills - in fact, too many!!)

The following day we climbed the Pike in the morning and then decided (God knows why !!)to climb a relatively small mountain called Green Gables - we underestimated the time it should have taken. We thought about an hour but it took 3. After that we were well and truly knackered and way behind schedule. However, we got back on the bikes and gave it everything in order to make up the time we had lost. We then cycled a further 92 miles finishing around 9pm. Three of us cycling along major A roads in the pitch black was a nightmare!! The following day we cycled a further 90 miles before making camp and contemplating the long cycle ride into Fort William and the the last climb. The next day we encountered torrential rain and really cold weather - we cycled 65 miles to Ben Nevis and completed the climb in 4hrs 30 mins (around 7.30pm) which was not too bad considering what we had already done previously.

Suffice to say we were showered and defrosted and in the pub by 9.30pm. A great night was had by all.

We covered a total of around 460 miles at an average of 92 miles a day over 5 days - and yes I managed to keep up with the 2 youngsters (my son Andrew - 22yrs and his mate James - 23yrs) but it was far from easy !! After day 2 I had saddle sores and therefore had to cycle for many of the remaining miles out of the saddle.

Would I do it again ?? The answer is yes and the next time I intend starting with Ben Nevis - this is the harder route as the last 80 miles or so en route to Ben Nevis had a number of downhill segments. Believe it or not, my wife will be the support driver.

If there is anybody out there that wants to accompany me please let me know.

Regards

Ev paisley"

Well done- but I don't think many of us will be taking you up on the challenge!

Let's Go Fly a Kite

2010-10-14T11:31:00.000-07:00

For the the romantics amongst us, this was a tour through the rolling hills of the Chilterns, stopping en route at a number of delightful country taverns and over-nighting at an historic hotel that figured at the centre of the Allied Forces victory in WWII. For the less poetic, it was a ride from Ampthill to Watford and back, a few beers in some dodgy boozers and a night in a cheap and cheerful pub with a few bedrooms.

I'd like to think that the majority of the nine hardy souls who set off from the Old Sun leaned toward the former, for this was undoubtedly one of the best tour routes we have ever ridden, thanks to the planning of CP.

Covering almost exactly 100 miles and climbing nearly 5000 ft in the process, the route was suitably stretching without being unduly hard. Saturday's ride took us out through Barton, Hexton and up our first serious climb to Lilley, around the edge of Luton and out into the Hertfordshire countryside. For the most part, we avoided towns and main roads, although we did clip the outskirts of Hemel Hempstead before taking a detour to Croxley Green and finishing in the leafy suburbs of Watford.

In his inimitable manner, Mick had persuaded Paddy & Jenny to open the Old Sun and cook us bacon sandwiches before departure. After the ubiquitous photo shoot- for ugly blokes we do seem to have had lots of pictures taken this year- we set off on time and managed a full two miles before our first stop- a phone call from bag man Kieth, that well known typo. As luck would have it, apart from Clive losing his chain a couple of times, there were no mechanicals on Day One although we did make up for it in the first few miles of the second day.

As we began the slog up Hexton Hill the level of banter dropped almost as much as the pace of the ride and we were soon well strung out. Acting as shepherd, Mark the Fireman came back to round up the stragglers and casually announced that he regularly rides three laps of a route which goes down Barton Cutting and up Hexton Hill. Some people are just too fit for their own good.

We were fully expecting to see a few kites as we got deeper into the Chilterns, but the first and by far the most impressive came much earlier than we expected. On a short climb out near Lilley Bottom we spotted what we first though was a very (very) large kestrel, hovering about twenty feet off the ground. A second look showed it to be a kite using the ever strengthening breeze to hold position as it scanned the ground for suitable carrion. It was enough to take your breath away- if the climb had left you with any.
Beyond Luton we got into the rolling hills of the Chilterns and began something of a roller coaster which would last for most of the weekend as each climb was followed by a quick descent.

Lunch was in the delightful Cricketer's Arms. Overlooking Redbourn village green, this is an idyllic setting for a quintessential country pub that provides a range of top notch real ales, good quality, fresh cooked food and excellent service. I'm sure we'd all have happily stayed for the afternoon.

For the most part, the route kept us away from any towns of significance and it was a bit of a culture shock when we arrived on the outskirts of Hemel Hempstead. On the evidence we saw, Hemel appears to be largely populated by would-be boy racers who are desperate to make mommies Renault Clio sound like a real car by revving their engines and spinning their wheels at the traffic lights.

Having made decent time through the afternoon, Mr Park decided to take on a short detour to find the Sportsman at Croxley Green. This rather nondescript hostelry was recently voted the local CAMRA pub of the year. Whilst we did not get the warmest welcome we have ever received (probably something to do with Clive asking for a very cloudy pint to be changed), it did offer a variety of unusual ales which for the most part seemed to be well kept, and we managed to amuse ourselves with some stupid games for an hour or so.

From the Sportsman, it was a relatively short hop through the suburbs of Watford to the Southern Cross- our destination for the night. This small hotel/pub restaurant was apparently the head quarters for the American strategic command during the World War II. There is no evidence of this in the trading areas but the staff assured us that there were plenty of relics down in the cellar.

I think "adequate" was probably the best all round adjective for the Southern Cross. Rooms were basic but fine and the beer was decent. Showing our age, we elected to stay in to eat rather than hitting the high spots of Watford (the Lutonians amongst us insisted this this was an oxymoron and we'd be wasting our time going out). This seemed like a good plan until we realised that the foolproof state of the art electronic ordering system had managed to lose our order and dinner did not appear until 10 pm- Whatever happened to the good old paper and pen. Anyway, the company was good and the mood was buoyant and nobody really cared.

Dinner had hardly gone down before it was time for breakfast.

Having avoided any mechanical incidents on Saturday, we soon made up for it on Sunday. Clive picked up the first puncture in the car park as we set off, stopped for a second a mile down the road and completed a hat trick as we cut through the grounds of the exclusive Grove hotel and country club. No doubt we caused ructions amongst the security staff as they watched us on their CCTV's.

Once out into the country we resumed the roller coaster of Day One. The first few hills proved particularly demanding and there were a couple of "pushers" on one climb. I think some of us were secretly relieved when we temporarily lost the route and had an enforced stop to review the map. A quick short cut along the route of an abandoned road got us back on track and we were soon making good time again.

As we rode on through the morning the wind was ever strengthening and we could see it bringing in dark clouds from the east. We ground on to Marsworth, stopping to admire the craftsmanship of the bricklayers who had recently restored one of the many bridges across the Grand Union Canal- even Joseph was impressed. Lunch was booked at the the Angler's Retreat where Pauline, the Kiwi landlady had laid on a splendid buffet. Mick was clearly smitten and I think was hoping that she might lay on something more.
After lunch we did a quick detour to visit the Matter Hatter- Mr & Mrs Park's floating gin palace- and very nice it is too.
For no apparent reason, there seems to be something of an obsession within the club for all things relating to World War II and we have often taken timeout to explore a bit of military history over the years. Half the team couldn't resist the attraction of the former US aerodrome at Marsworth and took off to explore what is something of a land-locked Mary Celeste. Expecting to be able to ride right through the site, they were disappointed to find their way blocked and had to double back, putting on a couple of unwelcome additional miles.
By now it was raining quite hard. Clive, our resident jet-setter and international playboy, injected a touch of urgency, revealing that he was being picked up at 7 pm to catch a plane to Dubai. There was no time for further detours and we decided to take a shortcut through the centre of Leighton Buzzard as we set about grinding out the last 20 miles or so.

Leighton Buzzard has been working hard to promote cycling in the town and full details can be found at http//www.gocycleleightonlinslade.org. On this occasion, we decided that the most direct route was preferable and, for the most part we stuck to the main road.

The road from Leighton to Hockliffe is surprsingly twisty and climbs far more than you realise in the car. I don't think we were very popular as we created quite a tailback of traffic but it was good that, for once, the drivers were patient and did not try any dangerous overtaking.

Once we reached Hockliffe we could feel the call of the Old Sun and a well-earned beer. Re-grouping at the traffic lights, we agreed that the best route to take was via Milton Bryan, Eversholt and Steppingley. However, it was no great shock to find that Mr Hopes, riding off the front of the pack once again, had carried straight on to Woburn. On past evidence, it was quite a surprise that he managed to find his own way back to Ampthill from there- Yes Mick, you have been there before!

Mark the Fireman repeated his sheep dog role of Day One, rounding up the stragglers to make sure we got back safely. I have to say I was very grateful for his company at the back of the pack for the last 10 miles or so.

For the first time in about five years, the same number of riders arrived back at the Old Sun to toast a very successful tour and one of the best routes we have ridden for years.

Deluge-

2010-09-12T05:38:00.000-07:00

"Whose out?" asked the email from the Chairman "The forecast doesn't look bad".

Despite the fact that it had rained solidly for 48 hours, and that there was little sign of any let up, 10 of us were taken in by this prediction. To be fair, as we met outside the Old Sun, the solid grey blanket that had covered the sky for the best part of a week had dispersed to reveal milky sunshine and the odd streak of blue and we were all optimistic that we were in for a pleasant evening.

Setting off into a gentle breeze, we headed out to Ridgmont, through Huborne Crawley and took a right into Horsepool Lane, stopping briefly to acknowledge the memorial to the WWII plane that crashed nearby. As we turned into Gypsy Lane, shouting to Mick who, as usual had run on past the junction there were a few rain drops in the air but nothing to forewarn of the deluge we were soon to encounter.

F0r some reason, we became strung out and as we stopped to regroup at the junction with the A5130 most of us took the opportunity to pull on waterproofs and switch on lights although the rain was still little more than drizzle.

The roads around Woburn Golf Club took a serious hammering from last winter's frost and snow and in many places the potholes had been overlaid with a covering of sand from the recent storms. This made for an interesting couple of miles of riding as those with skinny racing tyres took extra care to stay upright and avoid the holes.

Despite the disappointing weather, the mood was good and there was plenty of banter as we wended our way back into Woburn and up through the deer park. The deer were obviously not happy with the weather and were restless. They seemed to be be contemplating a stampede as we climbed the hill and it felt like we were running the gauntlet. I think I prefer my venison roasted on a plate rather than charging behind a full set of antlers.

By the time we turned at the end of the deer park so had the weather. The gentle breeze had stiffened to blow the strenghtening rain into our faces and there was a noticeable drop in the level of chat as we ground our way homeward.

We decided to forgo our planned beer stop in Eversholt and pushed on to Ampthill, calling in for a quick pint in the Albion. By now, the rain was torrential and Flitwick Road loked more like an open drain. Despite dripping all over the floor and steaming up the windows, we were given a warm welcome by staf and customers. The pub was lively and there was a broad range of conversation. One of our former members regaled us with the tail of the recumbent cycle he recently bought from eBay. It seemed like a bargain until he realised it had been in a crash and the custom built forks need replacing at double the price he paid for the bike.

Like many of our fellow customers we decided to do the sensible thing and have another pint while waiting for the rain to ease. Unfortunately it didn't and by the time we left at 10.30 it was raining harder than ever.

It was a very tentative ride home but a very enjoyable evening despite the weather.

A very soggy 20 miles.

Who do you think you are kidding....?

2010-07-10T08:58:00.000-07:00

One of the shortest but best attended rides of the summer proved to be one of the most eventful.
Ten of us gathered in gloriious sunshine outside the Old Sun. Altough we were raring to go, departure was delyad by two punctures and yet another photoshoot for the new shirts. Sitting with his bike propped against the wall, waiting the for the restof us, Mick became the first victim of the puncture curse as his rear tyre exploded for no apparent reason. Next, Loren discovered his back tyre was flat. The resultant delay gave new recruit Nick (Casey) time to get home, change and join us on his very own Cannon Ball Express- a five-speed Peugeot classic.

After posing for Jay's Wonderwall we set off towards Potsgrove via Steppingley, Eversholt and Milton Bryan, with an enforced stop on Flitwick Road to pick up Casey's bike rack.

Potsgrove is the ancestral seat of the King-Johnson family and Joe always delights in regaling us with local history. Tonight he took us on a detour to see an old World War II radio station hidden in the woods off the gated road. As we variously rode, scooted and pushed our bikes across the field to find the station we looked like a shambolic scene from Dad's Army. In the absense of our very own Captain Mainwaring- on manouvres in Turkey- Corporal Jo(n)e(s) took charge, briefing us on the network of radio stations that were linked to Bletchley Park during the war, and the way in which they were guarded by the Home Guard, which included Joe's dad.
As we set off towards the main Woburn road a shot rang out at the back of the bunch- not a Fifth columnist but the sound of Casey's back tyre exploding in the heat. (They don't make tubes like they used to)
After another stop, protracted by the lack of quick release nuts on the Cannon Ball Express, we headed on to Woburn and picked up the road along the wall of the Woburn Estate. In an effort to make up ground on the front runners, the backmarkers cut the corner at the Old White Horse, picking up the old footpath. This seemed like a great idea until Joe hit a pot hole and, you guessed it, got another puncture.
The lead group carried on to the French Horn while the rest of us helped change the tyre before joining them for a much needed beer.
After years of masquerading as a poncy restaurant (in between closures) the French Horn is once again a pub, albeit up-market, and there was a decent selection of beers including Old Speckled Hen. I twas nice to sit out in the sun and shoot the breeze. However, prices are still aimed at the merchant bank brigade and we decided the kitty couldn't stand a second round so we headed off to the Old Sun for Adnam's and Paddy's chilli.

A staccato 20 miles but a fun evening despite the enforced stops.

Coming from Behind

2010-07-10T03:17:00.000-07:00

Having been distracted by a variety of events, including three legged fancy dress beer races, music festivals and holidays, to say nothing of a new job, the blog has been somewhat neglected for the past couple of months. Indeed cycling has slipped down the pecking order of late making the slog up Sundon Hill the other week exceptionally hard.

Anyway, things seem to be settling down and I have twin mid-year resolutions:- to ride more (and get fit) and to keep the blog up to date.

There's no point in trying to backfill the last few weeks but there are a few events and non-events that warrant mention: -

For the second year in succession and the third in total, Blunty has been training for L'Etape and as I type he is on his way to France to tackle another stage of the Tour De France (see post 17/7/09). Watch out for an up-date on his return.

Two other members enjoyed a slightly less taxing ride in France and were careless enough to provide the photographic evidence.

Our fittest member- Everton, has become our first pensioner having taken early retirement. Unfortunately for the rest of us, this means even more time for him to train/ride and he's fitter than ever. At least the 100 miles he did before joining us last week slowed him down a little.

Attending the opening of the new 170 mile Chiltern Cycleway, Mark the Fireman managed to get a picture of himself and his club shirt next to Mark Webber.

We were denied the opportunity to defend the Ampthill Festival Boules crown as the competition was cancelled or deferred until later in the summer

We finally got to hand over one of our new shirts to our proud sponsors- The Old Sun- see photo opposite

Ashes to Ashes- 15th April

2010-04-16T02:30:00.000-07:00

Thursday's ride had a certain element of Ground Hog Day about it as we set off towards Deadman's Cross via Clophill and Great Lane. This was more to do with the wish to benefit from a strong north easterly breeze on our return journey than a lack of imagination on the part of the route planners.

It seems the threat of damage to their jet engines from volcanic dust clouds grounded a number of our colleagues (now we know what makes Everton so quick); nevertheless six of us (Brian, Chris, Loren, Mick, John & Blunty) braved the Icelandic fall-out and set off down Abbey Lane.

In a strange parallel to the previous week, we met some real cyclists on the outskirts of Haynes. This time they really were proper cyclists with full size bikes as well as matching lycra kit. (I know we have both, but our ale guts do provide quite a significant distinction). In a fit of bravado John and Chris set off in pursuit, pedalling flat out in a forlorn effort to reel them in. To be fair we managed to hold our own for all of 800 yds. Finally, realising this was a pointless exercise for which we would suffer later, we decided to let them go taking some solace from the fact that the combined ages of the three young upstarts was only about 2/3rds of our two.

At Appsley Corner we picked up a concrete bridleway which skirts Rowney Warren. Although this is usually reserved for our MTB rides, it's got a reasonable surface and did not present any problems to our skinny road tyres. Coming out at Chicksands, we turned left and headed back to Ampthill via Deadman's Cross and Limbersley Lane, enjoying a good boost from the wind on backs.

Despite the draw of the Stone Jug, we decided to head directly to Ampthill to try out the newly refurbised Albion Arms.

Now owned by Everards and operated by Banks & Taylor, the Albion has returned to it's former glory after many years in the doldrums. Real ales are it's speciality with some 10 hand pumps offering a rotating choice of guest beers alongside the staples of Everards Tiger and B&T's own brews. There are also several unusual lagers as well as a range of draft ciders, ranging from strong to rocket fuel.

The term " kids in a sweet shop" sprang to mind, made more appropriate by a preponderance of baggy cycling shorts, and it took about ten minutes to decide what to drink. Between us, we managed a pretty good cross section of the beers on display and nobody had a bad pint. ( I don't think I've ever said that about the Albion before!). One of the favourites was a straw coloured ale call GHB. Somebody pointed out that this sounds like a recently outlawed date-rape drug, but at 3.4% ABV I think you'd have to drink an awful lot before succumbing to Mick's charms.

After a couple of rounds we headed back to the Old Sun which, despite the attractions of the Albion was remarkably busy. As ever, the Bombardier, Adnams and Tribute were all in great nick.

20 miles and an excellent evening.

Fish on a Bike- 8th April 2010

2010-04-14T05:14:00.000-07:00

In the words of the late great George Harrison - "It's been a long cold lonely winter" and it was great to ride out in bright sunshine for the start of our first road ride of the year.

It doesn't seem five minutes since we were staggering home from the Old Sun after our Xmas ride. Perhaps that's because I've staggered home form the Old Sun on several other occasions since then or simply that time really does go quicker as we get older. Whatever the reason, the start of the new season seems to have leaped upon us and this may explain why we were a bit low on numbers; Brian, Chris H, Loren and, for the first half, Everton making up the crew.

Like a premier league football club, we have new kit and shirt sponsors for the season (thanks to the guys at the Old Sun). This may be the only similarity we have with elite sportsmen but I have to say we looked very smart as we set out down Oliver Street; Loren looking extra smart on his new bike.

Tradionally, the first ride of the year has been a very short slog up Limbersley Lane, round Haynes and back via Clophill, but the sunshine spurred us on to be more adventurous and we headed out to Dead Man's Cross and Haynes Silver End. Thanks to Everton and a brisk tailwind we kept a decent pace on the way out, even up Great Lane.

In truth, the ride was pretty un-eventful but it was just nice to be out. Coming back towards Haynes we spotted some "real" cyclists in the distance and set off in pursuit. It felt great to reel them in and pass them on the climb up towards Church End, but the shine was taken off our achievement when we realised they were riding foldable bikes! They weren't quite Mini-Moultons, having 24" wheels and the riders were wearing lycra.

Everton left us at the top of Great Lane to go and do some real training with Bedford CC. More in keeping with the ethos of the club, the rest of us headed for the Stone Jug.

It was very tempting to stay for a second pint of Old Cobbler but we decided discretion was the better part of valour and returned to the Old Sun. As expected, the temperature dropped dramatically as soon as the sun went down and it was a chilly ride back to Ampthill; some may have regreted wearing shorts.

The Old Sun was busy and the Bombardier, Adnams and Tribute were all in tip top condition.

I was given a freshly caught trout by one of the regulars which prompted a pub-wide discussion on the best way to gut, clean and cook it. Not surprisingly, there were nearly as many receipes as customers. Against the odds, I did remember to take the fish out of my bag and put it in the fridge when I got home ( I baked it with lemon and tarragon for Friday's tea if anybody's interested).

All in all, a very satisfying start to the season, just about clocking up 20 miles.

New Shirt Gets Airing in Cyprus Sun

2010-03-15T07:29:00.000-07:00

While the rest of us have been slogging through mud and rain on the trails of Bedfordshire (or, in the case of many, vegging on the couch), Mark "The Fireman" Barter and his brother Simon have been doing some serious riding in the Cypriot sunshine whilst raising money for a local kidney charity.

In completing a six day, 323 KM ride around the island they've raised a fantastic E2887. Full details of the ride can be seen at http://www.look4usincyprus.com/ARC/ARC-index.html.

While there, the guys bumped into the German MTB team and Mark took the opportunity to model his new Ampthill shirt alongside Sabine Spitz, current world champion and Olympic medalist- (see opposite). No Mick- she won't be joining us next season!

All Dressed Up and Nowhere to Go

2010-03-02T08:27:00.000-08:00

So after five or so years of discussion, debate and inaction by the majority, followed by a couple of months of intense activity by our chairman the new shirts have arrived, and very good they are too. Well done Brian for making this happen- Hopefully by the time this reaches the net everybody will have stumped up the brass and will be proud owners of shiny new shirts.

Remarkably, it seems that just about everybody ordered the same size as they had last time. Now, I've been looking at some of the photos of past tours, Christmas meals etc and, unless these newfangled digital cameras distort the pictures, I think it's safe to say there's not a man amongst us (with the possible exception of Blunty) who' physique is not showing more signs of Beer than Bikes.
I'm no expert in these matters but I understand that American fashion houses make clothes bigger to kid their lardy-arsed middle-aged customers that, in the words of the Beautiful South, they're still a "perfect ten" . This makes them feel good and spend more. Fortunately it seems Endura have adopted a similar strategy and there's plenty of growing room in my new shirts- to allow for the odd pie along with the beer and banter next term. If this makes anybody feel so good they do have the urge to spend more, there are a couple of spare shirts available.

Now we just need it to stop raining or snowing for an hour or so so we can get out there and show them off.

Thanks Brian.

The Second Noel

2010-01-17T08:49:00.000-08:00

For those who took part in the afternoon's ride, there was just time for a sh*t, shave and shower before dashing out for pre-dinner cocktails- well actually a couple of pints in the Old Sun. We're joined by CP, Blunty, Loren & Clive who is still decidedly jet-lagged. Taxis whisk us off to the Jolly Coopers where we meet Everton for a full house.

Xmas Dinner has been a feature of the club's calendar for some 12 years and has been the scene of some of our most memorable evenings. On one occaision Joe entertained the punters in the White Hart at Maulden with a table top hornpipe while singing "What Shall We Do With the Drunken Sailor" - the bar man's measured response was that the Drunken Cyclists should shut up, drink up and go home while they still can.

Another year, former member Pete Bach left a lock-in at a pub which shall remain nameless at around 1 am. Returning some30 mins later with a book of poetry, he began to recite sonnets while we fell about laughing. He was serious but I think it was the only time I can remember being paralysed with laughter.

For many years the Xmas dinner was linked to to a full day ride. We would stop for a beer ot two at lunch time and have several more on our return. Consequently, by the time we sat down to dine we were well oiled and by the end of the evening many were "tired and emotional" to say the least- This often led to a full and frank exchange of views about something petty like which pub we should meet at next summer and would end with one or more member spitting their dummy out.

Over the years we have mellowed somewhat. This is largely due to a reduction in alcohol consumption and an increased maturity (ho ho) but may also have something to do with a change in personell - some past members having the ability to pick a fight in a telephone box. Anyway, tonight there is just the right level of banter and disagreement to make things interesting- even if most of the topics of conversation are predictable-

Let's go on tour to Belgium/France/Holland next year
Brian resigning as Chairman (and then being re-instated)
Who made all the noise when we went on tour to Norwich (12 years ago)
Who were the original members
Which pub will we meet at? (still)
When will we get new shirts?

Next year we'll need to find at least two new topics as Brian has done a splendid job in organising new shirts and, as they are smothered with the Old Sun logo, it's pretty clear where we will be meeting.

Food, beer and service at the Jolly's were all top notch and it was nice to see that the 1980's style Page Three pin-ups in the gents have been replaced by more classy, up-to-date prints. (It took a while to work out why Mick spent so long in the lav).

Talking of Mick, it was good to see him awarded the pink Barby cycle helmet for being an outstanding arse- To be fair he took it well and wore it for the rest of the evening.

After coffee and mince pies it was back to the Old Sun where we bumped into our erstwhile Chairman and had the opportunity to rehearse some of the arguments of yesteryear.

A good end to a great year's bikes beer and banter.

The First Noel- December 12th

2009-12-23T09:14:00.000-08:00

Hard to believe that it's neally three months since the end of season tour, but here we are on our pre-Xmas Dinner ride.

The weather may have been in flux since the tour - an Indian summer giving way to a soggy autumn and foggy winter- but some things never change. It's almost three months to the day since we waited outside the Old Sun for Mick to fettle his bike (with a twig!) before setting off for Market Harborough. Now we wait in the self same spot while he changes a tyre that has been flat since the end of that ride. There's nothing like being prepared....

Plus Ca Change

Fortunately we don't get too cold as there's been a marked improvement in the weather- the fog that's been around for much of the week giving way to sunny spells and blue skies.

We finally get on the way, headed for Deadman's Cross, via Water End, Clophill and Apley Corner. There are six of us- Brian, Richard, Joe, Chris H, John & Mick; Clive having cried off suffering from jet lag- an Ampthill CC first, I think.

None of us has ridden much in recent weeks and the pace is steady rather than brisk. This is in keeping with the spirit of the traditional Xmas ride. It's very much a token gesture to off-set some of the excesses of the evening's drinking and eating.

Just as we're getting into a rhythm John pulls up with the second puncture of the day. He's fast becoming the Puncture King having had no fewer than four flats on his last MTB ride.

The tyre's soon changed and we set off again- hitting what seems like rush-hour in Clophill High Street.

The climb up Great Lane is harder than usual and we are well strung out by the time we reach the old school in Haynes. We stop to re-group before heading for Apley End where we pick up the concrete bridleway out to Chicksands. Here we encounter a dozen or so portly gentlemen who have spent the day terrorising the local pheasant population- Amazingly they must be the only guns in Bedfordshire that Joe doesn't know.
Cutting back through Haynes Silver End we met a couple of 10-year-olds on MTB's. Fascinated by a bunch of old gits riding bikes they heclked us as we past. They were obviously reminded of the Worzels (Joe's beard, perhaps?) and gave us a chorus of Oi've Gotta Brand New Combine Harvester.

It's starting to cool down and the sun is low in the sky as we get to Deadman's Cross, so we decide to abandon our original plans of heading to Southill via Ireland and head back to the Stone Jug. Only when we get inside do we realise just how cold it has become. The welcome is just as warm as the pub itself and it's hard to pull ourselves away. Not for the first time this year, we have an extra pint before heading out into the dark.

Badger Hill seems to have got steeper over the past few weeks and we are secretly glad of the excuse to stop at temporary traffic lights halfway up. Then there's a charge back to Ampthill in time for "The Three S's" before heading out for the evenings festivities. Just as we enter town Joe takes the opportunity to wave to members of his fan club and manages a somersault over the handlebars for their entertainment. There's no damage to bike or biker and we head of home to prepare for the evening's festivities.

An excellent way to spend a winter's afternoon whilst managing to clock up a steady 20 miles.

And Then There Were Three

2009-11-11T10:11:00.000-08:00

Having not managed anything more than a token 10 mile ride around the soon-to-be-Centre Park site for nearly a month, I fully expected Sunday's ride to hurt. Combine this with a weather forecast that threatened strong northerly winds & heavy showers and a distinctly delicate head (the latter resulting from the need to anaesthetise myself against the pain of seeing Wolves ravaged by the Gooners) and you'll understand why I was hoping my fellow riders would phone to say they'd cocked up their diaries and couldn't make it after all.

There was no such call, so I had no option than to drag myself out of the pit and prepare for my first ride since the clocks went back. Remembering to avoid the Sunday AM repeat of MoTD ( surely such horrors should not be shown before the 9 pm watershed) as I made porridge and hunted my waterproof top, I staggered out to the garage in the drizzle . By the time I'd checked tyres, oiled chain and adjusted saddle the rain had stopped and I set off on the lung bursting climb up Ampthill Hill in not unpleasant conditions.

Brian & Richard were already waiting in the Market Square- all other potential riders having found excuses. After a surreal discussion about curtain rails and curtain hooks, we decided to head for Eversholt via Flitwick, Steppingley and Water End.

This is not the most obvious route but it was designed to take in one of the best bits of single-track in the area. Secluded in the woods next to the M1, it offers 1/2 a mile of fast switchbacks- made extra interesting this time of year by the blanket of leaves covering the trail. (Come to think of it, there are few times in the year when you can see the track- as it's shrouded variously in bluebells, bracken and brambles.

It was worth the grind through the mud (and smack in the face from a rogue branch) to get to the start as the single-track itself was in perfect nick. In fact, it was so good we decided to ride back up it. This proved almost as interesting as the downhill version albeit somewhat slower.

After a short stretch on the road, we picked up the bridleway at Waterend and headed out to Eversholt via the stream. We've obviously had more rain than we realised and there were a few wobbles as we entered the water.

By now all mist and drizzle had disappeared and the sun was doing it's best to show through. Conditions were pretty well perfect as we picked up the farm track out towards Tingrith. Cutting through the woods behind Steppingley, we fetched up on the newly surfaced Peaks End, the location of one of the weirdest encounters of the summer.

Returning from a similar ride, Brian, John and Richard came across an up-turned car in the middle of the track. A middle aged woman was suspended upside down in the driver's seat; there were no signs of any other vehicle or animal and no obvious cause of the accident. Fortunately the woman was just shaken. Playing the Good Samaritans, the guys helped her out of the car, phoned the emergency services and made contact with her son. The son was first to arrive and proved himself to be a total git.
After a brief rant at his mother for being so stupid, he turned his attention to Richard and John. Without bothering to ask what had happened, he'd decided that , as they were cyclists, they must have been responsible for the accident and launched a torrent of abuse! Taken aback by the reaction, they were too stunned to put him right and decided to head for home.

Any way, no such incident today and we headed back past the pumping station, down to Windmill Road and back via the Causeway & Manor Lane. Some how we'd managed to clock nearly 20 miles by the time we got home. The head was clear and the legs only ached a bit- well worth the effort, even of the bike does need a clean.