Number 145
May 06
HON SEC’S JOTTINGS by John Bedford
An Honour. It was a great honour to be nominated by the Committee for the award of ‘West Midlands Region Volunteer of the Year 2005’. Thank you for this recognition and your continued support in developing this great pastime of ours. Ten of us had a fantastic evening out at the award ceremony and dinner in Cardiff (see page13). Special thanks to John & Mary who masterminded this great occasion – and even presented Beryl with a gorgeous bouquet of flowers for acting as the Secretary’s Secretary!
Murray has astounded us all by riding 2 miles on Tuesday 10th May.
Well done! He writes “I would like to take advantage of our magazine to convey my gratitude for all your support given to Dee and myself during my recent accident. Particularly I would like to thank Alan Dodwell for his help to us, keeping you all informed on my progress. Hopefully in the near future I will again enjoy your company eating lunch in ‘The Gate’ or ‘The Old Peculiar”.
Rides. During the summer period there are a number of special rides that are put on by the club, such as the freewheeling competition or the Ladies’ Invitation ride. Keep an eye on your programme and bring your friends along to these events. They may even take up serious cycling!
Evening Ride. Geoff Howle is prepared to organise a weekly evening ride during the summer period. Possibly 1½ hour ride with a 6-30pm start from Mere Green area. Contact Geoff on 308 0138 if interested.
Photo Competition. It is many years since the Club organised a photo comp. Simon has suggested that the members do the judging at the AGM. There are likely to be few restrictions on what is acceptable, but a cycling theme would be highly desirable. It may be that a suitable print could be used for the Northern News cover next year.
Socialising. A few of us have been going to the monthly Big Band concert at the David Lloyd Centre on Shady Lane. Whilst Beryl & I, and Pam & John will not be able to go to the next one, please try and support local live music. On Sunday 11th June the guest singer will be Carol Westwood. This concert will be from 8 to 11pm and cost £7 each. On Sunday 16th July Garry Allcock’s Allstars Big Band will be joined by the Midland Youth Jazz Orchestra. This starts at 7-30pm and entrance is £10.
Geoff Howle invites all members round to his place on Saturday morning 8th July, during the ride, for yet another garden party and CTC (coffee, tea and cakes, of course). Once again this get-together will be in aid of a charity nominated by Geoff. The place to be is at 12 Westfield Manor, Four Oaks (near the Mast).
Market Bosworth. Alan Dodwell is again organising a car-assisted ride and early evening meal on Wednesday, 7th June. Price for the meal about £12. Contact Alan as soon as possible on 308 1619 for details or to make a booking.
From Dorothy Treasurer. “I have decided not to renew the Northern News, and will not be coming to future film shows.
I have given this much thought and feel that the time has come to move on from cycling, which gave Alan and myself such pleasure.
You have a lot of new faces at the film show, which is excellent, and I am so pleased that attendance is improving, but the old faces are not there.
May I wish the Northern CTC all good wishes for the future, your friendship was valued.
Yours sincerely, Dorothy Treasurer.”
Training Courses. I am now in a position to offer Cycle Training from beginners upwards. I also offer instruction in emergency repairs and workshop skills. If you know anybody who may be interested in either aspects please ask them to phone me for further details. A detailed leaflet is available.
Weekends away. I would like to commend both the Mildenhall Rally (Suffolk) over August Bank Holiday, as well as the Golden Beeches weekend in the Chilterns from 28th – 29th October. Please talk to Beryl or myself regarding details. Early booking is advisable for both events. Let’s give the Northern a distinct presence on these weekends.
New refreshment stop. Every Sunday afternoon from April to September, 2-30 till 4-30, tea, coffee and home-made cakes are served at Church House, Abbotts Bromley. Funds for the Parish Church of St Nicholas.
SOLID
TYRES, YUK!!! by Brian Hailing
What’s the most prevalent problem that we have on the roads besides cars?
I suggest that it is the puncture (especially on a cold rainy autumn evening on
the way home after a long ride). Some smart alec may say ‘obviously, solid
tyres.’ But to us ‘old uns’, who know everything, can say for sure that solid
tyres are heavy, won’t absorb road shocks, have little road adhesion etc. etc.
BUT ARE WE SURE?
An American company has developed a tyre that seems to have got over most
of the problems. They are producing a bike tyre that is constructed from a
close shell polyurethane structure, to which you and me is like a plastic Aero
bar sealed inside an airtight skin.
At the moment the profile of the rims that it will fit is limited, and
John Bedford has fitted one onto a suitable rim for anyone who is curious to
have a close look, or even try it out.
The tyre is made by Amerityre, and the nearest UK agent is Hancox in
Alcester Road. Email www.hancox.co.uk or tel. (o1564 824 343.
Why not have a look? Well, even I can be wrong!!!!
HAVE YOU CHECKED YOUR RIMS
LATELY?
ASK BRIAN HAILING FOR
DETAILS!!
TWO
WEEKS IN MALLORCA by
Mary Evans
18th
March– 1st APRIL 2006
“The sky is torquoise, the sea blue, the mountains
samerald……. The sun shines all day and the people are dressed as in the
summertime because it is hot”. Frederic
Chopin, 1838
Mallorca. The Sunshine Isle. Well, it wasn’t quite as warm as Chopin described it, being cool, wet and windy for the first two or three days but after that the sun did shine although it remained somewhat windy throughout the first week.
Sixteen of us embarked from Sutton Coldfield very early by coach to Stansted Airport where there was some confusion by little Air Berlin as to what to do with the bikes. Not only that, the flight was delayed by two or three hours. Not to worry though because we eventually arrived at Palma and were immediately transferred by coach with bikes to our hotel in Port de Pollenca, north of the island.
Here we were greeted warmly by l6 Bournemouth cyclists. I think they were wondering what the Brummies were going to be like but these “worries” were soon dispersed because we are such a fantastic friendly group and we are very good at mingling!!!
After dinner a short debriefing was held where routes were discussed and who were to be the leaders etc. The first day’s ride was easy pace and we all cycled together as one group which was a marvellous way to introduce the “first timers” to the area. (Six of our group had been before). Rides during the week were split into two levels, fast pace and slow pace but for most of the time the destination for coffee and lunch was the same.
I can’t talk about each daily ride for obvious reasons but would like to give a general impression of the wonderful time we had. All rides were so memorable because Mallorca has it all as regards cycling, with its mountains, lanes, hills and coast – simply brilliant for cyclists. It was a joy and a thrill to see hundreds of cyclists, professionals and those enjoying a cycling holiday. Waves upon waves of them sweeping up and down the mountains and along and through the country lanes. All young, fit and lean (well, most of them). The island is made for cycling with every main road having a cycling track and the car drivers are soooo courteous. Perfection!
The ride to Cap de Formentor was superb. Climbing the hairpin bends to the top and plunging down to the beach at the bottom for coffee before going on to Cap de Formentor was thrilling, not to mention becoming entangled with a television crew filming their version of Pop Idol and they blocking all the road. As compensation they offered some cyclists iced water to drink!!
Some of us got covered in mud and slag on one ride for it began to rain quite heavily and on return to our hotel through the lanes, slag and concrete(?) from some industrial plant clagged up our wheels. Some of us returned rather the worse for wear that day and very dirty!! Not to mention the bikes!
Some of the rides took us along tracks and trails which meander through the valley and there were times when a wrong direction was taken but with our experts from Bournemouth leading the way, we were soon on the right track. Nobody knows this except my John (E) but on one of these tracks I fell in the ditch but scrambled up and went on my way, feeling a bit of a chump!!
Many fit cyclists climbed up to Lluc monastery – six miles up and six miles down. Val said it was the best thing she did, hurtling down the descent at 32 mph with a howling gale behind her knowing that it was really downhill all the way!! Whooooopeeeee!
The easy pace ride rode to Cap de Vicente where we had lunch by the beach.
Alcudia Town was explored and very interesting it is too with its Roman Ampitheatre and ancient wall which we walked with Jim Muir who joined us for some of the rides because he and Margaret, his wife were staying in a hotel nearby. Margaret, too, joined us for some the rides during the first week.
That afternoon, Val, Chris and I walked a good way along and through the Bocquer Valley which is famous for its birdlife and plants – wild rosemary everywhere. Did we see Bill Oddie – maybe??
We transferred to the east coast on the Saturday, some of us elected to go by coach with the luggage which when they arrived, unloaded it for us and took to our bedrooms. Thankyou for that. The rest of us set off and cycled 50 miles to Cala Millor – ride which I shall remember – it was simply marvellous. Marvellous not only for the scenery and the unspoilt towns in Mallorca but for the steady pace set by our leader, Ken, from Bournemouth - this pace kept us together all the time;it was relaxed and enjoyable. Petra for lunch was a particularly attractive place – especially the square which had its own particular atmosphere with hundreds of cyclists gathering there for a well-earned break, basking in the sunshine. We arrived at Cala Millor late afternoon.
The Hotel Said is popular with the Germans. We were the only English (I think) in the hotel. It was a better hotel in that it had a wider choice of food, sauna, gym and indoor swimming pool and lots of fat Germans!
The rides on the east coast were just as enjoyable. The terrain is undulating with a lovely coastline , so there was plenty of scope for interesting rides. Memorable rides to Arta, San Llorenca de Cardassar; Cala Millor –Arta – Colonia de Sant Pere – and Son
Mascaro( a particularly hard ride with a long descent and a climb back afterwards but the riders were rewarded with magnificent views).
The slower ride went with Rob Garnett (late of the Northern) who took us from Arta, coffee stop, on a most beautiful ride through a conservation area. We climbed up and over the hills and it was so quiet and peaceful and there didn’t seem to be any sign of civilisation – the real Mallorca! The descent was great about 3 miles long into San Llorenca de Cardassa for tea! This ride was repeated on our last day with Brian Langdell and it was lovely to do it again but not before we visited the ancient megalithic settlement of Ses Paisses – about 3000 years old, south of Arta.
Another memorable ride was led by Chris and Val, from the Northern, riding to Capdepera for coffee and Arta through lovely lanes and we spotted wild orchid on the edge of the lane (was it a rare bee orchid?) We lunched on the beach near Font de sa Cal Provencal after which we moved on to the Coves d’Arta (old caves) and then took a road leading to the beach at Canyamel, crossing a bridge observing many wildfowl on our way. On our way home, passed an ancient castle and then climbed the steep cyclists road over the tunnel! Great.
Imagine the scene. Dozens of people waiting around the carousel for their luggage to appear. Suddenly a pair of black knickers come sailing along all on their own. Everyone sniggering and pointing, me included, until my case came off and I realised that it was split open. Oh help! They are mine!! There was no hiding from it. I had to confess and retrieve them. Still it was a talking point for the next two weeks.
John’s 70th Birthday and the bottle of Champagne given to us by the hotel.
Piano recital by a most accomplished American Pianist in an ex-convent in Pollenca.
The markets – (If anyone sees a one legged man with one new shoe walking about in Alcudia, let Bill and Jill know!!)
The dancing troupe showing their knickers – it was hilarious watching the mens’ faces. I wonder why they kept cleaning their glasses! FORMIDABLE! Oh by the way, that was the name of the dancing troupe!
On a wet and windy ride, Jim Muir’s gears went into his wheel whilst he was climbing a hill. After bike stripped down we wound our way through unknown lanes which led nowhere except for a steep embankment with the motorway below. No worries mate. Tandem on shoulders; bikes heaved down onto motorway; risking life and limb dashing across the oncoming traffic and then we were on our way back to Port de Pollenca. Phew!!
Standing on a small and narrow Roman bridge on one of our first rides. Lovely.
Val says one the silliest things she did was to plunge into an unheated outdoor pool, after imbibing an Irish coffee which had obviously gone to her head! No comment.
A visit to the famous Pearl Factory in Manacor.
Our walk through Arta old town, making our way, we thought, to the castle to enjoy the wonderful views but er, we lost the castle!!
And not to forget our evening strolls along the Promenade, managing to find a bar and imbibing coffee and brandy with hilarious consequences.
On journey to Stansted Airport, Jean Bolton twisted her ankle in a deeply rutted car park. The ankle was swollen all holiday and she has since found out that a bone was broken in her foot.
The Disco which kept many people awake well into the early hours of the morning on the first night at Cala Millor.
Judy’s bike went missing on return. It has since been returned to her but badly damaged.
And of course, leaving a sundrenched island to return to a cold and windy English Spring!
So it is our thanks to Val and Chris Jones who arranged the holiday from this end; thanks to the Langdells, the Greens and Geoff and also to the Bournemouth group who welcomed us so well and who introduced us to a wonderful cycling experience. Special thanks to Ralph Huckle, Rob Garnett, Colin Barrett (my pacemaker!) Pete Helyer (lantern rouge) who never lost anybody.
It is hoped that there will be another cycling holiday next March to Mallorca if there is enough support. John Evans will be happy to organise it.
Mpd? About 35 – 40 : Two or three days 50 miles were covered.
Punctures – a few and Brian H. had a broken chain, fixed by Chris and Geoff. Reward? Two pints of San Miguel!
MAJORCA HOLIDAY 2006 by John Green
‘Who was the most embarrassed?’ (Majorcan Bird Watcher)
Towards the end of the second week Pam and I decided to have a rest day and do a short ride into Porto Christo.
It was lovely sunny day. After a pleasant coffee by the harbour we decided to ride back following the coastline as closely as possible.
The ride out of Porto Christo takes in a short sharp very steep hill. As we started to climb, selecting the appropriate granny gear, we were literally surrounded by a Swiss cycling club, most of whom passed us. We managed to hold off the tailenders and were quite pleased with ourselves, being two old farts forty years older than them.
We took the red cycle route back to Cala Millor, stopping to admire the view at various places on the way. I was in front, riding down a very quiet lane towards the sea, which came to a dead end. There were just rocks and the sea, or so I thought. A chap was walking about looking furtive who said nothing. Also against a very low wall were parked two
Cycles. I, in all my wisdom, went up to this wall to admire the view. Looking over the wall I saw the dark haired head of a woman.
She looked up at me and I said “Hello”. She smiled and stood up, adjusting her clothes. It then dawned on me that she was having a piddle. She got up and walked past me, smiling, jumped on her bike, and with the furtive looking bloke rode off into the sunset.
I have wondered since, who was the most surprised, the smiling dark haired woman, myself, or the bloke who was supposed to be on lookout.
Wilsons Cycles in Aston Road was a regular advertiser in the Northern News. A recent poem in the Club magazine must have inspired the following:-
FRAMES
TO YOUR LIKING
There’s STALLARD, CLEMENTS, HILL AND VIKING,
Each one of these firms can build a frame to your liking.
Their frames are so rigid and yet very light,
In finishes ranging from black to clear white.
Though greens, reds and blues
Of deep and pale hues
In lustres metallic, stove enamels or flams.
For bikes are their business, not wireless or prams!
If you prefer foreign as many lads do,
There’s FREJOS, BIANCHI and CINELLI too!
The editor was still trying to get more people to submit articles. To spur them into action, a letter appeared doubting members abilities (tongue in cheek no doubt). Here is an extract:-
“The trouble is, of course, that most cyclists
cannot write nor read. They only
eat. Books and newspapers are no use to
them. You cannot eat books. The only written word of any cycling use is
“TEAS”, and even this can well be done without, because any cyclist can smell
food a mile away”.
The editor wrote about his summer tour in Eire that year. He said that it was like going back in time. Donkey carts and ponies and traps were quite common. Also horse drawn coaches. The methods of stacking corn and hay predate the methods then used in England. Animals were tethered by roping two legs together or by a leg to a horn. The animals thus partly immobilised were left to graze on the roadsides. It was probable they belonged to people who did not own a field. The cities were beautifully clean, not grimed by smoke as Brum was. (Helped by the use of peat, a cleaner fuel than coal). They did not see any leprechauns but suspected them of planting a hobnail in the middle of nowhere that punctured a brand new tyre. They were also suspicious about the wheel where every spoke came loose. Apparently, dogs in Eire were a friendly species. They do not snap and snarl but follow you for miles. In the Wicklows, one dog followed them for six miles and then attached itself to another cyclist going the other way. Public signs were in Erse and English. On Sundays, they saw people queuing outside the church to attend one of several masses held on the morning, but just around the corner you could see Pitch and Toss and Pontoon gaming schools in full swing on the pavement.
Five members of the new “Alternative” section successfully rode the 140 miles in 12 hours D.A. event.
NATIONAL DINNER AND AWARDS
PRESENTATION
SATURDAY 22ND
APRIL 2006 by Mary Evans
Eight
members of the Birmingham Northern Club accompanied John and Beryl to Cardiff
where John was presented with his Volunteer of the Year Award for the West
Midlands.
We enjoyed a very pleasant evening having a three
course meal with wine and being upstanding to take wine with numerous people
for achievements such as “doing the “End-to-End; or those who had not done “the
End to End”; those who rode trikes or those who had climbed the Alps. But no, we did not take wine with those who
played Rugby, Bowls or Tiddleywinks! It
all became rather exhausting after a bit!
We were very proud of John when he went up to
receive his award and the Brummies gave him a loud cheer. (If you want to read more about the awards and
see photographs, register with the CTC to receive the weekly newsletter from
Yannick Read (28.4.06).
Unfortunately, John did not receive the Overall
Volunteer of the Year. This award went
to someone who had done much campaigning in Wales and who gave much support to
groups and individuals involved in the tragic Rhyl accident.
The runners up were also campaigners and who had
built up cycling clubs in their area from scratch and whose clubs were now
thriving. (Just like ours!!)
We returned home at breakneck speed, arriving at 2
a.m. and some of us (namely Jill and Ian, Beryl and John) had to get up very
early the next day, ready for our Club Audax.
They all did very well!
We felt that John richly deserves the recognition
for all the work he puts into the Club which is now a vibrant forward-looking
group. Thankyou John!!
FOR SALE. One pair of 27” road wheels. Campag hub, 6sp block,
Alloy rims and 1 ¼” tyres. Recent rebuild £15 pair. Call Simon on 0121 244 0606
BE A RESPONSIBLE CITIZEN – REPORT THOSE POTHOLES THAT ARE A DANGER TO CYCLISTS.
Walsall 01922
663344
Birmingham 0121 303 6644
Give road name and nearby
house number, stressing that the pothole/road damage is a danger to cyclists.
This tends to give some priority action. Obtain a reference number in case you
need to follow up the report.
The
A-Z gives a clear indication of which local authority to contact. Nevertheless,
Rosemary Hill Road is the responsibility of Birmingham
Some local audaxes
11th June. Cheswick Green, S. Birmingham. 100, 150, 200 km.
2nd July, Catherine-de-Barnes, Solihull. 100, 165, 200 km
8th July, Trysull, Wolverhampton. 100, 155, 207 km
16th July. Redditch, 100, 160, 200 km.
5th August. Tamworth. 50, 110, 213 km.
3rd Sept. Rosliston. 100, 200 km.