NORTHERN NEWS

Number 160                                                                               Mar 08

                  

 

The CTC Birthday Rides are to be held in the Cotswolds, 2-9 Aug.

Come and join other club members for a week of cycling the quiet Cotswold lanes.

 

NEXT COPY DATE – TUESDAY 1st APRIL.

 

HON SEC’S JOTTINGS                                            by John Bedford

Club Etiquette.  Brian, our Chairman, has written an article about some issues at The Dog on Fridays. Could I also ask that members do not eat their own food in the cafes that we frequent. We don’t want to be kicked out! There are a limited number of pubs where we have permission to eat sandwiches with a bought drink. Where we visit infrequently it is worth asking the landlord on each visit, as policies may change.

St Mary’s, Lichfield. To use the Senior Centre it is necessary to be over 60 and to have paid a £6 subscription for the year, renewable from 1st January. Have you renewed?

The White Horse Weekend is being held at Chippenham on 4-6th April. There’s still time to make a booking for this weekend away. See www.chippenhamwheelers.co.uk for details, or contact Beryl or myself. Besides taking the ‘shop’ I will be doing a slideshow on the

Saturday evening of our American Rockies trip over Trail Ridge, where we climbed to over 12000 feet.

Thanks to all who helped at the Cycle Jumble, where £445 was made for club funds. If you have any ideas for improvement to this major event please let me know.

 

FORTHCOMING SOCIAL EVENTS

Shenstone, April 22nd, Pudding Party. Taste your favourite pudding.  Money raised for club funds! Details to follow from Mary.

Highbury Little Theatre

Contact Mary Evans on 308 1306 if you would like to attend the following: 6-17th May: “Neville’s Island”.

BBQ. Katie Price is holding another BBQ on Easter Sunday, 23rd March. Please try & keep the date free. Family and friends welcome. Price; £4.50. Booking is essential by 16th March please.

Heart of England Rally and Memorial Service is on Sat 17th and Sunday 18th May at Meriden. Audax and led rides, along with an evening meal and entertainment. Programme now available.

Club Audax is on Sunday 20th April. Details from Geoff Findon.

Thursday 26th June (to be confirmed) a social evening at CHASEWATER including a train ride followed by supper. Details to follow….

BACK TO THE DOG                                                 by Brian Hailing

 

Following the re-decoration of the venue for our Friday morning ride, we have returned from The Bell from the first of  February. We have been made very welcome at The Bell, even chocolate biscuits. The only downside that I found was that with our large turn-outs, the rooms were a bit small and we were spread out between them. However, I was grateful to Paul for making the arrangements for us, even lending The Bell cups and saucers.

 

On confirming with Paul that he was ready to have us back, he mentioned about some cyclists trailing mud and water on the carpets and furniture, and asked me to raise the point with members. To be honest, I had never given it a thought, and I have shed rain water to the point of steaming up the windows, and I am sure that I have left the occasional footprint, like the rest of us,

 

To resolve this oversight on our part, Paul will be quite happy for us to leave our muddy shoes and wet clothing inside the front door where there is a very substantial fibre mat. I feel that this is a reasonable request, and I hope that we can remember this arrangement on wet days and to appreciate this problem at all our dwindling venues.

 

UNUSUAL SIGN AT HINTS VILLAGE                    by Tom Moore   

 

On John Bedford’s ‘An Afternoon Ride’ the ‘C’ ride explored Hints village. Did they see the unusual roadside sign at the end of the road? The public road ends at the small bridge over Black Brook and immediately after the bridge is the sign. The one-piece cast-iron sign is about three feet high. The top of the sign is oval with ‘COUNTY MTCE BOUNDARY’ in raised letters. (MTCE is an abbreviation of maintenance). The lower part has a raised vertical central line and to the left of this the word ‘STAFFORDSHIRE’ in vertical format. They do exactly as it says on the sign as the tarmac ends here.

Have you seen any unusual official signs?

 

 

A BIG THANK YOU FOR ALL THE HELP-        by Paul Ki-Kydd

AFTER MY ICY RECEPTION

 

-         to the Saturday riders who scraped me off the road – faces weren’t very clear at that moment, but thank you.

-         to the nurse who advised a visit to Good Hope.

-         to Val, expert on ‘road pains’ who tried to warn us.

-         Mary, dear Mary, who apologized for the ice…

         Please don’t leave it there again Mary.

-         for John’s concern about my new bike… “It’s safely in the      

       garage at home, John.”

-         and Bridget for the kiss to make it better – who wouldn’t feel   

              better with a kiss from Bridget?

      -     Geoff – Big thanks – for the ride to the Hospital, advice to rate the pain 7 out of 10 – results in automatic painkillers, the hand crafted Boy Scout quality sling, being there in the hospital, the ride home and especially the hot cuppa tea. Neither Geoff nor I were impressed by the Radiographer who assured me nothing was broken or dislocated; we could see the broken bone in the X-ray from 6’ away.

      -     then Kate, such empathy, she fell too.

               (BBQ – Petangue – Easter – you bet)                       

-         to John & Beryl who attempted to visit the injured party who was out visiting a sick friend.

Thank you all for the help.

PS. Doctor’s advice to help the healing process….

       “Falling off the bicycle is not advisable.”

 

GLYN POWELL, 1928-2008.                                    by John Bedford

 

I first heard from Glyn many years ago. He had just retired and wished to return to cycling. He lived at Great Barr and had started doing some local canal riding. Eventually he joined us one Saturday morning at Streetly Gate, having cycled from Great Barr. By the time we got to the end of Roman Road he said he was knackered and could not continue to Lichfield. Beryl and I suggested that we took him to Aldridge for a coffee and rest. Here we told him of some of our overseas trips before we accompanied him home. Within six months he had built up his strength and set off cyclecamping in Spain. On his return he rode with the club, but was always remarking that he would have not continued with the cycling if we hadn’t looked after him on that first day!

 

The story is now taken over by the Jephson Journal, written in 2003.

 

Glyn wheels around the world to Meriden

 

The cyclists’ memorial in Meriden has a special significance for 74-year-old Glyn Powell. Two years ago he pedalled into the village for the annual service of the Cyclists’ Touring Club after biking his way around Spain, Portugal and parts of Asia.

 

Realising that his travelling days were over, he enquired about accommodation in the area and was directed to The Firs – a Jephson sheltered housing scheme.

 

He also still has his beloved bike, and says : “Ten miles a day is enough for me now, and I’m happy to have a roof over my head – there’s nothing better than coming back after a cold ride to a warm cup of soup.”

 

The road that took Glyn to The Firs took many twists and turns along the way. He worked as a chartered quantity surveyor, retiring just before his 65th birthday to cycle around Spain and Portugal for five-and- a-half months, spending the nights in a tent. After returning to England for a hernia operation he set off again – this time to the Far East, where he explored the Philippines and Hong Kong by bike, staying in campsites and hostels.

 

More European travels followed until, said Glyn, his daughters began to get fed up with his nomadic lifestyle and encouraged  him

to settle down. But even now he doesn’t believe in taking things easy. During the summer he frequently works at outdoor shows, helping to sell a manufacturer’s products. He also enjoys creative writing, woodwork, learning Portuguese and Welsh and training as an English teacher for speakers of foreign languages.

 

The following poem was read at the funeral service:

Anyway

People are unreasonable, illogical, self-centred

…love them anyway.

If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives

…do good anyway.

If you are successful, you win false friends and true enemies

…be successful anyway.

The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow

…be successful anyway.

Honesty and frankness will make you vulnerable

…be honest and frank anyway.

People love underdogs but follow only top dogs

…follow some underdog anyway.

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight

…build anyway.

People really need help but may attack you if you try to help

…help people anyway

If you give the best you have, you may get kicked in the teeth

…but give the world the best you have

…Anyway.

 

 

HAD AN ACCIDENT? 9 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW.

 

1. You don’t have to claim. You may be content with a simple “sorry” and an assurance that the accident won’t happen again, or a token gesture of goodwill (ex gratia payment).

2. Report the accident straight away to the person you consider responsible, e.g. the Council if you hit a pothole.

3. Avoid any heated discussion or argument about what happened. Following an accident tempers can be frayed and adrenalin can be high, so it’s best to keep your distance.

4. Visit a doctor or hospital so your injuries can be treated and documented. Also keep a personal injury diary, as memory fades with time, to avoid any dispute later about the injuries sustained.

5. Write down the contact details of any witnesses to the accident. Even if liability is accepted verbally at the time, people have a nasty habit of changing their mind.

6. Take photographs of anything which you think caused the accident e.g. defect in the road, faulty equipment or position of cars on a road. If you don’t have a camera, even a camera phone or sketch is better than nothing

7. Keep a record of all losses and out of pocket expenses you have incurred as a result of the accident, for example; prescription costs, phone calls, taxi fares, treatment costs and loss of earnings.

8. Seek specialist legal advice through the CTC.

9. Don’t delay. Although (in the UK) you have 3 years to bring a claim through the Courts, the general rule is the longer you leave it, the worse the claim gets. So get some advice whilst matters are fresh in the mind, and the evidence is still ‘warm’.

SAFE CYCLING

 

NOSTALGIA                                                       by Brian Langdell

Northern News, Mar-Aug. 1953  

 

The Northern Matrimonial Agency was working well, three marriages in the last 2 months. The one at Aston Church attracted much attention from the football supporters on the way to the Villa ground. They were intrigued by the archway of cycle wheels greeting the happy couple as they came out of church.

 

One writer to the NN, using the pseudonym of ‘Cynical Sydney’ wrote controversial articles running down cycling and praising motors. Eventually the Social Secretary (Ray Smith) wrote a scathing article suggesting what Sydney could do with his writings, ending with ‘I drive a £4000 Rolls Royce Monday to Saturday and can’t wait to get on my bike on Sunday, and that is when I really enjoy the open road, and nothing is finer than that, not even your £1450 (new Humber Snipe) worth of  metal pressings.’

 

Ray drove a hearse! He would often stop at a bus stop to give one of the club girls a lift, and during the journey would say ‘there’s an extra passenger in the back.’

 

A search was on for a new clubroom as after many years the club was leaving the corrugated hut at the rear of the Plough and Harrow, Shenstone. Three venues were visited by delegated cycling groups to evaluate potential; they were Bournevale (Streetly), Weeford Village Hall and Minworth. The latter was chosen.

 

The ‘Northern’ took part in a DA Hare and Hounds event starting from Chadwick End. Many false trails were laid and negotiated to get to the checkpoints. The Hares were eventually caught and the Northern excelled by having 7 members in the first 8.

 

The EasyRiders section advertised their intention to organize a ‘Coronation Ride’ to see all the decorations put up in the local villages to celebrate the Queen’s big day.

 

Members cycling in Wales noticed a disturbance at the top of a tall tree, then a young lad climbed down carefully carrying eggs. He explained that they were hens eggs and that seven of their birds had chosen to fly up to an old crows nest to lay their eggs!

 

Rex Coley, a well known writer at the time, wrote an article for Cyclo, which was reproduced in the NN, advising women who were taking up cycling on the type of bike to buy, saying ‘Dress guards and gear cases (enclosed chain in oil bath) were not desired by the modern maid or matron’. He records that of the millions of cyclists in Britain, one in five was female. (Similar ratio to today I would think.)

 

One of the meeting places for the Northern was the Chester Road Tram Terminus (the No. 2). With the scrapping of all the trams in Birmingham, this became the No. 64 bus terminus. (We call it The Yenton now). Unfortunately they took the bench away at the same time so the ‘meet lost its seat’!

CTC TOUR ISLE TO ISLE                                        by Mary Evans

WITH MARGARET LOWERY 2nd – 22ND JUNE 2007

 

Margaret Lowery has been leading CTC tours for some years and as she says her tours “still go somewhere” and that she is a leisurely Tour Leader, whose tours allow time to enjoy the countryside and the company, not to mention the food and wine!!  She is also an enthusiastic Francophile.

 

I chose this Tour because the blurb said “especially suited for the more mature cyclists, women welcome – average speed l0-12 mph.  And so it proved to be.                                                     Approx. 700 miles

 

The area covered by the Tour

We travelled to Nemours, south of Paris, by Bike Express.  Two nights were spent at our set down point in Nemours.  Free of excess baggage, we travelled north  to the forest of Fontainbleau with its Palace after which we started our progress south through the Berry and French history in the Plantagenet lands of the Middle Ages.  We passed through the centre of France, stopping at Bourges, swung north downstream along the River Indre to the Loire, stopping south of Tours.  Visited Chateaux great and small before turning south through Chinon, Joan of Arc country again.

 

The route continued south west into the gentle Charentaise countryside with its lazy streams and poplars stopping for three days in Vibrac below Angouleme.

 

Onwards towards the Atlantic, we continued along the Gironde through the resort of Royan and the forested coast to the viaduct to the Isle d’Oleron for two nights.  We returned to Saintes for our journey home by The Yorkshire Bikeliner.

 

Day 1 – Sunday, 3 June – Nemours to Fontainbleau

This was a gentle day’s ride through quiet country lanes and woodland to Fontainbleau.  Whilst pedalling happily, we met wave upon wave of racing cyclists pedalling furiously.  Quite a sight!

I joined a group of tourists visiting the Palace and was particularly interested in the fine woodwork carvings and Sevres china.  Most interesting of all was Napoleon’s abdication room with its fine canopied bed and table upon which he signed the document.  In contrast, the room next door was that of his Aide de Camp – a bare room with a camp bed – very utilitarian.

 

The ride back through villages following the River Loing, was a taste of things to come.

 

Day 2 – Monday, 4 June:  Nemours – La Bussiere.

Setting off on a warm, sunny morning, we cycled through woodland, open fields and small villages.  Cafes and bars were in short supply but we did find one which was memorable  Deep in the heart of the country, we saw a sign for an Auberge.  The garden was overgrown; the building was rather shabby and it looked closed.  A pleasant, elderly lady emerged from the undergrowth and invited us to sit down outside by the river.  We sat in the sun, enjoying the wild life and the peace!  The Auberge had a pre-First World War appearance and the plumbing must have been older than that.  We were given a bucket to flush the loo.  We chuckled all the way up the hill.  This is France and I love it!!

 

Onwards to Nargis and Cepoy, lunching at Montargis an interesting place.  We ate in the Jardin de Durzy where two Chinese in l920, gathered and gave talks on how to change China and the world!

 

Cycling in the afternoon was pleasurable with open fields, little or no traffic, passing a Roman ampitheatre on the right reaching our destination at about 4.30 p.m. having done 49 miles.

 

Day 3 - Tuesday, 5th June:  La Bussiere – Fussy/St. Georges

We set off early, making our way to Briare on the Loire, noting a bridge built by Eiffel in 1890/4, Le Pont de Briac which strides the River.  A beautiful spot where we lingered watching the swallows diving in and around the bridge whilst men cleaned the bridge.

 

This day proved to be debilitating for Margaret and John for it was very hot.  Most of the day was spent climbing hills, travelling along long straight roads, with no cafes or bars and little shade from the relentless sun.  Eventually we found a bar at Chapelotte which served iced water.  Margaret and John were exhausted so a taxi was ordered into which we put our panniers.

 

Henrichemont with its beautiful square and its historical interest offered us some respite.

 

As we made our way to Fussy or St. George, we viewed the spires of Bourges Cathedral on our right.

 

This night the group was split.  Our group of eight got the better deal staying in Fussy where the French owner spoke perfect English with an Australian accent, having spent l6 years in Tasmania and she was a superb cook as well.                                                           56 miles

 

Day 4 – Wednesday 6th June :  Fussy – Bourges- Briere Allichamps

Hot again.  We joined the other seven people at Vasseley.  Coffee was at Bourges.  With 90 minutes to explore this exciting, bustling town, we decided to see the Cathedral with its imposing edifice and flying buttresses.  Within, we marvelled at the magnificent stained glass windows, both ancient and modern.  The medieval centre had well preserved buildings in narrow winding streets.  Whilst waiting to regroup I notice we were sitting beside an English telephone box!

 

Setting a good pace along a long straight road to Chateauneuf, we ate up the miles and although the scenery could be described as featureless, I was so happy bowling along on my own with the golden wheatfields on either side of me with splashes of scarlet poppies intermingled with the blue of the cornflowers, the sonorous sound of the skylarks and the endless blue skies.  Bliss!

 

We were desperate for liquid refreshment and eventually found a cool, dark bar.  With 10 miles to go to our hotel, we fell into it, escaping the blazing sun.

 

The approach to Briere Allichamps was very pretty with avenues lined with lime and copper beech trees.  It was a comfortable hotel with balconies which overlooked the River Cher.  The smell of limes was intoxicating at night.  The owner/chef was particularly proud of her cooking and we sampled some of the local specialities which were interesting and beautifully presented.                            37 miles

 

Day 5 – Thursday, 7th June:  Briere Allichamps - Buzancais

The following morning was cool, damp and misty after the previous night’s heavy thunderstorm.  Margaret and John elected to travel by taxi with luggage.  John alighted at St. Aout whilst Margaret continued in the taxi to Buzancais.

 

Cycling along the quiet, pleasant roads, taking note of the blue bellshaped wild flowers in the verges and enjoying the sweet smell of meadowsweet, we headed for coffee at St. Hilaire de Ligniere.

John, having joined us at St. Aout, we lunched in Ardennes Park.  The forest through which we cycled was simply beautiful with its broadleaf trees adorning acres of land.  This was Louis X111 hunting domain.

 

Bypassing Chateauroux and its featureless landscape, we found ourselves on the busy D67.  To our right, one or two of us noticed a white trainer sticking out of a wired wooded enclosure.  On closer inspection, we found an elderly woman lying on the ground with her foot trapped in the wire.  There wasn’t much we could do, only to comfort her and try to ring for help.  Luckily, a lorry driver stopped and he took charge and within 10 minutes an ambulance arrived.  It remains a mystery as to how this elderly woman found herself in this position, miles from anywhere, and who was very confused.

 

We followed a rough track into Buzancais where we ate a hearty cyclists meal.                                                               63 miles

 

 

 

 

Day 6 – Friday, 8th June: Buzancais - Sorigny

There was a complete change in the weather and for the rest of the second week, it was damp and drizzly with warm afternoons and evenings.

 

We heard cuckoos as we bowled along through valleys and rolling countryside, noting the ancient town of Palluau, as we followed the River Indre.  It was 25 miles before we found a café/bar at St. Cyran, a small village.  I don’t think they were used to catering for a motley group of thirsty cyclists for there was total confusion in the bar.  The coffee and hot water machine broke down after serving the first 5 coffees.  It took an hour to get served!!

 

Lunch was at Beaulieu Les Loches, routes which John and I had covered last year with the Pilbeams.  We sat by the River Indre watching fishermen catching dozens of fish.

 

It was easy peddling to Sorigny – no hills and a day’s rest to look forward to!                                                                            50 miles

 

Day 9 – Sorigny

Yippee! A well earned rest!  John, Jim, John D. and I took the bus to Tours where we were met with police and barricades and roads closed (we didn’t really want all this fuss but it was nice to feel so welcome!!)  The reason for all this? Nicklas Sarkozy!  Le President and his entourage were visiting the city.  Sarkozy passed within a few feet of where we were standing!

 

We visited the beautiful Cathedral, lunched in the atmospheric square; walked round the old town and visited the market where we watched Les Tricots.  A ladies knitting circle – a very happy sight it was!

 

John D. and I viewed the paintings in the Musee de Beaux Arts.  On display we saw works by Monet, Degas, Rubens and Rodin.  Super.  The station façade was a most impressive piece of architecture.  We returned by bus having had a most satisfying rest day.

 

 Day 10 – l0 June:  Sorigny – Chinon

We had covered most of the miles by lunchtime, the route being gentle and undulating with pretty flowers everywhere on the verges.  Coffee was in the touristy and expensive town of Azay le Rideau and lunch was taken beside the River Indre, outside the Chateau Usse (Rigny Usse).  A fairy tale castle where Charles Perrault  based his Sleeping Beauty fairytale.

 

After a steep climb, we arrived at Chinon, a wonderful ancient town where Jean d’Arc entered the  town as a peasant girl and emerged later the warrior leader!

 

Our hotel was Hotel Plantagenet overlooking the River.  We ate in a restaurant within the city walls, very atmospheric, but the food was a disappointment.                                                           32 miles

 

Day 11 – Monday, 11th June:  Chinon – Thouars

Leaving the beautiful town of Chinon behind we crossed the river and eventually found ourselves in a most attractive village called Fontevraud where we decided to prolong our coffee stop because here was the famous Abbaye de Fontevraud and it was worth a look.  It is here that Eleanor of Aquitaine and other Plantagenet Kings are buried but apart from that it had an interesting museum full of ancient artefacts.                                                                     35 miles

 

Day 12 – Tuesday, 12th June:  Thouars – Latille

On this route we stopped to look at the Chateau at Oiron.  It was built in l7th century as a gathering place for French aristocrats who were doing Le Grand Tour.  Aristocrats from Europe met here to enjoy art, music, dance et al.  It was a beautiful place.

 

I heard another cuckoo today.

 

We stayed in a hotel in Latille run by mother and daughter (who was still called “Ma petite”!).  The daughter was a highly educated woman who had studied four languages at the Sorbonne: French, English, German and Yiddish!  Not only was she a linquist but a superb cook too.  We gave her a slow handclap after we had enjoyed a delectable meal.  So good was her chocolate mousse, she got up at 6 a.m. the next morning and made some more especially for our breakfast.  John D. and I stayed up talking in French to her into the small hours of the morning.  Not to be forgotten!                                             42 miles

 

Day 13 –  Wednesday, 13th June: Latille – Celles sur Belle                    

Nothing much to report but it was an attractive town. 36 miles

 

Day 14 – Thursday, 14th June:  Celles sur Belle - Ruffec

Having cycled through a heavy downpour, we stopped at Melle where we viewed an old church.  It was interesting because it was on the Pilgrims route to Santiago de Compostelo.  The carvings were medieval and rather primitive.  It had an unusual three-tiered apse and a statue of Emperor Constantine on horseback trampling on a pagan.  One could walk around the church looking at the carvings and the markings of a bygone age.

 

We stayed in the Hotel du Toque Blanche (The White Hat) in the middle of Ruffec.  It was simply amazing.  I have never stayed in anywhere like this before – it was so eccentric.  It was a left over from a bygone age.  It was crammed full of armour, knights in armour, shields, long bows and spears.  Everything was so old and worn.  The bedrooms were something else.  Curtains were falling off, the carpets were worn, nothing fitted.  Amazing.  Interestingly enough, I believe it must have been a refuge for the Resistance during the war for there was a lot of reference to it in and around the bar.  It also had press cuttings and photos of English Marines who have arrived by submarine or other forms of water transport and had been taken in and hidden there.  It was also a place where seemingly secret societies had met in a more illustrious past.  Fascinating.  In the dining room there was an old radiator with a small warming drawer built into it in the front.  The proprietor was a young, energetic man who made us very welcome.  Not to be forgotten.                                     33 miles 

 

 

 

Day 15 – Friday, 15 June; Ruffec – Vibrac

We were now on our way to Vibrac where we could enjoy two days rest.  It was a hard day’s ride because it was hilly and we cycled into a headwind nearly all day.  Lunch taken in St. Amant de Boix.  We reached Angouleme which was very busy so didn’t linger too long knowing there was a hill to climb.  En route to Vibrac in the middle of nowhere, we stopped before deciding to go left or right.whereupon a cyclist appeared from nowhere, saying that he knew we were CTC because nobody else travels with panniers!!  He was David Binks (Leicestershire) who gave a talk on Romania last November.  He also knew Janet in our group who used to be the YHA Warden at Copt Oak  YH many years ago.

 

It was a long ride today and we didn’t arrive at the hotel until 6 p.m. – rather tired.                                                                             45 miles

 

Days l6 and 17 Two Rest days in Vibrac

We didn’t do much cycling.  John and I went to Chateauneuf and a gentle ride along the river.  Some people went by train to Angouleme and others just lazed around.  The weather was dreadful. 

 

Vibrac itself was a quaint old village with its typical Charentesais houses (two of the finest houses were owned by English people!) and a defunct mill which is now being converted into apartments, le lavoir recontre les femmes and a 13th century church.          14 miles

To be continued

 

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