The big day!

Hi Campers,

Just to confirm what was decided at the meeting on Friday.

We are meeting at the castle at 6am, for photos etc, to leave at 6.30am sharp.

Could I request that, for safety reasons, everyone has their phones fully charged and switched on please, I will bring the list of everyone's phone numbers for those that weren't at the meeting, to put into your phones, especially the support driver's numbers.

As the weather is unpredictable, I suggest that everyone brings a change of clothes to put in one of the support vehicles.

Andy will provide some lunch like last year, we will stop just up the road from the pub stop for lunch, there is a small charge of £2.00 for this. The pub have very kindly said that we can use their toilet facilities when we stop, so you won't have to cross your legs!

Andy is driving the bus for those that need a lift back, but, if anyone needs to be back for a certain time, could you please make other arrangements, thanks.

We will be eating at around 8.30pm on Saturday evening and we have agreed with the hotel that everyone pays for their meal, as they order it, to avoid any confusion, as not everybody is staying at the same place.

Cheers Jackie

Training - done!

Well that's this year's training rides done, now for the BIG ONE on Saturday.

Yesterday's not so 'little ride' of 33-35 miles went, as tradition, to Birches Valley (the long way round) where again the weather was great. Lets hope the weather holds.

Loads of info about the coming weekend will appear here soon - keep an eye out!

Training ride for Sunday 28th June

This Sunday's ride will be a little more leisurely in preparation for the following weekend.

If we meet at the castle as usual, we can decide the start time and destination at Friday's meeting.

Cheers

...and now for a quick reminder from our Graham

I now have a slogan for my big ride next year and did my first fund raising with a stand at Devon Wildlife Festival in Exeter on Saturday.
 
It is Cycle 7/70 and the web donation page is: http://www.mycharitypage.com/GrahamWilson
 
I am hoping to be on youtube shortly with links to Mark Beaumont, the round the world cyclist. There was some filming after the show by DWT who said that this is their plan and it was on BBC Radio Devon last week.

I do not want to detract from your fund raising but any donations are very welcome.

With best wishes,
 
Graham

Friday's meeting

Just a quick reminder that the meeting to finalize the arrangements for 'The Big Day' is this Friday, the 26th of June, at The Swan Hotel, where the coffee shop has been reserved for us.

The meeting starts at 7.30pm but as there is live music in the garden that night, it will be busy so suggest you get there a little early to get yourself a drink from the bar beforehand.

The coffee shop is just on your right as you go through the front door.

If you are driving I'd suggest NOT to use The Swan carpark as spaces are limited and there is a charge on exit.

See you then.

Menu choices

Hi,

Can I remind everyone that we need to pre-order from the following menu for our post-ride dinner on the 4th of July.

Can you let Jackie have your choices asap please.

Your urgent response would really be appreciated.

Many thanks.

Smoked chicken Caesars salad.

Baked goats cheese topped with sundried tomatoes on a bed of garlic bread with salad.

Prawn and Cray fish cocktail topped with a Marie rose sauce.

Cream of vegetable soup.

~

Slowly cooked Welsh Black beef cooked in red wine and onions.

Pan fried sea bass fillets served on a bed of creamed leeks.

Pan roasted breast of chicken served on a  bed of sweet red pepper tomato  sauce with butter beans and Spanish chorizo sausage.

Slowly cooked shank of local Welsh spring lamb finished by roasting and served with a redcurrant and rosemary sauce.

~

Apple tart with  ice cream. 

cheese and biscuits.

chocolate  pear sundae

Alton training ride report

Eight of us took on the infamous ride to Alton on Sunday, and it was challenging to say the least, even on then bikes! Steve's bike unfortunately had a catastrophic failure of the deraillier and even with Adam's handywork, Steve had to resign himself to waiting at the Rambler's Retreat to be picked up by Andy. Approximately 55 mile round trip, but it did feel a lot further.

It's a tough job this cycling

As you can tell from these pics it was a tough ride on Sunday!

Our trip to Ironbridge went a little south and we ended up in Bridgnorth, although this added about 10 miles to the journey making it about 65 miles in total, I don't think anyone minded. The weather and the scenery were superb with the lunchtime stop was idyllically situated at the side of the river.

At a further unscheduled stop on the return journey we met up with Adam, Lisa, Josh and Andy at Coppenhall.

Altogether a great day.

See you for the Alton ride on SATURDAY.

9.15 meet for a 9.30 start.

Just asking directions...

Yeh, right!

An early start

Hi Bikers.

I'm sorry this is late notice, but we thought it may be a good idea to start the next two training rides a little bit earlier than usual, as they are longer rides and we would like to get back home and still have some day left, even if there's very little energy left. So if everyone is happy with this, I suggest we meet at the castle at 9.15 to leave by 9.30am.

Cheers Jackie

A BIG challenge for Graham

I have decided to do a very big charity fund raising challenge and would like to incorporate my ride at your event into it. The challenge is to cycle to Norway and back in Spring 2010, a distance of 3,600 miles. It will be easily the biggest physical challenge that I have done. I wish to raise funds for Devon Wildlife Trust. My reason is that nature and food production must live in harmony for the survival of the planet. There is too much pressure from big business on the land and there are huge threats to the environment. This is a practical belief, nothing radical. DWT do an excellent workin the South West educating people and preserving the landscape by encouragement and giving information. We have our opening fund raising event at Devon Wildlife Festival on 20 June on Exeter Cathedral Green where I will be taking a stand. We hope to have good press coverage and already have links with the BBC.

I now have a bike mounted camcorder. I have used it for the first time over the last two weeks so I am still on a learning curve. I am intending to bring it with me to Criccieth.

With best wishes, Graham

mycycling.co.uk

Dave has discovered this great free website where you can log your training rides.

MyCycling is a free web-based application that enables you to record and monitor your cycling activity. Whether you are a serious racer or simply a recreational cyclist, MyCycling caters for all.

Whenever you complete a ride all you have to do is log in to MyCycling and enter the relevant information that you wish to track, and all the rest is done for you and now you can get much more out of the Routes section, with the ability to add maps with your own route overlays.

You can then share your routes for other users to view, and add other people's shared routes to your own list of personal routes.

Thanks Dave

Wet Wet Wet

Blinkin' heck, it didn't half rain.

The few of us who ignored the weather forecast gathered at the castle just as the downpour started and then we watched under cover as the rain got heavier and heavier and the conversation went: "lets go for it, no - lets go home, no - lets go for it, no - lets go home". Eventually we decided that 25-30 miles to one of our favorite lunch stops at Birches Valley for a bacon baguette would be ok, but a few miles in, soaked through to the skin and passing within a mile or so of our homes the same conversation started again - home - carry on - home - carry on, we reluctantly gave up and headed for an early bath. So it was only about 12 miles this week, but never mind it's Ironbridge next week! See you then.

Big ride meeting

Hi,

We will be having a meeting on Friday 26th June (time to be confirmed) in The Coffee Shop Lounge at The Swan Hotel which has been reserved for us.

Please make it if you can, as there are so many of us involved this year, it will take a lot of organising!

There is live music in the garden later that night and it's always a good gig but it's guaranteed to be busy. 

More info at

http://www.theswanstafford.co.uk/?page=13

Thanks Jackie

Training ride to Alton

We were scheduled to do the Alton ride on Sunday 21st June, but apparently it's Fathers Day and there will be a few fathers that won't be able to make it, so we were wondering if everyone would like to do it on the Saturday instead (20th) as I know that you wouldn't want to miss that one, of all rides!

But the entry to Alton Towers and rides on The Nemesis and Oblivion may have to wait till another day.

Can you all let me know if you will be able to make it that day or not, thanks.

Jackie

Oh what a happy bunch!

Although this pic might not reflect the mood, Sunday's ride was fantastic.

We went to Birches Valley but a rather long way round taking in Gnosall and Penkridge and coming back through Colwich and The Haywards. The sun shone and the breeze was light. We did around 45 miles at a slightly faster pace.

See you next week.

A barmy night at the balti

A wonderful evening!

Drinks in the garden at The Swan, just as the sun was setting was a great start, then off to Nishads.

The drink flowed and the food was lovely (although one or two of us may not remember all of it).