Thursday, October 20, 2005

19th October 2005

Hello Wayfarers and friends

Hello Wayfarers from Mark Roy. At our AGM, when Brian handed over our rides attendances records, someone suggested we should also keep our records of punctures, marked with Ps. The matter was left at that without serious attention. This made me think what is the importance of a puncture? I think a puncture is the most important part of our cycling. If we have a puncture we can't keep on cycling without changing the tube or mending the puncture and that is a lot of trouble and effort and embarrassment and it delays other cyclists, and if you have two punctures in one ride we feel very bad about it, sometimes I feel I am going to give up cycling (not all). Therefore, it is a brave effort get over the incidence of punctures. I think a person should be honoured who weathers this storm of having so many punctures and continue cycling. For this I am willing to put up cup or suitable trophy awarded on an annual basis to the person with most punctures during a year. It may be called Mark Roy puncture cup. You may laugh. I think it is a suggestion we can all give our opinion on. [Several members have recorded their punctures for the period just ended, but most have not. I suggest all regulars wishing to participate in puncture recording do so on their annual rides attendance record and we assess the response at our next AGM before Mark commits to his generous gesture. Feedback from others on this proposal would be most welcome - Brian].

Pete M led 'A' group from Caterham with Ed, Grant, John S. Brian, Bob, Pete B, Tony and Ray D enjoying an often-brilliant day of serious hills taking us via Marden Park to lunch at The Crown Knockholt in Kent. More 1in5 hills to Cudham and Biggin Hill, a welcome long run down Featherbed Lane before a climb to tea at The Pond Tea Rooms at Coombe Wood. A busy ride home through the school rush period, noting the trams were well loaded with scholars. 52 miles From Pete Mitchell

From Caterham, five of us, Cliff Whitfield, Bernard Brindley, Angie Launder, Norman Goody and I rode to “The Old House At Home” at Dormansland, Licensees; Trevor and Tina Jobson. We partook of the usual grotty lunch. After lunch Norman set off for home- he was going to The Albert Hall in the evening. The rest of us rode via Titsey Hill. The intention was to have tea at Woldingham Garden Centre, but nobody wanted to stop for tea, which was just as well because it appears not to exist now. Weather: sunny intervals and showers. We didn’t have any heavy rain but judging by the amount of surface water there had been heavy rain previously. I clocked 60.66 miles. Les Johnston

Nice to see Fuzz at elevenses at Claygate. I counted eleven of us following Harold en route to The Running Mare at Cobham. There was Bill, Mark, Geoff, John, Beryl, Roger, Ron W, Dave, plus Harold and me (I've only missed one out this time!). In about half a mile we were on Claygate Common, then Arbrook Common and Esher Common. Apart from a few light showers the weather was fine but the surfaces were somewhat tricky in places and some walking was necessary. I managed to come off and skin my arm but with Beryl's help and my first aid kit was soon patched up. We regained the tarmac in Sandy Lane at the end of which we turned left into Miles Lane, then Fairmile Lane and Stoke Road less than half a mile from our destination. I assumed it was Harold's intention to return to Claygate for tea where he had left his car but I made tracks for my local clinic via Cobham and Byfleet. I am pretty sure their return route was a little gentler! Regards Albert

See you next Wednesday, all together at our new Elleray Hall, Elleray Road, Teddington venue, where Lynda will be awarded her shield. Not to be missed!

Olleh Brian

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