Group Riding

I am sure you are aware that the government is considering what to do next about the current lockdown, and there may be some announcement next Sunday. However, there is no guarantee that there will be any early change which affects our riding.

The committee is considering what our next steps will be, following government advice and CUK guidelines.

In the meantime the rules are quite clear. No group rides, even informally organised, even with social distancing. Only solo riding allowed. Anything other than solo riding will not be covered by CUK insurance.

I can understand many members are keen to get out on club rides as soon as possible, but please contain your enthusiasm for a while longer. All members will appreciate how difficult this period has been, but will thank everyone for their patience and for keeping others safe. Your wellbeing and the lives of others may depend on it.

Last weeks rides

Most recent rides have headed into greener pastures from Ashtead and I had been thinking that I was neglecting the northern quadrant from home. Then John Bellamy distributed the delightful film on the history of cycling in Kingston and Surbiton so where better to go in these quiet times than the Old Portsmouth Road.

Having taken the Tricross out on my last hilly ride I defied logic last Wednesday by taking the Yukon out for this almost flat one. So out towards Cobham and up the Fairmile. Then a long blast through Esher and past the Angel in Thames Ditton to Kingston. With a following wind this was by far my fastest ride for a long time and enjoying it too much to stop to take a photo or two. The return up Cranes Park to Tolworth, then West Ewell and Epsom was a bit more convoluted and into the wind but overall still a very brisk circuit.

I thought I should continue the theme on Saturday with a visit to Ripley though even with much reduced traffic riding the Portsmouth Road ( aka the A3 ) would verge on insanity. So out via Effingham, the Drift and Grove Heath and then back under the A3 to Ockham where the former HautBoy was the centre of one of the CTC's earliest campaigns. From there, home via Cobham and Leatherhead.

Blue Plaques & Manor House

What an interesting theme! Well this is the one on Meadow Walk.

Golfer came down from Scotland to become the professional golfer at Walton Heath.

On the subject of Thomas Hardy, I recall my first ever CTC Birthday Rides. It was based at Warmwell Holiday Park in Dorset and I recall that the weather was so hot. It was where I first met Peter Matheson. We shared a 3 bed 6 berth cabin, one person per room. Good that that was so as he snores so loud it is difficult to share as I found out later on other B'Day rides.

I remember going to see the grave of T.H.Lawrence, visit Poundbury and make my first ride up Gold Hill in Shaftsbury on my Raleigh tourer!

MANOR HOUSE

Another guessing game - where is it. The clue is Headley way!

Cycling Blue Plaques.

My replacement Garmin - to my replacement Garmin, arrived last week. (Don't ask, it's a long story!). Now I could plan rides and not just use Strava to record them. Where should I go?

Local lockdown rides near home were becoming predictable. We've all felt this. A new challenge was needed.  Previously I'd stumbled across a Blue Plaque, commemorating Walter De La Mare, at the end of a terraced street - Montpelier Row in Twickenham. That was it! I'd search out other Blue Plaques, riding to explore different parts of South West London.

The inspiration!

London's Blue plaques link the people of the past with the buildings of the present. There's over 900, run by English Heritage. Most are in central London, close enough to explore on foot, but plenty in outer boroughs to get round by bike. https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/blue-plaques/about-blue-plaques/ There's also an English Heritage Blue plaques app.

I found an interactive map locating the Plaques. https://www.arcgis.com/apps/TimeAware/index.html?appid=b69ac4493cf64e088f4883c637933e55

There are around 30 Plaques in Wandsworth, slightly less in Richmond, and half that in Merton. To narrow-down which ones to visit, I decided on a thematic approach - writers, poets and novelists! From this I chose 7 locations. It was a case of joining-up the dots - (i.e. Plaques), spaced far enough apart to provide a coherent, roughly circular route, of around 25miles, using quiet roads as far as possible. No doubling-back allowed! The course, planned on my Mac, was loaded onto my Garmin. Eastwards to Tooting, north to Wandsworth, along the Thames to Putney, west into Richmond, then skirting Richmond Park back to Wimbledon.

The first port-of-call was Trinity Road, Tooting, where Thomas Hardy lived. Novelist, notably 'Far from the Madding Crowd', (1874), Hardy was keen cyclist, encouraged by his wife Emma, reputably one of the first women cyclists in the country. Hardy cycled with T.E. Lawrence, aka Lawrence of Arabia, all over Dorset, as well as long-distance cycle tours. Apparently, Emma cycled in a green velvet cycling outfit, that matched her green bike, 'Grasshopper' - maybe setting today's fashion trend for colour-coordinated lycra and bike? She accompanied Hardy on his 'Red Cob', although she often rode, whilst Hardy walked.

 Thomas Hardy circa 1896

More up to date, CTC West Sussex hold an annual 20 mile Thomas Hardy themed cycle ride, starting in Dorchester, visiting sites linked to the author. (Unfortunately, like most cycle events, cancelled this year).

Next up was The Pines, Putney Hill, where Charles Swinburne - poet, novelist, critic, lived from 1879. He was a controversial character - scandalising Victorian society, writing about taboo topics, such as lesbianism and cannabalism! An alcoholic, he died there in 1909.

A straight run along the Upper Richmond Road, normally choked with traffic, brought me to Hogarth House, Paradise Road, Richmond, home to Virginia Woolf and her husband, Leonard, in 1915. Rather grand too. Another troubled writer, one of her best-known novels was 'To the Lighthouse'. Records indicate that Leonard bought her a bicycle in 1914 - though I doubt whether she could manage Richmond Hill!

A climb up Hill Rise, with views out over Ham, followed by a detour around Sheen Common, led me to Roehampton, and the site of Manresa House, where Gerard Manley Hopkins, poet, taught and studied. (Now University of Roehampton).                              

Plaque to Gerard Manley Hopkins

Hogarth House, home to Virginia Woolf.

Then it was back to Wimbledon Park, where George Eliot, (pen-name of Mary Ann Evans), lived with her common law husband in the 1860's. Author of titles, including 'Middlemarch' and 'Mill on the Floss' they eventually moved to Witley, Surrey in 1876. 

Woodside, Wimbledon

 Paradise Street, Richmond.

Thomas Hardy, cycling author.

Holly Lodge, Wimbledon Park.

Thomas Hardy's house, 172 Trinity Road, Tooting.

I was now on more familiar ground, aiming for Wimbledon Common and Lauriston Road, where Robert Graves lived. From here it was a descent from Ridgeway, along Worple Road, to Woodside, (on Dave Vine's doorstep!) where Georgette Heyer was born at number 103. Author of numerous historical romance and detective fiction, Heyer lived here for the first 4 years of her life. 

                              

Next time perhaps I'll choose scientists, politicians, or artists - (Hans said there's a chap called Van Gogh who lived in Chiswick), and venture further afield. For those on Relive here's my route.
https://www.relive.cc/view/v8qkNxepE36

Avoiding Richmond Park

The closure of Richmond Park to almost all cyclists at the start of the lockdown was widely lamented. But for me it has been a blessing. To start with I now have to think about alternative routes, rather than just following the Park circuit; so it’s good for the mind. The now inaccessible park circuit is about 6 miles, whereas a circular route around the outside is around 15 miles minimum, depending on the chosen route; so I do more miles. There are fewer cyclists, so I get overtaken less often, which is a morale booster. And I don’t have to worry about avoiding the deer, which have no road sense, or the car drivers without any sense at all.

Today I took a slightly longer route incorporating a loop of the Thames from Wandsworth  to Kingston. I joined the river at the picturesquely named “Wandle Delta” which looks ok at high water, so best to time your visit with the tide tables. It has a long history of industry, now being tidied up along with the nearby and much missed Young’s brewery.

Wandle Delta

 

Wandsworth Park had plenty of walkers and joggers. So I crossed the river at Putney, to follow the north bank past Craven Cottage. The bankside path is best avoided on a Saturday morning, and indeed cycling together with jogging are banned, with security men to remind anyone who misses the signage.

It's a Long Walk to Barnes Bridge

The cycling ban extends all the way to Barnes Bridge, but who needs cycle paths with lockdown traffic so light? I enjoyed a serene ride down the Great West Road; traffic is light and speeds thankfully low, and no runners or wayward dogs to avoid.

The Fuller’s brewery was next, famous for London Pride and sporting the oldest wisteria in the UK, Mike M please note, sorry no photo. I have never explored round here, but behind their Griffin Brewery, I was surprised to find the Lamb Brewery, once a rival to Fuller, now long closed down but leaving an imposing tower building.

Lamb Brewery, Chiswick

After Kew Bridge I passed through Brentford, where I had explored the historic old docks area on a previous circuit, then into Syon Park, thankfully still open as a through route, and deserted away from the road. 

Syon Park

Thereafter it was a blast down through Twickenham to Kingston, following (at a suitable distance) a couple of faster riders who provided me with the motivation to push a little harder. It was a reminder of how much I miss group riding. Being alone is ok, but it’s too easy to plod along at one’s own pace without getting the heartrate pumping. Roll on Lockdown Lifting.

Wayfarers 40th Anniversary - Badges have arrived

I'm pleased to say that the enamel badges for the Wayfarers 40th Anniversary have arrived, and they look great:

The package arrived on Monday, from China.  After a suitable period in quarantine, I plucked up courage to open it and take these pictures (washing my hands about eight times in the process).

The parcel in quarantine

When the rules allow us to meet again, I'll distribute them.  Due to the price reduction to £3 after you ordered so many, I will also give you £2 change.  But that requires a visit to the bank...

Credit to Geoff Gregory, whose idea this was in the first place.

PS.  There are still some available for purchase if anyone would like one.

Needed a flat ride

Out today and after the hills of the other day without my Garmin,  out today with my Garmin, starting  on the cycle track to New Malden then into Kingston and into Twickenham, to my knowledge I have never turned left at the town centre so gave it a go, Twickenham Green and beyond not so bad but noticed one store was a bit over reacting to having security. Maybe thats down to the people of Twickenham Green.

Nice ride, very flat just what I needed. I hope all is well with everyone and staying safe, would be nice to think we may be able to meet at a safe distance in the near future.
Geoff G.
PS The day before the ride Christine and I were returning from our allotment and we saw that someone had dumped a load of pussy willow branches by the side of the road, I thought I could use these so carried them home and as you do I made a willow fence to hold back some of the brambles in the back shared drive. Anyone else got up to silly things?

Turbo or rollers? Leonardo thought of it first

Brian Bent sends this thought:

Turbo or rollers ?? You can pay over £600 for some rollers! Why not make your own, using some old wheel hubs ( solid axles ) and angle iron ?? They could be ready for coronavirus mk2.

Brian b,

He also came across this early design in a book of Leonardo da Vinci inventions: