Fuzz Edwards

Fuzz in 2010

Lynda received this sad news yesterday from Fuzz's wife Mary.

Said that Fuzz died on Friday evening. It was Bronchial Pneumonia.  Apparently, he had been unwell over last 18 months.  He was 89 years old. 

Mary said the family would have a party at theirs in the Summer.  Due to circumstances now, funerals only immediate family. 

He was a good age.  I'm pleased it wasn't due to this virus.

Once met, never forgotten, Fuzz was always ready to crack a joke.  If you didn't have the pleasure of meeting him, you will get an idea from reports of his rides here and here.  He suffered a series of strokes from 2016-18 which affected his mobility, but he was still determined to ride, going out on a trike around Wormwood Scrubs, if I remember correctly.   He will be sadly missed.

Fuzz (in flat cap) with the Easy Riders, Feb 2011

Wild Garlic (2)

Not for the first time, I find myself at the leading edge of contemporary taste.  Opening this morning's Sunday Times I see that it has a recipe for cheese and wild garlic scones.

So, next time you're taking exercise (or getting essential supplies from Dave's garden), forage a few leaves and a tasty treat awaits.

Next week, soup ...

Mark

Surrey Ramblings (3)

Three more excursions since my last post.

On 18th I decided to head east for a change. Through Langley Vale and Tattenham Corner towards Banstead and then down Holly Lane ( a first - till now I have only ever been up). Like Mike I was surprised that the car park was open but this was endorsed by a Reigate and Banstead Council banner ( good to see that reasonable people are in charge and kept open the woods where people can distance themselves).   Then right up Chipstead Bottom to Tadworth and on through Walton and across Headley Heath before taking Reigate Road to Leatherhead and home. 20 miles and 1300 ft of acent.

Last Wednesday it was a flatter ride. Almost a repeat of my earlier circuit to Esher and Cobham but this time I went across Ardbrook Common to see the horse's head sculpture mentioned by Don. I had to walk the plank ( literally) across the lake under the railway bridge ( photo courtesy of Ray Wren ).

This time I went to Hersham and as expected the traffic on Seven Hills Road was light enough to make it almost enjoyable. I checked out the coffee shop in Cobham but the presence on two undertakers inside and hearse outside ( only for their coffee, of course) put me off. Onwards to Bookham and home.

So to yesterday. A hillier ride was planned. Should I get the Yukon out for an easier ride or challenge myself with the Tricross. In the end the Tricross won. I saw Mike Withers close to his home in Effingham. He's doing fine and getting out on his bike most days. Then off up Critten Lane and over Whitedown, along the A25 to Westcott and up Logmore Lane. After Dorking just one more hill up Lodgebottom Road to Headley before a swift run down to Ashtead. 25 miles and 2000ft of ascent. A bit of a sprint through Ashtead pushed the avergae speed just over the 12mph.

Greetings from Irene

Hi Tim, 

How are you? I hope you are keeping well, this old biddy has just returned from a 4 mile coast walk. Everything o.k. here, miss you all very much, I am cycling as much as I can when weather allows.

I am not taking any chances as our lovely lanes are quite free from crowds and very open. I borrow the lovely puppy from my super next door neighbour and we walk to a big leisure sports ground 5 mins away and she can run around safely and I get a lovely walk for an hour.

Love looking at the blog and seeing what you are all up to, keeps me sane.  Miss the cafés and cakes!

Love to anyone who remembers me

Irene

WhatsApp group

Thank you Simon for this, may I join the "B" group please courtesy of Tim C.

WhatsApp groups

In case you missed the "advert" in Sou'Wester Shorts issue 14 a few weeks ago:

We have set up WhatsApp groups for those branches of the club which do not already have them, so members can keep in touch with each other. If you want to join a group, please contact the following:

• Easy Riders; Helen Tovey
• Wayfarers B Group;  Tim Court
• Wayfarers A Group; Simon Lambourn
• North Cheam Wayfarers riders; Steph Wyatt

There are also groups for the Beginners and Cheam & Morden.   Contact Simon or Tim to join either of those and we'll put you in touch.

The blogs and Sou'Wester/Sou'Wester Shorts are still the main options for communications within the club.   Plus, there is the Sou'Westers Facebook page which is also doing well.

Mike Morley Update

Thanks to all for the best wishes on WhatsApp and the blog. The good news is that my procedure took place at Kings on Tuesday 21st April and I was discharged on 22nd. I am due to go back for as Scan in 6 weeks time and then have a virtual consultation with Pro. Nigel Heaton the lead consultant in 8 weeks.. I am so grateful that the NHS is looking after me so well and I cannot speak too highly of the team and all the Consultants, nurses and operatives that afforded my this treatment at such a trying time for all. I do not have a prognosis at the moment but feel very positive though rite now I feel, weak, shattered and ready for bed.
Simon L sorry I missed your birthday cake real or otherwise!

Bushy Park

Thursday's ride from West End, Esher, to Hampton Court. The first time I have seen the gates to the Palace closed during the daytime. I intended to go round the outside of Bushy Park, but finding that it was open to pedestrians and cyclists, decided to do just part of the route outside. Came into the park in Hampton Wick, examined the memorials to Eisenhower and the USA Air Force - there was a very large American army camp in the park during WW11.

 

Came out of the Hampton Hill gate and didn't take the optimum route. I found myself in a hinterland of tracks between Kempton Park and The Water works. Eventually crossed Walton Bridge and back home.


20.63 slightly confused miles.


~ Don

Wayfarers 40th Anniversary - Official Souvenir Photo

The wait is finally over!    We have added names to the 40th anniversary photo, to make a lasting record of those who made it to Weybridge in time for the picture on that lovely January morning.  You're welcome to spend some of your lockdown hours gazing fondly at all your friends.

Framed Souvenir prints can be obtained as follows:

1. Print the picture on your home PC's printer, and buy a frame next time you're doing essential shopping
2. Save the picture to a USB stick and take it into your local photo print shop, whenever that's allowed again. They might even do a souvenir T-shirt or cycling top.

Tim and I think we've got all the names right, but if you spot something wrong, please let me know and I will update this post.

Wednesday Ride

Caterham for elevenses today, or should have been.  It's pretty local for me, so I thought I'd pop over that way and then go down the hill to Crowhurst to see the Yew.

Round via Blindley Heath and Outwood, then home for a pub lunch in the garden.

As I descended Farthing Down Paul James was coming up; I waved, but I don't know if he saw me.

Mark

Using YouTube with a turbo trainer

Hi all, in these days of lock down and the guidance for one hours exercise I’ve looked for ways to make using a turbo trainer more interesting. I’ve downloaded a playlist on my iPhone and happily pedal away trying to match the beat of the sounds whilst watching snails make slow progress across my path (the turbo is in the garden). However, I’ve discovered these videos on YouTube https://youtu.be/69iVX_tOF8w . There are a series of these of different lengths and intensity and other videos are available. I use mine with the iPhone propped up on a bird feed stand, headphones in and off we go.

Clues to the Blue Bells

Mark as ever you are quite right, how on earth could one guess. With the pictures below no doubt a number of my fellow MWW will recognise the clues. What amazed me was that the car park was full to bursting and showed the lack of consistency by Surrey Police compared to say what is happening at Box Hill. There were loads of people in the Woods, though I accept that they were mainly couples or families and a few dog walkers! Here goes your starter for 10!

Still waiting for the call from Kings to say they have a bed for me tonight. Keeping my fingers crossed

Where is this.

Today I went somewhere I have been many times before but never new there were so many Blue Bells see below! Where am I?

Definitive clues to follow so then you will guess where I have been! Come on have a go beforehand, don't be shy or lazy! If you find it boring I can try something else. I know that I cannot match, Janice, Terry and Mark but thanks Tony for the encouragement and Simon too!

Things to do during a Coronavirus lockdown #27: A Software Update

There's a fair bit of software on bikes these days - Garmins, Di2 and so on.  On e-bikes there's loads, and it's very significant to the way the bike performs.  Manufacturers vary in their approach to letting you fiddle with it; some are fairly laisser-faire, others are dealer only.

Fazua, a German company that provides the motor system for my Boardman gives you pretty free access, and I've just done an upgrade to fix a problem that has irritated me for a while.

The Fazua system prides itself on a natural riding experience, and it delivers on this very well.  One element is the way in which the motor interacts with the rider - if it detects that you are pedalling well, then it reduces its power output and lets you get on with it, which is generally fine.  If you really are going well you quickly pass the 15.5 mph motor cut-off and on you go.  Perfect.

Where this all goes wrong is in the Surrey Hills.  I like to take a bit of a run at a short steep hill, pedalling hard.   The motor takes this as evidence that I am going well, and lets me get on with it.  This is a very natural riding experience, of course, being very like riding a hefty bike up a hill without a motor ...

Software 2.01 lets you fiddle with this, and I have done so.  I have been able to choose the maximum motor power that I use for hills, and specify how this relates to my own effort.  Works really well.

On Farthing Down this morning I was pulling 604 watts at one point, which is quite a bit, being 210 Watts from the motor and 394 Watts from me.  That's a good show, and I can't keep it up for long - I was blowing a bit by the top.  But it was a good quick climb, and none of this 'natural riding experience' nonsense. It's an e-bike, for heavens sake.

So, once I'm released from House Arrest, I'm ready for a good ride.

Mark

Dieppe Raid & info about ferry tickets

As most will know, this year's Dieppe Raid has been cancelled. Caroline Street posted this info on the Dieppe Raid Facebook page:

Information from DFDS regarding travel tickets for this year's cancelled event:

“The DFDS policy now, is to offer a credit note of the value of the ticket.
This voucher must be used before the end of this year (31/12/2020) and the travel period is 30/06/2021. Therefore if your event will take place next year in June, they will be able to use this credit. The cost for a bicycle ticket should not increase therefore there should not have any difference to charge to our customers.”

Turbo Training Options and free wheel Single Speed Fixed Gear on my Specialised Fixi

Hello everyone how can I compete with Janice and all her excellent bridges to cross and challenges. Well I will not even try but lets start with my Turbo set-up.

The above shows my handmade 531 frame by Norman Butler from Long Eaton when I was a member of the Long Eaton section of the CTC Derby DA. This bike was built in 1961 with Campag ends, Nyrex lugs and a stronglight headset. Cost of frame £12.50 pence. The whole bike was then built up with Stronglight cotterless crank-set and Campag record Ace groupset and Mafack centre-pull brake's. The whole shooting match cost me £82. I used to time trial on it doing "0" for 25 & "0" for 50's. My best 100 was 4hrs. 13mins. Perhaps my best effort was in the Broad Oak 12 hour at the age of 22 in 1963 when I did 243 miles beating the club record at the time. This was when I was a member of the Long Eaton Paragon a racing offshoot of the CTC. Gordon Booty the brother of the famous Ray Booty was also a club member. The two pictures above show this bike rigged-up on my turbo in my log cabin at the bottom of my garden where I spend time listening to my music!

Turning to my Secialized single speed bike pictured below.

When I was young we had a guy in the LEPCC who was an expert hill climber and specialised in fixed gear. He persuaded me at the age of 15 to convert my first racing bike, a Claud Butler with 3 Benelux gears to a double sided fixed wheel. It was the best thing I ever did! I remember going on a YHA holiday to the Lake District with Brian and my mate Dave Smith. We cycled from Long Eaton to Kendal up the A6 via Manchester where we tucked into roast beef and Yorkshire pudding (though in Lancashire) for 2 shillings and sixpence! The journey of 150 miles took us 12 hours with fully loaded saddle bags. No big panniers in those days. The holiday was fantastic and I rode up all the passes, Hardnot, Rhynos, the stride etc on single speed fixed. We ended up back at Kendal YHA and returned home 150 miles in 10 hrs., maybe because it was nominally down hill but also we got so fit!

They were the days of men & boys!

The picture above shows my current fixi with brand new 18 tooth free wheel sprocket and 41 tooth chain ring giving 62" gear. Mark G please confirm!

Finally other pictures inside my Log Cabin!

This shows my lovely chiming German clock with kids bike gifts over the years!

In conclusion, I passed over the M25 at Pfizers this afternoon and as you can see little traffic in these Lock-Down times. Stay safe and keep up the interesting meanderings on the Blog or WatsAp!

Box Hill Update

Firstly horses, well Terry & Don, I never knew these horses existed and I am still slightly baffled as to where they are? When all the anti-social isolation is over perhaps we can have a proper social ride together sometime. That is assuming I come out of Kings College after my further Liver procedure Monday 20th to Wed 22nd April, which I am sure I will! I am so pleased that Kings are continuing with my very necessary treatment and recommending moderate bike riding within my limits at this trying time for everybody. My thoughts go out to all those cancer patients and others who have been put on hold indefinitely!
Regarding Box Hill I visited Destination Bike on Thursday for bike maintenance, they have the best mechanic around called Andy. Jeff the proprietor said that he had phoned the Nation Trust to enquire why Box Hill was still closed after Easter. N.T. replied that they had asked the police to maintain the sign saying residents only to stop not the cyclists but motorists who were persisting in clogging the car parks and the viewing point and sunbathing, picnicking etc in the fine weather! So it's not the cyclists who are the blame by the motorists but they themselves.
I have made a comment to this effect back to CUK HQ in regard to campaigning via Cycle Clips!

Another horse's head

Noticed near Bramley on 29th April 2018 on a Cheam and Morden ride when Pam had a puncture. The sculptor, Nic Fiddian-Green lives nearby.

A Themed Wednesday Ride?

Where shall I go? perhaps into Cobham, then to Leatherhead - I know! I could ride round some of the venues we use for elevenses and lunch! That's an idea!

First port of call The Prince of Wales in West End, Esher. Then onto the Portsmouth Road, over Horseshoe Clump and into the woods, I will go to Cobham the pretty way! Along the track and over the A3. Hmm, that's quiet, but not as quiet as I might have guessed. Out of the woods into Sandy Lane, back into the woods, then down Green lane, then a series of back alleys into Cobham. The Legion is closed, in fact all of our venues were closed - no surprise there.

Downside to Bookham Common, to Fetcham, to Leatherhead, out on the Epsom Road and then the track over the M25 - Essential journeys only, said the sign. Where am I? Get the map out, a walker asked me if I wanted help - I want to get to Ashtead, I said. Just down the road, he said. Past Bike Beans - no! It's not called that now. Missed the Woodman pub, onto Ashtead Common, lot of people about. Coal and Wine Tax Post - well preserved. Crossed the Leatherhead Road by The Star pub. Wow! that's the first time I have ever been able to ride straight across.

Into Prince's Coverts, stopped at Jessop's Well and took a photo. Mr Jessop used to bottle the water from the well and sell it to wealthy Londoners for 6d a bottle. It was supposed to have health giving properties. Crossed the Oxshott to Malden Rushett road - I have never seen it so quiet. Into the woods, another Coal and Wine Tax Post. This one is in even better nick, someone has gone to the trouble of picking out the letters in black.

Under the railway and under - hold on! What's that? It's a large piece of statuary - it's a horses head, upside down in a field. It must be about twenty feet tall and it's standing on its nose! Just alongside the A3. What's it for? I mean - why? https://tinyurl.com/y9yf246o

Into Milbourne Lane, Claygate and through the lodge houses into Claremont. Clive of India bought Claremont and spent £100,000 on it. Princess Charlotte the heir presumptive to the throne died there in childbirth. She was the last of the line, she was George III's granddaughter, if she hadn't died, we wouldn't have the present Queen on the throne now.

Nice avenue of trees leading up to the exit gate onto the Portsmouth Road, through the gate, down the hill into West End and home. The trees were planted in er, the 1880s, 1882 was it? Or 1886? Never mind that now, you've got to remember the four figure code to open the gate.......

21.1 electrically assisted miles

~ Don