The Findon Gentlemen's Cycling Club

During the ride on the previous Saturday JR and the Rev. Z Allan TV. FGCC (Club Chaplain) agreed that “weighty matters were in need of discussions” and began to do so when JR remembered that they were not quorate at an EPM. I couldn’t remember the exact (proposed) agenda but recalls something about King Canute.
Hence the call for an EPM Friday (say 8 to 8.30 onwards), at the VH with a 10pm (latest) curry at Tim’s favourite restaurant/second home: The Tajdar?
With 5 attending at the VH, as far as can be remembered much was discussed but nothing concluded making it yet another great evening with plenty of entertaining discussion.
One idea raised was that we should have an overnight ride scheduled for the end of October each year to one of the UK forests so as to be able to enjoy the wonderful Autumn colours, such as JR experienced in the Forest of Dean. The draft calendar for 2017 has been updated to include this suggestion.
Below is a picture taken at Sheffield Park as an example.

Autumn colours in Sheffield Park

How about this for a long ride? A couple from the Netherlands and friends of RT are embarking on a ride up the length of South America, having given up their jobs and sold their house!

Rene & Miriam’s South America ride route

You can follow their ride on the following link, though they may have difficulty updating due to connection:

https://veloco.me

Bon voyage Rene & Miriam.

To applause from great crowds the FGCC provides splendid entertainment to the masses with our knights on their steeds demonstrating their specially honed jousting skills.

Once again FGCC gentleman Roy Kruger is helping to raise money for the COINS foundation by riding across Wales, from the Severn Bridge to the Menai Straights. This year it is only 220 miles over 3 days, but when consulting the map it indicated far too many contour lines a bit to close together, so will probably be the same if not more challenging than the 300 miles that he completed last year. The ride is this weekend, leaving on Saturday 18th June.

The sponsorship is for the COINS charity which Roy has had the privilege of seeing first hand in the UK, but also operates overseas. The aim is to use the power of business to create a better and more sustainable future. The easiest way to sponsor is by going to Roy’s company’s Just Giving page:

https://www.justgiving.com/vinci-it-wales-2016

For more information about COINS see:-

Coins foundation website

Roy in training for riding in wet Wales

Visit the award winning blog site, the Anxious Gardener, for views of our favourite part of the country, the South Downs, via the following link:-

The Anxious Gardener – South Downs views

Chanctonbury in the sunshine

Excellent weather to enjoy a BDN ride on the beautiful South Downs, though with a strong north-westerly winds.

View from Amberley Mount to Bury Hill

Messrs Bang-Sorensen, Budd and Thomas set out from Findon intending to get onto the SDW and go over to Bury Hill, round to Whiteways and back down to Houghton, North Stoke and back to Findon. However, a delayed start with 2 “blasteets” for CB and an unusual stop by the FD to admire the snowdrops by the side of the A24 left us with limited time so the straight Amberley loop was taken instead – SDW to Amberley, North Stoke and back up to Kithurst Hill and return to Findon.

Another excellent evening celebrating the fine achievements of members of the FGCC over a superb Nepalese dinner lubricated with oceans of Gurkha beer and plenty of entertainment by members awards presentations. At the Gurkha Tandoori, Worthing

Gentlemen of the FGCC celebrate NGN

A little bit of lubrication for the FGCC at NGN

A great BDN ride for Messrs Bang-Sorensen and Thomas on 18th January with not a cloud in the sky for once:-

Chanctonbury in the sunshine

And the FGCC 2015 Bulldog Bling award goes to ….

Mr Roy Kruger.

In a glitzy award ceremony in the Village House Hotel, Findon, surrounded by throngs of celebrities and hoards of paparazzi the 2015 bling award for the most rides in 2015 was presented to Mr Kruger by Mr Thomas, previous holder of this prestigious award. Just prior to this Mr Topley, Head Statistician for the FGCC, read out the attendance figures and total heights climbed for each member, starting with Mr G Derrick with zero on both counts due to his predilection for golf and no doubt the 19th hole.

As well as attending a staggering 34 rides, Mr Kruger had ascended a commendable 1.2749 Everests – the FGCC official measure of total heights climbed – and ridden a total of 776 miles (or 646.67 EN miles, the other official FGCC measure in honour of Mr Ewart Nightingale) on Saturday rides (plus the Peaks ride).

The 2015 FGCC Bulldog Bling award

Mr R Kruger – winner of the FGCC 2016 Bulldog Bling award

The evening continued with planning of rides for the year and the outcome has since been presented in the revised calendar on the FGCC website, and needless to say that the world was put to rights in the process! Thanks to everyone for their contribution to determining the calendar for the year and the anticipation of many entertaining rides for 2016.
A happy new year to one and all.

The next FGCC annual planning meeting has been called for this Friday 8th January 2016.
Look forward to seeing members at the Village House Pub from 8.00pm onwards for an entertaining evening of planning and generally talking b******s.