2016-06 June

Rides of the Findon Gentlemen’s Cycling Club in June 2016

Saturday 4th June – 08.00am ride.
JR, MA.
JR reports:
“Mark and I did indeed venture out on Saturday to represent all at the FGCC (and to attempt to maintain standards).

1. The Route:

We rode to the tank, inspected the flora and the excellent club colours. Both may soon need work prior to or during the Tank Brek.

Route home was via Lee Farm, Harrow Hill and was supposed to also route via Blackpatch Hill.

2. Where we went wrong:

However, the pioneering spirit of the FGCC took over and we decided to undertake some R & D work on behalf of the Club. This work had been attempted before (unsuccessfully) by others of us; we tried to find a passage through to Myrtle Grove Farm from Lee farm Road and whilst we didn’t end up back on the SDW (as happened last time) we did find our route became somewhat down graded to public footpaths, necessitating huffing the bikes over lots of hurdles until we could eventually achieve our original planned route and destination.

3. Brek:

A splendid brek was had at Julia’s.

4. Standards:

Standards were maintained at all times.”

Friday 10th/Saturday 11th IOW/NF ride.
ZA, JR, CB, TK, RK, MA, MT, RT.
All (except MT) took various trains to meet at Southampton to take the ferry across to Cowes, but having purchased tickets for the passenger ferry a sharp-eyed vicar spotted that the passenger ferry does not permit bikes – poor “pm-ing” on the part of RT who clearly hadn’t researched the matter sufficiently (where we went wrong). However, we were able to take the slower car ferry arriving at Cowes around mid-day.
MA and his phone became routemeister and we started by taking the chain ferry across to the west side, leading to comments about how CB had come all the way from Italy for a ride only to spend the whole morning on trains and ferries, with another ferry to look forward to at the end of the day. That led to discussion of the return route to Southampton leading to the conclusion that we might just as well conclude his short trip to the UK with another ferry ride from Hythe after the NF ride.
Route down to Carisbrook for a lunch and then heading off along the Tennison trail

At the start of the Tennyson trail
At the start of the Tennyson trail

all the way to Freshwater Bay

Grey weather restricts the view towards the Needles
Grey weather restricts the view towards the Needles

for the traditional rest on a bunker at the top of the golf course followed by keys memorial maintenance.

Traditional rest at the golf course
Traditional rest at the golf course
Keys memorial maintenance
Keys memorial maintenance

After a cup of tea from the Lifeboat station there we cycled to Yarmouth only just missing the ferry, necessitating a pint from the nearest local whilst we waited for the next ferry. Across to Lymington and then a dash to the hotel at Hordle due to our being a bit later than planned, where we were met by Mr Thriscutt, who’s “slag-jag” served as a much-appreciated taxi service to and from the dinner venue, where the b******s talking levels experienced as significant increase accordingly, especially with the forthcoming Brexit referendum.

The next morning it was decided that MT, accompanied by JR, would drive the jag to Brockenhurst whilst the peleton cycled in the same general direction, to meet after the car had been parked.

MT takes up his platform when we meet in the NF
MT takes up his platform when we meet in the NF

A 12 mile loop through the New Forest to the west of Brockenhurst returning to have a lunch there in a cafe, with rain threatening us as we ate outside. After parting company with MT we took a generally eastwards to Hythe where we took the ferry back to Southampton, parting company with CB, and trains home.

Total 61 miles including the ride to and from Findon.

Saturday 18th June – Tank Trek ‘n Brek and celebration of the Queen’s 90th.
KBS, AM, MA, JR, ZA, TK, RT – Project Manager JR
All goods transported to Kithurst Car Park in the Malaysian Tea wagon, whilst the peleton cycled up to join and take everything up to the tank. Wheelie Bin had been brought out of retirement in the absence of the TM’s trailer.
On arrival we discovered that the area had been cut like a Wimbledon tennis court by Mr Derrick, who with great thoughtfulness had even cut a path and enclave alongside the bushes a little way off to provide a perfect and discrete location for gentlemen to relieve themselves if required
Glasses raised to the FGCC, absent friends and of course The Queen for her 90th.

Glasses raised
Glasses raised

Chief cook TK and his sous-chef the Flying Dane produced an excellent brek for us all assisted by the introduction of an innovation in the form of a small portable gas cooker to ensure that the sausages were fully cooked this time. Toast with marmite supplied by TK, naturally, and marmalade from the marmalade king, MA finished off another hilarious event full of the usual b******s talking particularly around the subject of the forthcoming referendum, with Mr Mead taking his customary platform.

Mr Mead's platform
Mr Mead’s platform

Cleared up afterwards and then RT tied the now-lighter Wheelie-bin to his bike rack to trundle down the hill to the car park, entertaining passers by.
Total 10 miles?

Saturday 25th June 08.00am ride.
RK, RT
We quickly concluded that the reduced numbers were down to post-Brexit shock, and a short ride was proposed – straight Amberley loop followed by brek at Julia’s.
Total 18 miles.