The First Noel- December 12th

Hard to believe that it's neally three months since the end of season tour, but here we are on our pre-Xmas Dinner ride.

The weather may have been in flux since the tour - an Indian summer giving way to a soggy autumn and foggy winter- but some things never change. It's almost three months to the day since we waited outside the Old Sun for Mick to fettle his bike (with a twig!) before setting off for Market Harborough. Now we wait in the self same spot while he changes a tyre that has been flat since the end of that ride. There's nothing like being prepared....

Plus Ca Change

Fortunately we don't get too cold as there's been a marked improvement in the weather- the fog that's been around for much of the week giving way to sunny spells and blue skies.


We finally get on the way, headed for Deadman's Cross, via Water End, Clophill and Apley Corner. There are six of us- Brian, Richard, Joe, Chris H, John & Mick; Clive having cried off suffering from jet lag- an Ampthill CC first, I think.


None of us has ridden much in recent weeks and the pace is steady rather than brisk. This is in keeping with the spirit of the traditional Xmas ride. It's very much a token gesture to off-set some of the excesses of the evening's drinking and eating.

Just as we're getting into a rhythm John pulls up with the second puncture of the day. He's fast becoming the Puncture King having had no fewer than four flats on his last MTB ride.

The tyre's soon changed and we set off again- hitting what seems like rush-hour in Clophill High Street.

The climb up Great Lane is harder than usual and we are well strung out by the time we reach the old school in Haynes. We stop to re-group before heading for Apley End where we pick up the concrete bridleway out to Chicksands. Here we encounter a dozen or so portly gentlemen who have spent the day terrorising the local pheasant population- Amazingly they must be the only guns in Bedfordshire that Joe doesn't know.
Cutting back through Haynes Silver End we met a couple of 10-year-olds on MTB's. Fascinated by a bunch of old gits riding bikes they heclked us as we past. They were obviously reminded of the Worzels (Joe's beard, perhaps?) and gave us a chorus of Oi've Gotta Brand New Combine Harvester.

It's starting to cool down and the sun is low in the sky as we get to Deadman's Cross, so we decide to abandon our original plans of heading to Southill via Ireland and head back to the Stone Jug. Only when we get inside do we realise just how cold it has become. The welcome is just as warm as the pub itself and it's hard to pull ourselves away. Not for the first time this year, we have an extra pint before heading out into the dark.

Badger Hill seems to have got steeper over the past few weeks and we are secretly glad of the excuse to stop at temporary traffic lights halfway up. Then there's a charge back to Ampthill in time for "The Three S's" before heading out for the evenings festivities. Just as we enter town Joe takes the opportunity to wave to members of his fan club and manages a somersault over the handlebars for their entertainment. There's no damage to bike or biker and we head of home to prepare for the evening's festivities.


An excellent way to spend a winter's afternoon whilst managing to clock up a steady 20 miles.

And Then There Were Three

Having not managed anything more than a token 10 mile ride around the soon-to-be-Centre Park site for nearly a month, I fully expected Sunday's ride to hurt. Combine this with a weather forecast that threatened strong northerly winds & heavy showers and a distinctly delicate head (the latter resulting from the need to anaesthetise myself against the pain of seeing Wolves ravaged by the Gooners) and you'll understand why I was hoping my fellow riders would phone to say they'd cocked up their diaries and couldn't make it after all.

There was no such call, so I had no option than to drag myself out of the pit and prepare for my first ride since the clocks went back. Remembering to avoid the Sunday AM repeat of MoTD ( surely such horrors should not be shown before the 9 pm watershed) as I made porridge and hunted my waterproof top, I staggered out to the garage in the drizzle . By the time I'd checked tyres, oiled chain and adjusted saddle the rain had stopped and I set off on the lung bursting climb up Ampthill Hill in not unpleasant conditions.

Brian & Richard were already waiting in the Market Square- all other potential riders having found excuses. After a surreal discussion about curtain rails and curtain hooks, we decided to head for Eversholt via Flitwick, Steppingley and Water End.

This is not the most obvious route but it was designed to take in one of the best bits of single-track in the area. Secluded in the woods next to the M1, it offers 1/2 a mile of fast switchbacks- made extra interesting this time of year by the blanket of leaves covering the trail. (Come to think of it, there are few times in the year when you can see the track- as it's shrouded variously in bluebells, bracken and brambles.

It was worth the grind through the mud (and smack in the face from a rogue branch) to get to the start as the single-track itself was in perfect nick. In fact, it was so good we decided to ride back up it. This proved almost as interesting as the downhill version albeit somewhat slower.

After a short stretch on the road, we picked up the bridleway at Waterend and headed out to Eversholt via the stream. We've obviously had more rain than we realised and there were a few wobbles as we entered the water.

By now all mist and drizzle had disappeared and the sun was doing it's best to show through. Conditions were pretty well perfect as we picked up the farm track out towards Tingrith. Cutting through the woods behind Steppingley, we fetched up on the newly surfaced Peaks End, the location of one of the weirdest encounters of the summer.

Returning from a similar ride, Brian, John and Richard came across an up-turned car in the middle of the track. A middle aged woman was suspended upside down in the driver's seat; there were no signs of any other vehicle or animal and no obvious cause of the accident. Fortunately the woman was just shaken. Playing the Good Samaritans, the guys helped her out of the car, phoned the emergency services and made contact with her son. The son was first to arrive and proved himself to be a total git.
After a brief rant at his mother for being so stupid, he turned his attention to Richard and John. Without bothering to ask what had happened, he'd decided that , as they were cyclists, they must have been responsible for the accident and launched a torrent of abuse! Taken aback by the reaction, they were too stunned to put him right and decided to head for home.

Any way, no such incident today and we headed back past the pumping station, down to Windmill Road and back via the Causeway & Manor Lane. Some how we'd managed to clock nearly 20 miles by the time we got home. The head was clear and the legs only ached a bit- well worth the effort, even of the bike does need a clean.

New Boots & Panties

Well- after about five years of talking, it seems we're finally going to get new shirts. Well done Mr R for getting off his backside and taking this on.

Of course, this does throw up a number of potential issues- not least of which is the shirt design. Despite being designed by committee, somehow the original shirts turned out pretty well (the odd typo not withstanding- Kieth!) but we did get bogged down with individuals providing their own logos (or not). Whilst not being superstitious, it may be wise to resist that this time round as, with the exception of the Old Sun, none of the businesses featured is still trading. We probably need to keep this fact away from any potential sponsors!

Furthermore, new shirts will mean, for the majority of us, choice and choice brings a need for decisions.
Which of us has not been through the excruciating exercise of getting ready to go out with the "Uvver 'Alf"? We grab whichever jeans and tee shirt are clean (or least dirty) and then sit and wait while they decide what to wear. This can take several hours while they try on the entire wardrobe because a) they have a choice and b) they're worried what everybody else will wear.

Over the years, we've proved that decision making is not our forte. Witness the annual fiasco of agreeing tour dates or even selecting dishes for the Xmas meal. This can take weeks and half of us still forget what we ordered when we get there.

Will we now be ringing around on a Tuesday to see which shirt everybody is going to wear on Thursday? Who will be arbiter? Will anybody who wears the wrong shirt be forced to ride a different route or sit on the other side of the pub? Perhaps we'll have to have separate whips for the ale.

Then there'is the matter of accessories. Again, taking the lead from the Uvver 'Alf, will we not need new shorts and shoes to go with our shirts? If so, remember Mick's recent advice and buy black not red shorts!

There's so much to worry about; I 'd go and contemplate this over a coffee, but I'd have to decide between cappuccino, latte, espresso, Americano............

Fall Out

With the nights drawing in and a decidedly autumnal feel to the weather, we have come to the end of yet another seasons riding. A few of the guys have manged to get out over the weeks since the tour- Mick, Loren & Keith keeping going to the last- but Thursday rides have now finished until April. It's been one of the best summers I can remember, despite the weather. We've had some memorable rides and the club has been rejuvenated by new members and a few returning old faces. It would be good to see even more riders joining us in the spring.

We're planning a ride on 12th December before Christmas dinner at the Jolly Coopers- watch this space for details- and the mountain bikers will continue to ride pretty much every weekend throughout the year. (If you want details email chedge@hotmail.co.uk)

Posts will be less frequent but I'm working on (unreliable) histories of the club & past tours and a review of the season. The odd MTB review will be thrown in for good measure so please keep visiting the site and don't forget to have a look at some of our advertisers.

The Grand Tour- 5th-6th September

This year's tour stands out for a number of reasons- pretty well all positive. The round trip to Market Harborough was, at 120 miles, the longest two day excursion we' ve had by some margin. In marked contrast to recent tours, last year's in particular, not one drop of rain fell- although the wind was almost as strong as the return trip from Weedon in 2006 and we managed to complete it without any serious incidents.

Much of the first day's riding followed Sustrans Route 6 along canal towpaths, abandoned railway lines and Milton Keynes' eponymous Red Routes. (After about two miles of riding on red tarmac Joe was awarded his Observer's Badge for his helpful comment that "This could be the red route you know".) Whilst the surface of these tracks sometimes leaves a bit to be desired- especially for those with full-on race bikes- they follow gentle contours, keep away from traffic & the tree lined cuttings provide a windbreak which was very welcome at times. In contrast, Sunday's ride was almost entirely on the road; the first half following a roller coaster route through the Northamptonshire countryside followed by the more gentle lanes of Bedfordshire.

Predictably, we managed to stray off the route several times, usually when we allowed Mick and/or Everton to set the pace- neither having seen the map, but Chris H also managed to lead us round an unnecessary two mile loop through Aspley Guise- So much for local knowledge.

Much of Route 6 is clearly waymarked, but the best signage tends to be where the route is most obvious. In a number of sections the signs seem to disappear. Maybe they've been nicked but as a consequence we spent a good deal of time trying to find our way out of Wolverton & Northampton town centre- probably the worst bits of the route to be lost in.

Our travels took us through a real cross section of English settlements. The picturesque Northants villages have a look of the Cotswolds with their cream sandstone walls and tiled roofs. This was in marked contrast to the Saturday afternoon bustle of Northampton town centre, the sub-urbs of Milton Keynes and the railway town of Wolverton. The latter could easily have been transported from the industrial north west with it's rows of terraced houses, working men's clubs and empty rail yards. On the other hand Market Harborough is the archetypal market town which showed little signs of the recession.

It wouldn't be a tour without at least one idiot in a car. For good measure we had three. The first was an old git in ( surprise, surprise) a Rover estate who we met on a dead straight 'A' road while riding in double file. The view ahead was clear for at least 400m and there was no on-coming traffic. This was apparently not good enough for him- Why should he go to the trouble of turning his steering wheel 10 degrees to go round us?- The blast on his horn was greeted by a number of hand signals he'll not find in the highway code if he ever bothers to read it!

The second episode involved two boy racers in an M3 and an Audi. Obviously in a rush to get to the pub post Sunday football, both cars redlined as they came within a foot of our single file group on a very bendy country lane. Whilst the first incident was annoying, this was down right dangerous. We thought we might have to drag Everton away when we saw the culprits outside a pub half an hour later but he decided discretion was the better part of valour.

Having recently discovered how to transfer photos from phone to computer, Mick decided to go one better and appointed himself official cameraman for the tour. Riding from back to front of the pack as we rode alongside the Grand Union Canal, our very own David Lean proceeded to capture us all for posterity- It was all going well until he looked back for one last panoramic shot. Trees, sky and grass filled the screen as he went arse over tit. If he works out how to transfer the images from his phone, we hope to bring you the full un-edited version to these very pages.

Mick managed the only other crash of the weekend; completing a full somersault as he braked to avoid running into the back of the pack in Market Harborough. Unlike last year there were no injuries other than Mick's pride. This time the worst that happened to Loren was an un planned paddle in a stream as he rinsed the oil from his hands following a minor mechanical. He thought he could get away with drying his feet at lunch time.....

As usual, food & drink were pretty high on the agenda, and not necessarily in that order. On the whole we were pretty lucky with our choices- thanks to pre- planning by CP.

First stop was the Rose & Crown at Hartwell- a traditional village pub offering a good range of ales and value for money no-nonsense pub grub. I forget what beer was on offer but have a feeling Tim Taylor's was amongst the selection along with a couple of local brews- all well kept. Service was friendly- even when Loren took his socks off, but the locals seemed surprised to see only five toes on a foot.

We didn't stop again until we reached the Three Swans in Market Harborough- our destination for the night. For the whole stay we got service with a smile; the rooms were good as was breakfast. Most importantly, the Bombardier served in the bar was tip top and it was hard to pull ourselves away to the Oat Hill- venue for our evening meal.

Something of hotch potch, this pub aims itself at the well-heeled trendies of Market Harborough (Another oxymoron?) The separate restaurant offers a good range of quality food and, whilst those who chose the lamb shank thought it should have been cooked for a few more days it generally got a thumbs up. Despite it's trendy aspirations the Oat Hill makes much of it's beer, offering a wide range of cask ales and bottled beers. Unfortunately this didn't quite come up to the mark and we returned a full round of Tim Taylor's. To their credit, these were exchanged without (too much) fuss.

By the time we finished our meal the place was buzzing but we decided to go in search of something more traditional. The answer to our quest lay almost opposite in the form of the Cherry Tree, an Everard's managed house. The garish external appearance belied the traditional interior complete with bare wooden floors and table skittles.

After a couple of beers and a few games of skittles we were joined by one of the locals. Built like a brick sh*t house and clearly the worse for wear, at first we weren't sure of his intentions, but after joining in a chorus of Delilah he decided to give us lessons in table skittles. Sober, he may be world champion and he could certainly throw the cheese harder than anybody but he was so pissed he couldn't hit the table and it was a relief when he went to sit in the corner. We staggered back to town where a few of us light weights wimped out- The rest went on to the pub opposite the hotel. Whilst there were reports that the real die-hards were going until 2 am, everybody made it for breakfast, even if some were not as bright and breezy as the previous day.

The cycle route along the railway line between Northampton & Market Harborough passes through two tunnels. They aren't lit and the only light comes from the exit at the far end. This has a strange effect as your eyes can't decide whether to adapt to the dark around you or the light in the distance. We walked the first tunnel in a noisy group but got strung out in the second one. Other users were much quieter than us and it was weird how their shadowy grey forms materialised from the dark as they past by- perhaps they really were ghosts. The setting was like something our of Oh Mr Porter and it wouldn't have been a surprise if Will Hay had appeared on a pump truck.

Anyway, after some debate we "agreed" not to follow the railway on Sunday and set off on the road. Spirits were high, despite the strong wind and numerous hills and after about two hours we crossed Pitsford reservoir via the Causeway. After yet another climb up to the village of Hulcott we stopped to regroup at a cross roads where a signpost told us we were only 6 miles from Market Harborough. This caused a variety of reactions with Mr P getting lots of stick about his choice of route. However a quick review of the map confirmed we were well on our way towards home and that the signpost was bo**ocks. Intrigued by the name more than anything, we decided to head for Bozeat for lunch. We were disappointed to find a grotty boozer with nothing more than crisps on the menu and our friends from the BMW and Audi sat outside, so we pushed on to Harold.

Again we were disappointed as we found none of the pubs was serving food other than full Sunday lunch. After much debate, and realising that time was pressing, we descended on the tea rooms in Harold Country Park. I'm not sure they quite knew what hit them (especially when Tom P ordered cream cake as his starter and baked spud for pud). It must have looked like an episode of Last of the Summer Wine.

After refuelling, we pushed on for home. Electing to cut through Marston Milleneum Park, our hearts sank as we discovered Millbrook cross roads was shut for repairs. A three mile detour via Liddlingtom hill looked inevitable but we sent our very own Henry Kissinger, aka Mick, in to negotiate and were soon waived through. One last climb took us up to Millbrook and then it was every man for himself as we charged back to the Old Sun to round off a superb weekend with a couple more beers.

A collective thanks goes to CP for great organisation, Anne R for dropping the bags off and Keith W for bringing them home. For a full set of photos see http://www.flickr.com/photos/bikesbeerbanter/

27th August- Last of the Summer Wine

It's scary that we're nearing the end of August and that there'll not be many more Thursday night rides this year. This was brought home by the fact that we arrived at the pub in in the dark for the first time this season.

The pub in question was the Jolly Cooper's at Wardhedges (no relation)- yet another Charles Wells establishment offering good beer and a warm welcome. So good were both that none of us could understand why we've only been there once this year. It's been added to our shortlist of two as a potential venue for this year's Christmas bash.

We arrived at the Jolly's via Steppingley, Ridgmont, Woburn & Westoning on another blustery evening. There were nine of us - CP/CH/Brian/Richard the Pub/Mark the Fireman/Mick/Loren/Paresh & Clive, the latter two making their first appearances for some weeks. The ride itself was fairly un-eventful although we did provide an answer to that age old riddle- "How many cyclists does it take to change a tyre?" Answer-"Lots" especially if half of them are providing a very un-helpful commentary. This was demonstrated by CP who punctured before we got to Steppingley and captured on camera by Mick. The Ferrari pit crew has nothing to worry about!

Once we got going, we set a steady pace to Ridgmont- The usual sprint down the back of the safari park was hindered by the wind and even though we were in a disciplined formation for once we hardly topped 25 mph.

The ale in the Jolly's was the appropriately named Summer Lightning. As has become the norm of late, we stayed for an extra pint or so. Talk of the forthcoming tour prompted many war stories of past trips- some of which may even have been true and by the time we left it was pitch black and pretty cool. Brian had taken much stick about his new Audrey Hepburn style arm warmers but I think he had the last laugh as we were met by a chill wind at Hollerton Basin.

Our departure was somewhat shambolic (nothing to do with the beer, honest) and we split into four different groups, taking three different routes for the ride home. The real hardcore headed back to the Old Sun whilst the rest decided to call it a (very enjoyable) night.


25 miles at 14.5 mph

20th August- All Quiet on the Wetern Front

Eight out-Brian, Mick, Chris P & Tom, Mark, Clive, Kieth & Everton.

From the Old Sun we left Ampthill via Abbey Lane. After running parallel with the by-pass for a mile or so we crossed using the new(ish) cycle crossing- It only took 10 years of campaigning to get this installed but there are still no signs to let you know it’s there. After the by-pass, we climbed through Silsoe & Wardhedges and on to Pulloxhill. Our toils were repaid as we sped down the steep hill to join the busy A6 at Speed the Plough.
The wind was blustery and making it hard work- a constant theme of this summer. Crossing the A6 we picked up the cycle path, for once in good condition (so often in the summer it’s completely overgrown).
We re-grouped at the roundabout where we left the cycle track and headed for Higham Gobian then on through Shillington and Upper Gravenhurst.
From there it was a quick sprint to Clophill, where Clive had a run in with an idiot car driver, who questioned his parentage.
Fortunately Mick’s mischief on our last visit to the Stone Jug had been forgotten. We stayed for an extra beer by which time it was a good bit chillier as we slogged our way up Badger Hill.
The Tandem Boys led the way back to Ampthill but there was some suggestion of impropriety at the Ailesbury Road roundabout and there may be cause for a steward’s enquiry.
A very pleasant but uneventful ride, even with Mick with us. Somewhere between 20 & 30 miles.

Battle of the Brave-15th August

I think I should point out from the start that the "Brave" of the title are not cyclists but those who are battling leukaemia.

This was an organised ride, run alongside a live music festival in Flitwick, to raise cash for leukaemia charities- (see http//giveatomarrow.org.uk). Last year a similar ride coincided with Ampthill Festival, the Cambridge to Ampthill event attracting over 100 riders despite torrential rain. This year a circular route, following much of Sustrans Route 51, led us through Bedford, Sandy & Biggleswade and back to Flitwick. The ride was well organised and marshaled so it was disappointing that only around 60 cyclists took part.

As for much of the summer, the weather forecast was mixed but in the end we were lucky. Other than brief, light drizzle late in the morning it kept dry. Five of us (Brian, Richard B, Oliver B, John & Chris H) were amongst the last to leave Flitwick. Back through Ampthill and down Hazelwood Lane, we were approaching 40 mph when the sight of the first yellow shirted marshals caused us to grab handfuls of brake and take a sharp left along the drive towards Ampthill Park House. Continuing his recent run of form, John managed to find a gravel trap and fell off. Fortunately this was the only mishap of the day.

After climbing through Millbrook, we headed out to Maston Vale, picking up Route 51 around the lake and under the A421 at Marston, then on to the first checkpoint at Wooton. Here we were caught by a father-and-son team who, having started even later than us, were clearly on a mission to get back and enjoy the hog roast. Despite their speed, we were to pass them at least twice during the day as they overshot turnings in their haste.

After Kempston, we picked up the River Ouse and followed the embankment through Bedford. This is certainly the nicest way to see the town and it looks quite grand when the sun shines. I think we were supposed to leave the river and ride through the centre but this was not clear so we stuck to the tow path. As we stopped to review the map we saw the srangest sight of the day- An ancient new aged traveller ( a walking oxymoron!) was headed towards us in miniskirt and knitted tights. He was about 65 with sparrow legs and looked for all the world like a bearded Zandra Rhodes. I think we've finally found something in a skirt that even Mick wouldn't chase.

Heading out through Priory Park, the wind helped us along, although our rhythm was disrupted by frequent gates. We were soon at checkpoint no. 2 at Danish Camp after which we began the gentle climb out of the river valley towards Sandy. Before Blunham we hit the first stretch of cross country riding, as the gravel path gave way to a dirt track- "Good job it's dry" was the prophetic quip.

Like many of our fellow riders, we lost the route somewhere on the edge of Sandy but a bit of local knowledge soon got us back on track. Heading out into the countryside towards Biggleswade, the path again deteriorated and we wished we'd brought our mountain bikes. Things got worse after Biggy and the route under the A1 was all but impassable. Obviously the route is chosen to avoid major roads wherever possible but an advanced warning that there may be protracted stretches of unsurfaced track and/or mud would be useful next year.

Having crossed the A1, we were just about back on home territory as we entered Broom. For years the famous Cock has been a regular destination for our Thursday night rides. It's one of the most unusual pubs in the area, with ale being served directly from barrels on stillage in the cellar, but our last few visits have been disappointing. Needing sustenance, we decided to try the White Horse in the centre of the village. This turned out to be a great choice; food, service and beer were all excellent- hand carved ham, egg & chips washed down with Tiger Bitter is definitely recommended.

We stayed in the pub rather longer than anticipated and the combination of a couple of pints and a full-on headwind made the afternoon session heavy going. Nevertheless we managed to overhaul several of our fellow riders as we ambled through Southill & Old Warden. This is an area that we ride frequently and in truth I think we probably followed our own route rather than the official one-opting to stick to the side roads and avoid Maulden/Ampthill by-pass.

Before we knew it we were back at the Millennium Park where we collected our medals and sat and watched a couple of the bands in the afternoon sun.

Like the ride, the festival was well organised with bungee jumps for the really stupid and stunt bike demonstrations for the slightly less foolhardy- (I stopped doing that sort of thing when I realised falling off hurts more as you get older) Latest estimates are that they raised a fantastic £8.5k for the nominated charities.

All in all it was an excellent day out. It would have been nice to stay and see the headline acts but we had a date with a curry and some more beer.

The official route was 43 miles but we managed to clock 50+ at a very leisurely 13.5mph. Thanks to all of the organisers and marshals.

Thursday 13th - Stop, Start, Go

I'm not sure if it was anything to do with the date, but this ride was dogged with mishaps throughout. Bad luck particularly seemed to bug John, who, having arrived home late, set off for Ampthill as we were headed for Maulden to pick him up. After a brief interlude while he and Kieth, another late starter, caught up, we set off for Southill via Clophill, Haynes, Northill & Old Warden.

Later, John was to lose his chain, bend his valve and burst a tyre- but at least he didn't fall off this time.

The weather was perfect and our group of ten included a debutant in Mark the Fireman- riding the first mountain bike seen on a road ride since last year's tour.

As it happened, the MTB was better suited to large chunks of the route than most of our road bikes. The Highway Authority are in the midst of their annual road "repair" programme. This entails spraying vast stretches of road with liquid tar, throwing a few tons of chippings at it and hoping at least some will stick. Some three or four miles of this week's route had been treated thus, making it virtually un-rideable in places.

This is a very un-bike friendly method of maintenance. Not only does it provide a poor surface, at best it fails to repair underlying potholes and at worst it disguises them , leaving traps for un-suspecting cyclists.
Anyway, enough of a rant and back to the ride.

This is a well worn route for us, through some beautiful countryside & picturesque villages. The sun on our backs and a decent tailwind made for a very pleasant outward ride, even if it was punctuated by John's puncture and another stop while Richard & Brian redeemed the various bits of Mick's rear light from the road.
Brian, riding his racer for a change, was absolutely flying- even giving Everton a run for his money on one climb. CP was clearly missing the additional power of a stoker as he rode solo for the first time this year, but he still managed to keep with the pack for the most part.
As ever, the tailwind became a headwind as we turned for home- Funny how it always feels stronger when it's in your face, but we still made decent time back to the Stone Jug.

This was our first visit for several weeks. Despite Mick causing mayhem while ordering, we got the usual warm welcome and the Haybaler was so good we decided to stay a while and forsake the Old Sun.

The final mishap of the night befell Loren who managed to ride into a traffic cone in the roadworks in Maulden! Fortunately, other than pride, there were no serious injuries this time, but let's hope it's not an omen for the forthcoming tour.

Chris H/Brian/Richard B/Chris P/Mark the Fireman/Everton/Loren/Mick/John/Kieth
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=ampthill&daddr=Maulden+to:Water+End+Rd,+Maulden,+Bedford,+Bedfordshire,+MK45+2BD+

Approx 26.5 Miles @ 14.7 mph

Cockleshell Heroes -Thursday 6th August

It hasn't rained so much on a club ride since the Sunday of last year's tour. On that occasion Loren ended up in casualty with a broken collar bone and Everton & Oliver returned home in the broom waggon with battered bikes after a six bike pileup on a wet Essex lane. No surprise then that the less hardy (more sensible?) found a variety of excuses not to ride on Thursday. Even so, there was a decent core of brave soles who donned snorkels & flippers and took on the elements. Below is Brian's account of a very soggy night: -


‘A Wet One’ August 6th

The day started lovely but slowly got worse. By 4.00pm it was raining.
By 5.30 it was still raining. The phone started ringing:- “Are we going out?”
Some said “yes”, some “no”.
So five of us (Brian, Mike, Loren, Richard the Photo & Keith) met at the Old Sun in the rain wondering why we do these things.
Down Oliver Street, carefully past the police cars and breakdown truck, attending a car with a very mangled front end. How do these things happen?
Along the back roads into Clophill, which resembled a race track rather than a village high street. It was still raining but after a while you don’t really notice. Up Great Lane to the old school and then left to the A6. Then it was across the road into Haynes West End, where Richard quickly realised that the puddle (lake?) he was riding into was somewhat deeper then he thought. He had to unclip very quickly to stop his feet disappearing!
Coming down Limersey Lane it started to rain very heavily and continued like that until we got back to the Old Sun.
The people in the pub thought that we were clearly mad, as we were a rather bedraggled bunch by then.
A couple of hours later we were as wet on the inside as we were outside, so that was alright.
Mileage 12, avg 13.3

The Hills Are Alive (With the stench of maggots)- 30/7

After a couple of low turnouts, we were back into double figures as a veritable pelaton set off from the Old Sun. (CH/RMB/BR/EP/AP/Kieth/JKJ)CP/TP/Blunty)

For the second time in recent weeks somebody (Richard B?) lost a light outside Redbourn School. This is, perhaps, as much to do with the appalling state of the road as it is with any lack of maintenance. The vibration's enough to shake your teeth lose (Older members beware!)

Though calmer than last week, there was still a stiff headwind for the first half of the ride. This had little impact on the speed merchants as Everton & the Tandem Boys, assisted by Blunty( fresh back from the Alps) and Andrew (our resident timetrialist) set a blistering early pace. We were soon well strung out and stopped to regroup in Ridgmont. After a mass sprint along the back wall of Woburn park, we snaked our way through Aspley Guise & Salford to begin the long steady climb up to Cranfield.

The guys at the front must have been feeling pretty good about their speed and fitness until Andrew decided to show how real cyclists do it. Without breaking sweat, he powered to the front- over taking the tandem at such a pace I'm sure saw CP try to dismount in the mistaken belief that they'd stopped.

After re-grouping again in the village, there was another cavalry charge down Cranfield Hill towards the Sheltons. This hill feels a lot longer and steeper when going the other way but Richard B still managed to top out at over 40 mph. Others may have been faster but were not brave enough to look at their speedos. Once through the newly refurbished under-pass ( yet to regain the stink of stale piss) we picked up the Sustrans route through Marston Country Park and out through Stewartby. It's hard to believe that the area around the lake was desolate waste land less than 10 years ago.

A change to the planned route took us through How End, past one of Joe's old houses- Last week it was his grandad's house in Potsgrove - no wonder he knows half the county. We had a brief look for a blue plaque as we rode past Simmo's house- founder member and original Chairman of our fine club- before the grind up London Lane. The debate about whether the maggot farm'still open was settled as we were greeted by the acrid stench halfway up the hill.

It was every man for himself as we dashed down Limersey Lane to the White Hart where a fine pint of Tim Taylor's Landlord convinced us to stay for the rest of the evening. The service was friendly, even if the barmaid did think that Tim Taylor was related to Banks & Taylor and brewed in Shefford! Several of the older clientele were keen to regale us with tails of their past cycling exploits- Shame Ken wasn't there to provide a counter.

Approx 28 miles at an average 14.6 mph.

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MTB- A Day to Remember- 26/7

Having failed miserably to get out last weekend- due to a combination of an excess alcohol, a shortage of sleep and, in one case, an apparent lack of salt in his diet, we thought we'd make an extra effort this week.

Chris, Richard, Brian and John packed the bikes into our cars and headed for the bikers paradise of Aspley Woods.
As we unloaded and made our final checks a lone cyclist approached and asked if he could tag along. Introducing himself as Chris Day, he told us he was local and that his usual crew had gone away for the weekend- He'd be happy to show us some of the less obvious trails, so we welcomed him on board.


The first couple of miles were along familiar tracks, the only threat to safety coming from overgrown gorse bushes. However, body armour and a tricked-out machine should have given a warning of what was to come when Chris D asked if we fancied a bit of technical downhill but after a brief debate we agreed we were up for it. Flicking a switch on his handlebars to drop his saddle, Chris disappeared down a bramble lined gully. Richard & Brian followed, picking a slow but steady path down the partially obscured track. Emboldened by our colleagues' success, John went next, making a confident start but, 10 metres down the trail, his forks bottomed out . He flew over the handlebars, twisting spectacularly in the air before coming to rest in a bed of brambles.
This was the first of four full-on stacks for John. Fortunately nothing more than his pride was hurt but it did serve to remind us that, whilst fast & furious, our regular trails are relatively tame and un-technical.
Having checked that we were all in one piece, CD flicked the switch to reinstate his saddle and set off for the first of several grinding climbs. At least the ascents let the Ampthill crew regain some pride as our bike set-up allowed us to out-climb our guide.
We quickly learned that the sight of CD flicking the switch to drop his saddle was a warning of another hairy descent. Having all managed to master one such beast, albeit at snails pace, the shine was soon taken off the glow of success as two 12 year old BMXers emerged from the same trail.
We began to feel at home as the ups and downs were linked by some great single track and I think CD finally realised that we were not just old gits with bikes beyond our ability. After a roller coaster two hours we returned to the cars, grinning from ear to ear and feeling like we'd completed an epic ride. Incredibly, we'd only ridden about 9 miles- giving John an impressive CIR (Crash Index Rating) of 2.25 or one crash every 2 1/4 miles.
Hopefully we'll be back for more riding (and less falling off) in the near future.

Lashings & Lashings of (not) Ginger Beer- 23rd July

As the Lashings, International Cricket Tourists were playing at Eversholt, we thought we'd ride out that way to have a look at them. (See http://www.lashings.co.uk/ for details).


It was good to see CP back in the saddle after crashing the tandem after the beer festival- Better still, we had the first appearance for some 2 years of Kieth.

Kieth (aka Keith), a regular rider until a couple of years ago, was the unfortunate victim of a typo on the club shirts and the name has stuck ever since (As far as we know, this had nothing to do with his recent absence.)


Six of us ( CP, Kieth, Tom, Brian, Richard B & Chris H) set off into a stiff south westerly breeze and, with impeccable timing, arrived at Eversholt just after stumps. Nevertheless it was an idyllic scene as hundreds of spectators milled around the cricket pitch and pub.

After picking our way through the crowd, we headed out through the deer park and on to Potsgrove where we had a very close encounter with a buzzard. Unlike his cousins in the west country, this one was not interested in attacking us but hovered extremely close as he battled the wind. As we rejoined the A4012 we had a narrow squeak with a Fiat Pander appearing from nowhere at about 80 mph- Can they really go that fast? The second sighting of a buzzard was less spectacular as it lay dead on the verge- apparently wiped out whilst taking carrion off the road. (Perhaps it was mauled by the Panda?)

A fast descent from Milton Bryan brought us back to Eversholt- We decided to avoid the Green Man which was still mobbed by cricket goers and pushed on to the Drovers at Steppingley, via Tingrith. Still more of an Indian restaurant than a pub, they serve a decent pint of Young's, even if it is over chilled, and this must be the only one of our regular stops where we get waiter service.

A siting of a hare in the corn field opposite prompted another discussion about Masquerade and the golden hare of Ampthill Park- Not sure any of us knows much about it really and certainly none of us has read it!

CP, Tom & Kieth set off home. The rest of us headed for the Old Sun where many well oiled cricket fans were spouting total gibberish- Somebody said this made up for some of our absent members, but I couldn't possibly comment.

Approx 22 miles at a (wind affected) average of 14.4 mph.

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Blunty Heads for the Mountains

One noteable absentee on Thursday was Richard Blunt (Pictured in very fetching hat)

Richard, veteran of a solo ride from Lands End to John O'Groats, was packing his bag and, more importantly, his bike and heading to France for L' Etape du Tour on 20/7.


L'Etape allows keen ( mad?) amateurs to ride a stage of the Tour de France. This year's stage is the 108 miles from Montelimar to the top of Mount Vetoux- nearly 2000 metres above sea level. To avoid the broom waggon and complete the stage, Richard must ride at an average speed of 12.5 mph, or more. Sounds like nothing until you see the climbs!

It's the second time Blunty's taken part in L'Etape, having completed the 125 miles ( and five category climbs) from Foix to Laundenville in under 10 hours in 2007. We wish him well and look forward to seeing the photos on his return.

Full details of L'Etape can be seen at http://www.etape.org.uk/

16th July- Card Sharps at the Flitwick Saloon

Despite holidays and work commitments we were a respectable seven (Brian,John, Joe, Everton, Chris H, Mick & Loren) as we headed off for the Wheatsheaf, Flitwick via Ridgmont, Aspley and Woburn.

Although much of the route was familiar, it was probably the first time we'd ridden it this way round: -

Ampthill-Steppingley-Ridgmont-Husborne Crawley-Aspley- Woburn-Eversholt- Tingrith- Flitwick-Ampthill. 23 miles at an average of 14.6 mph.

Joe (the Safety Officer), managed to set off without his helmet and John lost his light outside Redbourne school so, as we re-grouped at the 1-0-1, it seemed like we may be in for an eventful evening. Fortunately this proved not to be the case. Most of the rest of the ride past off without event, although some stupid woman did try to take out Brian and Joe as she reversed out of her drive in Flitwick. They were obviously wearing Harry Potter style invisible cycle shirts.
The Wheatsheaf has been one of our regular stop-offs over the years and, although it looked as though it may have changed hands, we received the usual warm welcome. The locals were a bit worried that we'd come to gatecrash their poker night- they must have thought we were hustlers come to cheat them out matchsticks.
Anyway, we withdrew to the public bar where we enjoyed the Eagle bitter before racing back to the Old Sun- again arriving just before the rain.
Too wet to eat chips outside but Paddy fed Mick & Loren mountains of cottage pie; enough to make Lance Armstrong jealous.
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MTB-Riding With the Big Boys 14/7/09

Whilst we definately claim to be the original, we are certainly not the only group of cyclists to make the Old Sun our base. One other such group ride cross-country, alternating between Tuesdays & Wednesdays. These guys are serious; they ride full-on all year round with a "devil take the hindmost" philosophy that's not for the faint hearted.
We'd heard that they'd split into an "A- Team", for the Unforgiving, and a "B-Team" for the slightly less hard, so Brian, Mick & Chris H decided to go and see what it's all about.
After some debate, it was decided that both groups would head for Chicksands Woods. We set off in a pelaton of 16 bikes, heading out via Maulden & Clophill and skirting the the perimeter of Chicksands military base before arriving, reasonably en masse in the woods.
The early pace was frantic but we managed to keep in the main group, thanks in part to the need to slow as we funnelled though numerous gates.
Once in the woods, we split into two- the A Team going off I know not where ( I heard mention of Hamburger Hill- which I thought was in Vietnam!)
The B Team elected to follow a route well known to us, around the perimeter of the woods, picking up one of the best pieces of single track in the area, before heading back to Ampthill via Maulden Woods, Limbersley Lane and Kings Wood.
Just to underline the full-on nature of the ride, we got a call after about 20 minutes from one of our colleagues. We thought he'd joined the A-Team but he'd stopped to fix two punctures and was riding round the woods looking for us- Fine in bright sunshine but not much fun in the middle of winter- but he didn't seem too bothered.

Synchronicity
As we stopped for a (rare) drink break before crossing the A6, the A-Team emerged from the hedgerow - looking every bit as knackered as the rest of us. It's incredible that after some 18 miles of riding we should end up at the same spot at the same time. There had been a further subdivision in the ranks and an A+ Team of three had headed out to Cardington- (because they could, I assume)

I'm not sure how much of the final few miles was legitimate bridleway but it made for interesting riding. We eventually emerged on the ridge above Houghton House to what would have been breath-taking views, had we had any breath left to take.
A final sprint down Ampthill Hill and through the town saw us arrive back a the Old Sun for much needed sustainance just beofre the heavens opened.

It was a fantastic ride, in great company. Given that we reconned we gave our hosts between 8 and 28 years per man, we thought we did pretty well and awarded ourselves a B+. We'll certainly be back for more in the near future. Thanks to Nick, Steve and the rest of the crew.

Ampthill- Maulden-Clophill-Chicksands-Ampthill- Approx 23 miles off-road in about 2 hrs 20 mins

25th June Les Bicyclette et Les Boules

In keeping with tradition there was a hiatus in the cycling calendar as we attended Ampthill Festival Boules competition.
We entered three teams and for the second year running one of them triumphed- Bicyclette Deux beating Whose Round? in a well fought final- Well done Loren, Mick & Everton.
How strange is sport?- Bicyclette Une had comfortably beaten Bicyclette Deux in the round robin but were then soundly thrashed by Whose Round? in the semi final. Not sure what happened to Bicyclette Trois.
Any way, it was a great night- thanks to organiser Duckett of the Queens Head- Some how I seem to have acquired a spare boules so if anybody is missing one give me a shout.

Thursday 2nd July- (Natural) History Lessons

A good turn out for one of the best rides of the year so far- Chris H, Brian, Richard Bu, John, Mick, Clive & Everton (for part at least)
Conditions were hot & steamy as we set off for Cardington via-

Houghton Conquest-Wilstead- Cotton End-Shortstown-Cardington-Cople-Northill-Ickwell- Old Warden-Haynes-Maulden-Ampthill (Aprox 30 miles at 15mph(ish)

This must be some of the most scenic countryside in Bedfordshire and, with the sun shinning and the corn ripening in the fields, we could easily have been in France.
Everton left us at the Shortstown- I think we were too slow for him but it may be that he didn't want to be seen with us by the "real" cyclists taking part in Beds CC time trial.
We stopped at Cardington to see the R101 memorial in the cemetery- Clive giving us a lesson on the crash and why it was filled with hydrogen not helium.
Just up the road we were confronted by a fox in the middle of the lane- obviously on his way to feast on the local free range hens. After a brief stand off he decided to come back when it was quieter. A mile further on and we came under the scrutiny of a little owl in a roadside tree. The delights of the countryside!
After a grind up the escarpment, Clive managed to fall off while stationary at Dead Man's Cross but the rest of the ride was pretty uneventful. Richard had a late burst of energy and led the sprint down Limbersey Lane to the pub.
We stopped for refreshments at The George, Maulden. This was our first visit since the very early days of the club and I doubt we will be dashing back- it was dark & dingy- pretty much like the beer.
Three of us made it back to the Old Sun- too late for the chip shop so Mick went home hungry.

Thursday 9th July-

A smaller crew than we've had for many a week- Chris H, Brian, Loren and Mick- set off under grey skies and in a blustery wind .
The route was something of a rag bag collection of sections from a several regular rides, but all in all it worked well: -

Flitwick-Tingrith-Harlington-Sharpenhoe- Barton- Higham Gobian-Shillington
-Gravenhurst- Clophill- Maulden- Ampthill.

The skies cleared and we rode most of the evening in bright sunshine; completing the 24 miles at an average of 14.6 mph- pretty respectable given the wind.
The Higham Gobian road was closed as a car was being rescued from the ditch but we managed to get round the police roadblock- Mick "charming" the WPC. (Couldn't quite hear what she was shouting!)
A couple of pints of Summer Breeze at the Stone Jug were followed by a mad dash back to the Old Sun for some excellent Adnams and sausage & chips.
A good evening despite the low turn out.