Sweeney's Social, Friday 12th Feb.

Posted on: February 4th, 2010, 6:39 pm by Richard U

Rapidly approaching! See Sweeneys Social for details.

Cheers, Richard

Mike Grimmer

Posted on: January 30th, 2010, 7:16 pm by sixspeed

Mike Grimmer, lifelong CTC member, club rider and good mate died aged 79, on 25th January 2010 after a short illness.

Mike started riding with his DA’s junior section in Hillingdon. He toured most of Europe on his bike with his wife Christabel or with his friends with whom he also enjoyed many CTC club rides and Audax events. In 1985, Mike was one of the founder members of the ‘new’ Reading DA. After retirement Mike went back to college to perfect his French language and participated in the first and most gruelling Tour de France Cyclotouriste.

He’ll be remembered for his excellent company and good humour.

Haiti Earthquake Appeal

Posted on: January 17th, 2010, 7:08 pm by bernievarilone

Dear fellow cyclist

I would like to enlist your support to raise money for the Haiti Earthquake Appeal.

1. I am putting together a booklet of poems to sell to raise funds for the Haiti Earthquake Appeal. Contributions of poems will be welcome from all. Please can I have them BY Friday 29th January (e-mailed to me but PLEASE NOTE ONLY USE MY SCHOOL E-MAIL FOR THIS PROJECT. variloneb@st-crispins.wokingham.sch.uk.
If they come in after the 29th they may still get in depending on when the final deadline is set up for the printers or they may go into volume 2!
They must be original and be free of any copyright restrictions. i.e. the copyright is the authors and seen as a donation to the book.

Serious or funny, rhyming or not, Iambic pentameters and even Limericks accepted as long as they are original! You may think what has this got to do with cycling? Well now is your chance to get cycling on the map in a literary form! There are lots of poems coming in but not one about cycling yet! They can be on any other subject also.

2. I will then seek to have them printed and sell them as quickly as possible. If you would like to buy one yourself excellent. If you would like to go one step further and sell a few to friends and family and work colleagues, even better.

If anyone has any connections on the printing front who would like to sponsor the printing that would be bloomin' marvelous! (Spot the horticultural pun!) If not Unique Gardens may be sponsoring this one!

Thank you for your support in this. All funds raised will go to the Haiti Earthquake appeal. I have received the blessing of the area rep for Oxfam so sales will be through their shops, locally to start with. You never know, if you want to, you might even get to perform by reading your poem to an audience locally.

Thank you in advance for any support given.

Regards Bernadette

Local audax events

Posted on: January 12th, 2010, 12:57 pm by phildyson

Those members interested in audax might be interested in the following fairly local events over the next three months.

• Sat Jan 23rd starting at Chalfont St Giles, 200km "Willy Warmer" and 100km "Little Willy" (organised by Willesden CC, if you were wondering about the names!)
• Sat Feb 27th starting from Grazeley, the ReadingCTC Kennet Valley rides (100km and 200km) Mick Simmons will be grateful for any offers of assistance on the day.
• Sun Mar 14th starting from Great Kingshill, N of High Wycombe, 200km "Chiltern Cotswold Brevet" and 100km "Chiltern Spring Populaire"
• Sat Mar 27th starting from N Oxford, 300km "The Dean" (rides out to Forest of Dean and back)
• Sun Apr 11th starting from Northmoor (N of Oxford), 100km "Harlequin Hack"
• Sun Apr 11th starting from Wareham in Dorset, 200km "Dorset Coast" (I include this because the very hilly ride is popular with ReadingCTC members).

Details of all these and other rides can be found through the audax website http://www.aukweb.net/cal/index.htm, from where you can navigate to event details and from there the entry form. If you want more information about audax events, contact Phil Dyson on 01491 651284 (eve)

Members may have seen the Evans "Ride-it" events around the country. Unfortunately the Chieveley events on 9/10 Jan had to be cancelled. The next in this area are Sat & Sun 6th/7th March, meet at Watlington. Off road on Sat, on road (sportif style) on Sunday. Bikes can be booked for hire to try them out. http://www.evanscycles.com/ride-it/dates-and-locations for more information.

Bicycle Thieves

Posted on: January 10th, 2010, 8:54 am by bernievarilone

Does anyone have the film "Bicycle Thieves". If so, and current weather conditions continue, thought it might be an idea to have a walk followed by watching the film. It's an Italian film, I assume with subtitles. May be too cold for gelato at the interval but an Italian coffee might fit with the theme!
Would appreciate if anyone has a copy I can borrow. Thanks
Bernie

IS THE RIDE ON OR OFF?

Posted on: January 6th, 2010, 11:54 am by jdhammond

Happy New Year to you all.
Just a reminder that with the current weather conditions (as I write, I am under nearly 35cms of the white stuff and having to ration my Courvoisier! ) please check with your ride leader that your proposed ride is still on, before venturing out. The ride leader contact numbers are on the Runs List.