Kennet and Avon Ride in Doubt for 2010

Denbo is upset. He says that he does not like to complain but he is questioning as to whether or not he is going to go on the Kennet and Avon ride as the driver again if the transport issue has not been satisfactorily resolved. He does not mind doing the bag drop and riding out to meet the ride on the towpath before leading the ride to the hotel in triumph, or having to share a room with Paul Martin. But the vehicle that he had to drive was not up to standard in 2009. Things got even worse when a bunch of Hari-Krishna followers and Thuggee assassins wanting a lift jumped him somewhere near Pewsey: it was the constant chanting that did his head in. Also Paul White has to cut down on his wardrobe, cosmetics and perfumes because Denbo does not want to pull a dangerous trailer again.

If this can be sorted out by the next ride in 2010 Denbo will be glad to help out without complaint as usual.

A Fine Body of Men! IoW 2009.

When the troopship's on the tide, my boys, when the troopship's on the tide!

It's special train for Atkins when there's fightin' to be done!

We'll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational.

Isle of Wight Tour

Parked at Southsea. Across on car ferry to Fishbourne. Weather warmish to start with, but warmed up later, still cloudy with the occasional sunny spell. Wind from the West.

Clock wise around the Island via St John's, Seaview, Bembridge. A quick stop at Bembridge to see the old windmill, which for some strange reason I'd never noticed before on previous eight or nine times past it in previous years.

Then on to Yaverton, Sandown, Lake, Wroxall, Ventnor, Niton, Blackgang Chine, Brightstone, Calbourne (latter slightly unplanned, but nobody noticed!). Lunch at Shalfleet then back into the lanes passing the old Newport town hall. Over to Carisbrooke, on to Newport and then the last climb of the day to Haven Street and a stop for Ice Cream :-) at the Isle of Wight Steam Railway. :-) :-)

After train spotting a brisk three miles back to the ferry terminal.

More Hythe Awayday pics

From Clarencourt Cycling Club Members Blog

Paul White relaxes on the beach after the Hythe Awayday!

End of a perfect day!

Kelly the Bouncing Bomb!

" Thank God for my nice dinner please may I get down?" Appledore

Someone famous's garden shed - Dungeness Vegetated Shingle Beach

Rob Scourfield The Red Hot Poker!

Prophetic or what? This notice at the point where we had the crash!

Hythe away day. Sunday 24th May

Bright sunshine seemed promising as I drove down to Hythe, Kent from Berkshire. Looking at the outside temperature on the car dashboard display at 0700hrs, 12.5 degrees, going up to 15.5 degrees when I parked up in Fort Road Hythe. There was a little light cloud and a bit of a breeze, luckily from the east, pushing us all the way to Rye, I thought. Gradually people started to arrive until we were a group of nine.

We set off into the lanes of the Romney Marsh just on 0900hrs and headed via St Mary in the Marsh to New Romney and then onto Dungeness for 11 se's at the cafe at the end of the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch light railway. After a suitable break to admire the scenery, bacon butties, steam locomotive, nuclear power station, light house pebbles and more pebbles and a recluse film directors house.

After this, we were off in the direction of Lyde and Camber Sands. The breeze had slightly shifted and was now behind us once again. The speed picked up heading towards Camber Sands. Camber Sands was sunny and warm. The world and his mother were out all in cars, poor devils. Scenes came to mind of kiddies shouting "are we there yet?" for the queue on the road in the other direction as we passed was well over two miles to get into the beach car park. Note to one's self: do not run this ride on the bank holiday weekend; too congested at Camber! Nevertheless, traveling through Camber went without incident; alas that wasn't to last.

Traffic through Rye was heavy, but manageable. After leaving the heavy stationary traffic there we turned north east following the Royal Military Canal towards Stone in Oxney. A momentary touch of wheels led to Paul Kelly to doing "A Pope" and kissing the tarmac. Fortunately, no major damage was done. With a few mechanical adjustments to the bike, words of comfort from us all he was back on his feet and we were on our way. (Full report available on a club night to members, but too long and I'm not writing it up here.)

A moment of relaxation after Mr Kelly kissed the tarmac to look at the Royal Military Canal

Onto the only climb of the day, (I suspect this is why Clarencourt members like this ride; 90% of it is flat as a pancake) but it's worth it for the views all the way across the marshes from Hythe to Dungeness on a good day. After "The hill of Death" we rolled down into Stone in Oxney then onto the Black Lion pub in Appledore for lunch (good food etc). While we were there, we met up with a young couple riding a Freddie Grubb tandem. For more info: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/nkilgariff/FreddieGrubb.htm

After lunch, into the lanes again crossing toward Brenzett and a quick stop at the Brenzett WW2 museum, where they have a Barnes Wallis "bouncing bomb" on display. For more info: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/wallis_neville_barnes.shtml

We moved on from the museum towards Ivychurch, Newchurch and ultimately back to Hythe. On arriving in Hythe we stopped for the traditional ice cream at the paper shop. At this point Caroline suggested an extension to the ride over to the beach at Hythe. For years I've always assumed that the coast was all MOD, due to Fort Road being access to MOD firing ranges.

I've always been slightly dissatisfied with this ride, due to there being no afternoon tea stop. Alas there's not much out in the middle of the marsh. We now have, as I have christened, "The Caroline solution," ice cream and tea on the beach at Hythe, weather permitting of course. Caroline, thanks for that, a perfect place for a "Post ride debriefing."

A big thanks to all those who turned out to support the ride. Paul Kelly, I hope the bruises are not too painful.

Paul White

Kennet and Avon ride 14th-16th May

The crew starting at the Bristol to Bath railway path.

Once again the Clarencourt paid homage to the great industrial history of Great Britain with a ride along the Kennet and Avon canal. A big thank you to Dennis Peacock for acting as support car and transporting all of us fine athletes to the start in Bristol and transferring our gear to the digs along the way.

Riders on all sections: Paul White, Bob Green, Paul Kelly.

Riders for sections of the canal: Mick O'Brian, Dennis Peacock. The sensible one's who stayed out of the rain!

It was overcast and the weather reports were bad for the end of last week, all three days. Both of the full days of riding we got away without any rain before lunch, but after 1315hrs, and yes it was almost as if someone didn't like us to the minute both days, it started raining by the bucket. Naturally veterans of the Kennet and Avon rides just toughed it out knowing the digs had plenty of hot water and beer. Alas the quantity of rain made picture taking a little tough, but here they are.

We meet up with Dennis riding in the opposite direct from the lunch stop at Bradford On Avon two miles west of Dundas aqueduct on the first day. Picture taken at Avon cliff Aqueduct, famous for its sag in the arch. Raining all the way from Bradford upon Avon, a soggy Paul Kelly (weren't we all!) reaches the top of the Caan Hill flight in Devizes. Dreaming of a nice warm bath only fifteen minutes away! (again weren't we all!). The ride the next day started from Devizes overcast and dry, and over the towpath section that's all grass for sixteen miles.



Bruce Tunnel 502 yds, built because the estate owner didn't want his view spoilt. We met Dennis soon after this, (again riding towards us, parked at the lunch stop at Great Bedwyn) then a quick tea stop at Crofton Pumping station. These are the oldest working beam steam engines in the world. After this a quick fifteen minute ride down to our lunch stop at Great Bedwyn.

After lunch yet again the weather let us down and we cycled al the way to Newbury in "Mark's and Spencer's" rain. The big sploshy drops, not the Tesco's light weight drops.

Newbury saturday morning.

You know how hotels love to throw too much toast at you for breakfast, well we thought instead of throwing away good bread in the bin it would be a good way of pulling some birds.

We left in our wet gear from Newbury sure of rain and at Woolhampton I decided to take the gear off. Ten minutes later the rain was throwing it down, just in time for a stop for tea at Aldermaston Lock. Sheltered we let the storm go by and left when it was a little better arriving at our lunch stop in Reading around 1300hrs.

Early September for another Kennet and Avon ride providing there's enough interest.

Paul White (Isambard)

Autumn colours of the New Forest

Girls' weekend on the Isle of Wight

After the event Caroline goes pole dancing

Kennett & Avon Canal 2007

Tweedle Dum & Tweedle Dee but where?