Christmas Lunch The Spring 2008

The Fantastic Four

Starey Winter MTB rides 2008

Ghent November 2008

Autumn colours of the New Forest

Cheddar Challenge 2008. Domestic bliss as Rob and Jim chop the veg while Caroline and Emma relax.

Excellent ride. Did first hour with big hitters until we got stuck behind a herd of cows. Jim fastest 3.32; Rob 3.39; Caroline 3.50; Emma 4 hours. Not as fast as last year. Excuses to follow when we have worked them out. xxx

Mizen to Malin Head the Irish End to End 2008

In mid-June Barry Gregory with Mick and Gavin Ayliffe rode the Irish End to End, south to north, about 500 miles in 8 days. As you can see from the photos the weather was generally chilly and damp but the journey was trouble free until with 10 miles to go Gavin shed a spoke and so buckled his back wheel that it would not turn. Luck of the Irish? A farmer replaced the spoke and trued the wheel for him so he could complete the ride.

Barry Gregory's 70th Birthday

Barry Gregory celebrated his 70th birthday with a tea party at Brooklands. It was a smashing afternoon with a mixture of family, work colleaugues and bike riders all wishing him well. The museum was open for us to visit too. Denbo's Mum featured alongside Barbara Cartland and two Clarencourt lads of yester year, Gordon Robins and Alec Watkins got a mention in the results of a race held there in 1935!

Bastille Day Ride 2008

We had a good turnout for the Bastille Day ride that fell on a Monday this year. Our usual pub was shut but at short notice we were made welcome for lunch at the Hollist Inn at Lodsworth. After a late start from Ellens Green we followed the usual back lanes route to the top of the South Downs for coffee at the top of Bury Hill. Then it was on, up and down, around Goodwood race course to West Dean and over onto the South Harting road. We seem to have lost our ability to make up lost time over the years and so we chose the easy route through Midhurst to Lodsworth which turned out to be no shorter (although much easier.) Fortunately the confusion over which pub we were stopping at did not prevent Chris Law, Jim Harwood and Robin Potter from joining up with us there. Suitably sustained we returned to Ellens Green through Gospel Green, Shillinglee and Dunsfold. The weather had been superb for cycling, the countryside as beautiful as ever and a good fete day was enjoyed by all. We'd ridden 77 miles at a speed best not remembered. Grateful thanks to the Blessed Caroline Harrison who in the evening invited us to her place for food and drinks, where we were joined by other celebrants unable to join the ride.

St Ybard 2008 Saturday

What a smashing final day for this year’s trip. Late on a fine morning Norman and Mick took a short potter through the up and down lanes of the 10 miles to Pompadour via St Martin-Sepert and St Pardoux-Corbier taking photos along the way.

They arrived at 1230 for a fine salad lunch accompanied by a pichet of chilled Rose wine. As they were enjoying their coffee, Trevor, Martin and Paul arrived from Lubersac and Segur-le-Chateau, one of the prettiest villages in the Haute Vienne. They had been delayed by a Trevor puncture and the difficulties of trying to replace the 700 c inner tube with a much-patched one from a mountain bike - one of Trevor’s specials and in the true tradition of Mick O’Brien. Before the All Stars had finished their lunch the two Old Contemptibles departed for the flatter route home along D70 and D155. They were caught and passed near Le Grand Brugeron but all five arrived home about 3.20 just as the heavens opened and today’s stage of the Tour de France came on the tele. Perfect timing, perfect timing. Housekeeper Denbo was beating the carpets on the line in traditional Old Mother Reilly fashion and bemoaning a housewife’s lot and got the sympathy he so richly deserved. The lads in the tour were also experiencing heavy rains around Toulouse but that didn’t stop our new hero, Mark Cavendish, from producing the goods with another fine stage win. Like you, we all shared in the glory. Only we had the last pints of Paul’s St Ybard 2008 brew with which to celebrate. Now we’re doing little packing and clearing up bits before we walk down to the Hotel St Roche in the village for an end of term dinner tonight. We’ll dink a toast to your health. The plan is to leave early (Denbo’s car) and later (Trev’s lot) tomorrow morning for the long drive home and to arrive about midnight your time. This doesn’t give much time before we meet at Ellens Green at 8.30 Monday morning for the Bastille Day Ride. On verra – we shall see!

2hrs 28mins, 32.5 miles, 13.1mph, 1536 cals, 65rpm, 133bpm. Remember to let Caroline know 07956 453054 if you are calling at her place on Monday night to remember 1789 and to take a glass for the Republic.

Vive la France, Vive la Republique, Vive Le Clarencourt!
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