Dear fellow members and friends
29 December 2004
Hope you've had a good Christmas (or 'bah, humbug' according to taste)
Contents = January Rides 1st, 16th, 30th plus Special Report by Ken Wells
Boots! Ian
January Rides
New Year's Day Ride – to Bob's at 10 Windmill Close, Upper Beeding
(see 24 November circular for his invitation)
Meet at Palace Pier at 10.30 New Year's Day. That allows us 2 hours to cover 12 -15 miles which even in a morning-after-the-night before state should be easy and leave time for a possible stop for a cuppa at Carat's Café – we'll go the easy way up the Coastal Link/Downs Link. So we've plenty of time, so if you're coming but going to arrive at Palace Pier a bit late – or join us en route – give me a ring. Before 10.15 on (01273) 682133 and after on 07787528433 – I promise to remember to switch the mobile on.
I intend to get a lift back – but if you don't want to ride the whole way back, there seem to be trains from Shoreham station back to Brighton at the following times – all of which should avoid having to ride in the dark – 15.17, 15.28 and 15.34. These are all Southern trains, as is the next one 15.50 arrives 16.07. The one after that is Wessex 16.01 arrives 16.12. But please check for yourself a day or so before. If you can't or don't want to ride – come anyway! Here's Bob's directions again
'Route from Rising Sun: Left along High Street past BP station. In 100 yds R at mini roundabout down Hyde Lane. 200 yds 2nd R Hyde Square [Costcutter store and off-licence]. 200 yds 2nd L Towers Road. 100 yds L Windmill Close.
Sunday 16 January
Joyce is organising this one – which she originally planned for the autumn – only to be thwarted by repairs to the railway track. There don't appear to be any scheduled this time!
The Worth Way – an old railway track between Three Bridges and East Grinstead – and back. We can come back via Kingscote and Turner's Hill which is a bit undulating ( but an opportunity for the keen...). But we can decide to come back via the Worth Way if we want to. It's a short ride – about 16 miles – lunch probably in East Grinstead.
Catch 10.16 from Brighton Station or meet at Three Bridges station at 10.40. For returning (in daylight), best bets look like 15.24 arriving back 15.53 or 15.54 arriving at 16.23.
Sunday 30 January
Berwick Circular
only about 14 miles (and we can make it c 3 miles less by cutting out Selmeston if that's the vote on the day. Could hardly be easier)
This is another 'retread' – since only two of us made it last time.
All on quiet and pleasant country roads from Berwick station to Chalvington and Golden Cross (where we can have a stop at the pub of that name) then back down to Ripe (possible stop at The Lamb) then Selmeston (tea rooms?) and back to Berwick.
Catch10.40 from Brighton Station or meet at Berwick Station at 11.13. Aiming for return by 15.04 from Berwick arriving Brighton at 15.35. Both trains involve a change at Lewes.
Ken Wells – another member of the former Brighton Section
Ken, who lives in Bognor, was told about the new section by Brian recently. He wrote to me and subsequently we exchanged emails. I hope he'll be (re) joining us. I've edited a bit of one of his emails into the letter to produce this account:-
'I was a member from early 1948 to 1949, when I left to join the Prestonville Nomads, I have been in Brighton Mitre since Prestonville Nomads ended in 1968, and am currently treasurer and official for Sussex CRL.
Unfortunately, I do not have any results from that period, but I remember riding an SCA 25 in September 1948, when Clarion had quite a good team, and several club events. Principal rider was Mike Moreton, another rider for Clarion in that event, and second team counter was Brian James, also a Mitre member who lives at Bracknell. He may have records. Mike Moreton left shortly after to join the Brighton and Hove Wheelers, he is no longer in the district.
At Easter 1948, what was, I think my second club run, was to Herne Hill for the Good Friday meeting at which Reg Harris was due to compete. (He did not owing to being injured in a car crash.) The run went on to a youth Hostel tour into Kent. I joined in as there was a vacancy, without letting my parents know. This caused a certain amount of alarm, as this was before wide availability of telephones, before I turned up in Monday evening. Club runs to Herne Hill were a common occurrence, Sunday runs were well attended: 20-30 attendance usual. In those days if you wanted to go anywhere, you just got on the bike and went. No cars and no money for train fares.
We also rode to Southampton Track and back to see Mike Moreton ride in an event (140 miles round trip).
One other small nugget of news, when I joined the RAF for national service in 1951, one of the standard questions was "Are you a member of a political party or cycling club". Clarion was regarded as a political party.'
From Ian Clarke, VP – National Clarion Cycling Club
As the year draws to a close we can now start thinking about next year and what cycling we want to be doing.
Easter Meet 2005 – Ashbourne 25-28 March
We want to invite you all to come to the Easter Meet next year at Ashbourne. Jayne Bevitt (my girlfriend) and I are organising this and we're putting a lot of effort into making the best meet for years. Please try to get a good group of members together to the weekend 25-28 March.
Click here for a Word document explaining it all.
But please, please, if you are planning to come, start booking accomodation now to make sure you are not disappointed.
Also, if you want to coordinate a section or group, then please let us know so that we can send all information directly to you. Just email us and tell us that you will get all the names together. As time gets closer, we will need names for the dinner and prize presentation.
Hill Climb Champs – Wortley
Here's someone who has proven that strength and fitness can overcome everything and that he has the best power-to-weight ratio and anti-gravity skills of all Clarion riders. Andy Horner won the Hill Climb champs by 11 seconds over last year's winner Carl Price.
1st Andy Horner Bolton 2m 47.6
2nd Carl Price Sunderland 2m 58.8
3rd Andrew Skinner Bolton 3m 2.6
Andrew Skinner broke the record for a 45+, his son set a 13 year old age record and even recorded 11th place. Jayne Bevitt set a new ladies record of 3.28.1.
Stuart Walsh of Manchester and Stretford probably set a record for first racing having joined of the morning of the race and competed in the afternoon.
Clarion Points Championships
Peter Roscoe must be overjoyed at the interest that this competition created. He’s done some sterling work at recording all the results for the events of the year.
1st Andy Horner Bolton 758 pts
2nd Paul Albiez Bury 392 pts
3rd Jon Waddilove Crewe 321 pts
Team prize to Bolton
Ian Clarke
VP - National Clarion Cycling Club
email: clarioncc@ntlworld.com
web: www.clarioncc.org
Tel: 01767 314207