Dinner Dance pictures (late but not forgotten!)

Sorry for being late with the pictures, but it's not forgotten! This is just a selection and if anyone wants to see more pictures please let me know. Mel

A Moulton in the Mountains

I've been waiting to do this ride for a while - it's in the mountains of South Wales, so, obviously, you need a fine day. And today was ideal - 20ºC, and the wind only from time to time. That doesn't happen often.

The point of the ride is that the scale feels a bit Alpine. The hills are long, but well graded, and there are plenty of hairpins to keep the progress smooth. It joins three good climbs in Simon Warren's 'Greatest Cycling Climbs' book, with one of them being tackled from both sides, into a ride of just over forty miles with fourteen hairpins and 4700 ft of ascent. That's a good day out, without being excessive.

Everything being set, I made a fairly early start from home and drove down to Ogmore Vale. There's a good, well surfaced cycle path that takes you from there past Nantymoel and the busier part of the road, and then you're straight in to the climb. I had hardly started when a local rider - Dale - pulled alongside and we passed the time of day to the top. He was going to Ferndale Woods, which he recommended as very pretty, and he warned me that my planned itinerary was pretty hilly - that's why I'm doing it, I told him. We parted at the Bwlch - big views immediately - and I swooped down to Treorchy to start the climb to the Rhigos. Six miles steady climbing, with some very Alpine hairpins, and even bigger views over the Brecon Beacons from the top.

Hairpins again on the way down, with a rather slower descent to Aberdare. The valley wind had got up, and I had to pedal downhill at some places, but at least it would give me a push on the big hill to come.

No such luck. Valley winds are valley winds, and you don't get them on the hillside. So a hard pull through the woods, the heat bringing out flies, before I got above the trees and had a bit of breeze before the top. Flying over the top, then down again, no valley wind this time, and eventually back to Treorchy. Only the Bwlch left.

I took this at a steady pace (slowly), and was pleased to buy an ice-cream from Canale's van at the top. They've been selling ice-cream there since the 1920s, when there was considerable Italian immigration into this part of Wales. It's nice to see that Carpanini, Servini and Canale are still going strong, offering what is, by now, a very Welsh-Italian cuisine.

One last swoop down again, back into the car and off to London. The only tedious bit was a jam on the M25 at the end. Hey ho.

I recommend the area, as long as you get the weather. About three and a half hours by car, or about two hours by train to Bridgend and an extra ten miles each way. A good day out, or weekend if you fancy more. There's plenty!

Mark

'Bespoked' - Hand Made Bicycle Show

Yesterday, Maggie and I went to 'Bespoked', the hand made bicycle show. It was held in Brunel's original Temple Meads Station in Bristol, which was a very suitable venue. Brunels' cast-iron hammer-beam roof was the first of its type, and showed the way for the cathedrals of the railway age like St Pancras and Grand Central stations.

There was a bewildering array of bicycles made of every conceivable material, from bamboo through wood laminate to steel, titanium and carbon fibre. Some you'd be happy to ride, some you wouldn't; either because of the exquisite construction and paintwork or because you just weren't sure how well it would all work ...

The old guard - Roberts, Mercian and Argos - were all there, with some good (and practical looking) machines. But they were surrounded, and to some extent eclipsed, by a new generation of frame-makers such as Robin Mather, Ricky Feather and Tom Donhou. Some very fancy kit from these chaps. The influence of American builders was very apparent in these newer creations, and some well known American frame builders had found it worthwhile to make the trip to Bristol.

A good day out - lots more pictures and information at road.cc

Mark

This weekends rides 24th and 25th

The sat ride on and off road will go to Polesdon Lacey, and the sun ride will go to Sumners ponds, Barns green. A 60 mile round trip with 11s at The Ponds. Start time is still 9.30 sunday but remember the clocks go back !! We have had a new rider out every week since our stall in Ewell 3 weeks ago! If we need to split the group we will. See you at the weekend.

Jake

Medium Gear 25 - result

KINGSTON PHOENIX ROAD CLUB

MEDIUM GEAR 72 inch

Club 25 Mile Time Trial

Sunday18th March 2012

G25/47

RESULT SHEET

No  Name                Time       Hcp    HcpTime Pts  Hcp  Awards
15  Stuart Pearce      1:02:45    00:00   1:02:45   7  6   1st/2nd Hcp PB
10  Ben Pearce         1:06:17    03:00   1:03:17   6  5   2nd/3rd Hcp PB
13  David French       1:11:56     PTT Weybridge Wlrs
5   Bob Smith          1:12:44    05:00   1:07:44   5  3
19  Daniel Arthur      1:14:50     PTT Epsom CC
12  Simon Trehearn     1:14:56    08:00   1:06:56   4  4
17  Brian Powney       1:15:33    Unrestricted      2  0
11  Nick Hostler       1:17:54    06:00   1:11:54   3  2
7   Jake Dodd          1:18:43    10:30   1:08:13   4  2
9   Mike Morley        1:18:50    18:00   1:00:50   2  7   1st Hcp     PB
16  Nick Morgan        1:19:18    Unrestricted      2  0
18  Mark Gladwyn       1:21:42    12:00   1:09:42   2  2
6   Philip Burgin      1:24:01    07:00   1:17:01   2  2
8   Ray Dare           1:25:06    15:00   1:10:06   2  2
3   Grant Pyke         1:27:38    15:00   1:12:38   2  2
2   Lynda Gale         1:27:51    13:30   1:14:21   3  2
4   Rick Opie          1:28:38    20:30   1:08:08   2  2
14  Ken Williams       1:34:35    16:00   1:18:35   2  2
1   Tony Tugwell      DNS (Apol)  23:00             0  0
    Chris Taylor      DNS (Apol)   PTT

Congratulations to Stuart, the first Trophy (The Brass Monkey Trophy) winner of 2012.
The fastest Medium Gear for 18 years - just 30 seconds short of Club Record.

Thanks to Ron & Doreen who supplied the tea. On A Morning Not Too Cold...

Frank

Open 10 Entrants

Entries are beginning to come in for the Open 10 on 14th April and I will try to keep the list up-to-date here:

http://www.kingstonphoenix.blogspot.com/p/2012-open-10-entrants.html

So far we have three snail mail entrants and 5 online.

The online entry seems OK - at least the cheques aren't for the wrong amount or made out to something other than the club - as with the paper entries. And I officially hate the new entry form: the coloured panels are a complete waste and it is very difficult for the organiser to pick out the info from the categories in type-written forms.

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No ride this Sunday

Can't find anyone to lead ride as we all racing, so no led ride from Horton.

Meeting up after race for 11s at Henfold Lakes if anyone fancies coming out.

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