CTT Handbook

Hello everyone. It's your new TT secretary here. :-)

I thought I would start up by letting you know that the CTT Handbook is currently available here on the CTT website and it is half price at £4.50. It will be published in mid-January. Frank has kindly sent me the dates for the TTs for next season and once they have been finally confirmed I will get them published for you.

Looking forward to seeing as many of you as possible taking on some time trials next season and for those who missed the AGM this week, attempting to take on the President's challenge to the racing members of the club. Further details of this will be revealed soon.

Ride safe.

Alex

Cycling magazines/books going begging

Ann Bath has about 5 recent years of Cycling Weekly and would like to give away to a good home otherwise they will be thrown which would be a shame, lots of interesting articles nutrition, training etc.

Also about 6 books on cycle racing, they will go to Charity shop otherwise.

Contact Ann directly - details on your recently received address list!

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SCCU Annual Luncheon & Prizes 2013 - Rowfant

This was my first time to this lunch though I have been to similar for the VTTA at the same venue with similar meal. Above is a picture of all the prize winners present with Lisa the BAR Collator. Well done to all from the KPRC. 

Yours trully wishing I was wearing plus 4's and tweed and come part way by train and then Brompton from 3 Bridges! Quite a splendid sight. I rode my fixie from home but due to the very drawn out service & long wait for food got a lift back with Lisa to Junct.8 M25. Thanks a lot!

The President Rod Starmer congratulating all riders and officials/helpers for their efforts in promoting this years SCCU events. Ray Dare, who was there with Beryl got a particular mention for his amazing age related records this year. The president made a forward plea on behalf of Esther Carpenter for marshals and helpers at next years 24 Hr. Nat Champs which we will again be hosting. 21st/22nd June 2014 put this in your diary. Not sure what it clashes with &; I do remember what an horrendous night it was manning the village hall night stop and feeding the riders. Ann Bath won the ladies that weekend! I detect that there will not be the enthusiasm from KPRC next time I hope I am wrong and unless it turns out I have other commitments (like I'm riding) I will do my best to help. Sounds like it might class with BHF London to Brighton which I gave up years ago & it may clash with Dieppe Raid? Will have to check!

Sat and sun autumn rides

Now the clocks have changed we go into the winter rides list, which is the same as summer except the Ockham Bites is now The Vinerys Lower Bookham as its warmer. The sunday rides start at 9.30 to avoid any frost. This week we had a good turnout sat at Garcons farm, 16 I think. Dave, Lee, Nick and I did the sun ride to the new Cycle café in Esher. Giro. Lovely cakes and really nice coffee. They have locks if you need one! I would urge any of the members who fancy trying our rides to come along and make our club more sociable off season. Also we would like to see more coming down the club room at 9pm Green lanes Worcesterpark Athletics club.

AGM Notification 2013

Kingston Phoenix Road Club

Hon President: B E Powney, Esq

Notice of the Kingston Phoenix Road Club

2013 Annual General Meeting

Notice is hereby given that the 2013 Annual General Meeting of the Kingston Phoenix Road Club will be held on Wednesday 4th December 2013 at the Worcester Park Athletic Club, Green Lane, Worcester Park, Surrey; commencing at 8pm sharp.

All motions for inclusion on the agenda, and any early nominations for Officers or Committee Members, must be lodged with the Honorary General Secretary at least 14 days prior to the AGM - no later than 20th November 2013. All motions shall be in writing and signed by both proposer and seconder. Any nominations shall also be signed by the nominee indicating their willingness to stand. Proposals/nominations by email will be accepted.

Annual Reports, Agenda and other information will follow closer to the date of the AGM.

Lisa Colombo

Honorary General Secretary

Current Committee                                                      Other

Hon President:                           Brian Powney              

Hon General Secretary:              Lisa Colombo               Resigning as Secretary

Hon Time Trials Secretary:         Jake Dodd                    Resigning as TT Sec

Hon Road Race Secretary:          Simon Mitchell            

Hon Treasurer:                           Steve Hillier                  Holder of club clothing

Committee Member:                  Dave Brentnall             

Committee Member:                  Andy Pearce                 ‘MTB Sec’

Committee Member:                  Ron Powney                

Committee Member:                  Grant Pyke

Frank Cubis co-opted as Club Events Secretary in 2013

Press Secretary:                         Dave Brentnall

Auditors:                                                Jen Mitchell, Nick Hostler        

Club subs for 2014 are due as of 1st November 2013 – ie Now!

See Steve Hillier at the Reunion or pay at the AGM – don’t forget wallet or cheque book!

Senior, 1^st Claim membership is £15: Cheques payable to Kingston Phoenix RC

The Dartmoor Devil

I started this year's Audax season with the Gospel Pass, a high and wild ride over the Black Mountains, and it seemed fitting to round off the year with another of the same sort.  So, on Saturday morning, Maggie and I set off for Bovey Tracey, I to ride the Dartmoor Devil and she to provide moral and practical support.  Like the Gospel Pass, the Dartmoor Devil is a long-standing and very popular audax, and just like the Gospel Pass it enjoys a reputation for, well, challenging weather.

We made our base in the Cromwell Arms, which has the dual advantage of being a decent pub and being the start control for the event.  So on Sunday morning all I had to do was to tip out of bed and ride.

Sign-on in the bar, then gather in the car-park with the first wave for the start.  The event is so popular that the entry is divided into two waves of about 120 each to manage the numbers.  The first starts at 0800 and the second at 0900.  I had an early start, which seemed the best thing.

Out of the pub car-park and past a medieval arch, and we were straight on to the first steep hill.  Young flyers shot off; the more mature rider took it a bit steadier - there were plenty more hills to come.  Over the top and then a rolling climb to Moretonhampstead, before the real business of the day began.  Steeply up to Northmoor then just as steeply down again to the Teign valley.  Although it was sunny, heavy rain and high winds had filled the lanes with leaves and run-off from the banks.  Road signs gave the gradients as 20% up and 25% down; the GPS, as is often the case, gives a bit less.  But pretty steep, and tricky riding.  Before starting I had agonised over the best bike for the job, and had settled on my Boardman cycle-cross bike - grippy tyres and disc brakes.  It was already obvious that this was the right choice, and I began to reel in some of the flyers, both climbing and descending. (It is also fair to say that I never saw some of them again, but you just have to accept these things.)

More of the same to the first control at Drewsteignton, where I leaned my bike against a signpost while I went to get my card stamped and eat cake.

On return, it looked as if a minor mishap had occurred - the wind, while not the hurricane that followed, was very strong, and my bike had blown over.  Picking it up, I thought that my ride was over.  The left hand shifter had hit a rock and broken, and my immediate thought was that riding the Devil unable to change the front mech and with only one brake wouldn't be possible.  All over.

But hope springs eternal, and my second thought was that fixing the gears in 'low' on the compact would make little practical difference on a ride like this, and, hey, disc brakes were twice as good as calipers and I still had one left.  Onwards and upwards.  Once on the road I found that the gears were unaffected and still worked fine, and then that by holding the lever 'just so' the brake worked too.  Perhaps not as strong as usual, but good enough.

Steady climbing in deeply incised lanes for the next few miles, warm in the sun and sheltered from the wind, then out on to the moor at under Hound Tor where you really felt the wind for the first time.  It was pretty wild.  Across the open moor to the control at Ashburton with light rain at first, becoming heavier.  No problem, I thought, it'll pass while I have my food.  Good pumpkin soup, crusty bread roll and a chat with fellow riders and back out into - pouring rain and gale force wind.  I had parked the Boardman in a sheltered place (slow learner, but not entirely stupid), and several people were looking at it.  The tyres and disc brakes attracted strong approval, and I realised that I could have sold it at this point, as the worst was yet to come.

Steeply up through trees, so some shelter, then on to the open moor above Holne.  It was wild.  Screaming wind and pouring rain.  The cold rain hurt my face, so I put my head down and it hurt my head coming through the slots in my helmet.  I plugged on, at one point noticing that there was a row of ponies, tails to the wind, standing on one side of the road doing nothing.  On the other side, a group of cows, tails to the wind, was equally stolid.  Presumably this has happened to them before.

It was a hard 20k up to Princetown, a grim prison town on the top of the moor.  I was very glad to get there, and delighted at the warm welcome at the Cafe that was the next control.  All of the waiting staff had donned horns and tails, and there was a special 'Devilish' menu for the cyclists.  I warmed up, dried my gloves on the stove and recovered my humanity.  But all good things must come to an end, and eventually I had to get back out into the weather to do the next stage.  Another Boardman Admiration Society had formed in the car park.  'Do those brakes really work, then?'  Heartfelt, after sixty wet, mucky and hilly kilometres.

Things were a bit better, now.  It was raining less, the wind was now a tailwind and, at least for a while, the road went downwards.  Speeds were up, even climbing, and I got 47mph on one of the descents.  Not bad, for a cyclo-cross bike with fat tyres in the rain.  Rolling along, I mused that the last time I had come along this road was on my way to John o'Groats, on a balmy May day in warm sunshine. If only ...

Gradually, the fears of the Audaxer began to resurface.  I had done 85 km and according to my brevet card there should be a control.  I had passed a pub a couple of miles back, and had looked very carefully for the 'Control' signs.  I couldn't  see them, but was now beginning to fear that I was going have to turn back and climb again, into the wind, to get my brevet stamped.  Missing a control means disqualification.  Carrying on for a couple of miles, in the middle of the moor with no human habitation visible, wind and rain rising again, my heart sank.

Then, on a narrow winding bit of road, the bike quivering in the wind, I saw the 'Control Ahead' sign.  It was nailed to a stick which was held down with rocks.  Around the corner, on a patch of gravel at the side of the road, was a small camper van with a hand-painted 'Audax Control' sign.  Two cheerful stalwarts, wrapped in blankets, stamped my card and wished me a good ride.  It is the wildest place I have ever known a control situated.

Last lap now, down to Widecombe and then about ten K to the finish.  Those of you who remember the song will know that it was Widecombe Hill that killed Tom Pearce's grey mare.  More than a kilometre long and stretches of 20%.  Nothing below 15%.  Makes White Down look a doddle.  

But then it was over. Across the moor and down a little to the Kestor Inn at Manaston, a fitting final control, high on the moors.  I got my card stamped, bought a badge and declined a beer, although it looked as if a serious party was beginning to develop.  Out into the rain again - more drizzle now, and downhill for a few miles to the Cromwell Arms where Maggie was waiting to hear of my heroism.

66.4 miles, rolling average 10.5mph, 10,168 feet of ascent.  A great ride.

Mark

All club members times and championship cup winners up to date.

 The info has been updated, but is NOT FULLY UP TO DATE YET.

Points tables should be correct, as should MOST trophy winners.

The VETS TROPHY has been held up by the question of which standards we are using.

The Times have been fully researched - at length and considerable time taken (a genuine thankyou to those FEW riders that have kept me/us up to date during the year) but I ran out of time before finishing updating the list of times and haven't got back to finish the job.

The 2013 season does not officially finish for another couple of days (today is the 29th Oct).

Just click on the box on the left for all updated times and points for members.