Change of venue for the Beginners AGM on 21 March

The Beginners AGM on 21 March 4.30 - 6.00 will be held in The California, 267 Brighton Road, Belmont SM2 5SU. They are generously allocating a room for us and hope we will take advantage of their food and drink menu. There will be parking for bicycles at the front. The afternoon rides will aim to finish at The California.

Conspiracy! Beddington one-o-clockers to Merton Abbey Mills, 21 February

There was a conspiracy afoot on Saturday.  The Famous Five were going to see the Irish Guards Band in Epsom that night so the plan was to go on a fairly short ride so that everyone could safely get home and turn around for a night out on the tiles.  But we had a pleasant surprise in store, for we had a newcomer, Roland.  He had ridden from Nonsuch last week and wanted to try out Beddington this.

The general consensus was to go for a trip to Merton Abbey Mills, which is not our shortest ride at all, but from which we knew we could get home in time.

And so that is where we went.  A day of pleasant weather after another wet week and we had a lovely ride, even if the leader (ho had planned to go to Elmers End) made a couple of brief mistakes en route.

Perhaps becsause of the lack of snow or a named storm, M.E.D was unusually busy but it was nice enough (just) for us to sit outside, once we had mopped up the standing water from the tables and benches.

Four conspirators and Roland at M.E.D.  Maggie took the picture.

The Wandle was in full flood and apart from a particularly unpleasant glass trap on the riverside in Poulter Park we had an uneventful trip.

A pleasant afternoon for everyone and Roland seemed to enjoy his ride as much as we enjoyed his company.  Come again, Roland!

And, yes, we all made the concert in good time.

Social Media and Communications Policy

 

From Sue F

We now have a club Social Media and Communications policy approved by the Committee. More and more of our communication both for practical ride information and other cycling related issues are conveyed via social media and email. This Policy is intended to provide guidance to help understand acceptable standards of use by members and to assist everyone in understanding what the potential risks are in using social media and how these can be avoided and managed.

You can access the policy via the link above or from the Information Hub on our website.

There went the sun; Nonsuch one-o-clockers to Long Ditton on Valentine's Day

There was romance in the air and overpriced restaurants overbooked when Saturday dawned with - and you'll never believe it - sunshine in the air.

My plot was essentially a selfish one.  First time on a bike since caressing the tarmac two and a half weeks ago, see if the old joints still worked, make sure I hadn't forgotten how to ride, turn up at Nonsuch and if necessary just go home on the train.  

But it went well.  Who doesn't get the odd twinge?  The patisserie in Cheam was packed but we still got a table, Tim turned up for club business and to save me a ride, Anna and Roger were there, Nigel rolled up as we were leaving, and we all went to the rendezvous at the Mansion.

A veritable throng at Nonsuch Mansion

There a vertiable throng was waiting and Steve was there to lead a ride down south to Brockham.  I assumed, rightly, that most would want to go on his proper ride while Maggie and I decided that a modest paced pedal to Long Ditton would be as far as was sensible for me.  But Ken, A&R, Sue and Nigel (a fellow casualty, nursing a bandaged foot) slotted in behind Maggie and me, and off we went over well worn tyre tracks through the new safer route around Worcester Park Station, under the A3 tunnel at Tolworth and on to sunny Ditton.

Nice Buns

I didn't think I'd qualify and get past the quality control at the Nice Buns cafe, but there was no age or shape discrimination and they let us all in; they even had red paper roses on the table for us.  So we had a leisurely coffee and made our way back through Surbiton to Worcester Park and thence went our various ways home.

Good company, a lovely day and a problem-free ride.  But next morning the sun was just a wierd memory.  Had it been real or was I dreaming?  Is there really a dazzling orange-yellow fireball in the sky to be seen above the greyness, or is it just fake news?