Invitation to enter the 2017 Photgraphic Competition

Please see the full details of how to enter the 2017 Photo Competitions on the Wayfarers blog or click on this link which will take you there.

We'll look forward to seeing your creations. If you have any queries please contact me.

~ Tim
(Secretary)

Beddington Park ride 18th November

It was gently raining as five determined cyclists met to brave the elements and test the weather forecast of increasing rain as the afternoon progressed. We were pleased to see Callum return to cycling after a short break but he was recovering from a cold and felt that a ride in his direction home was all that he was able to do. We decided therefore to try to meet up with the Nonsuch group who were aiming for Morden Hall Park.

Autumn colours along the Wandle cheered our ride and we were soon parking our bikes and warming up in the cafe. A few minutes later we were joined by the five cyclists from Nonsuch Park.  Were there some comments about our group using up all the parking stands?  The café has now almost entirely filled it's outside area with new garden tables and chairs which sat in the rain empty of customers. 

It began to rain more heavily as we left the Park to return home. We agreed the shortest route was best and went our different ways near St Helier hospital at which point the rain became heavier. I was glad to get home and glad I'd worn my wet weather gear!

Colin, Roger, Anna, Maggie & Callum at Morden Hall Park

photo (video) taken by Nigel

Arthur Jessop Trophy presented to Colin

All of you who were unable to attend the AGM missed Paul James' excellent speech to commend Colin for the award of the Arthur Jessop Shield which we present each year to a club member for outstanding achievement and service to the club. And, if you didn't know, you will be equally pleased to learn that the trophy was presented to Shirley last year. David Aylett was awarded the prize in 2015. Here is the text of Paul's encomium:

"There is only one man in this room who was actually born on a bicycle, wrapped in hi-viz swaddling clothes and placed in the sidecar to his parents’ tandem where he spent his early childhood.

With his parents he was in at the founding of the South West London District association in 1948.

He became a National councillor for the CTC in 1964.  It was on the organising committee of the British Cycle Touring Competition that he met his wife.

From leading rides for fellow schoolboys he graduated to Chairman and President of the SW London District Association and National Vice President of the CTC.  He has never been one to sit back and take a free ride.

I first bought a bike only six years ago so my experience of him has been in his recent years, involved on nearly every Beginners Section ride I have known.

Thanks partly to persistent leafleting the Beddington Park rides are now growing in popularity and introduce cycling newcomers to the club but a couple of years ago hardly anyone came and this man was sceptical about their future.

But we asked him to stick with it.  He said he would and since then, rain or shine and one week snow, slush and ice, many times taking out only two or three of us, he was there every month by the Pavilion at two o clock just as he said he would be and despite his own doubts.

The committee was astonished to realise that his name was not on the Arthur Jessop trophy already and felt, albeit belatedly, that this omission should be rectified.  I am talking of course of Colin Quemby."

~ Tim

Thanks to Mike Morley for this photo

Notice of Annual General Meeting

CTC South West London will hold its AGM at 11:00 am, Wed. 8th November.

Please be on time.
 
The new venue is just a short walk from the Queens Road exit from the Day Centre.

All Saints Hall
All Saints Roman Catholic Church
13 Queens Road
Hersham
KT12 5LU

The hall is located at the back of the premises. There are two halls with a shared entrance. Our meeting is in the Small Hall.
 
There are no bike racks but there is plenty of space to park bikes against the buildings near the hall entrance. Please bring your bikes to the hall rather than leave them at the Day Centre.
 
There are normally plenty of spaces on the premises in front of the church for anyone arriving by motor vehicle, with access from Queens Road.
 
~ Tim

Ride takes shelter under high diving board

Hurricane Brian threatened our monthly ride from Beddington Park but six cyclists left the park to cycle a truncated circuitous 10k route stopping for a break at Wyevale garden centre behind The Hilton Hotel on Purley Way.  We cycled along the Wandle towards Croydon continuing straight until we almost reached the dual carriageway in front of Croydon Parish Church.  We followed the road right and uphill for quite a strenuous ride for our youngest cyclist (9 year old Hector).  At the top of this hill we turned right on Duppas Hill Terrace and cycled through the underpass. Continuing along Violet Lane then right on Price Road, left on Hillside Road. across Denning Avenue to Goodwin Road, we turned left onto Waddon Way where the wind off the playing fields threatened to slow our progress.

Heavy rain after our tea break at the garden centre saw us retreat back under cover and try to recall the significance of the diving board within the grounds. Research at home discovered it to be a Grade II listed building and it is one of only four inter-war concrete diving platforms known to survive in England.

Homewards now we continued along Waddon Way to cross Purley Way and follow Imperial Way turning right onto Hannibal Way and cross Stafford Road to High View Avenue. W turned left on The Chase, crossing Plough Lane to enter Sandy Lane  North. Then straight to cycle down Tharp Road where we separated to make our way home.

Thanks to Colin for leading the ride on such an unpromising day and well done to our two young riders.

Sorry no photos today as cameras were forgotten due to weather watching!

Maggie

Thames Estuary all-day ride - Oct 14th

The ride started at Waterloo Station, although the trains were up the creek!

Embankment along Crayford Marsh

We cycled to Cannon Street Station to board the train to Slade Green Station from there we picked up the NC1N route which took us along the river Darent to the Thames estuary just west of the Dartford crossing.

Tea stop was at Morrisons cafe Erith. We then cycled onto Woolwich but as the time was getting on we took the main road to Greenwich for a late lunch (you know where!).

First sight of London

After lunch we boarded the Thames clipper for the trip back to Westminster pier then cycled onto Battersea Park for tea as it was getting late we all decided to catch the train back from Clapham Junction (trains still up the creek).

Thanks to everybody for their company and Simon for back marking.


~Tony Hooker

Telegraph Track Saturday 23 September

l to r: Stephen, Marion, Kevin, Philip, Colin, Nigel, Sue, Sophie, Roy, Dave

We were delighted to welcome ten new guest riders, including eight on four tandems to our group this afternoon.  The tandem riders were members of the Merton sports and social club for people with visual impairment; they hadn't been out on their bikes for a while, so joined us as a first step to getting back to regular cycling together. One of the pairs, Richard and Anna, had to turn back from Cheam village to Nonsuch Park for more practice in a traffic free environment. But the rest of us (11 all together) continued through to the top end of Sutton, and followed the cycle route up past Stanley Park allotments and Sutton Community Farm, to the Blossoms café in Flittons nursery at Woodcote.

Our picture was taken after tea as we readied ourselves for the (mainly downhill) ride back.  No wonder we look happy! Thanks to Nigel for leading, with Colin and Helen sharing backmarking.