2018/2019 Annual Report - a sneak preview

Despite the committee's best efforts to keep a lid on all our secrets a copy of the Annual Report has been leaked and slid out under the radar and has popped up in our Information Hub which is accessible via a link from our front page.

Spys tell me that the report can be found hidden in 'Reports and Minutes'\'Annual Reports'.

We regret the leak but the truth is that it probably would be a good idea to read it before the AGM this Wednesday. Otherwise we will have to have a fifteen minute silence while everyone catches up. It is a great summary of our year's activities, a very good read thanks to eleven people who have written contributions for it.

As if that isn't exciting enough you can also read a draft copy of the minutes from last year's AGM: 'Information Hub'\'Reports and Minutes'\'AGM Minutes'.

~ Tim

Notice of Annual General Meeting

CTC South West London will hold its AGM at 11:00 am, after Elevenses, on Wednesday 13th November.

Please be on time.

The venue is the same as last year, 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
Hon. Secretary

Roy Flowers

More than four years ago we all welcomed three super people into the Beginners: Roy Flowers and Roger and Anna Parsley. All have contributed generously to our activities. This morning we learnt that Roy had been taken to St. George's hospital yesterday with an infection.

Roger explained that Roy had a leaking aneurysm. His daughter was with him and he was lucid and chatty. Very sadly, Roger has contacted us again to tell us: “Roy passed away very peacefully in St Georges at ten to three this afternoon - all his family were with him and we are heartbroken”.

We send our deepest sympathies to Roger, Anna and Roy's family. He will be greatly missed.

~ Colin and Shirley

Cheam & Morden Easter Tour 2020, 10-13 April

If you have enjoyed the Beginners all-day rides this year, you might be interested in joining other Sou'Westers for the Cheam and Morden Easter Tour, organised by Ann Bath.   Beginners most welcome!

We have a hotel booked for next Easter. Staying for 3 nights starting Good Friday 10th till Easter Monday 13th April at the Red Lion Hotel, Milford Street, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP1 2AN www.bestwestern.co.uk/hotels/best-western-red-lion-hotel

Organised rides on Saturday and Sunday, around Wayfarers B group pace.

The price is £65 pppn db&b sharing a twin or a double room. £12.50 supplement pppn single.  The inclusive evening meal is a 3 course set menu with options.

There is indoor bike storage. Being in central Salisbury, the hotel has limited, chargeable parking (only 6 spaces at £15 per night). There is a public car park nearby at £10/24 hours (Sundays free)

Contact Ann via Simon Lambourn for further information, or talk to any of the many other Wayfarers and Cheam & Morden riders who've attended previously, if you’re interested.

~Ann

All day ride to Godstone - Saturday 5th October

On this ride 13 cyclists started off from Nonsuch Park on an overcast but dry day.

We made our way to Godstone via Wallington, Redham and up to Kenley. On the way one of our cyclists had a problem with her rear mudguard which had broken off, but up stepped Ed to carry out a repair (thanks Ed).

We stopped at Kenley Aerodrome to visit the memorial to WW1/WW2 fighter pilots, service men and women and then we continued to the Rendezvous Cafe on the A22 for our tea stop. I would give this cafe 5 stars for their coffee and all round service.

Ed was debating whether to do a bit of shopping in the Ann Summers Shop!

Enough of that. Onto the N21 cycle route turning off to go through Church Town, where we found our way blocked by a white Roll Royce where a Father and Bride were about to enter the Church.

The lunch stop at Godstone was cancelled as we decided to carry on to Wetherspoons in Redhill. After lunch some of our party left to take the train home. The remainder made their way to Banstead ( nobody wanted to stop for tea) then we all went our separate ways home.

Thanks to Will for back marking and everyone who turned up. That is the last of the all day Beginners Saturday rides for this year. I look forward to next year

Regards,

Tony

Coffee the decider; to Leatherhead on 28 September

Saturday offered a weather window perfect for cycling for those who believed the forecast and ignored the early morning rain.  We had a good crowd at Nonsuch (the usual suspects) and Nigel led the long ride out like a German railway train, rolling slowly away at the precise time with no whistles, no announcement.  Fifteen others spotted the manoeuvre and followed on a ride which was destined for Brockett’s Farm and we took the familiar route through Ewell and the industrial estate in North Epsom, and up the hill behind Epsom Hospital to Ashtead .

Showing decisive leadership (Nigel says), because a couple of the group were coming slowly up the hills, he adjusted our destination.  It might also have had something to do with someone telling him that there was a pleasant coffee stop  in Leatherhead, familiar to Tim and the B Group but unsullied as yet by a visit from Beginners.  So our destination became Charlie & Ginger, in Leatherhead.  Nigel was rewarded for his initiative by some light hearted complaints and by the sign on the pavement blowing over in the stiffening breeze and damaging his front hub.

We broke with tradition after the break by taking a more circuitous route home, past Leatherhead Station and over Ashtead Common the long way round, passing as many dog walkers as possible and taking Roger's lead up a track which offered a long, slow incline rather than the short, steep hill on the north easterly route.  We circumnavigated two roundabouts, twice, so those delayed at the lights could catch up in our search for a flatter, more traffic-free experience and, because the ride was less ambitious than some long rides in recent weeks, returned to Nonsuch within the advertised time limits, though obviously not in time for a coffee at the Pantry, since so to do would require a very short ride.

It was a pleasant afternoon out; thank you, Nigel.

Sou'Wester Shorts,

The club's new online magazine

Dear all,  

as you may have seen on the Wayfarers blog, we are launching a new online newsletter, Sou'Wester Shorts, a digest of news from our various blogs.  It is not intended to replace the paper Sou'Wester but perhaps it will give you access to stories that you might have missed from the other groups, and we also hope to reach some cyclists who don't ride regularly with the Sou'Westers.

After a pilot, we decided to add all Beginners members directly to the mailing list, as it's a bit fiddly to sign up directly.  However you can easily unsubscribe if you don't want to receive it - just click the unsubscribe link at the bottom of the email.  You should receive an email with the latest edition of Sou'Wester Shorts every few weeks, edited by one of the team of Paul James, Dave Vine and Simon Lambourn.   We hope you enjoy reading it, and we would welcome your comments and suggestions.