December 2001

http://www.sherwoodcc.org.uk  

The Sherwood Cycling Club has now been going for 70 years – remarkable when you think of all the changes in the world, that a cycling club is still going strong. We have had a pretty good year with more members racing, a steady stream of new blood bringing the membership up to 70, well supported club runs and a sell out for the 70^th club dinner. I have been to the last 35 dinners (I can’t remember them all!) but others have been around much longer than me. Fred Whysall is actually a founder member and was Club Captain well before I started. In those days you were not allowed to pass the Club Captain on a run – that is one thing that certainly has changed. 

I am sure you will all join me in wishing Orford a speedy recovery from recent further eye operations. It must be so frustrating for a keen rider to be immobilised by a detached retina.

One more new member to welcome this month is Dave Robinson – another strong rider from his performance on club runs.

CLUB AWARDS

I reckon 34 members have taken part in a race of some sort this season. This is pretty good as we also have several members who just ride for pleasure.

It is also good to see the club awards shared by so many members. The best newcomer this year must be Neil Walker who despite not start racing until June won the Club 25 and 50 mile championships and the Skegness race – not bad for a start!

Rod Corbett seems to have made the Vet’s BAR his own property for years. To get an average of 25.5 mph over 10, 25 and 50 miles is a great achievement particularly when you have been a Vet as long as Rod!

Orford Spencer had a good year after getting over his eye problems last year. Let’s hope he soon gets over his recent setback. Dave Bostock didn’t race much but made it count in the Skegness Race. Chris Pearson had three good wins while Kevin Newbury showed all round improvement.

Don Cunningham took time to find form after a quiet winter but managed to find that little bit extra for the Halford Trophy. Tim Pigula showed great promise with a 1-1-56 for 3^rd spot and first handicap in the 3^rd 25 (his first ever time trial!). He has now gone off to University. Chris Frost did some of his fastest rides for decades and managed three handicap wins.

Lesley Cliff fitted in some racing between triathlons work and accidents (!) to win the Ladies’ BAR and Judy Stevens rode regularly to pick up one handicap win.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING MONDAY 3 DECEMBER 2001 7.30 PM

At the AGM we will be electing committee members for next year. If you fancy any post make it known as volunteers are always welcome. At least come to the meeting and make your views known as the Club is run for the members.

As a matter of routine we will also be considering membership fees and club racing fees. Membership fees were last raised in 1992 and the general feeling when discussed at an open committee meeting was that a small increase was due.

The Club Rules also need updating including official recognition of the new club clothing design. A certain amount of tidying up of the rules is also needed following slight changes to the Committee posts over recent years. We also had a rule that the Club President had a maximum term of office. This was effectively amended when we elected Fred Whysall as Honorary Life President. A proposed re-draft of the rules will be presented for approval of the Club.  

CHRISTMAS LUNCH

Orford has booked the Ferry Farm at Hoveringham for a Sunday lunch on 16 December. This will be a 3-course meal and you can take your own wine. We have enjoyed good quality meals there for the last few years. We will have a club run starting as normal and arriving at Hoveringham at midday ready for lunch. You can also make your own way there. The cost is £10 with half price for children under eleven. A veggie option is available. Bookings have been going well. Contact Orford or Ann Spencer quickly if you want to go, as spaces are limited.  

CLUB NIGHT

Club nights and open committee meetings are held on Mondays towards the end of each month at the Burton Road Community Centre, (opposite Walker’s Garage) Carlton 7.30-9.30 p.m.

Meetings for next year’s diary are 28 Jan, 25 Feb, 25 March, 29 April, 27 May, 24 June, 22 July, 19 Aug, 23 Sept, 28 Oct, 25 Nov and the AGM on 9 December 2002.

CLUB RUNS

Club runs meet at the Shearing Hill/Burton Road junction on Saturdays and Sundays at 9.30 a.m. Wednesday runs meet at Lowdham War memorial 9.15 a.m.

We have been quite lucky with the weather recently and so attendance has been very good. The large turn out on Saturdays has been splitting into two as some are training rather early. Sundays have seen 20 plus turn outs which limits our choice of tea stops to those large enough to cope.

BOXING DAY TEN WEDNESDAY 26 DECEMBER

The Boxing Day Ten starts at 10.30 a.m. on the Old Epperstone Road. You can just ride round the course, wear fancy dress or race to your maximum – the choice is yours. As an additional attraction there will be draw where riders pay an additional £1 on the entry fee with prize money being awarded to a finisher drawn at random.

After the event festivities resume in the Magna Charta where food is available to accompany any liquid refreshment. This pub also has a family room.  

CLUB CLOTHING

I will be placing a new order with pro-vision for club clothing soon. Current stocks are limited in sizes available. Unfortunately, some, but not all, items have increased in price but Steve Joughin has been promised a good discount, so I will not know exact prices until we place the order. Particular price increases are on the Coolmax tops and the bib shorts. The full price of these are now £31.50 and £35 respectively – an increase of over 10%. I hope to get back down to the original prices with the discount.

They now also do Roubaix bib tights at about £41. I am also expecting some samples of winter jackets and gilets.

Please let me know if you need anything including kit for next summer.

ALBERT AND THE ROCK – AN UNSOLVED MYSTERY by John Watson

Back in the early fifties when I first joined the Club everyone rode with a large, leather reinforced canvas saddlebag. Side pockets were crammed with tools and spares and a rear light dangled aimlessly from the offside. A rolled up oilskin cape was strapped to the flap of the main compartment that held spare clothing, food etc.

This presented an opportunity for sabotaging club mates efforts in sprints by hiding heavy objects. After café stops the wary would check their bags. More stone could come out of Derbyshire in saddlebags than in lorries. Discovery of another piece of rockery in your bag explained your legs going on Hartshay Hill, Ripley.

A large rock was used to hold open the gate at the old clubroom at the Chesterfield Arms. This found its way into various bags but was always returned for further use. One night after a few pints in the pub, Albert forgot to check his bag. Assuming I did the dirty deed he planned his revenge.

After a Tuesday ten some of us arranged to meet at June and Walt Wilson’s flat for a game of cards, supper and a pint. Albert went home first and then walked round with the rock wrapped in newspaper intending to deposit it in Watto’s saddlebag. As I hadn’t yet arrived he left it in the yard ready to place it later. Unfortunately, for Albert, too much beer meant he was last to leave and there was no saddlebag to sabotage, so he picked up his parcel and set off home with plans for future revenge.

We had Bobbies on the beat then and Albert was soon stopped. “Now my lad. What have you got in that parcel?” It’s a rock officer” said Albert. “What are you doing with it?” asked the constable.

Albert should have learnt from a previous experience. Whilst away on National Service (he thought “Duty to Crown and Country” meant keeping the local maidens happy), he was stopped for riding without lights. Albert quickly explained they must have just gone out. He was later fined ten shillings when it was pointed out his lamps had neither batteries nor bulbs.

Back to the rock and Albert’s unfortunate response. “Going to do a job on the Co-op window”. He should have known that a humorous response to a PC at midnight was not advisable. After fifteen minutes interrogation he had to explain the truth to the sceptical officer. He was sent on his way, chastised but still with rock and no doubt considering his strategy for revenge.

The next week the rock was again holding the gate open awaiting its next journey. Its travelling days were numbered with the demise of the saddlebag. It probably lies in somebody’s rockery reflecting on its past wanderings.

If you have it treat it with respect. It was cursed enough in the past.

Editor’s note

I remember this practice well. On one occasion someone loaded a large Derbyshire stone in my brother’s saddlebag (he used to be noted for giving other riders a hard time). The next week he was asked when he had found the rock. He answered “What rock?”– It was still there, he hadn’t checked his bag!

Some riders used to put a rock or house brick in their own bags just for the extra training! Not like today’s minimalist “winter bikes”. One rider lost his brick in the ford at Rufford when he fell on the icy bridge – trouble was he had wrapped a spare jacket around it so had to wade in after it. Another carried an iron weight that just fitted into a bottle cage, but this was discarded on one particularly hard run.

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