Renew your membership.

Subs become due at the end of January.
Dont let your membership lapse!

Get some Winter Training
Challenge yourself with an Audax
Join us for Time Trial, Road or Track Racing
Grab yourself a Trophy
Go for a Sunday Club Run

Pay by Cheque

make cheque payable to Willesden Cycling Club and send to

Gladys Purdy
55 Exeter Road
Harrow
HA2 9PQ

Each May Bank the Willesden have been going over to the Isle of Wight to ride this wonderful Randonnee.

A signature feature of this event is it outstanding value for money… it’s completely free to enter. You have a choice of the 100 Km round the island route (highly recommended) or a shorter 55km loop that takes in all the best the North East corner of the island has to offer.

The ride usually attracts around 4,000 riders, though I have to say that they are not all Willesden types – despite it being a freebie. There are half a dozen controls spread around the island and you can start and finish at any one. We usually start from Alverstone, just outside Sandown. The cake at the Yarmouth control is worth the trip on its own.

Wendy Mears is organising two nights B&B (4th and 5th May) at the St.Michaels Hotel lin Sandown which we have used for the last few years. The cost is very reasonable £31 per head per night (£15.00 for children up to 16 if sharing a family room). Please contact Wendy as soon as possible to reserve your place via: wendywearl@aol.com

Further details of the ride can be found at http://www.cycleisland.co.uk

Wendy Mears
Socila Secretary

Dear friends in the Willesden

You may have known our esteemed President, Bob Kynaston (and apologies if you didn’t and if this message is not relevant to you). I know some of you expressed an interest in attending Bob’s funeral and I have included details below.

But firstly, thank you for your kind messages of support. I have passed them on to Bob’s family.

Bob’s funeral will be on Thursday the 7th of February at 11.00, Woodcock Hill Cemetery (woodland area), Harefield Road, Rickmansworth, Herts, WD3 1PD. Family and very close friends (who have already been invited) will be with Wendy in the mud and rain for the few minutes of the internment.

Please feel free to go directly to the Grim’s Dyke Golf Club, Oxhey Lane, Hatch End Pinner, HA5 4AL‎, where they will be expecting you from 11.30 and the humanist (non-religious) celebration of Bob’s life will take place. Bob’s wishes were for no dark clothing (but yes to full colour cycling kit, and arrival by cycle); Bob has requested that flowers should not be sent (although cards would be welcome), but any money that would have been spent can instead be made as a donation to either Macmillan-cancer-nursing, or Cancer UK, or the Peace Hospice in Watford.

Tea and coffee will be available on arrival, and after the eulogy, food and soup will be served.
Please email Duncan Kynaston at westerley@westerley.plus.com to confirm names and numbers so we have an idea of how many to cater
for.

Kind regards

Roly Collicott
Westerley Vice President and Social Sec

The position of Club Secretary is still vacant, anyone wishing to take up this post then please contact Ian Why our Chairman.

Wendy Mears

We would like to thank everyone for coming to the Willesden’s Annual Awards Presentation and Dinner Dance on such a dreadful and cold night. It was such a tricky venue to find so apologies for the inconvenience caused. Thank you to everyone for making it such an enjoyable evening.

Jim and Wendy Mears
Social Secretaries

A reminder that the 2013 Team Quest Reliability Trial is on Sunday 27th January. £10 entry fee, revised start times of 9:30 for the 107Km route, and 10:00 for the 73Km. Starting at Ickenham Guide Hut, Community Close, Ickenham, UB10 8RE. Food and drink available all day.

The Harp Hilly has been postponed till the 3rd March. Details here.

Anyone (fool)hardy enough to be considering taking part in the Harp Hilly? looks like they’ll only be running the shorter route. Details here

Each year the FFCT (Fédération Française de cyclotourisme) organises their wonderful “Semaine Federale”, a superb week of cycling and socialising attended by over 10,000 cyclists from across France and Europe. It is a non-competitive week of cycle touring around a different region of France each year. Each region selected to host the event pulls out all the stops to showcase the history, produce and beauty of their area with four or five fully sign-posted rides to choose from each day ranging in length from 70 to 200km depending on your appetite (and you will surely have one).

Willesden CC members have been going to this event for many years and it is certainly to be highly recommended. Not only is it great fun but it is also preposterously cheap …..OK, I thought that would get your attention….!! For example at the 2012 Semaine Federale, all entry and camping fees fees for a family of four (that’s Mum, Dad and two children under 18) came to just €148.00 for the whole
week. You can either self cater at the camping site or you can ride to the Semaine Federale Village for your evening meal, which is €14/head. This is a proper multi-course full-on meal including wine, water and bread. If you do not wish to camp then dormitory-style accommodation is around €135 per person per week. Ok, this is more expensive than camping but it is still a bargain.

The 2013 Semaine Federale will be held from 3rd to 11th August in Nantes in the Pays-de-la-Loire region of Western France. Nantes is around 177km from St Malo, which has a direct ferry service to Portsmouth. Other ports are also available, including Le Harve (384km), Caen (300 km), Cherbourg (339km) or Calais (600km).

Full details of the week can be found at http://www.sf2013-nantes.org, though the site is mainly in French there is an English page providing some high level information.

The itinerary for the week is as follows –

Sat 03 Aug : Pick up registration documents and set up “Camp Willesden” at the Semaine Federale camping site.
Sun 04 Aug : 5 rides to NE of Nantes. Distances 68 to 168kms
Mon 05 Aug : 5 rides to NW of Nantes. Distances 78 to 185kms
Tue 06 Aug : 5 rides to W of Nantes. Distances 68 to 168kms
Wed 07 Aug : 6 rides to SW of Nantes (Two start points). Distances 59 to 268kms
Thu 08 Aug : Picnic day – no rides
Fri 09 Aug : 5 rides to N of Nantes. Distances 71 to 196kms
Sat 10 Aug : 4 rides to SW of Nantes. Distances 70 to 172kms
Sun 11 Aug : Parade and closing ceremony

I am happy to help anyone with the registration process, which will be open from early January. I will be able to confirm the 2013 costs as soon as the Semaine Federale organising committee publish them,

Miles Back

If any Willesden rider is interested in coming to Mallorca in March contact Gill Reynolds(g.reynolds@live.co.uk). She is going from the 11th to the 21st of March 2013. The training camp is based near Arenal. Cost approx 40 Euros a day half board.

I hope you’re all looking forward to Christmas. The Westerley CC would like to invite you to our Christmas social event this Wednesday Weds 19th Dec. 8:30 pm. for an evening of Horse racing at the clubroom

Tote manager, Ian McNally will be running this exciting event, which promises to be a lot of fun … you can have a flutter and maybe win a few bob (or even pounds). As usual, we’ll have snacks at the bar and we’re promised that the Rebellion beer will be available. Let me know if you’re coming, please, as it helps us to plan catering, betting slips, etc.

Have a very happy Christmas and best wishes for the New Year

Cheers, Roly (Westerley CC)