Whilst we have all been in lockdown, I have been looking at future events to organise on the social front. It appears to me that we can sometimes combine rides with social events. There are many places we haven’t been to before in Bucks, Herts and Oxon that offer some nice roads and great scenery.  Oxford City is an example of a marvellous place to visit on or off the bike. Even if we only use the famous city as a backdrop for a coffee and a ride through. How about getting the train out, visiting the famous Ashmolean Museum and cycling home?

In the next few weeks we will be working behind the scenes to work on new ride routes that might take in some of the more interesting places in our bordering counties west of London like Waddesdon Manor, Buckingham Town and Claydon Manor.

Club members please drop me an email if you can think of anything worth adding to the list. The aim is to start a number of rides from Amersham to give us a few miles further to explore.

Sorry if you clicked on the link looking for a Pub Run 🙁

It was just ‘click bait’ to get you to read this blog but suffice to say we will be looking to have a number of nights out on offer as soon as we can.

Regards

Gerry McManus

In line with guidance from government and British Cycling, all club activities are currently suspended.

https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/     https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus

Until further notice, solo rides for exercise once a day are allowed.  Ride sensibly and carefully. You do not want to put any additional pressure on the NHS.

I am passing on the sad news that Liz passed away last Friday, 7th December. It was peacefully in her sleep with her family present. Liz has been a member of the club for 30 years and has been one of our great audaxers. She was national champion in 1992, 1994, 1995 and other gender champion in 1990,1991, 1993 and 1996.

Denis Falvey passed this news on and said he did not have any details about her funeral yet.

It is proposed to run two more Sunday club rides from Denham starting at 10.00am.

The first one will be on the 29^th September led by Marianne Harding and the second on the 27^th October led by John Wheatley .

Further details will be available nearer the time and will also be published on Facebook

Cycling Holiday in Riccione, Italy 2020

As most of you may know, for the past few years, I have been making arrangements with the Hotel Gambrinus in Riccione on the East Coast of Italy, for a group of us to stay with them for a week. There were 24 of us last year staying at the hotel who put on Tour Guides every day for groups of different ability over 35 to 55 mile rides.

I am the central point of contact with the hotel but people have to book their own travel arrangements using Bologna or Rimini airports.

The week proposed for next year is 25th April to 2nd May and I will be talking to the hotel before the end of September to try to get a block reservation of rooms and bikes to hire.

As a guide, in 2019 the price per person sharing a twin or double room was 49 euro plus city tax. This is full board, including wine at the dinner table in the evening. Bikes are about 90 euro a week (you need your own insurance).  Return air fares were between £70 and £120 depending on when you book etc and an extra coach fare will be payable if flying in to Bologna.

The hotel is not massive and priority will be given to WCC members / friends who have been before.

Full details to follow in due course but it is important for us to look at a potential group number to get rooms and bikes reserved in advance.

With this in mind, please could you indicate your level of interest to me by September 22nd 2019 by email gerry@gerrymcmanus.co.uk

Please note that it’s a cycling holiday and not a training week

Gerry

Social Night Out – Friday 13th September – The Tropic at Ruislip – Grosvenor Vale, Ruislip HA4 6JQ

The Tropic club is hosting a night featuring an AC/DC tribute band called AC/DC UK – £12 in advance or £14 on the door.

The act features their most famous songs including (I guess) Back In Black, Whole Lotta Rosie, Dirty Deeds Done Cheap and Thunderstruck.

Please let me know if you are going by September 6th so I can get tickets in advance for everyone and you can pay me on the night.

email me at gerry@gerrymcmanus.co.uk

The venue is a short walk from Ruislip / Ruislip Manor Tube Stations

Gerry McManus

Willesden Cycling Club

John and Dulcie Walker Memorial Road Races

Sunday, 15th September 2019

Enter on British Cycling web site

Race 1
Dulcie Walker Memorial Road Race
80km
(Regional A, Band 3 for Categories 3/4/W/J)

Start 9:30am
(sign-on 8.15am to 9:00am)

* * * Prizes from 1st to 15th * * *

Race 2
John Walker Trophy Road Race
120 km
(National B, Band 2: E/1/2/)

Start 02:00pm
(sign-on 12:45pm to 1:30pm)

* * * Prizes from 1st to 15th ***

The Course

• The anticlockwise circuit starts on the A329, north of Little Milton, heading south through the village.
• It then turns east onto the B480 at Stadhampton, running south-east past the southern boundary of Chalgrove Airfield.
• The route the turns left off the B480 on to an unclassified road, heading north-east to Stoke Talmage, crossing Haseley Brook and then passing under the M40 before turning north-west onto the A40 (Tetsworth High Street).
• The circuit continues west along the A40, crossing the finish line that is approximately 200m to the east of the junction of the A40 with the A329.
• The route then turns south-west, back over the M40, then along the A329 to complete the lap in Little Milton.
• There are no significant climbs to negotiate.

Race HQ and Sign-on

The Race HQ is at –

The Pine Lodge,
Little Milton Village Hall,
Thame Road,
Little Milton,
Oxon,
OX44 7PZ

Please ensure that you park in the field behind the Village Hall/Race HQ (Please note that the main front car park will be kept free for the race vehicles).

Please sign on at least 30 minutes before the start of the race. Failure to do so will mean that the race organiser may give your number to a reserve rider.

Please take away all of your rubbish. Empty gel packs should be put back in your pocket after use.

We ask that you please go directly to the HQ after the finish of the race; please do not wait for friends at the finish line. Plus, you will want to enjoy our catering service.

Race History and Trophies

The “John Walker Trophy” is a E/1/2 Road race and is the pinnacle of all Willesden CC events. The winner will have their name engraved on the the prestigious and impressive trophy, which is a salute to John Walker. John was a great wit and raconteur in the Willesden CC and for many years he was the Master of Ceremonies at our annual club dinner. John was an avid jazz fan and his bike was badged up as a Stan Getz to honour the great American jazz saxophonist. John was also a creative and artistic person who had a talent for airbrushing incredibly intricate and dark satanic designs on to custom motorbikes.

John Walker Trophy – previous winners

2018 Joshua Boyman, Hoops Velo
2017 Jake Hales, Spirit Tifosi Racing Team
2016 Matt Cronshaw, Madison Genesis
2015 Tristan Robbins, Madison Genesis
2014 Elliot Porter, JLT Condor
2013 Lewis Atkins, Pedal Heaven RT
2012 Matt Cronshaw, Node 4 Giordana RT
2010 David Mclean, Velosport Pasta Montegrappa
2009 Marcin Bialoblocki, Wilier Live to Ride
2008 Dan Staite, Python Racing Team
2007 Clive Nicholls
2006 Race cancelled
2005 Robert Hud, Bioagrico Fabelec Selexion
2004 Colin Roshier, Team Quest
2003 Danny Axford, Arctic Tacx RT
2002 Mark Lovatt, Compensation Group RT
2001 Justin Hoy, Evans Cycles RT
2000 Danny Axford, Arctic Tacx RT
1999 Gordon McCauley, Kingsnorth International Wheelers
1998 George Rose, Cardiff JIF

Dulcie Walker Memorial Road Race, is a 3/4/W/J race. The winner will have their name engraved on the “Dulcie Walker Poniard” (a ceremonial tapered knife). Dulcie Walker was John Walker’s mother. She is also remembered as a quite a character and is thought to be the first woman to hold a motor cycle licence in the UK.

Previous winners –

2018 David Roper, Ride 24/7
2017 Danny Axford, Artic Tacx RT
2016 James Kingsley, Watford Velo Sport
2015 Luke Souter, Shutt VR / Digital Keystone
2014 Alexander Evangelidis. London Dynamo
2013 Tim Edwards, LBRCC
2012 Richard Stanton, Arbis LLP Roy Pink Cycles
2010 Roger Prior, Zappi’s Cycling Club
2009 Thomas Moore, Cambridge University CC
2008 Ben De Wet
2007 Roy Chaimberlain, Alpha Road Club
2006 Race cancelled
2005 John Wager
2004 Marc Freullet, Team Quest
2003 Thomas Wright, Oxford City RC
2002 Simon Henley, Evans RT
2001 Ashlet Freeman
2000 Adam Henley, Team Milton Keynes
1999 Martin Freeman, Wills Wheels CC

AS a final salute to dear John Tipping a few of us will be riding to his funeral from Jenners Café at Boulters lock on Monday 29th July 2019.

We are planning to meet at Jenners Café from 10:00am onwards on Monday 29th, with the aim of leaving for John’s Funeral at 10:45am, which will be held at Easthampstead Crematorium, Nine Mile Ride, Wokingham RG403DW. The route is 15 miles long and think we should be arrive at the Crematorium between 12:00 and 12:15pm so that we can accompany the cortege.

If you have a Willesden top then sport it proudly in Tippy’s honour. The “wake” is very close by and it should only take us 5 minutes to ride there from the Crematorium.

So far there are six of us riding at Jenners, if anyone else would like to join us then you would be most welcome – please let me know either through this blog post or the Willesden CC Facebook page.

John Davies

From Tony Willard

The funeral of John will take place at Easthampstead Crematorium Nine Mile Ride Wokingham RG403DW on Monday 29 July at 1230pm and afterwards at Pinewood Cafe and Bar Old Wokingham Road RG403AQ

Those wishing to cycle behind the hearse from the entrance to the crematorium (200 yards) may do so after parking up.

The wearing of Willesden CC tops etc. would be a nice tribute to John.

Please could you let me know if you are attending. Email address is tonywillard272 at gmail.com