All Grade 3 riders,
Today’s ride is cancelled because of the threat of rain for most of the day. However I will lead the same ride tomorrow at the same time, starting point. Please advise if you would like to join me.
Kind regards
Laurie Mutch
+44 7887 650777 (m)
France celebrates the bike at the Semaine Federale
At this year’s Semaine Federale based in Mortagne au Perche in Normandy the villages and farms went to town in celebrating the velo. It’s amazing that they have the time and inclination to put so much effort into celebrating the bike when they know the Semaine will have passed by in just one day. What follows are photos from this year’s event, with a few others from previous Semaines. They show great imagination and are an inspiring celebration of the bicycle
Paul Gillingham
Phil Hamilton and Bob McLeod introduced me to the Take-a-Look cycling mirror (made by Bike Peddler USA) about 4 years ago and I wouldn’t now ride without it.
Generally bike mirrors fit into five categories:
Frame mounted (e.g. Bike Eye), Handlebar (Oxford Bar End, Third Eye) , Helmet (EVT Safe Zone), Eye Glasses (Take-a-Look), and (now) Arm mounted. Handlebar mirrors are probably the most popular with varieties that can be fitted to either road or mountain / hybrid bikes. Prices generally range from £10 to £20 depending on local supply or imported.
The Arguments for and against mirrors:
It’s a subject that launches lots of passion amongst cyclists. I was concerned at first that the Take-a-Look mirror is close to my right eye and could cause a serious injury if I came off. However this risk seems very low when viewed against the advantages. Another argument against mirrors is the need briefly to take your eyes off the road. Of course, as drivers, we do this all the time. With eye glass mirrors a glance behind requires only the slightest turn of the head. On the other hand a frame mounted mirror requires you to look down and this might take time to get used to.
The criticism against some frame and handlebar mounted mirrors is that they suffer from vibration. One great advantage of West Surrey CTC is that we have so much experience close to hand. So if you are thinking of buying one of these mirrors chat to John Child (frame – Bike Eye) or Pat Daffarn (handlebar) for advice.
The biggest risk with mirrors perhaps is that we might rely too much on them – especially when turning right. There’s no substitute for a life saving look over the shoulder.
In summary, if you don’t already have a mirror, think of this as your next cycling safety purchase. And if you are a regular ride leader or back marker, being able to see what’s going on behind makes a huge difference. Here are some useful links:
Laurie gives the group briefing
August is being a bit funny this year, weatherwise, and today was a typical example of the sort of muggy dull days we’ve been getting recently. (My photos also seem to get a bit fuzzy too so apologies for this.) Fortunately, there’s usually a bit of fine weather thrown in at some point each day, and in the case of today, it came at around lunchtime, so we enjoyed at least half of our ride today in pleasant sunshine.
This was our annual jaunt up the towpath of the Wey Navigation to Weybridge, where the Thames is reached, and which we then pedal along all the way to Richmond. An eatery is then found – usually expensive in this part of the world – after which we return, taking a slight shortcut through Bushey Park, back to where we started. It’s a great ride and somewhat different from our usual offerings in that we have the chance to dust off our off-road machines (if we have one) and ride on dirt for much of the day. The dirt, of course, isn’t particularly dirty – it’s just towpaths along the side of our local rivers, but it makes for a very pleasant day’s riding. As such, a good number of people gathered outside the Black Prince in New Haw / Woodham, since all three groups follow much the same route.
To ease congestion we set off in our respective groups. There were quite a few people walking dogs and cycling with their children in tow but I don’t think we incurred the wrath of anyone, mainly because we’re a sensible group of riders who say ‘good morning’ and ‘thank you’ as we pass other people; it’s so worthwhile being courteous and smiley.
Paul with his new bike
Your scribe rode with the 2s today and enjoyed a relatively leisurely ride downriver. We enjoyed the usual coffee stop by Walton Bridge before continuing to Kingston where we headed cross country to Ham and thence to Richmond Park where we encountered our one and only hill of the day, as we cycled from Ham Gate to Richmond Gate. A minor route error was soon corrected and shortly afterwards we reached Terrace Gardens and the Hollyhock Cafe, a vegetarian / vegan restaurant, chosen by our group leader, Roger. Great choice, Roger! We all loved the food and what a perfect setting!
We reach the Thames
Hampton Court
The Hollyhock Cafe
We headed back by crossing the Thames at Teddington Lock, where we passed the usual watering hole of The Anglers PH before pedalling up Teddington High Street and turning right shortly after into Bushey Park. We were enjoying a pleasant ride through this delightfully peaceful place before being caught up by the noisy group 3s and 4s, who proceeded to carve a slice through our well ordered group. By the time we reached the river at Hampton Court Bridge we were all over the place and then it was every man for himself (ditto with the ladies). Rumours were spread that the ice cream was running out at the Walton Cafe, so it was full speed ahead and devil take the hindmost to get the last of them. Of course it was a complete load of me-eye and anyone who wanted one enjoyed a good suck on a lolly of their choice, or enjoyed a more traditional cuppa before the final five or so miles back to Woodham.
Crossing the Thames at Teddington
Tbe 3s and 4s attempt to overtake us – and succeed!
Enjoying a quiet ride through Bushey Park
We all got a bit split up, the end result of which was that, of course, Susan and I got mildly lost by not heading up the Basingstoke Canal where it splits off from the Wey, but that was soon put right and we were back at the Black Price by about four something, having enjoyed a very pleasant day in good company.
I really must ride more of these canals – they’re so enjoyable to ride. Thanks to the leaders and everyone for their company. A great day!
Heron sighted
On last year’s Semaine Federale in Dijon I was overtaken (as usual) by a woman. Flying the flag for West Surrey in my club shirt, she commented, as she passed, ‘Bonjour West Surrey.’ ‘Bonjour’, say I, adding ‘Where are you from?’ ‘Bristol CTC she replied. ‘How many are you?’ she added. ‘Just me, I’m afraid. How many are you?’ ‘Thirty-three,’ she replied…and sprinted on ahead.
There was a time when a few West Surrey-ites enjoyed the Semaine. Mark W for one and our old pal Alan Holbrook was another enthusiast. (It was Alan, who’d been on seven Semaines, who first got me interested). But for the past two years – at Dijon and at Albi in the south – I was the only West Surrey cyclist. Sad!
But this year it was different. There were THREE of us. Myself, John Pletts, who rode the 2011 Semaine with me in Flers and Keith Stainer, out for a few days as a ‘taster’.
We all three loved it. Why? One, its France; two, its about the Bike.
The Semaine Federale is the annual week-long celebration of cycling organised by the FFCT, the French equivalent of the CTC. It’s held in a different part of France every year. This year’s was based in the lovely old Norman town of Mortagne au Perche.
For each of the seven days you receive a coloured map with up to five colour-coded routes of varying length from 40-odd to 150-odd kms, each with elevations, distances between the towns en route and special sights you shouldn’t miss.
With up to 12,000 cyclists you never get lost as you can always follow a peloton. Its just as easy to cycle alone and wherever there is a crossroad there are arrows (fleches) pasted on the roads to show you the direction to take. All rides start from the same point in town and there are benevoles (volunteers) wearing coloured tee-shirts (this year it was green) who hold up the traffic for cyclists leaving town and give directions at major junctions.
Once out of town the roads are gloriously empty with hardly a car in sight. There are no potholes. The countryside is lovely and the villages positively medieval in the best sense. What is particularly striking is the effort the villages and farms make to celebrate the bike, with flower-bedecked old bicycles along village streets and outside houses, haystacks transformed into two wheels and a frame and stuffed dummies dressed up as bicycling priests outside village churches.
At the half-way point on both the shorter and the longer rides a village or small town will be the ‘Accueil’ or ‘Welcome’ centre. Here there are huge bike-parking areas, tents supplying food and drinks (beer, wine, soft drinks), seating arrangements under marquees and local entertainment in the form of line-dance troupes, oompah bands, singers and guitarists playing French chansons. The atmosphere is absolutely festive.
No money is exchanged at the Accueil as all food and drink is paid for through the ‘bracelet’. When you register for the week you put a certain sum of money onto your bracelet and make payments by having it read by the volunteers’ mini-computers.
Back at base large halls serve as the ‘Permanence’ (HQ) of the Semaine, with shops selling bikes and all kinds of cycling kit (including the presence, every year, of Bernard Thevenet, winner of the 1975 and 77 Tours de France), cycle repair workshops and food and refreshment stands.
Dinner in the evenings is served in a huge marquee in the Permanence. Five courses with wine and cider (the Perche region is apple country) are miraculously delivered to the tables without delay by the host of volunteers, an accordionist serenading the diners.
For John and me it’s back to the campsite less than two miles away together with the group of friends we’ve made over the course of the week. The camp bar has a live band and there is more chatter and dancing until 10 and by 10.30 all is quiet. Keith meanwhile has headed off to his home-stay, where he’s well looked after by a retired bookseller. Many others on the campsite retire to their caravans or mobile homes, while others bid goodnight in their hotels or campus dormitories.
On the final Saturday, after the last of the Semaine rides, there is the Gala Dinner. Seven courses followed by a charismatic multi-instrumentalist entertainer who whips up the two thousand or so diners into a frenzy of arm-waving, conga-lines snaking around the tables and otherwise sober cyclists giving it welly on the dance floor.
Next morning is the Closing Ceremony with a procession through the town of all the cycling clubs, many dressed up in costumes that represent the essence of their region. Mortagne au Perche is out in force, with the town in celebratory mood, out on doorsteps or hanging from windows waving, clapping and cheering on the cyclists and in their own way making a final benediction to the glory of le Velo.
Next year’s Semaine Federale is in Epinal in the Vosges. We three will hope to be there. And perhaps other West Surrey Francophiles too
Travelin’ light to get there….
les trois mousquetaires
France celebrates le velo
on farms ….
in villages…
…along with the Perche horse….
..even the local priests…
..not to mention the local restaurants…
…all shops, in fact…
..chateaux & their inmates
Keith follows the dog…..
…0n a lead…
…the Semaine loves dogs….
Conviviality galore
plus entertainment…
Dubonnet en route (mis-spelt)…
Gorgeous villages…
break for lunch….
la route solaire, the world’s only solar-powered road
Bernard Thevenet, a Semaine regular…
…winner of the Tour de France, 1975 and 77, nemesis of Eddy Merckx
..the bike as art…
…comme ca….
…et comme ca…
…et spot the pedals
…the Semaine ends with a final procession…
….et voila!
