Yearly archive for 2019

On rare occasions we may get vulnerable adults or younger cyclists joining our rides. Under these circumstances it’s important for ride leaders to be aware of the precautions to be taken, and to ensure an awkward situation does not occur. Cycling UK has a number of useful safeguarding guides – see here. If you anticipate leading a ride that may include vulnerable adults or children, please read in particular the Safeguarding Code of Conduct.

The Guidelines and Advice to Ride Leaders on our WSCC website have been updated accordingly.

Laurie

An incredible journey began in 1951 when Russell (known as Russ) Mantle was given a Hercules upright bike by his father.  Some 68 years later on Nov 7^th, 2019 Russ recorded his millionth mile by bicycle, a truly staggering achievement unlikely to be repeated very often. 

Russ will be 83 this December. A true cycling legend who over a lifetime has an impressive record as a racer, time-triallist and cycle tourer. His achievement of 1 million miles is equivalent to riding 40 times around the earth or riding nearly 15,000 miles every year for 68 years!

Russ is a long-standing member of West Surrey CTC.  For nearly twenty years, from 1970 to 1989 he led the ‘hard’ riders for West Surrey CTC and has a collection of attendance notebooks kept of every West Surrey ride he led during this period. 

Recognition of Russ’s amazing achievement came in many guises – coverage on national news channels, articles in national daily papers, video clips etc. Here is a link to Cycling UK which includes a short video celebrating the millionth mile with West Surrey Cycling Club members and others. 

click here to see video

Back in 2016, West Surrey Cycling Member Paul Gillingham wrote a wonderful article about Russ and his cycling achievements. This article was published in the April-June 2016 addition of the West Surrey Cycling magazine (see page 17). 

All,

Unfortunately I’ve had to cancel today’s Grade 3 ride due to icy road conditions. I went out early to check parts of the route this morning and there are substantial patches of ice – some in unexpected lower reaches of the ride. It was a clearer night than forecast and much colder (-4 degrees). The ice might lift in the course of the day but we can’t take a chance.

Laurie

An excellent autumn ride encountered 2 sets of road works on 13/11/2019.

Pete had surveyed the route a day before and adjusted for conditions.  Last week and the first set of roadworks this week the workers let us through.

But the second set of workers was adamant that we could not pass, and thus an unacceptable diversion and delay.

https://www.surreycc.gov.uk/roads-and-transport/roadworks-and-maintenance/roadworks covers all WSCC ride areas,  explore the “delays and blocks” on top left, search for roads on top right.   Zoom and time functions covers areas and future periods.

In most cases where we find road blocks, we ask “could we walk through when there is a safer opportunity” and get let through. The railway code is the exception, and we just have to accept that.

Pat Daffarn