Bicycle Traveler Magazine

In case you didn’t know….

Bicycle Traveler is a free international magazine devoted to bicycle touring. Packed with stunning photography and entertaining stories, it will make you want to grab your bike and hit the road. It’s an online magazine which you can read from the comfort of the chair in front of your home computer.

To read the latest copy, and subscribe to future issues, follow this link:

Bicycle Traveler Magazine

bicycle-traveler-magazine-image

Wednesday Rides, 19th October

You will no doubt have seen that Ron Richardson’s funeral will take place on Wednesday, 11.45 at Woking Crematorium.
I have spoken with the family, who have encouraged us to continue with our normal Wednesday ride, just as Ron would have wished.
They have also invited all those members who knew Ron to attend the funeral, and afterwards gather at Il Rustico, Chobham.  Their preference would be that we wear Club colours, and certainly normal cycling attire.
In view of this, I have changed the published plans for the rides on that day.  The Micheldever ride for the 3’s and 4’s will remain for those who wish to do that, being a joint ride led by Phil Gasson.  I will be at Pirbright at 9.45 and will lead those who wish to attend the funeral on a short morning ride.  For those who did not know Ron that well, an alternative ride from Pirbright will take place.
I am sure that any of you who will be on the road at 11.45 will wish to stop for a minute’s silence and quiet reflection, remembering Ron, a true gentleman and a remarkable cyclist.
John

Ron Richardson

little-ron-85-june-2010

‘Little Ron’, 85, June 2010

I was very sad to hear from Steve on yesterday’s gr 2 ride, confirmed later by Rico, of the passing of our fellow cyclist,  ‘Little’ Ron.

rons-cake‘Little’ is a misnomer, as Ron Richardson was a giant of our club and it was good to see that his contribution was celebrated with a special birthday cake presented to him by our leader John M at the annual dinner in 2015. The cake, with a cycling motif, was to celebrate Ron’s 90th birthday.

On my first ride with the club a good few years’ back I remember asking Ron when he began serious club cycling. ‘1942’, he replied!  It was when he was in the British army during World War 2. This was before most of us in the club (with honorable exceptions) were born, yet he was still outstripping many of us up hills well into his 80’s. I seem to recall that for his 85th birthday, he did an 85-mile ride.

I remember climbing up the hill with him in Windsor Great Park leading to the polo ground and coffee at Savill Garden from the Blacknest gate and him telling me that he was present – as an observer – at the same spot during the final climb in the London Olympics Road Race, 1948.

It was an inspiration to have him ride with us. Many of us will have strong memories of him in his red and white stripey Hounslow& District Wheelers shirt, a reminder of his racing and time-trialling credentials, which would match even the hardest of our hard riders.

I visited him at his home in West End earlier this year to discuss the future of our paper magazine, ‘West Surrey Cyclist’, which he very much hoped would be revived. He introduced me to the editor of the thriving ‘Quarter Wheeler’, Hounslow & District’s magazine in the hope that we could emulate it, but sadly that wasn’t to be. He was still cycling to the shops and on short rides even then.

Ron will be remembered as an absolute gentleman, a humble and honorable man. I’m sure that most of us who rode with him will always have at the back of our minds this thought: ” I hope I’m still riding a bike when I’m Little Ron’s age”!  He was an inspiration to all of us who knew him.

Paul Gillingham

My own personal recollection of Ron is that only about 5 years ago, when he was at least 85, he attended the West Surrey AGM, and then excused himself after some somewhat turgid discussions, explaining that he had to get out on his bike and marshal on an event.  For me, that summed up what was truly important.
John Murdoch
img_5071

Ron’s 90th birthday presentation

bill-ron-windsor-gt-park-june-2010

Bill and Ron, Windsor Great Park, June 2010

ron-85-on-windsor-great-park-hill-dec-2010

Ron (85) on Windsor Great Park Hill, Dec 2010