BROCKHAM GREEN
Cyclists and walkers have enjoyed 'Teas on the Green' for some 30 years. Do you know that our DA cyclists were instrumental in starting the custom? I was told this by John Gardiner at Brockham whom I first met when discussing arrangements for the DA Golden Jubilee celebration in 1998. John told me recently that the first 'Tea on the Green' was in 1975 or 1976. The Church was preparing a special tea to raise funds for the choir who were going out to Canada. John saw the crowd of cyclists on the Green and rushed to tell the vicar that he should invite the cyclists in and thereby raise funds. John has asked me to discover the names of anyone who may have been there. Were you one of those invited to that fund raising tea in 1975?


SECTION NEWS

Beginners
Nothing this issue.

Cheam and Morden
Nothing this issue.

Midweek Wayfarers
The weather at the end of August was very hot when riders reported never having seen so many people bathing or swimming in the Thames at Lammas Park and Shepperton. The previous week, reports described monsoon conditions. Rob told of the A Group's 'Magnificent Seven' return from Oakwoodhill when they listened to the rain falling on the atrium in Denbies Restaurant.
Irene sent a postcard from Northwich telling of the group's stay in "only the best hotels". The postcard pictured a derelict crofter's cottage however! The group was off to Slaidburn YH next day with Graham leading them on good routes off the main roads.
Graham later apologised for failing to be back from his Hostel wardening in Scotland in time to lead his ride from New Haw. He recommends the Raasay Hostel. "It's a beautiful hostel, everything is brand new."
The Frank Cubis Mystery Ride led combined A and B groups through London Parks and tourist centres. Praised by Brian as an excellent ride, there was a hint in the report that the Police, however, may not have been so keen at one point?
The Wayfarers will be losing one of their members involved in the early development of the Section. Geoff Avis plans to leave Kingston to move to West Bridgford on the outskirts of Nottingham so that he and his wife, Honor, will be near their son and family. Geoff joined the Midweek Wayfarers over twenty years ago when he phoned the CTC office for a contact. He was given the name of Arthur Butcher. Later the same day, Arthur was round at Geoff's home to arrange for him to join a ride on Wednesday. Geoff Avis was later to serve as Section Secretary.
Judy Margery has returned from a period of recuperation following a fall.

Downlands
Nothing this issue.


Pedal in the Park
The aim of this event in Horton Country Park, organised by Epsom and Ewell Borough Council and Surrey County Council. was to get residents to be active on their bikes. Basic training, Dr. Bike and 'Go Ride' were on offer together with led rides around the park. It was so successful we had difficulty closing the activities at 5pm. Organiser, Shirley Piotrowski, praised the help given by CTC, Sutton CC and Cyclism "Thanks. You made the event a success".

Jake (Jackie) Dodd has issued an invitation to our members and others to ride with Kingston Phoenix RC members on Saturday mornings. I am assured by Jake that this will not be a hard training bash but a sociable ride tailored to the capabilities of their guest riders. They will leave Horton Country Park at 10am every Saturday to ride to the Cake Shop at Ripley. To find out more, contact Jake.

Reigate Hill Climb
Veteran Cycle Club and CTC members celebrated the 125th Anniversary of this event. The 1880 result sheet with archaic Victorian descriptions of riders' achievements plus an illustration of the contestants toiling up the hill, was published in the VCC magazine The Boneshaker. It makes for amusing reading today - Reigate Hill was described at that time 'as being, to most cyclists, the most unrideable hill'.

Tea Places
Mike Ponting reported on the Wayfarers' visit to "Mr Keating's slightly eccentric establishment at Wraysbury. We were served some of his excellent raspberry tartlets, some naughty cakes and plenty of tea."

Sutton Cycling Club
The young people of Sutton CC have been achieving great racing successes in 2004 and 2005. In these two years, Louise Mahé has achieved 14 successes on Road and Track, recently winning the Junior Women's National Road Race. Coach, Steve Wright, says "This is a remarkable feat as she is only sixteen years old." Louise has been a member of Sutton CC from its launch.
Other Sutton CC stars are Joanna Rowsell, British Cycling Junior Women's National Pursuit Champion for 2005, brother Erik Rowsell who is one of the best under 16s in our area, Louis Charity, Bronze Medallist in the British Cycling National Mountain Bike Championships and Alice Monger-Godfrey has competed in the Petite Paris Roubaix and has been invited to ride at the Revolutions Meetings at Manchester Velodrome.

News of people
Marion Houghton a past member of CTC Council and resident of Wallington has returned from leading an invited group on an off-road ride in the Pennines. The route was very challenging starting from Matlock and included the Tissington Trail, the Manifold Valley and the Mary Townley Loop which, in places, is largely a pack-horse trail with a very difficult surface of flat topped stones. Regrettably, going up an embankment, Marion slipped and suffered a cracked rib. We wish her a speedy recovery.

Tim Cox past member of this DA now living in Devon writes in the FCOT (Fellowship of Cycling Old-Timers) Fellowship news "I seem to be the only cyclist to bother to lock his bike in Dartmouth but then with the long hills to get out of town, cycling is not an overtly popular activity". Here in South West London bike theft is an industry. Leaving a bike unpadlocked guarantees it will be stolen.


Heard on our Rides
At the Cycle Skills course at the 'Pedal in the Park' activity in Horton Country Park, Instructor Clive Oxx complained to Colin Quemby that he failed to freewheel on the course when instructed. Colin quietly points to fixed wheel sprocket on rear wheel. Instructor humbly withdraws his criticism.
During Tea on the Green at Brockham, Beryl Grainger told us how she struggled with a group climbing up the steep track to the top of Box Hill Warren to return to her home in London "I had such a lovely warm feeling all over my body and I would not have a shower as I didn't want to lose that lovely glow - I would do it again now". Despite such an enthusiastic recommendation nobody wanted to join Beryl - it seemed such an effort to get a glowing sensation!


Council Election in London Region
This month, four candidates will be fighting for two seats on the CTC Council. They have put forward in 500 words, recently published in Cycle magazine, the reasons why you should vote for them. We asked each of them for a summary. In alphabetical order - here are their responses:

Philip Benstead: "The more things change, the more they remain the same. CTC needs must adapt to the perceived changes that today's cyclist/cycling faces. Often, many changes that are adopted after vigorous debate will be superficial. What counts is that the CTC protects all forms of cycling and cyclists from adverse pressure from all quarters."

David Kurtz: "CTC is big business going through change and growth. Its directors need to be more than just committed cyclists. There are clearly problems with office administration and some computer systems. I believe CTC needs just a few people, such as myself, who also have some general business and IT experience."

Simon Legg: "I'm standing because I've got a point of view. I want the CTC to be what it says on the packet - a club for touring cyclists. I want to preserve the most precious assets of the Club - the routes and touring knowledge and the network of DAs, their members and programmes of rides."

Mike Morley: "As an accomplished touring and racing cyclist and father of past mountain bike and cyclo cross National Champion, Tim Morley, I welcome the opportunity to support CTC in Council. My election address sets out three aims. While I am passionate about touring, the overriding aim of the CTC should be to sustain and strengthen its ambition to be the premier cycling body in the UK."

Three of the candidates are associated with our DA. Philip Benstead is currently serving on the Council and advises our DA Committee on Council affairs, Simon Legg has acted as Treasurer for the DA over the last twenty months and Mike Morley rides with the Downland Section. Don't forget to vote by the end of October.

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