Bedgebury Forest Cycle Club newsletter 5th March
G'day!
Lots to report this week due to the committee meeting last Wednesday, but first a major irritation to share with you. It started as soon as the meeting was opened. It distracted, it annoyed, it infuriated. Several of us tried unsuccessfully to eradicate it. I very nearly had it at one point but missed by millimeters. Then at eight minutes past seven, our junior rep Alex flashed out his arm, flicked his glove, and finally it was all over. The fly was dead. Alex we salute you!
Membership Renewals
You should all by now have received your forms to renew your membership. It's worth just pointing out what you get for your money. FREE parking worth £7.50 per visit. FREE bike wash worth £1.50 per wash. FREE showers worth £1 per shower. FREE 10% discount at Quench cycles. FREE fortnightly newsletter. So if a couple come along once a week to ride and wash their bikes and have a shower, then over the course of a year they will save £648!!! That's in addition to all the events, night rides, escorted rides, training and coaching opportunities, race program and trail building. Blimey, even I might join this year It's also worth pointing out that the parking portion of your membership is ring fenced for spending on trail development and the club pays no salaries to it's officers. Everything you pay stays within the club to improve it.
ICE Cards
When you renew your membership you will receive an ICE (In Case of Emergency) card. This is to be given to the ride leader on all club rides so he has a note of everyone attending and emergency contact details. At the end of the ride, the card will be returned to you. If when everyone has gone home, the ride leader still has some cards left, he knows he has left someone in the forest. Not that this has ever happened. Probably.
Your club needs YOU!
After several years of service our race organiser and Treasurer have decided to step down. The club would like to thank Ray and Christine for their hard work and valuable contribution over the years.
However we do now need to fill these positions. If you or anyone you know would be interested in finding out more about what these roles involve and if you could fill them, please contact our chairman David Cole at Quench cycles 01580 879694
Bike Demo Day
On the 28th March (my birthday in case anyone wants to send me a card) there is going to be a big demo day at Bedgebury. Bikes available to try include Scott, Lapierre, Saracen, Norco, Ghost, Ragley, Tomac, Rose and Red Bull. To book a test ride go to http://demodays.bikeradar.com/event.php?id=18 We also need marshals on the day to make sure riders don't get lost in the forest. If you are able to volunteer for a few hours, please contact Dave Cole at Quench cycles 01580 879694. Dave assures me all marshals will get a new Lapierre bike as a reward.*
Freeride Area Update
A provisional plan has been drawn up for the freeride area. It consists of an extension to the dirt jump area to turn it in to a dual cross track, a mini downhill course and a pump track. The mini north shore will be kept. The plans are currently on hold pending the necessary finance being raised.
Trail Build Day
Weather permitting (AGAIN!) we will have a major build day on 13th March. We meet at 9.45 at Quench Cycles and tools are provided. Bring a bike to get to the build area and stay as long as you like. This month we are concentrating on repairing some of the damage caused to the trails by the weather.
Ladies Ride
Ali, our Ladies rep has organised a Ladies ride for Ladies only on Sunday 3rd May. On this ride you can meet with other Ladies and do Ladies things. Actually, not being a Lady, I have no idea what they will be doing, but I'm sure it will be fun. If you are a Lady.
Junior Saturday Club
From Easter until September a Saturday Junior club will run. This is a FREE training course run every fortnight from 17th April. There are only two conditions: 1. You must have a Junior membership of BFCC, Bring your membership card as this will confirm parental consent given, 2. Parents must read & comply with our unaccompanied children guidance within the BFCC Policy for Lead Riders. You do not need to book, just come along on the day for approx. 9.30am as we will depart promptly at 10am. Meeting point will be Quench Cycle Shop near the bike wash.
Advanced Adult Skill Courses
Limited to just 8 riders, so book fast! Following on from last year's successful series and by popular demand our Head Coach will be commencing another series of short 3 hour advance skill courses. As always we pay particular attention to feedback on the clubs Forum which has helped format these three sessions:
DROP-Off's Saturday 20th March 8am to approx. 11.00am CORNERING Sunday 18th April 8am to approx. 11.00am BUNNY HOPS/TABLE-TOP JUMPS Sunday 16th May 8am to 11.00am More details on all our courses at http://www.boarsonbikes.co.uk/courses.html
Saturday and Wednesday Club rides
These rides are still happening at 10am and 18.30pm respectively Keep an eye on the forum though in case of last minute problems, generally of a weather related nature. Come on in and join us the water is lovely!
Happy Trails
Boris
*To look at for a few minutes. Seriously, what did you expect?
Bedgebury Forest Cycle Club newsletter 18th Feb
This week the newsletter has been delayed by a bad case of weather forecast writer's block. How can I write something amusing about the weather when it changes every twenty blinking minutes? I see the sun shining and feel the gentle heat of the early spring sun. So I get my riding kit on (3/4 length shorts, long sleeve jersey and a gille), then I go in to the garage to get the bike out and when I come out it's snowing! So I start writing the newsletter with a moan about the snow, and before I get to send it, it's torrential rain outside. And that's just in Maidstone. In Tunbridge Wells, there is probably a typhoon. Or a plague of locusts. Or something.
The funny thing is that when I actually get to ride, I always seem to be suitably dressed whatever the weather. Maybe I'm just happy and comfortable on a bike. Well why wouldn't I be! And remember, every cold, wet ride you do this time of the year entitles you to a warm, dry, dusty ride in the summer. Mmmm, dust...
First of all
A big thank you to all those who turned out for the Club ride on Feb 6th. Oli and Luke can now regard themselves as officially welcomed to their new roles!
Membership Renewals
It's that time again folks. Watch out for your renewal forms coming through your letterbox any day now.
South Downs Way
The club outride to do the South Downs way has been confirmed for the 10th and 11th July. Starting in Winchester on the Friday night we will ride the length of the South Downs Way (100 miles) over the weekend. Rumours of trying to beat the non-stop there-and-back record (200 miles) of 17 hours were confirmed to be untrue after the critical word "hours" was apparently originally read as "days"...
Training Sessions 2010
This year the training sessions start on the 20th March for adults and Easter Weekend for juniors. There will be regular "Saturday Club" sessions for juniors running every fortnight until the middle of September. Adult training will include cornering, drop-offs, bunny hops and jumps. Ladies specific sessions are also on the programme. More details will be released shortly so keep an eye on the website for information.
Website Forum
Don't forget the forum is there for all to use. If you have any question about bikes, kit, riding, training, or you have something for sale, or you just want to meet up with other cyclists in the real or virtual world, then the club forum is where you need to be.
Saturday and Wednesday Club rides
These rides are still happening at 10am and 18.30pm respectively - and boy was it cold last Saturday! Keep an eye on the forum though in case of last minute problems, generally of a weather related nature.
Bedgebury Forest Cycle Club newsletter 4th Feb
The Boy Scouts have a motto which is "Be Prepared". As I was a good boy scout in my younger days, before I rode from Maidstone to Bedgebury last night for the committee meeting, I was very well prepared. Lights charged, spare batteries for rear lights, tyres pumped, spare clothes, hi vis clothing, high energy food, usual tool kit. What could possibly go wrong? Well riding to Bedgebury was fairly uneventful apart from very nearly being wiped out by our esteemed web master - thanks Paul...
The journey home though took a little longer than expected. Within a few hundred meters of leaving Bedgebury my left hand crank came loose. This was despite me fitting the crank bolt with loctite. So I stopped and tightened it. It came loose again, so I stopped again, and again, and again, and again. Having limped to within 8km of home I got a puncture. And then the heavens opened. I may just have said a rude word. Next time the Boy Scouts can take their motto, and I'll take the car. To sum up, I'm in a bad mood!
Anyway, to this week's news:
Club Ride Saturday 6th Feb 10am
Don't forget this Saturday's ride is the big one to welcome Oli and Luke to the forest. It would be great to see a big turn out on the day, so if you fancy meeting two really nice guys and have a great mornings ride with fellow members then please come along. The ride suits all abilities, and we occasional split large groups by ability to ensure everyone has fun. The ride meets at Quench Cycle shop at Bedgebury and leaves promptly at 10am.
Trails to avoid
The recent weather has taken its toll on some of the trails in the forest. Worst hit are the bermed section of the singletrack in the cleared area previously known as Gloomy Wood, and the unmarked "racetrack" to the right of the initial fire road climb. We would very much appreciate it if riders could stay off these paths as continued use in these conditions will make repairs much harder when it starts to dry out.
BFCC Beanie Hats
The hats have arrived now and look fantastic, Thanks Malky! They cost £ 8.50 if you collect from Malky or £ 9.50 if you want him to post it to you. Contact Malky through Personal Message on the forum user name is gingerbloke. Any problems, please mail me and I will pass on the details. Supplied are limited, so get in fast!
Races
This year the club race series will run on 15th May, 5th June, 26th June and 17th July. So put the dates in your diary now whether you want to race or to assist as a marshal/time keeper.
Celebrate Cycling at Bedgebury
Advance notice of a cycling celebration day to be held at Bedgebury at a date to be confirmed this summer. Stay tuned for details...
Outrides
The regular monthly outrides will start again next month. If you have knowledge of a ride away from Bedgebury which you would be happy to navigate round (not necessarily "leading" the ride), then lets hear about it. Outrides a little further away from home this year will include a trip to Afan in south Wales, and a weekend ride along the South Downs Way complete with support vehicle.
BikeRadar Live
This year the BikeRadar Live festival will take place at Brands Hatch on 10th - 11th July. Plans are afoot to ride there offroad from Bedgebury, but meantime if you want tickets, you can get a 20% discount if you book before the end of February if you use the code CL30 in the discount box. http://live2010.bikeradar.com/
RoadID
As many of us ride on the road as well as off road, the question of identification in the event of an accident is always worth a thought. The American Company www.RoadID.com makes a variety of products to assist emergency services. As an incentive, the first 20 people to use the code ThanksSimon616123 in the next 30 days will get a small discount off their order.
Bedgebury Forest Cycle Club Newsletter 20th January 2010
Apparently there is no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothing. Well I'd like to see the Lycra shorts which would have enabled me to ride through that half metre snow drift in a blizzard last week!
The club events calendar has come to resemble the departure board at Gatwick during an air traffic controllers strike with all the cancellations. But we plough on regardless, and here are this weeks opportunities to get off the sofa and on to your bike.
Monthly Committee meeting
OK, this one will not get you on to your bike, but it does get you off the sofa to talk about bikes. The February meeting will take place on Wednesday 3rd February in the old Pantry. This is in the walled garden, about 500 meters past the usual Bedgebury entrance in the direction of Goudhurst. It starts at 18:30 and all club members are welcome.
Club Ride Saturday 6th Feb 10am
BFCC is pleased to welcome two new visitors on our forthcoming Club ride. Luke Anderson is the newly appointed Regional Go-Ride Coach for British Cycling and Oli Ireland is Bedgebury's newly appointed Cycle Development Coach. Both Luke and Oli have asked to join our Club ride on Saturday 6th Feb in order to introduce themselves and meet members of the Club adults and juniors. This is an opportunity to maintain the excellent relationships the Club has with British Cycling and the Forestry Commission. It would be wonderful to have a excellent turn out on the day, so if you fancy meeting two really nice guys and have a great mornings ride with fellow members then please come along. The ride is paced at all abilities, albeit we occasional split large groups by ability to ensure everyone has fun. The ride meets at Quench Cycle shop at Bedgebury and leaves promptly at 10am.
Ride your bike and raise some money
Right To Play is an athlete driven international humanitarian organisation that uses sport and play as a tool for development of children and youth in the most disadvantaged areas of the world. Their Events Manager Leo Matlock has contacted us with details of a fundraising bike ride to take place this year.
I am arranging a charity cycle ride for 300 people from Brussels to London this July 4th-7th and I wondered if this might interest your club members? It will be a brilliant event over some beautiful scenery, and undoubtedly a great challenge. Details are available Here but what makes this ride unique is that all riders will be able to watch the finale of the second stage of the Tour de France and get the opportunity to meet Team HTC Columbia afterwards. Furthermore one rider will win Mark Cavendish's signed Scott bike that he rode on the 2009 Tour de France. Pricewise we ask for a £150 registration and a sponsorship pledge of £1000, this includes the Eurostar to Brussels, all food and drink, accommodation, vehicle support, and most importantly includes a significant donation to the children who benefit from our programmes in some of the most disadvantaged areas of the world. Discounts are available for groups of 5 or more.
Night Ride
Tonight's night ride will give you the chance to see me in my "anti-snowdrift" lycra shorts! Come along to the car park at 18.15 for a lovely ride through the forest. Lights are available to borrow if you require.