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Trois Hommes à Vélo

Peter, Mike CC and JR have just returned from a week in an area of central-western France known as le Pays de Gâtine, with what sounds like a very enjoyable mix of fine cycling, fine countryside and fine dining. Read Peter's entertaining report here.

Rides in May

Leaders and more leaders please! We have now published our rides for May but we need more leaders in order to maintain this full program. I estimate it will work if we all try to lead one ride each month. A big thank you to those who do more than their fair share.

May feels like the start of summer as we enjoy the longer days and warmer weather. It means our rides can include some longer routes on both Sundays and Thursdays to visit some more distant lunch stops. But we will be mixing in shorter routes as well, so there should be a ride to suit everyone.

The need for leaders on Sundays (both all-day and afternoon) is my particular focus this month. We need more of you to volunteer to ensure the planned rides can go ahead. Are there any changes to the format of our rides on Sundays which would encourage more people to lead them? Please get in touch with your ideas. Rupert Goodings, Runs Secretary

(The photo above is from our ride on Sunday 21st May 2017).

A new start in Shelford

We're introducing a change to some of our rides on Thursdays, with a new starting point in Great Shelford. Starting on 4th April we will meet in the car park behind the Square and Compasses pub in the High Street, instead of Shelford recreation ground which is a bit congested. (Map)

We'd like to give a big thank you to the landlord for giving us permission to use his car park.

This is a trial, and only affects those rides that start in Great Shelford. Our Haslingfield and Brookside starts are unchanged.

Please assemble in the car park, not in front of the pub. Cars may be parked here but please park at the far end, away from the pub.

First aid training

Nigel, Peter, Rupert and John proudly display the first aid certificates they received following the completion of a training course in February. Ten of our members took this course which involved a full day of training with a qualified trainer. CTC Cambridge supported 50% of the cost.

We were lucky enough to secure the services of Susan Clements, a vastly experienced trainer who provides much of the first aid training given to "Bikeability" instructors in Cambridgeshire. The course covered all the mandatory components of the "Emergency First Aid at Work (Level 3)" syllabus, including practising cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on dummies and the use of a defibrillator, as well as some cycling-specific scenarios. Peter Wilson, Welfare Officer.

There's a full index of news items in the News archive

Our next rides

Sunday 26th May: Sunday afternoon ride (moderate, 35-45 miles) Meet at 2.00pm at Brookside. Tea is at 4.00pm at Melbourn, Royston Wyevale Garden Centre. Leader: Ray Miller (07910 591846).

Wednesday 29th May: Evening ride (moderate plus, 30-35 miles) Meet at 6.30pm at Brookside. Pub stop is at 8.30pm at Balsham, The Black Bull. Sunset is at 9.04pm tonight. Leader: Nigel Deakin (07747 105576).

Thursday 30th May: Thursday ride - city start (moderate, 65-75 miles) Meet at 9.15am at Brookside. Coffee is at Newport, Dorrington's Bakery. Lunch is at Great Saling, Andrews Field. Leader: John Jackson (07739 923182).

Thursday 30th May: Thursday ride - village start (moderate, 65-75 miles) Meet at 9.30am at Great Shelford, Square and Compasses. Coffee is at Newport, Dorrington's Bakery. Lunch is at Great Saling, Andrews Field. Leader: Sheila George (07807 827490).

Saturday 1st Jun: Saturday short social ride (leisurely, 15-25 miles) Meet at 10.00am at Brookside. Coffee is at Shepreth, Teacake Café. Leader: Ian Wright (07907 774939).

Sunday 2nd Jun: Sunday full day ride (moderate, 80-90 miles) Meet at 9.00am at Brookside. Coffee is at St Neots, Ambience Cafe, Riverside Park. Lunch is at Oundle, Beans cafe. Tea is at 4.00pm at Houghton, Houghton Mill (NT). Leader: Leader Needed (what does this mean?).

Sunday 2nd Jun: Sunday afternoon ride (moderate, 40-50 miles) Meet at 2.00pm at Brookside. Tea is at 4.00pm at Houghton, Houghton Mill (NT). Leader: Leader Needed (what does this mean?).

For rides after 2 Jun see our rides list.

Latest ride reports

Trois Hommes à Vélo: a cycling holiday in France
Peter writes: The plan was to spend a week in Central France (27 April - 4 May 2019) doing some fairly modest rides while sampling le cuisine et du vin Francais. The trip started well enough on Saturday with an enormous cooked breakfast chez Mike CC... (full report)

19 May: Sunday afternoon ride to Wicken
David writes: Seven of us set of from Brookside at 2pm, heading for Wicken at 4pm. (Ian W, John E, Neil S, James B, John F, Mike S and David S as leader. It was an uneventful ride:No rain.No punctures... (full report)

12 May: Sunday afternoon ride to Saffron Walden
Ray writes: Late notice of a change to the start time did not diminish our numbers, with 14 joining the afternoon ride today, 11 at Brookside and 3 en route. It was one of the best cycling days of the year so far, sunny but not too hot with very little wind... (full report)

9 May: Thursday ride to St Neots and Kimbolton
Edward writes: Today would be one of our longer rides taking in St. Neots for coffee and out to Kimbolton for lunch. The temperature was just about right for a cycle ride at about 11 or 12 degrees where it stayed all day, with overcast skies and a gentle breeze... (full report)

4/5 May: Brevet Cymru 400km audax
Alex writes: To qualify for Paris-Brest-Paris (PBP) this year, it is necessary to ride a super-randonneur series of rides recognized by Audax Club Parisien – so, of 200, 300, 400 and 600 km accredited calendar events... (full report)

We have many more ride reports in the Ride reports index