Magazine of the National Clarion Cycling Club
In this issue
York Rally
Tribute to John Leese Milldenhall Rally
e Don't forget Wortley Hall Round the Sections
Dutch Tandem Trip Easter 2009, Ramsbottom
Cover pic by Tom Scott: Easter Meet in Stamford. Heavy snow suprised us on the day of the Sportif.
CURRENT CLARION OFFICIALS
President John Lees
38 Nook End Road, Heanor, Derbys, DE75 7QQ
Vice President Ken Hemsley
117 Southcliffe Road, Carlton, Nottingham NG4 1ES ..............0...00004 01159 873118 Chairman DaveBisset es david.bisset @rbh.nhs.uk Wale Street; Purton’ Bolton OE ee oo estes a 01204 853127 Secretary Tan Clarke
31 Poppy Field, Biggleswade, Beds. SG18 8TU 000.000 01767 314207 Treasurer ReteMROSCOCE arg ren proscoe @beeb.net Standing Orders Sec. IBobiHarber sane oe bobharber @tiscali.co.uk 10 Windmill Close, Upper Beeding, Steyning BN44 3JP ...........-......44 01903 879598 Racing Secretary Francis Grafton frank.grafton tiscali.co.uk 29 Cyril Street, West Bridgford, Nottingham NG25JW 0115 9819817 Membership Secretary Donald Lever....... dlever @beeb.net 14 Mosley Avenue, Ramsbottom, Bury BLO9UH 00000 01204 883584 Minute Secretary Jayne Clarke
Social Secretary Vacant
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John Leese 1924 -2008
John was born at Ossett near Leeds on Aprill1th 1924 and died on August 30th 2008 as a result of a tragic accident at home in the Queens Medical Centre Nottingham
The eldest member of a family of seven John had two brothers and four sisters The family moved to a mining town Thurcroft near Doncaster were John spent his formative years and experiences there made him a life long Socialist. A typical Yorkshire man he held very strong views on political matters and expressed them in no uncertain manner
It was in South Yorkshire that John first started cycling and joined the Bolton upon Dearne Section of the National Clarion Cycling Club
His speed and aggression over short distances made him a very successful grass track rider. With nearly every town and village in the area having sports gala which included grass track racing he had ample opportunity to excel in the sport. John said it was ironic that wining athletes who travelled to events on a coach got money whilst winning cyclists who rode to the event on the bike carrying their racing kit and wheels on a front carrier their prizes were goods either a canteen of cutlery or a dinner service on one occasion he won a set of Pyrex dishes which he carried home tied*on his back with string
The highlight of the National Clarion Cycling Clubs Year is the Easter Meet where every section based in England Scotland and Wales joins in a festival of racing and social events and it was at Chester in 1948 that John met his wife Kath who was a member of Heanor Clarion Cycling Club.
After a couple years courting, commuting by bike they were married in December 1950 and John moved down to Heanor
In the years 1950 to 52 the Notts and Derby area was very active in grass track racing and John competed at many of the venue’s holding events before turning to time trials on the road where he competed short distance events for over 50years and excelled at hill climbs he was also an all round cyclist attending the Clubs Sunday touring runs in the Peak district also going on cycling tours with Kath during their annual holiday first in England Scotland and Wales and later into France
When Kath retired from cycling John carried on cycle touring and found a willing companion a fellow Heanor Clarion member Peter Roughton they did many tours together in Norfolk also the Aberystwyth to Yarmouth Audax the Coast to Coast The Reivers Route and in 1998 at the age of seventy four John achieved a life long ambition of riding The End to End Lands End John O Groats
John was also very active on the administration side of the sport beinga National Clarion Committee Member then the National Racing Secretary and finally a post that gave him the greatest satisfaction being elected National President When help was needed by either his local or national club John was always a willing helper
He was a life member of the National Clarion Cycling Club The Cycling Tourist Club, the Youth Hostels Association the Veterans Time Trials Association and UK Audax Association
POINTS COMPETITION 2008 AFTER 5 ROUNDS
Below is the latest standing for the Clarion points competition. With the following events still to count, quite a few people could rocket into the top 3 if they ride 2 or more of these events:
20th September:
Cyclo Cross Champs Notts Derby League Heanor
4th October: Clarion open 10m TT (near Wortley see CTT handbook) 5th October Clarion Hill Climb Champs Please note that Fenland and Bury are tying on the team award with 182 points each.
Individual Positions
POINTS S. PARKIN HEANOR 113 D. HEWITT STOCKPORT 100 R. WARRINGTON BURY 80 L. LEADBETTER FENLAND 68 D. LANGLANDS FENLAND 64 D. FIELD CENTRAL 60 A. HORNER BURY 52 I.WADDILOVE FENLAND 50 S. YATES BURY 50 P. ASPLIN FENLAND 49 P. LILLEY FENLAND 42 A. YATES BURY 40 M. CHURCH FENLAND 38 M. BALL WEST LOTHIAN 36 S. HARDMAN STOCKPORT 35 S. HORNER BURY 32 M. JACKLIN FENLAND 31 D.HODGINS STOCKPORT 30 J. ROYLE FENLAND 28 W. SANDERSON STOCKPORT 26 J Mortel STOCKPORT 25 I CLARKE FENLAND 21 D. READLE BURY 21 S. PRYCE NOTTINGHAM 20 D.ALLBUTT CREWE 20 C. BENN FENLAND 20 J. FELL FENLAND 20 M. JONES FENLAND 20 N. FLETCHER NOTTINGHAM 19 N. HALL BURY 19 J. SWANN NOTTINGHAM 19 D HESSIAN BOLTON 18 S. PITCHFORD FENLAND 18 Section positions POINTS 1= BURY 182 1= FENLAND 182 3. STOCKPORT 165 4. HEANOR 127 5. CENTRAL 60 6. NOTTINGHAM 58 7. CREWE 39
S. TINKER
S. BEARD
J. FORDHAM M. SHATTOCK K. BURLEIGH C. RIMES
C. GOODE
D. REYNOLDS SHA. SMITH
P MORPHET
J. ODELL M.POUNDALL BIRG. SCOTT
1. SHAPIRO
P. LLOYD
D. SAUNDERS B. LAW
P. MERRITT
M. BARNSDALE M. PERFECT A.SPITTLEHOUSE J BRAMLEY JAYNE CLARKE P. HAYES
G’INA GARDINER ANNETTE WYLD
W. BROWN Shirley FROST K KINSEY
S CLARKE
A. GRACE
S. HOPE
K VALLEY
BURY FENLAND FENLAND FENLAND NOTTINGHAM FENLAND Mcr. &Stret STOCKPORT FENLAND CREWE NOTTINGHAM HEANOR FENLAND STOCKPORT FENLAND FENLAND FENLAND FENLAND FENLAND LONDON CALDER NOTTINGHAM FENLAND BURY FENLAND FENLAND BOLTON STOCKPORT FENLAND FENLAND FENLAND CREWE FENLAND BOLTON
8. WEST LOTHIAN
9. BOLTON 10 MAN STRET. 11= LONDON 11= CALDER
36 30 15 10 10
Bee eee eee ee ee eee eee
RESULTS CLARION 50 J4/16 19 JULY 08 1ST RICKWARRINGTON BURY 2.06.04 2ND DAMIEN FIELD NATIONAL 2.11.40 3RD DEREK HODGINS STOCKPORT 2.16.01 4TH DAVID ALLBUT CREWE 2.16.05 5TH ANDREW GRACE CREWE 2.17.48
The day started with cloudy sky’s and a vicious wind blowing from the west which only meant that any help would be short lived as the two longest stretches are north and south. The north bound being quite rolling a rough surface to say the least has the potential to be sheltered, but somehow the wind managed to be swirling all round. The south bound section along the very straight A50 seemed to buffet the riders especially as the 2nd and 3rd_ laps unfolded and it was clear to see even behind sweat stained aero visors that all the athletes (they deserve that title for their efforts) were riding through a personnel pain barrier into an oblivion some had never had to endure until today.
Eyes fixed at a point from the last bend some may cover in 1 minute and some in 2 minutes were the solitary car parked on the grass verge meant that it is
Rhonde van Vlaander
The Ronde van Vlaanderen or Tour of Flanders as it is known in the UK is one of Europe’s oldest classic races having first been run in 1913. It is famous for the series of steep and narrow cobbled climbs that come in the second halft of the race with the winning break often coming on either the Muur van Geraardsbergen or Bosberg which are 20k or so from the finish.
This is one of the few classics that runs a sportive the
Rick Warrington wins the 50
over, until the next time.
At the 33 mile point were riders take Tremlow green lane for the last time Rick Warrington had a lead over Damien Field of 1.19, however the closest battle on the road between younger than ever looking Derek Hodgins and David Allbutts was a mere 3 seconds in favour of David but Derek had the edge on the rolling section north bound and then consolidated his 4 second winning margin on the A50 pulling back 7 seconds to claim a commendable 3rd place. My congratulation go toall finishers and I appreciate what the marshals have to endure in the weather as I unfortunately had to climb off after the first lap due to health reasons and just watch, however photo's of Clarion riders will be available from myself.
Andy Horner
day before the professionals compete and the police and marshals use this as an opportunity for a dry run. As such the 16000 or so participants have largely closed roads to ride on and are waved through almost all junctions by smiling policemen and women (a bit like a UK road race then!). The sportive can be ridden over 75, 140 or the full 256k and a number of Fenland riders have ridden the mid distance over the years. This has the ‘advantage’ of including most of the climbs without depositing you at the bottom of the first one with the best part of 100 miles in your legs. However, there
is something strangely alluring about the full distance so this is what I entered this year.
Having spent much of the winter enthusing about this event with various clubmates it was slightly disappointing to be going alone albeit after the brief trial run on the ‘pavé of Old’ (2 metres of cobbles attacked with vigour in the NRCA handicap; one puncture and lots of cursing the outcome) I can’t say I'm surprised. The day of the event started early with the alarm going off at 3.30am. This allowed just enough time to fill up on cereal, drive to the finish at Ninove where busses were lined up to take the 1000 full distance riders to the start in Brugge. At 7.00am, having walked across the official signing-on platform a dozen of us headed off under cold but dry conditions. A pack soon formed of several hundred, led by some ‘monster Belgian’ with thighs the size of a regulat persons torso and an old-school leather ‘hair net’ in place of a regular helmet. This man paced us for two hours to the first feed station where clearly most people felt hungry as the group then disappeared into the food tent leaving 30 or so riders not wishing to stop. However this was still enough to provide a bit of shelter so we carried on. It was about an hour later that it started to rain. On the plus side it only rained once during the day but this shower did last for four hours and included several bouts of hail and sleet!
Undeterred we carried on and were soon at the bottom of the first climb, a fairly modest asphalt number. This was taken at a reasonable pace and all was well. It should be noted at this point that with four hours gone we were still not quite halfway round and if there is one ‘Golden Rule’ on a long ride it’s not to ride too hard too early.
For better or worse the next climb, the Norkereberg, was cobbled. Now ‘quite’ like my cobbles and whilst not wishing to break the ‘Golden Rule’ it seemed like a good idea to press on a bit just to see how the legs were and also to test whether speed made any difference to how the bike handled on wet pavé. With this in mind the speed went up and the group split. I think my companions appreciated this as there were cries of ‘hurrah for the plucky Brit’ from behind. At least I think that’s what they were shouting.
The next climb wasn't for some time so we regrouped and carried on at a more sensible pace. This was, of course, until the first section of flat cobbles. There are four of these in the ride, each of a couple of kilometres in length.
By this time we were into proper Flanders farming area so most of the lanes were slick with mud from the fields. The pavé tends to have a crown so the
idea is to ride on the top of this down the middle of the road. However, if you want to over take you end up on the rutted edges of the road. This is not good, but with a fairly pedestrian set of riders ahead anda camera motorbike amongst them it seemed like a shame not to go into attack mode. This was great fun but unfortunately reduced the group down to three. It seemed that the ‘Golden Rule’ would have to wait for another day.
Over the next few hours the proper climbs started to appear with the Koppenberg being the most famous (22% gradient at its steepest, cobbled, covered in wet mud and packed with madly cheering Belgians).
I was extremely glad of my ‘granny’ 39x27 gearing at this point as everyone who tried to climb out of the sadlle fell off. As the climbs came and went fatigue started to make its presence felt and the rain just kept on falling. However, just as things were starting to get a bit grim, the Red Bull refreshment tent appeared on the horizon, (hallelujah). Two Red Bulls to the good I was back in action and feeling (mostly in my mind) like the best bits of Andrei Tchmil, Peter Van Petegem and the great Johan Museeuw rolled into one.
The next climbs were dispatched with ease and the last bit of flat cobbles was taken at crazy speed, much to the delight of the spectators. It even stopped raining and before long the Muur approached. This is not that long but is the most famous point on the race and was packed with spectators and riders. Its great riding this as hard as you can as the crowd responds well. However, given the number of riders and a group of fat mountain bikers in particular, my pace was steady until the last 50 metres where found space, albeit at the expense of one said mountain biker who was last seen veering off the road screaming obscenities at someone!
From the top of the Muur you're on the home leg with just the Bosberg to go. Having been slightly narked by my inability to ride the Muur properly it was into the big ring and race mode for the last half hour (apart from the Bosberg which still required some respect/grovelling) and the finishing straight was entered with a flourish of sorts after 8 hours 40 minutes and 164 soggy but enjoyable miles.
The following day Stijn Devolder, the Belgian National champion won alone in a time of 6 hours 24 minutes. A true flahute (Flemish for ‘hardest of the hardmen’).
The atmosphere of this eventis fantastic, as were the chips and mayonnaise after the ride and I would recommend it to anyone. See you there next year. Dave Langlands, Fenland
NATIONAL CLARION RECORDS
New record setters will receive a certificate in recognition of their achievement and everlasting glory
Men (Bicycle)
10 Mile: D. Langlands (Fenland) 19.57 (1998)
25 Mile: PHodgkinson (Crewe) 51.29 (1996)
30 Mile: G.Wharton (Notts) 1.06.01 (1993)
50 Mile: A.Roberts (Crewe) 1.45.00 (1997)
100 Mile: A.Roberts (Crewe) 3.48.48 (1997)
1 Hour: D.Hodgins (Stockport) 42.409km (1995) 12 Hour: R.Hodgkinson (Crewe) 270.99 (1995) 24 Hour: M.Botteley (Fenland) 469.277 (2002) Juvenile (Bicycle)
10 Mile: David Lunds (Teeside) 22.35 (1980) Junior (Bicycle)
10 Mile: Paul Hodgkinson (Crewe) 21.23 (1989) 25 Mile: James Williamson (Crewe) 56.10 (1998) Women (Bicycle)
10 Mile: L.Clarke (Fenland) 22.11 (1994)
25 Mile: C.Spotswood (Crewe) 57.18 (1997)
30 Mile: K.Smith (Notts) 1.14.30 (2003)
50 Mile: C.Roberts (Crewe) 1.59.35 (1987)
100 Mile:C. Roberts (Crewe) 4.10.03 (1994)
12 Hour: C.Roberts (Crewe) 256.78 (1994)
24 Hour: C.Roberts (Crewe) 461.446 (1993) Veterans (Bicycle) Men
10 Mile: A-Horner (Bolton) 21.09 (2005)
25 Mile: R.Hodgkinson (Crewe) 54.16 (1994)
30 Mile: Derek Hodgins (Stockport) 1.08.11 (2000) 50 Mile: Hodgkinson (Crewe) 1.50.09 (1994) 100 Mile: Hodgkinson (Crewe) 3.52.48 (1994)
1 Hour: D.Hodgins (Stockport) 42.409 km
12 Hour: R.Hodgkinson (Crewe) 270.99 (1995) 24 Hour: K.Clarke (Fenland) 414.787 (1975) Veterans (Bicycle) Women
30 Mile: K.Smith (Notts) 1.14.30 (2003)
Tricycle
10 Mile: Not claimed
25 Mile: W.Fisher (Sunderland) 1.03.58 (1986) equalled by Trigger (Crewe) 1.03.58 (1992)
30 Mile: Not claimed
50 Mile: V.Trigger (Crewe) 2.05.53 (1992)
100 Mile: V.Trigger (Crewe) 4.54.50 (1990)
12 Hour: V.Trigger (Crewe) 218.00 (1990)
24 Hour: Not claimed
Tandem (Men)
10 Mile: D.Hinde/ A.Roberts (Crewe) 18.59 (1982) 25 Mile: A.Barraclough/ A.Wray (Calder) 48.35 (1984) 30 Mile: J.Waddilove/B.Waddilove (Crewe) 1.03.40 (1986) 50 Mile: Not claimed
100 Mile:A. Wray/K Hartley (Calder) 3.56.50 (1985) 12 Hour: Not claimed
24 Hour: Not claimed
Vet Tandem
10 Mile: A.Wray/K.Hartley (Calder) 21.20 (1982) Tandem (Mixed)
10 Mile: D.Hinde/J.Connell (Crewe) 20.03 (1985) 25 Mile: D.Hinde/J.Connell (Crewe) 50.02 (1985) 30 Mile: Not claimed
50 Mile:C. Roberts/A.Roberts (Crewe) 1.51.35 (1991) 100 Mile: Not claimed
12 Hour: Not claimed
24 Hour: Not claimed
Team Records
10 Mile Vet. Tandem:
A.Wray/K.Hartley (Calder) 21.20 R.Asquith/ A.Lumley (Calder) 21.17 (1982) D.Smithers/L.Smithers (Calder) 22.09
50 Mile Bicycle:
ETaylor (Notts/Derby) 1.46.01
D.Hoe (Notts/Derby) 1.51.05 (1976) FGrafton (Notts/Derby) 1.53.50
12 Hour Bicycle:
A Roberts (Crewe) 262.81 R.Hodgkinson (Crewe) 257.51 (1994) C.Roberts (Crewe) 253.88
24 Hour Bicycle K Clarke (Fenland) W.Airey (Fenland) R.Glover (Fenland) Track Team Pursuit
I.Clarke (Fenland)
D.Langlands (Fenland)
J.Mortel (Stockport)
WSanderson (Stockport) 4.45.274
Super Veterans
10 Mile TT:
60 69 Derek Hodgins (Stockport) 22.03 (2002)
25 Mile TT
60 69 Derek Hodgins (Stockport) 55.14 (1997)
30 Mile TT
60 69 Derek Hodgins (Stockport) 1.08.11 (2000)
50 Mile TT
60 69 Derek Hodgins (Stockport) 22.03 (2002)
100 Mile TT
60 69 Derek Hodgins (Stockport) 3.56.02 (1997)
1 Hour
60 69 Derek Hodgins (Stockport) 42.409km (1995) National Record
12 Hours
60 69 Derek Hodgins (Stockport) 253.150 (1996)
24 Hour
50 59 K Clarke (Fenland) 414.787 67 481.787 (1975) 60 69 K Hartley (Calder) 400.79 69.65 470.44 (1987) Indoor Track Records
392.047 376,111 total 1138.631 miles (1975) 370.473
5Skm- Derek Hodgins (Stockport) 6m.54.506s (1995) 10km- Derek Hodgins (Stockport) 13m.55.202s (1995) 20km- Derek Hodgins (Stockport) 27m.57.085s (1995)
5 Mile- Derek Hodgins (Stockport) 11m. 10.226s (1995) 10 Mile Derek Hodgins (Stockport) 22m.27.402s (1995) 25 Mile Derek Hodgins (Stockport) 56m.00.506s (1995) 1 Hour Derek Hodgins (Stockport) 26.351 miles (1995) Veteran Standard Records (25, 50, 100) 40 -49- Arthur Hutchinson (Teeside)
23.66 4.39 28.05 (1972) 50-59- Roy Hodgkinson (Crewe)
26.85 7.03 33.88 (1995) 60 69- Derek Hodgins (Stockport)
26.251 7.99 34.241 (1997)
Claims for records can be sent by Section Secretaries or by individuals to the Records Secretary,
Mrs. Audrey Waddilove, 36 Brookland Drive, Sandbach,Cheshire CW11 2LX.
She needs to know: DATE, EVENT, COURSE NUMBER and YOUR RESULT.
To bea Record Holder at any level of sport a really meaningful thing as it gives others the incentive to improve, so our National Record Holders really do deserve a BIG VOTE OF THANKS.
They have done their bit for The National Clarion, will you do yours?
Twenty-six members were
W H il W k d attracted to this weekend or ey a ee en with only Mike Cowland and his partner being first 200 7 time Clarion attenders. Their presence was motivated by Mike's determination to wrest the top of the table point's competition from Andy Horner. Andy got the better of Mike in Saturday's 10 but the positions were reversed in Sunday's hill climb when Mike's flat out effort gave him top place. We kicked off on Friday night with a session in the Bar, most of us making use of the bar meal facility. Thanks must go to Jean Lever for bringing along a novel word game based on the word Clarion. Steve Heath again led a walk on the Saturday morning and our due thanks must be again recorded. Thanks are also due to Will Sanderson for organising the 10. In the evening it was the annual Wortley dinner. This is a very cosy affair and it gave me the opportunity to welcome our guest for the weekend Chris Smith who was with us to give his talk on his epic 18 month 16 500 mile cycle ride from his comfortable home in Worcestershire to Beijing. With slides to accompany Chris held his audience for 2 hours. This was in the Henry Collins room where Chris also had on display the loaded bike that he used for the journey. For some this was the highlight of the weekend and he found a ready sale for some of his book, which recounts his journey in an easy reading style. So it was an event packed weekend but we are not attracting enough of our membership to justify the costs of the weekend and this year will probably be the last at Wortley. But who knows I would opine that we will be back after trying some alternatives.
Peter Roscoe
THE CLARION AT ITS BEST WORTLEY HALL WEEKEND 3RD 5TH OCTOBER 2008
Social Events; Bike rides; Bar Meals and Sandwiches Available. Sat 4 October Ten-Miles Time Trial Entries £6.50 14 days before on CTT form to: Chris Goode 01723 341050 56 Raleigh Street, Scarborough, North Yorkshire ¥O12 7LQ
Sunday 5 October: National Clarion Hill Climb Championship and triers' event enter on line
Book for weekend by ringing Wortley Hall 0114 288 2100 by the 3rd September 08 Vital that you mention that it is the Clarion block booking
Double Room £40.00 per person per night.
Single occupancy of double room £51.00 Single Room £40.00
Book for Saturday Annual Dinner by cheque for £19.50 by 3rd September 08 to
Peter Roscoe, 6 Horncastle Close, Bury, BL8 1XE
Starter: Moules Marineire; or Cream of White Onion Soup.
Main Course: Chicken Breast stuffed with Sun Dried Tomato Mousse Rolled in Pancetta: or Pan Fried Grey Mullet, Fennel Orange Salad; or Walnut Stilton Risotto
Dessert and Tea or Coffee.
Simon Parkin Duncan Hewitt Ric Warrington Damian Field Darren Reynolds S Hardman
Ian Shapiro Will Sanders Andy Horner Simon Horner Paul Hayes Nick Hall
Will Brown Stephen Tinker Martin Perfect
NATIONAL CLARION TEN MILES TIME TRIAL CHAMPIONSHIP 2008
Organised by Tony Bowles, in conjunction with the Bolton Clarion open 10.
Heanor 23.09 Stockport 23.27 Bury 23.34 Central 23.36 Stockport 24.01 Stockport 24.08 Stockport 24.20 Stockport 24.27 Bury 24.54 Bury 25.08 Bury 25.12 Bury 25.54 Stockport 26.11 Bury 27.19 London 35.08
Well it was a fairly decent day on the Lancashire course the L101, a bit windy but nothing that the fast lads could not handle.
Our event, as usual went very well, with club members pulling out all the stops to put on another successful effort in support of time trialing.
The clarion sections were fairly well represented, particularly from the north, but particular praise has to go to Martin Perfect, National section, travelling all the way from London. Martin personifies the maxim, ‘it's the taking part that counts’, surely this has to be recognised some where, clubman of the year perhaps.
The clarion champs were a part of an open event so clarion riders were subject to field placing
criteria which meant final medal and awards table was last to be recorded. Speculation though was high, particularly for S. Parkin of Heanor Clarion who had posted a very good time, 23.09. from a number three start position. As the fancied riders posted their times it was
apparent that S. Parkin would be hard to beat, not that it was clear cut for some time.
Simon Hardman, (Stockport) followed his surprising Easter meet form with a very good 24.08. not far behind favourite on paper Duncan Hewitt, also Stockport. Duncan recorded 23.27.
Andy Horner, Bury, was a little behind his best with 24.54. beatingson Simon by a mere twelve seconds. Simon picked up the Junior champ award with 25.08. Simon rode a ninety inch fixed gear with a disc on the back, a brave move ona breezy day.
Another fancied rider was Damien Field, Central section, a surprise winner of the national fifty a while ago, returned another good time of 23.36.
Bury Section were well represented by a rider with some surprising early season form, Rick Warrington in with 23.34. enough to gain the bronze medal.
Asan observer of reactions to times posted I was particularly pleased with that of S. Parkin who made the trip up from the midlands, he could not settle until all the results were in, seemingly not believing he was the winner of the top
award until it was on the result board in black and white.
Even the result was confirmed he still queried whether we had got the result right, to say he was excited by the outcome is a bit of an understatement, as a newcomer to time trialing he could hardly believe it. It was a real pleasure to see such a reaction from a winner, genuine unexpected joy.
It was nice to see also so many clarion members staying right to the end of the event, even Martin Perfect, with a massive journey back to
New Sections on the way
New and planned Clarion Sections Cambridge and South Yorks
There are two new Clarion sections being created, the first in Cambridge and why not? this is one of the most cycle using cities in the country and shame on us for not having a section already. If anyone if interested in joining this new section please contact the National Secretary who will put you in touch with the new section secretary when they are appointed.
London stayed on the watch results coming in.
I have to pay homage to all our members, Bolton Clarion that is, for the efforts once again promoting a very well run event, the wonderful catering ladies, the marshals on draughty corners, the pushers off, timekeepers assistants. Incidentally our timekeeper at the start was Brian Nightingale, North Lanc's Clarion, who's cheery outlook gave all competitors a good send off.
The second is a South Yorks Clarion which will be started by Ian and Jayne Clarke when they move to South Yorks, where exactly we don't know yet, but Ian's new job is in Rotherham. Again if anyone is interested in joining us, please contact the secretary at bike@clarioncc.org
The York Rally showed that there is a lack of sections in North Lincolnshire and East Yorkshire, the Clarion would like to hear from anyone who wishes to pull together new sections here or anywhere else.
If you want to be kept informed about goings-on in the Clarion, please forward your email address to: clarioncc@ntlworld.com most years we send out 4 or 5 messages of news
Clarion email newsletter
to members but sadly people change their email addresses and we sometimes lose touch.
EMAIL OR POS’ Richard Newcombe, 67 Hall Lane,
GET YOUR NEWS AND VIEWS ALL AROUND THE CLUB
T YOUR INFO TO: Werrington, Peterborough PE4 6RA
or email: richard@hallane.com good sharp photos welcome, or high resolution jpeg if sent by email
10
Going Dutch...by Tandem
Jayne and needed a holiday, we needed to get away and it had to be an active holiday, as we are not the sort of people who can lay down on a beach for long. Our second love (after cycling and each other) is walking and we'd hoped for a hill walking holiday in the Lakes or Scotland. By this time we had 3 days left to organise the trip because we had to get back in time to organise the Biggleswade Grass Track Races. The good part of this late planning is that you can see what the weather is going to be...as it happened 12 degrees Cand raining in Scotland and not much better in the Lakes, we needed plan B.
We'd hoped to take a Tandem holiday later in the year, so we checked the weather reports for Europe and it showed that Holland and Belgium looked warm and sunny, great idea, all we have to do is get the tandem to the Port in the back of the car. For those who know me, my long estate car was a company car and it went back when I was made redundant...all we had now was Jayne's Mini Cooper...bother!
The idea of riding from Biggleswade to Dover (look at a map it'd take 3 days to avoid the M25) was not an option, but Harwich was possible because we could ride there and take the overnight ferry to Hook Van Holland (just outside Rotterdam). Now there's a plan! We booked the crossing on Thursday ready for our Sunday evening crossing. We also booked the Captains-class cabin for a bit of luxury.
time, we rode into a village called ‘Cavendish’ with a perfect pub on the green...how could we not stop?
Further on, we were feeling good, but as I changed gear going up a short steep hill the chain snapped, not a good start to the first day. I'd always feared this could be a problem having 10speed chain on a tandem. I used my spare 10-speed links but I wasn't happy with this and on the next big hill, despite soft-pedalling, it broke again, Jayne was concerned. "Well, also have some 9-speed chain, just in case, it might click a bit, but it should hold". And hold it did, for most of the trip until we found a shop that sold Campag 10-speed chains.
A stop off at Flatford Mill to see Willy Lott's Cottage (Constable's Haywain) and a final jaunt along the Stour Estuary, a meal and a beer in Harwich and at last we rode up the ramps into the arsend of the ferry. The sea was Millpond smooth, the cabin was luxurious (as was the courtesy mini-bar) and we arrived early in 'The Hook' and rode into the prettiest mini-Amsterdam town of Maassluis for brekkie. Unfortunately, this was shortly after we rode into a piece of ironwork quayside, while attempting a tight u-turn. I hadn't accounted for the front panniers, which snagged and dumped us both (Jayne's knee first) on the ground. Still breakfast was perfect...
At this point we should state that we hadn't fully appreciated how good and how convenient it is to cycle in Holland and Belgium. Cycle path route markers were everywhere. Imagine every A B road had a cycle path next to it, many canal paths and local
Both Jayne and I have had a fair bit of time off the bike recently, so the idea of a 95 mile ride on the first day (to Harwich) was a little daunting but we planned a nice route through the lanes of Beds, Cambs, Essex and Suffolk and knew we had all day and most of the evening to do it. About 4 miles into the route, saw a couple of riders in front of us and put the hammer down to catch them. Jayne felt what I was up to through the pressure of the pedals and responded well. "Hello" I said, "where are you off to?", "just a loop back to Cambridge, and you?"..."oh, Holland!". Now, we ‘knew’ we were touring!
A stop off at a Café in Saffron Walden, with 30 miles under our belts, the locals were curing hangovers with a 'full- English’. Next stop was to look for a country pub and as soon as we agreed the
roads were converted to cycle-only routes and many more paths threaded through towns. On top of this a large number of cycle-only ferries conveniently and cheaply carried us across those parts of the reclaimed Zeeland where there wasn't a bridge. Cycling paradise!
It was one of these ferries that took us across the Hook to the first of many reclaimed Islands that form Zeeland (sea-land). We were on a tour, we just hadn't decided where we were going exactly other than it would be nice to get into Belgium. The flooded deltas were controlled by large sections of kilometres of dams and causeways, keeping just enough water away from this agricultural heartland and watersports haven. It was the civil engineering of the bridges and dams that excited me and that's the way we were going.
Pretty villages, cobbled cycle paths, coastal views and lakelands, we rode on and headed for the town of Middelburg after an easier 65 mile day.
A tip here...just like the UK, hotels are much more expensive than B&Bs and the tourist office found us a nice one for some 45 euros for the night. With the current exchange rate at 1.2 to the pound, travelling in Europe seems about 20% more expensive than a few years ago, making most things (especially food and drink) more expensive than the UK.
On day 3, we had a 5 mile ride to what looked like open seas, but was actually the Schelde estuary to Breskens and Northern Flanders. Until you look carefully at a map, it'd be easy to assume that we'd now be getting the (cycle only) ferry to Belgium, but this was still Holland for about 50km
We rode off the ferry and decided we're aiming for Ghent, we'd been there loads of times but only for the winter 6-day races and we wanted to see it in the sun. By this time, the temperature was heading for 30 degrees and all we wanted to do was get to Ghent for some beers at the famous Waterhuis an der Bierkant (waterhouse on the beer canal), home of some 300 different bottled beers!
Getting to Ghent took us on some good roads and good cycle paths, where motorists waiting at T junctions actually reverse off cycle paths to let you pass. All this and Belgian beers at 30 deg C...paradise indeed.
We wanted to find a nice older hotel in Ghent, but after dicing with Flanders’ biggest cobbles, tramlines and shoppers (none of these easy on a lightweight solo, but ona tandem...), we copped-out and went to the well known Ibis Kathedral hotel.
Here's another tip for cycle tourists, the bigger the hotel, the less likely they are to do your laundry for free, so another reason to look for family hotels and B&Bs.
We postponed our laundry for half an hour as the hot
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dusty cobbles left us wanting for cool Belgian Beer, nectar to the senses.
Ghent truly is one of Europe's most perfect cities, grand architecture, great food and great drink. In my mind it beats Brussels and Brugges hands-down. We ended the evening still in the high 20's, supping more beer at the Waterhuis.
Day 4 was one of the best rides for quiet canal roads, but a slow front puncture (impact caused by rough cobbles), needed attention as the steering on the tandem quickly gets doday.
We'd been given some duff information about alternative ferries across the Schelde, which forced us to detour our ride away from East Zeeland and back to the Breskens Ferry. Not Such a bad thing because without it, we'd never have stumbled across Hulst, a lovely town for the night's stay and back in Holland too. The day had become a tour of Wassland in northern Belgium and Northern Flanders, touring some remote, very Fenland-like roads (a home from home for me).
So our 5th day came and we remembered the chain problems and saw this friendly looking bike shop who sold us a chain and lent me the specific Campag 10speed chain tool. Of course it now looked like my 9speed fix would work, but I didn't fancy those steep, Essex hills would be agreeable when we finally got back to the UK.
Chain fixed and off to Breskens! Ferry to Vlissingen and crossing over our tyre tracks from 2 days earlier, it didn't matter one jot. The sun was shining and dayne was using the camera over my shoulder, we were now planning where we should head for to avoid retracing our pedals from earlier.
Back onto Zeeland and a lunch stop in Vlissingen. We were so pleased to find this place, which confirmed it could have been a great place to stop for the night, but we had to ride further. From my business trips to Holland I'd developed a great taste for some local soul-food: Frites Met Sataysaus (chips with peanut/satay sauce)we tucked in... not quite SIS energy food but good enough for the Clarkes! Someone had mentioned Zierikzee was a nice town, but the guidebooks said little about it. Anyway that's what we decided on and we used the Tourist office to book our hotel room ahead of time as we might not have arrived until early evening.
Rain was forecast and we chased by the darkest grey clouds which waited until we were 15 miles from Zierikzee when they caught us up, sat on our wheel and soaked us
After a damp evening, we left our Pizza restaurant to a beautiful sunset and explored this picture-postcard, fishing (Mussels mainly) port. A final bonus was that the Dutch had adopted (as best as they can follow laws) a new smoking ban (let's hope Belgium follows
soon).
Day 6 was our 60 miles back to the Hook and our evening Ferry, but unexpectedly I awoke to stomach cramps and a lack of appetite. It could only have been that flat Kasteelbier (12%) I had the night before. So we rode our 60 miles on empty, well I did, but Jayne did two thirds of the work as I wretched and shivered for the rest of the day.
It was still a great day though and we met up with a group of riders, touring (in
perfect café. Our first decent cuppa and a veggie fryup, I was recovering fast. At this point hit us both that the UK 'caffs' are so much better value for money than their European equivalents and we were glad to be back in Blighty. Riding a tandem always gets interest and questions from the public and this was the same in England as it was in mainland Europe. Older folks would recount their early days awheel and younger couples would say how they often
the name of European friendship) from Cologne cele to Rotterdam, due to meet
the Mayor at 2pm.
I got through the day ona few biscuits and tea which I could never have imagined possible and we slowly grovelled into the Ferry terminal.
With tandem strapped and secured in the car deck of the ferry, I flopped out on the bed and tried to sweat whatever it was out of me. Jayne couldn't find a flannel as a_ cold compress, so my used Assos socks found a new
Overflakkee
thought about getting
comme MiaBGingen, Kran The final 20 miles of
RotterdoQuniex the ride had us both
with sore bums. The headwind deadened our legs but our backsides were giving out fast. But as we rode down the street to home we felt we should have had the buntings out! We'd covered 500 miles from the garage door (and back). We hadn't needed the car or had the hassle of packing bikes for the airport. Riding to the
Sie ‘Dordrecht
Bergen
op Zoom Zundert
Antwerp
purpose. My appetite was coming back slowly too!
We rolled off the ferry with the cars, back into Harwich for our final day's trip home and 95 miles of riding. We were both now running on empty and looking for a café to have breakfast but at 7am we'd have to keep riding.
It was Sudbury town where we finally found the
ferry had been a perfect way to have a simple hassle-free touring holiday. The Netherlands and Belgium are so perfect for cycle touring whatever your ability or ambitions. Now all we need is for Stena to open up the Harwich to Tuscany, highspeed ferry, and we're sorted for next year.
Jayne and Ian Clarke (Fenland Clarion)
Events for 2008/9
Sun’ 7th September
3rd to 5th October Wortley Hall Weekend (10m TT Hill Climb) A very pleasant weekend in magnificent surroundings
4th October 10 Mile TT
5th October Hill Climb
10th, 11th 12th April 2009
Easter Meet, Ramsbottom
25 mile champs Fenland
Albert Winstanley
An evening visit to see Albert had been prearranged with a purpose, cycling history brought up to date. Some time ago Albert expressed the loss to Bolton Clarion of a photograph of the then section of 1936 to be asorry affair. The large framed photograph had been on display at Wood Street Socialist Club. Obviously Albert felt that today’s members may lose a link with the past and contacted Ian Clarke, our National Secretary.
Asmaller photo of the 1936 Bolton section gathering surfaced and after a discussion by the National Committee it was agreed that an enlarged reproduction, framed and glazed, should be purchased and presented to Albert.
The photograph should not be dismissed as just another old photo, to Albert, the sight of so many close friends a few short years before a war that took some away, was precious to his still sharp memory. lan and Jayne Clarke took advantage of a holiday in the north to arrange a visit and presentation to Albert of the rather special package.
Albert Winstanley, famous as he is in the world of cycling, is a rather shy person when it comes to formal occasions though in the company of friends very outgoing. It was with this in mind that a less formal presentation was planned.
Dave Bisset, along with myself, were contacted by Ian as he was returning from the Lake District, ‘we’ll be there in about an hour’. Dave was still at work and I was relaxing in my retirement on the sofa. A look at my watch and I worked out that I could jump on my road going track bike and be there by the allotted time of 7.15.pm. It was a very fine summers evening just right for a recovery ride. Recovery ride? well I had done a very heavy interval session mid morning on my awesome turbo trainer, sheesh.
Dave was already outside Albert's house, work bike locked to the railings, as I rode up. Having been contacted at short notice just before leaving work the ride to the meeting had to be taken ata leisurely pace, rather difficult due to his recent high power training. Dave had managed to contact Albert to confirm his availability during the evening.
Dave and chatted away the time as we waited for lan and Jayne, not a difficult thing to do in Dave's company, he has a string to any topic chosen, almost always in a humorous vein.
lan and Jayne arrived and Albert's doorbell was tentatively rung, was surprised at the speed of a ninety two year old answering the door as in past
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times I have had to wait patiently. Albert ushered us in past his latest bike, an electrically assisted one that he still does his shopping on, he is frequently seen by one of our members with planks of wood purchased for his latest project, fastened to the crossbar.
The evening sun was highlighting Albert’s back garden and through the open back door could be seen some of his garden novelties that reflect his love of life and humour, flowerpot men and rather large garden gnomes. The living room at the rear is filled with memorabilia, photos, books, magazines, cycling ornaments, a cycle carbide lamp prominently placed on the fireplace mantle.
It was the first time Jayne had met Albert and it was clear that from the outset they would get on fine. Albert has been highly productive in the writing world over his many years, countless articles to newspapers and magazines followed by three books, so well written, that on reading you just want to rush outside and jump on your bike to experience the wonderful world and countryside around us, golden wheels abound.
One major regret of Albert’s was the fact that he had ‘lent’ his only edition of ‘OWD TOM ’a Cycling Legend, and it had never been returned, being out of print he had been unable to find another.
The first of Albert's books, Golden Wheels, covers many miles of cycling in the part of Lancashire around the place where Jayne was brought up near Clitheroe. This fact of course opened the door to more conversation not all of it in the past and enlightening and entertaining.
Time was pressing and reluctantly Jane and Ian had to face a very long journey back home, almost four hours of driving down to the outskirts of London. Before the off though there was the presentation of the photograph to Albert. After carefully unwrapping the gift, Ian went on to thank Albert for his great work in cycling, and, his devotion to the Clarion in particular. Albert gazed at the photo, immediately names and people were recalled with obvious ease before a quiet moment when it was recalled that some members did not return to a happier life a few years later. It was a moment here that three of us will never forget.
A short time later I received a telephone call from Dave, he had found a copy of ‘Owd Tom’ on his bookshelf and thought it right and proper that the author, ‘Owd Albert’ should have his complete trio of wonderful books again.
Many many thanks to Ian, Jayne and Dave for another store of cycling memories.
Round the Sections
Every issue of “Boots” will have a round up of local news or items of interest from the various Clarion Sections providing can put sufficient pressure on someone from each section to send the info to me. Please send me photos and text of your sections activities and it will all go in.
Email: richard@hallane.com
BURY
The Yates twins are still going from strength to strength in various races up and down the country, in the National Youth Circuit Series Simon is currently in the lead, with Adam in second place, in the Isle of Man 3 day tour, Simon finished in third place whilst Adam was in eighth, In the Rochdale GP Adam was second and Simon was fourth, I could go on at length about the Yates twins, but I think we would need another issue of Boots Spurs to fit it all in.
Bury Section are busy organising next year's Easter Meet, it will be held in Bury, to be precise, in Sunny Ramsbottom. Ramsbottom, apart from having a funny, music hall name is a very interesting and historical town, the home of The East Lancashire Railway, the Helmshore Textile Museum, and The Grants Arms, a local hostelry renowned for it's choice of real ale. The Grant Brothers, founding fathers of Ramsbottom are thought to have been the model for Charles Dickens Cheeryble Brothers.
WEST LOTHIAN
West Lothian Clarion was set up in January 2008 by a group of cyclists who met through the bikeradar forum. The section has 10 members with 4 more expressing an interest and a growing mailing list of fifty riders who receive the email newsletter.
Our membership reflects what is going on in cycling at the moment. Most are new to club cycling getting, into the sport through Sportives but wanted to join a club for the conventional reasons, to ride with others, have a blather and improve their cycling abilities.
Initially there were only four of us with zero experience of running a club, we become a
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The forthcoming Clarion Track Championships, will be at Manchester Velodrome on Saturday August 30th, Ian is organising a Youth Training session before the championships.The training session will be from 1.00pm to 3.00pm followed by the racing. Julian Mortell is returning from Italy, and will be riding the event, so that should be good; hope he can remember which way round we have to go, then he can remind me.The track championships will be the event of the year, be there, or be somewhere else.
Rick Warrington is looking like a contender for the Clarion Ten Mile Record, he's getting faster every time he rides, so look out for Rick.
Bob Duckworth still keeps falling off, although he did win a prize in a recent cyclo cross event, he was fastest rider over the age of sixty. Please don't ask how many riders over the age of sixty were daft enough to venture out on such a dark and rainy night in Stockport. Isn't that the name of a song? It should be.
See you all at Wortley
Clarion section so that we could get the back up of a big club to help establish ourselves in the area.
The Clarion has been really helpful, Ian Clark, Donald Lever and Peter Roscoe have been very encouraging, we couldn't have got this far without their advice. In March I made the trip down to the Easter meet in Stamford with my Family, we felt welcomed into the club and I was heartened by peoples’ genuine enthusiasm for our new section.
Newcomers to our Saturday rides like the supportive and friendly atmosphere. More experienced club riders might find these social runs don't challenge them enough and this could explain why we attract more rookies. But
for those who regularly ride there has been a marked improvement in their skills and fitness. Members’ have a thirst for knowledge and an enthusiasm to try new things. This year has seen some impressive rides with many achieving personal goals. Graham 'Foz' Foster beat his target of riding the Bealach Beag in under four hours. Bill Young and Stephen McDonall rode over 100 miles for the first time in the challenging Southern Uplands Sportive which finished on Scotland's highest road.
Sadiq 'Fathead' Mir rode the Fred Whitton in 7.31 without getting off the bike, and perhaps the year's gutsiest ride came when Brian Bernard fell off at 30mph in the same Sportive: "My helmet smashed, I got about 1000 scratches and bruises and dislocated my finger but I bent it back into shape". He remounted with 80 miles to go and managed to finish in 8.40 despite the heat, bleeding wounds, two punctures and ankle the size of a balloon.
Mark Paul and Malcolm Wake have used Sportives to raise money for Charity, Mark rode the Dave Lloyd Mega Challenge getting a silver and Malcolm the Action Medical Research London to Paris ride.
Sadiq has been gaining experience in local road
BRIGHTON HOVE
We take up the story after the 2007 "Save The Toll Bridge" sponsored ride (reported on by Ian Bullock in a previous issue of Boots Spurs).
Our next ride, sadly rather under-attended (there were just three of us!) took in a visit to the Roman Villa at Bignor in West Sussex, and then featured a complete ciurcumnavigation of the Amberley Wild Brooks, a favourite haven for bird-watchers, ending with mango cheesecake and tea beside the River Arun.
The next ride also involved journeying to the western end of Sussex, and had a better turnout (six). For this occasion we had a guest rider from Hampshire. The most memorable event on that day was the sight of a cormorant, shag or similar long necked bird struggling with, and then swallowing whole a 2 foot long eel! Later, the riders witnessed a farmer rounding up his cows ona three wheeled motorbike (the farmer, that is!) and then
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races and regularly rides a chain gang so it won't be long before he'll be getting some points. Bill Young set our first Place-to-Place record from Blackness at sea level to the Knock, the highest point in West Lothian and back. In May hard riding tourer, Tobias Bauer rode the Etape Caledonia and in July took a 700 mile trip around the Hebrides with his partner Kerstin. Graham organised our Tour de France sweepstake. It was a great success, and was won by Bill but Malcom was controversially thrown out for a positive drug test. Crucially it raised £25 for the section.
August will see many members entering TTs for the first time, with four of us taking part in the Scottish TTT champs. There has also been some talk about attending the Clarion Track Champs
In the Autumn Bill is organising our first open event, a hill climb up the short but notorious Kingskavil Hill and heading into 2009 Graham has set the ball rolling for a weekly club 10. Next year we want to reach a membership of twenty build up funds so we can join the SCU independently and get our own club kit. And the big goal for 2009? Breaking Manchester's grip on the Easter Meet Milage Trophy!
it was all aboard the Itchy Bosom ferry for the crossing from Itchenor to Bosham.
September saw a return to East Sussex, the ride being based around Berwick (that's the one in Sussex, not the one on the Tweed!) There were a couple of dramas a lost purse and a puncture but, as ever, the group took them in its stride. Two members of the team also picked up some fruit, vegetables and herbs that were on sale at various garden gates. Later that month we had a ride based around the Bluebell Railway, including an actual steam train ride from Kingscote to Horsted Keynes, during which we wondered whether this new fangled idea of having a "guard's van" for bikes instead of wedging them in the doorways, would ever catch on on the Southern Railway.
At the end of September we had a rare "off-rail" event, cycling from "pier to pier" that's Brighton Pier to Worthing pier not Palace to West Pier and back again. This was the debut Clarion ride for Nick and Amanda, two Londoners who have been
riding with us regularly ever since. The return journey featured the aforementioned Toll Bridge one of our last crossings before it closed for the long-awaited repairs to begin.
October saw the numbers pushed into double figures for a Burgess Hill circular. One member of the party described this as a 'typical Clarion ride’; what she meant was that there was so much to see and so many of us that there were numerous stops with poor Roger (our leader for the day) trying to ‘herd cats’ and having to count us all in. Among the things to see were a mysterious "water feature", a church, and a strange old building with a 1930s tractor. At Burgess Hill station, we met Leon, who has now become a stalwart of the group, and has demonstrated his deftness with punctured inner tubes on numerous occasions.
In early November, we had our best turn-out for ages sixteen of us. (There is obviously a pattern developing here!) The ride was a "linear" one (Hassocks to Shoreham) and included, amongst other things, two more churches, a plaque commemorating the ancient salt-making industry of Upper Beeding, and an encounter with a hungry
pig.
Next was a return to one of our favourite haunts, the Cuckoo Trail, a Sustrans route which follows the line of the old railway from Polegate to
Heathfield in East Sussex. Although bits of this route feature regularly in our rides, this was a rare transit of the entire trail (it finishes at Heathfield, although of course the old railway route goes much further). There were only eight of us on this occasion, probably due to the deteriorating weather. Worse still, we could not find a suitable pub for lunch, so resorted to a familiar fall-back, the "Old Loom Mill Craft Centre and Tea Rooms" just off the Cuckoo Trail; although we are used to it, this place surely has to be one of the oddest and most intriguing places one could hope to visit, combining, as it does, a café with a fascinating combination of local crafts including fabrics and knitting yarns, cane chair restoration, jewellery, miniature collectables, hand crafted English reproduction furniture and even a cycle hire shop!
We cancelled the next ride due to bad weather (a very rare occurrence, I should add!) and ended the year with another Berwick ride, wrapped up warm, and glad to reach the comfort of our lunchtime pub.
We think Brighton Hove Clarion is special because it manages to combine the joys of cycling with exploration of our county, fellowship and good food. Of course there must be others out there let's hear from them too
Low minimum order Quick delivery
Impsport (Lincoln) Ltd, Whisby Way. Lincoin, LNG 3LQ
Tel: 01522 500505 Fax: 01522 500
CUSTOM CLUB TEAM CLOTHING
Made on site in the UK
EXTRA 10% DISCOUNT TO ALL C
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IN Memo (for office use only)
NATIONAL CLARION CYCLING CLUB FOUNDED 1894
www.clarioncc.org
Membership Application Form for New Member
Complete the details below in BLOCK CAPITALS including your home address. If you are 19 or over you may enter only the year of birth. Fields highlighted are mandatory.
Name (Please include first name)
House Name
Number Street Road District
Town City
County
Post Code
Country (if overseas) Telephone Number
email address
Section
Date of Birth (in full if <19) First Claim Clarion Member Yes/No (delete as appropriate)
Tick appropriate
Membership Type: National Levy: Section Fee: Total Fee: box:
Senior £6.00
Junior (ensure date of birth entered above) 4,00 7
A first claim Clarion member races in all open events as a Clarion member. Senior members are aged 18 and over, junior members are under 18.
The Clarion is a section based cycling club, contact the secretary of the section you wish to join for the section fee. Section secretaries are listed in the current issue of Boots Spurs.
NB: Please return the completed form to your section secretary with the appropriate fee.
HEREBY DECLARE: That the particulars submitted on this form are complete and correct. agree to abide by the rules of the National Clarion Cycling Club during the course of my membership. (Copies of the rules are available on request.) understand that participating in club activities is entirely at my own risk and that no liability shall attach to the National Clarion Cycling Club, club officials or members, for any injury, loss or damage suffered
(If member is under 18 to be signed by parent or guardian.)
Signed: Date:
ClarionMF8newm
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Correspondence
Dear Richard
I recently received my first copy of Boots and Spurs, and immediately read of a great kerfuffle in the ranks, and an expulsion
As an old time socialist, I must admit that a trip to Barcelona to
commemorate the doings of Clarion members within the International Brigade would be an honorable activity. However, perhaps the methods were somewhat suspect, but had I been still in the UK I probably would have been on the
side of the losers as; as usual.
What did impress me was that a fight took place and an expulsion occured. This proves conclusively that the spirit of socialism is alive and well in the ranks of The Clarion.
Good Luck to you all.
Tom Greenwood Queensland Australia
on Socialist movement whose ideology the Clarion members felt imperative to bring to the ears and minds of the
Clarion history inspires Artists
Two artists and National Clarion members have undertaken a London-Liverpool cycle ride, inspired by the early history of the Clarion Cycling Club as a fellowship of like-minded individuals with a message for their fellow man.
Through research into radical youth movements, Ruth Beale became aware of Robert Blatchford and Walter Crane, The Clarion CC, and the newspaper and pamphlets
struggling working class at the turn of the 19th century. She recognised the boom in cycling at the time as providing a means of affordable transport to the masses, personal freedom to ride in the countryside, and even as having played a part in women's emancipation (through ‘rational dress’).
Ruth applied to The Institute for the Art and Practice of Dissent at Home, Liverpool, with a proposal for a residency based on the mobile methodologies of early socialist dissenters, and decided to embark on a bike ride of pageantry from London (Ruth's home) to Liverpool (the European city of Culture '08) as a critique of capitalist ‘culture tourism’ regeneration arguably embodied by the City of Culture. Up to this point only a city commuter-cyclist, Ruth hoped that the ride would be at once an advocation of 'green' transport; an exercise in self-sufficiency and independence; and a personal adventure.
Karen Breneman, who worked collaboratively with Ruth in previous projects, had special interest in the journey aspect of the proposal, as Karen is a serious amateur road cyclist and considers cycling to be a medium unto itself. She offered to be Ruth's domestique in the project, as a 4-day bike ride from London to Liverpool would require extensive route planning, gear practicalities, and experience in long distance riding. Ruth would also need a decent road bike with 'clipless pedals' and some proper kit, so Karen lent Ruth her winter bike, helped her get used to being attached to the cranks via the pedals, and took her out with the
squeezed in a 10 mile time trial with the Coventry Road Club (Ruth's first). Upon their arrival at the Institute, several questions had emerged as topics for the Roundtable Discussion that was to be the culmination of the journey, such as: What is requisite for status as a ‘cyclist’? Are cyclists inherently conformist or nonconformist; as in, how are they politicised by their choice to ride a bike for transport? How has the capitalisation of cycling, bicycles, and riders changed the popular view of cycling since the origin of the Clarion? How are cities best navigated, and what is the relationship between the motorised and nonmotorised?
Edinburgh Road Club as part of their preparatory fieldwork. The idea developed into a research project as Karen
contacted local British cycling clubs in the areas through which they were sure to visit, in search of the best routes for two-wheeled travel. She got in touch with several individuals through cycling clubs such as the Bedfordshire RCC, the Coventry RC, the Kidsgrove Wheelers, as well as the Coventry Transport Museum. Soon, the artist/cyclists had routes and accommodation with strangers that had no
reason to offer their help other than a general support of the spirit of the project, which was also the motto of the Clarion: Fellowship is Life Lack of Fellowship is Death.
The weather and wind-direction for the ride could not have been better, with a SW or SE tailwind helping them along the way. They arrived in Liverpool on-schedule via the ferry across the Mersey from the Wirral. The riders even
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How people incorporate activism into their daily lives by choosing to ride a bicycle?
These questions and many more were discussed by several artists, a filmmaker and former trade-
unionist, a champion cyclist and bike shop owner, an academic specialising in political
performance, and a
primary school teacher.
Ruth and Karen would like to thank everyone who lent their support and expertise along the way: Ian Jayne of the Clarion; Colin Jess Watt; Terry Bush Bill of the Beds RCC; Lesley Robertson, Cycles Curator of the Coventry Transport Museum; Michael Richards; Barry Pauline Wilkinson and Dave Mary Joynson of the Kidsgrove Wheelers; Sue Booth, Roy Bunnell, Joan, Janet Gregory, and Peter Williams of the CTC; Gary Lena kids at the Institute... Fellowship is Life.
The final question remains: should a Clarion Epic take place annually to/from the European City of Culture?
SECTION SECRETARIES
Barnoldswick Clarion
John Idle Tel: 07773 722224 email: idlejm @tiscali.co.uk
5 Co-operative Street, Barnoldswick,
Lanes. BB18
Birmingham
Roger Shayes Tel: 0121 603 7536
19 Princethorpe Close, Shirley, Solihull, Warwickshire B90 2LP
Bolton Clarion
Dave Bissett Tel: 01204 853127 email: david. bisset @rbh.nhs.uk
10 Vale Street, Turton, Bolton BL7 OEB Bolton Wood Street Clarion
Denis Pye Tel: 01204 842869 email: denis.pye@ntlworld.com
34 Temple Road, Halliwell, Bolton BL1 3LT Brighton Hove Clarion
Tan Bullock Tel: 01273 682133 email: i.bullock @ntlworld.com.
104 Bonchurch Road, Brighton BN2 1XE Bury Clarion
Peter Roscoe Tel: 0161 7616856 email: proscoe beeb.net
6 Horncastle Close, Bury, Lancashire BL8 Calder Clarion
Andrew Spittlehouse Tel: 01226 709436
12 Hardwick Close, Ryhill, Wakefield,
West Yorkshire WF4 2PR
Central Section
Ann Burchell Tel: 01404 891507
3 Kennedy Way, Dunkeswell, Honiton, Devon EX14 4XG
Clitheroe Clarion
Martin Catlow Tel: 01200 425852 email: martinhilcat@ aol.com
41 Henthorne Road, Clitheroe BB7 2LD Crewe Clarion Wheelers
Andy Grace Tel: 01270 841836 email: ruthhydes@ btopenworld.com
7 Artlebrook Cottages, Audlem Road, Nantwich, Cheshire CWS 7QT
Dorset Clarion
William Edgington Tel: 07840 403200 Flat 6, 3 Charmouth Grove, Parkstone, Poole, Dorset BH14 OLP Fenland Clarion Paul Frost Tel: 07785 332708
paul @fenlandclarion.co.uk Gwynedd
Robin Hartley Tel: 01248 605424
email: the.navigator@ntlworld.com
5 Tandderwen, Rachub, Bangor, Gwynedd LLS7 3HD
Heanor Clarion
John Gott Tel: 01773 769781
65 Old Coppice Side, Heanor, Derbyshire DE75 7DJ Hereford Clarion
Alvin Smith Tel: 01568 770327 email: alvin.smith @btinternet.com
Castle Cottage, Castle Street, Wigmore, Herefordshire HR6 9UA
Lancaster Clarion
Donald Taylor Tel: 01524 382673 email: lancasterclarion@ mac.com
9 Buoymasters, St Georges Quay, Lancaster LAI 1HL London Clarion
Peter Shepherdly Tel: 0208 5729672
74 Albion Road, Hounslow, Middlesex TW3 3RT Lowestoft Clarion
Sian Charlton Tel: 01502 563262 email: btopa@blueyonder.co.uk
5 Avocet Close, South Oulton Broad, Lowestoft, Suffolk
Manchester Stretford
Christopher Goode Tel: 01723 341050
56 Raleigh Street, Scarborough,
North Yorkshire YOI1 7LQ
Nottingham Clarion
Paul Harwood Tel: 0115 9126436
Pump Station House, Daleside Road, Nottingham NG2 4DH
Stockport Clarion
Duncan Hewitt Tel:
3 Winifred Road, Heaviley, Stockport SK2 6HF Sunderland Clarion
Allan Smith Tel: 0191 584 8948 email: allan.smith @tiscali.co.uk
5 St Aidan’s Terrace, New Herrington, Houghton-le-Spring DH4 4LZ
Teeside Clarion
Colin Armstrong Tel: 01947 880488
2 Eden Lea, Mount Pleasant, Robin Hoods Bay, Whitby, N. Yorks YO22 4RE
West Lothian Clarion
Matthew Ball: Tel: 07989 597175 mattyball blueyonder.co.uk
106 Avontoun Park, Linlithgow, West Lothian Scotland EH49 6QQ
West of Scotland Clarion
John Harris Tel: 01236 730157
20 Lomond View, Condorrat, Cumbernauld, Scotland G67 4JR
If you know of people who are not near a local Clarion Section then please encourage them to start a new Section. A Section of just one member is better than no Section at all. For further information please ask them to contact the National Secretary
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Ride with Pride in a National Clarion Jersey
Clarion Short Sleeved (as Illustrated) £42.00
Clarion long sleeved Cycle Jacket £50.00 Clarion Trumpet Badge £5.00
‘Fellowship is Life’ the story of the National Clarion Cycling Club £4.95
Cash with order please to: Peter Roscoe,
6 Horncastle Close,
Bury BL8 1XE
Archive materi wante
What an excellent and memorable weekend we had! We were sharing with everyone what makes the National Clarion such a wonderful club, whilst at the same time, enjoying a mini camping holiday... but wow, was it windy!!!
We'd planned to have a stall at York Rally this year, to spread the word about the National Clarion and hopefully welcome some new members. Ian and had set off at the crack of dawn on Saturday morning, in a hired Transit van, loaded with Clarion goodies,
www .velovision.com Photo; Peter Eland
camping paraphernalia and our tandem. We were due to meet Steve and Lindsay Clarke for a toasted teacake, service-station breakfast and then head off together, in convoy, to York.
After putting up our tents and hoisting our yellow and red Clarion flag, we headed to one of the marquees
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to find our stall, each wearing a matching “Life is good” T-shirt. The stall was looking super by the time we'd finished organising and setting it up. We had an eye catching notice board adorned with Clarion photos old and new. In front of which we had a table, fully laden with Denis Pye’s ‘Fellowship Is Life’ book, a selection of news letters, window stickers, badges and post cards etc. lan and Steve had also put their heads together to produce a flyer, containing at-aglance information about the unique features of our club, to be handed out to passers by.
Armed with our biggest smiles and our passion for the Clarion, we each set about handing out our flyers and meeting and chatting with some super cycling folk. It was a real pleasure to have Tony Bowles with us too, resplendent in his Bolton Clarion colours, helping to share with York Rally goers, all the good news about the National Clarion.
At a point a little way down from where we were stationed, resided the stall of National Clarion 1895. The presence of two clubs with the same name provoked much interest, however those who questioned this second Clarion, were soon in agreement that our stall represented the original and true National Clarion!
Not only did we have a super time sharing with onlookers our joy in being part of such a fantastic club, but we also had the pleasure of welcoming 7 new members. So a warm welcome again to: Tim Chadderton of Lincoln, A. McKenzie of Liverpool, David Plant of Warrington, Robert Beattie of Newcastle, Stuart Warburton of Coalville, Sam Huby of Boston Spa and Mark Hudson of Sheffield. We
hope you are already gaining much pleasure from being a member of the National Clarion, either taking part in events organised by sections or simply enjoying riding out with other Clarion friends. Do keep taking a look at our website to access the latest news or just give us a call if ever there’s anything you need to ask,
And how about this for good fellowship?... Andy and Angela Horner were there throughout the York weekend, popping over to see us at the stall, supplying us with much needed cups of tea during busier times. This wonderful pair also saved us from the difficult task of preparing a meal, under ‘canvas’, in gale force conditions. They invited us over to their caravan to replenish our waning energy stores with a meal fit for kings! By the time Tony came to join us, there were 7 happy people in that van, chatting and laughing about all manner of stuff. When Lindsay and I started to nod, it was clear that we should be getting ourselves back to camp and so off we went with our full tummies to dive into our sleeping bags.
Sunday morning arrived and after a comfortable slumber (thanks to air beds), we emerged from our tents for breakfast. We formed a wind break around our crumpets and marmite and planned a spin on the bikes before the marquees opened for business. The wind was mighty strong but it was a rain free, sunny morning and we were so glad to be squeezing in a ride. It just wouldn't have felt right, being at the York Rally without turning the pedals.
After cycling for an hour in the wind, which was either a brick wall in front or a screaming train behind, we headed back to the campsite to prepare for the last day. While Ian and Steve went off to the marquee to set up, Lindsay and I grabbed our wash bags and headed for the showers to freshen up. After some time searching, we discovered that the washing facilities were a number of washing up bowls on tressel tables, with a cold water tap at our disposal just outside. Not
what we were expecting, but nevertheless, we arrived back at the Clarion stall sparkling clean and invigorated.
It was to be another successful day. We chatted to all kinds of people, some who knew lots about the Clarion and others who were keen to find out more. It was great to see lots of Clarion members we don’t often see too, such as: Alan Wray, ex National Committee member and Jack Burrows of Brierfield, Lancashire, a member since 1939. We were thoroughly enjoying ourselves and the pile of flyers were depleting fast.
Meanwhile, the wind had been doing its best to dishevel every soul who ventured out, as Lindsay and I were soon to discover. Being very fond of tea, we decided to head off and purchase a well earned cup at a little stall just outside our marquee. The wind seemed to regard as fair game, anyone mad enough to open a purse outside, and just as Lindsay was about to pay for the teas, her £10 was whipped out of her hand and sent fluttering skywards. With a few aerobics and much clutching, we managed to rescue the wayward tenner only then to have the wind blow our tea over us in a fine spray, as we walked back. Oh how we chuckled!
So finally the time came to tidy away our stall and load up the van for home. Amazingly, the marquee had managed to withstand the perpetual tugging at its seams by the wild weather. Other less substantial tents were not so lucky. As we drove through the campsite to leave, we saw an array of abandoned poles and flapping fabrics, poking out of the campsite skips. Fortunately, our own tent had sustained only a minor injury and would live to see another camping adventure... Mildenhall in fact (August Bank holiday weekend). So come along and see us there. We'll be doing the same thing, making sure everyone knows there’s no cycling club quite like ours!
Jayne Clarke
MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS:
Join both a local and national club £6 membership to National Clarion Plus local section's fees
Cycle with clubmates throughout the UK
magazines per year
Annual Easter Meet, Dinner, Prize Presentation, Race Ride
Race Competitions, TTs, road, track, cyclo-x
Season long point competition
only £6/year
Central members can race under the Clarion name
Social events, twice a year
10% discount from Cotswold Outdoors 10% discount from In Motion Products 20+ sections throughout the UK
Established since 1895 Come and ride with us and be welcomed into the Clarion, a true bike club. Ride as hard or as easy as you want,
...we'll be riding with you.
EASTER 2009
Don’t miss it!!
i a 2 OLD MILL HOTEL
Sitting on the edge of the West Pennine Moors, against the backdrop of Holcombe Hill, Ramsbottom is a thriving market town in spectacular surroundings.
The HQ is the Old Mill Hotel, (www.lavendarhotels.co.uk) Ramsbottom. Sauna, steam room, heated Jacuzzi, solarium, heated pool and spa pool. A double room including breakfast is £35.00 per person per night. Single occupancy £60.00. Book by ringing 01706 822291 by 10 January 2009. £30 deposit required. For alternative accommodation (unfortunately not within walking distance of HQ) and leaflets ring Peter Roscoe on 0161 761 6856 Meet Levy £36.00 covering buffet and dinner to Peter Roscoe, 6 Horncastle Close, Bury, by 10 January 2009. proclarion@freeuk.com
Friday 10th April: assemble and meet to celebrate our Clarion Fellowship Saturday 11th April: Kenneth Humphries Trophy Time Trial or Hill Climb, Heritage Walk, graded Bike Rides to be planned.
Annual Conference in the morning and in the evening:
Grand Buffet and Musical Entertainment.
Sunday 12 April: Witches Challenge: Sportive/Reliability, finishing at the Clarion Clubhouse, in witch country. Leisure 'do as you please’ ride to the Clarion Clubhouse and in the evening Annual Dinner and prize presentation.