Ivinghoe Velos Rides For Sunday 13th October 2024

At this time of year we like to help you plan your Christmas list, so we are considering opening a kit order so you can get your hands on some of our lovely blue clothing. We need to make a minimum order quantity so have a poll on facebook so people can commit to placing an order. If we reach the minimum order quantity we will communicate ordering details. The kit has been specialy designed to feature the contour of the iconic Ivinghoe Beacon. It’s always good when we have a large contingent of riders in “team kit” and we regularly recieve compliments on the design of the kit.

Three rides for your enjoyment this Sunday, all starting from ivinghoe church, they should all finish around the same time back in Ivinghoe. that’s the way we roll.

10am 33 miles https://ridewithgps.com/routes/48712966

10am 30 miles https://ridewithgps.com/routes/48713000

10.30am 24 miles https://ridewithgps.com/routes/48714158

The different rides do not denote ride pace, they are just different lengths. Last Sundays longer route averaged 14.8mph. If rider numbers are low it’s possible that we would prefer to go out as just one 10am group so we can keep the group ride feel.

Save the date: On Sunday 15th December we will host our Chrismas fun ride. At 26.90 miles it should be doable for everyone. We will also be having our annual non-lycra Friday night Christmas get together during December.

Gather together for our usual Sunday ride for this 27 mile route provided for ALL riders on this Sunday. Tinsel and red outfits will be preferred for this ride. There will be an optional Christmas themed treasure hunt on this ride to go along with the route, which will be completed by teams of up to 4 riders, radomly selected NOT based on rider pace! https://ridewithgps.com/routes/48170794
Post ride social lubrication at the Rose and Crown, you might even get some cranberry sauce for your cheesy chips.

The Treasure hunt:
Maximus Minium, a new rider with the Ivinghoe Velos, is really looking forward to Christmas. He has bought his granddaughter, Ally, her first bike. Maximus imagines that in years to come he will be able to see Ally’s pro race results with pride, knowing he started the ball rolling. Maximus has locked the Christmas bike up at home and written the code down along with his favourite piece of cycling advice to pass onto Ally.

Being security conscious Maximus has also written down a whole list of dummy codes to throw thiefs off the trail, these codes and associated advice won’t open the lock, keeping the bike safe.

Sounds perfect right? Disaster has struck as “local legend hunters” Richard Bembridge and Grant Mordey have stolen the sheet with all the codes on! They have come up with a cunning route with all the clues to discount each wrong combination, the route keeps riders off the strava segment these guys want to hold as local legend at Christmas!

Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to ride the classic Ivinghoe Velos route looking for clues to help Maximus get the right code to unlock the Christmas bike. Each clue will give you a four digit number which can be discounted from the list leaving only the correct code, enabling Maximus to unlock the bike and save Christmas!!!

Once you know the code just report the piece of advice attached to it to Ivinghoe Velos Towers and save Christmas!

Ivinghoe Velos Rides For Sunday 6th October 2024

This week we have three options, two 10am rides and a 10.30am ride. We have reduced the longer Sunday ride to 10am due to the usual drop in number of riders at this time of year, this will enable riders to have others to ride with and the group may choose to pick one of the routes and all ride together or split on route. Also as we enter the winter months being out for longer becomes more dificult. We leave no one behind, so we will moderate the pace to be inclusive of all riders.

Rides start at the bus shelter by Ivinghoe church.

Both 10am rides head the same way, with the longer route having a slightly extended loop in the middle, this means groups can ride together to the split and even decide on the lesser distance if the weather takes a turn for the worst.

We also have the usual shorter 10.30 ride which is a vehicle to get to the pub for opening time!!!

10am slighly longer option https://ridewithgps.com/routes/48650277

10am medium option https://ridewithgps.com/routes/48650447

10.30am short option https://ridewithgps.com/routes/34206878

Watch out on the facebook rear hub for details of a pre-Christmas kit order opportunity!

Ivinghoe Velos Rides For Sunday 29th September

29th September is not groundhog day, but it may seem like it this Sunday as we have repeated the little used routes from last week! Made famous by Bill Murray’s film, groundhog day is said to be when events happen over and over again, The real groundhog day is 2nd February and started in Pennsylvania when it’s said that the hog comes out of hibernation, if he sees his shadow, the sun is out and he slopes back for six more weeks sleep because it’s a sign that winter in not over (strange these Americans)

There are some things that 29th September is known for, it’s a Quarter day, meaning it’s one of the 4 days marking the start of a quarter of the year, in this case, Michaelmas day (25th March Lady day, 24th June Midsummer day, 25th December, Christmas day). It’s also world heart day, a global event to raise awareness of cardiovascular disease and how to keep a healthy heart. A good way to strengthen your heart is at least 30 minutes of excercise 5 times a week, so Sunday could be a good start!

The usual three route options, all starting from Ivinghoe church and finishing around the same spot.

9am https://ridewithgps.com/routes/48514279

10am https://ridewithgps.com/routes/46550982

10.30am https://ridewithgps.com/routes/39469919

We are going to open our Bi-Yearly kit order if we have enough people wanting to order some.In order for us to fulfil an order we need to have a minimum of ten pieces of kit in the order. We will put out a post for this on the Rear Hub to see what the uptake is likely to be. Please only indicate you would like some if you are definitely going to order some.Last time the poll indicated 14 items were going to be order but when we came to place the order there were only 7 items.   Details of how to order will be sent out in a separate post if we have the sufficient volume

For a bit of added ride motivation, if you are heading out as an individual or small group over the coming weeks we have a little mystery challenge you could have a go at….

Ivinghoe Velos Cheesy Chips Mystery

For this magical mystery tour you can make your own route up, ride on road or off-road and start from Pitstone, Berkhamsted, Chesham or Tring.

Following complaints regarding enhanced cycling performance within the Ivinghoe Velos the UCI have banned post ride carb snack cheesy chips for all cyclist. To enforce this ban all copies of the recipe have been destroyed, or so the UCI thinks!

One remaining copy of this magical recipe is apparently hidden on a usual Ivinghoe Velos route. The task to find the recipe will be a tough one. We have enlisted the services of some of the world’s top cycling detectives, Hercule Pinot, Felt Maulder, Dawes Scully and   Bikelock Holmes, .

Sadly none of the detectives have managed to locate the recipe! We need some local knowledge for this one…. It’s time to get on your bike and use the clues provided along with your best detective abilities, come up with the location of the hidden recipe. Can you bring cheesy chips back on the menu and enhance our performance for ever more?

The recipe is hidden in a secret location. Using clues you will be able to identify the location on the “what three words” app or website. 

The clues will provide letters to fill in and the numbers of the clues correspond to the position of the letters in the puzzle- it’s a bit like hangman! You never know the cheesy recipe might be closer than you think!

To make life more tricky the clues list destinations but how you get there is down to your own planning skills- road routes, off-road, hilly or flatter, the choice is yours! Start at any clue you like, as long as you find all the letters you should be able to input your words into “what three words and find the location we are after!

The puzzle and clues should fit into two sides of one piece of paper, don’t forget your pencil to mark your letters onto the puzzle.

Good luck!!!

Letter position is dictated by the clue number……The recipe is located at

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ / _ _ _ _ / _ _ _ _ _ _ _

1   8   10 10 12 12  11  9       3   2   8    6      4   2   1    5   8   7   9

The clues! 

1) From Pitstone roundabout turn up vicarage road  and opposite the park seek out the big roller. Read about Castle cement works. In line 7 of the paragraph below the heading the second letter appears three times in total in the information provided (all in the same word). This is the first letter you need, write it in the first space!

Pitstone museum opens periodically through the year and celebrates lots of local history including the castle cement works which dominated life in Pitstone

2)Time to appreciate the old church in Pitstone, ride up and leave your bike by the gate, after peering in the door, turn round and pay your respect to Mrs Runham, wife of Jno H Hawkins.. What is the first letter of her first name?

Pitstone church dates back to 1250, while it was declared redundant in 1973 it is still a well loved local landmark.

3) Head to Tring station, The railway line through Tring was built in 1838 because the station was so far from the town a dual purpose building was built just outside the station, one use was a post office to sort mail from the trains, what was the other use for the building )first letter needed)

Robert Stevenson planned to run the railway much closer to Tring but local land owners objected, meaning modern Tring commuters have to suffer from a very remote station.

4) From Tring station we head into Berkhamsted and need to find the castle. Looking at the sign at the entrance, what is the first letter of the name of Robert of Mortain’s half brother? 

berkhamsted castle was originally a timber framed motte and bailey Norman castle, important in controlling the northern approach to London. It has a rich history of occupation by key historical figures such as Thomas Becket and the black prince.

5) Now circle round through Waitrose car park and look for the dark sign by the bench which tells us about the grand union canal. From the sign what type of Chilterns stream is the Bulbourne? (first letter)

Waitrose has been in Berkhamsted since 1969, originally four small shop units, it was  rebuilt into a 7,000 square foot supermarket on the highstreet, it remained in this location, providing beer money for a certain A level student, until moving to the current location 31,000 square foot location  in December 1996

6) By the torch beacon on Ley Hill Green (near the pubs) there is a big seat with a sign close by. Have a look at the sign to find out more about the local area.In a boxed off paragraph talking about a form of transport from the Swan pub what is the last letter of the paragraph?

Beacons were used across the country to warn local people of approaching enemies. In more recent times the fire beacons have been used in commemoration ceremonies like the anniversary of D day in June 2024 and Queen’s jubilee in 2022.

7) Near the bottom of white hill in Chesham there is a green with a gravestone in the middle, easy to miss if you are flying down the hill! Find out who was executed close by, he was tied to a stake with a fire lit underneath him because of his beliefs. To solve this puzzle look for the first letter of the single word on row four on the stone

Chesham was known for it’s three Bs, Baptists, boots and brushes, this may have been useful for a different clue!!! 

8) In Chesham park, the place with the big pond take to the cycle path, it’s part of the national cycle network, which was 12,739 miles of signposted recommended cycle routes, look for the national cycle network mile marker, Two destinations share the same first letter, what is this letter?

Chesham was named in the Saxon period Caesteles-hamm which means “the water meadow by the stone heap”. It’s still as glamorous as this in modern times.

9) While in the Park have a look at the information board close to the park road exit, what is the first letter of the name given to the cute “historic” cottages in Church Street? 

The lowndes family owned the land as part of their estate, after if was requisitioned by the arm for the second world war if was gifted to the council, the top part of the land is now used for a school, while the lower grounds are a well used public par

Now we are heading for Tring, you might want to rest and refuel from all this detective work at Chiltern Velo cafe in Hawridge,there are no clues here but they do great coffee and know a thing or two about cycling nutrition.

10) You may have chosen to blast down Hastoe Lane into the back of Tring (close to the dead animal museum), as you reach the T junction there are some timber framed houses named after a lady, What is the first letter of her name?

Among the grandest Almshouses in the country, it’s believed they were named after Walter Rothschild’s mother; she had these houses built for estate workers and Tring locals. 

11) now to Tring memorial garden near to the Robin Hood pub roundabout. As you enter the garden you will see a big sign board all about the Royal British legion. A lady featured on the right has the same letter three times in her name, what is that letter?

The memorial gardens were created in 1950 to commemorate those who had fallen in the second world war, with fish pond, trees and beautifully planned beds it’s a perfect place for contemplation.

12) in Wilstone we are going to pay respects to those who gave their lives in the first world war. Once again you are looking for a letter that appears three times, this time it’s in Earnest’s surname.

In 1751 Wilstone was the scene of a horrific witch ducking. A crowd of 4,000 carried a couple to their certain death at the pond and a proprietor named Colley collected money from the crowd for the “enjoyment” the ducking had provided.

So thank you, you have completed the quest, have you found the location from the three words you have found? Hopefully the answer is yes and we can retire to the Rose And Crown for a drink and that banned post ride snack!

Ivinghoe Velos Rides For Sunday 22nd September.

Having delayed the posting waiting for the weather forecast to improve, I’d afraid this week will be designated a “he who dares rides” weekend.

In Zurich starting this weekend the road cycling world championships begin. The only thing I can guarentee is our Sunday rides won’t be as wet as Yorkshire 2019 when Mads Pedersen was the only rider who stayed warm enough to sprint at the finish. I remember as a spectator getting about by bike I nearly perfected cycling while holding an umbella, not that it did much good as the water was coming from every direction.

This weekend sees the elite time trials and next weekend is the road races, don’t panic the events are afternoon based, so you can get out on our rides and then enjoy some sofa time watching the Pro’s pretending to be in the Ivinghoe Velos.

9am https://ridewithgps.com/routes/48514279

10am https://ridewithgps.com/routes/46550982

10.30am https://ridewithgps.com/routes/39469919

Ivinghoe Velos Rides For Sunday 15th September 2024

This week we have three route options for you, all starting from outside Ivinghoe church, the 9am is a little shorter than usual, it’s the ghost hunt ride, so with a little stopping to answer questions should take the usual 3 to 3.5 hours. This ride doesn’t need to be raced, so anyone wanting to ride the extra few miles at a steady pace is welcome! Details of questions can be found on a previous post and via facebook. If the thought of the X rated ghost outing scares you then the 10am ride offers a family friendly rolling 29 miles and at 10.30 it’s a “suitable for the kids” 21 mile jaunt with gentle climbs.

9am lets go ghost hunting https://ridewithgps.com/routes/48071943

10am “rock and very rolling” https://ridewithgps.com/routes/48397781

10.30am “gentle climbs” https://ridewithgps.com/routes/48397854

Hopefully we can all make it back unscaved and enjoy a spot of refreshment at the local hostelry

Ivinghoe Velos Rides For Sunday 8th September

The flat earth society look upon those who are not members as globalists who have a strange ball theory. Obviously this is conspiratorial nonsense, anyone who studied Pythagoras at school will have built up a deep distrust of the man who suggested the world was round back in the sixth century BC, I mean how could he have seen it back then, they didn’t even have bicycles let alone space rockets?

This Sunday we prove that the world is indeed flat with three routes starting from Ivinghoe church and finishing back in Ivinghoe conveniently close to the Rose And Crown.

The longer route is 15 miles longer than the medium route and the final 15 miles are the same route back into ivinghoe. The biggest gradient we tackle is 3% so the rides should be (relatively) fast!

There is also a SATURDAY ride which starts after the tour of Britain departs Northampton taking riders out to Daventry before returning to see the elite men return for a sprint finish on Derngate. Northampton University 11am: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/48157880

SUNDAY 10.30am Flat 23 miles https://ridewithgps.com/routes/38386076

SUNDAY 10am Flat 40 miles https://ridewithgps.com/routes/44915119

SUNDAY 9am Flat 55 miles https://ridewithgps.com/routes/48314875

Ivinghoe Velos Rides For Sunday 1st September 24

Wow September alredy! Still some decent cycle weather to be had over the coming weeks, so get out on your bike and work on getting some the milage in before it becomes harder to get out during the colder months.

Three routes to choose from this Sunday, at 10.30 riders 19 miles to ride including a climb out of Berkhamsted through Ashridge, at 10am riders will tackle 32 miles around Leighton Buzzard, thanks to Dave B for providing everyone with a planned route week in week out. At 9am, being the first Sunday of the month riders will have an option to stop for coffee, this time at Spokes CC in Codicote, the route is 46 miles and includes a rare assent of Bison Hill.

Rides all start from Ivinghoe church and finish around and about the same spot, with the chance to refuel at the Rose & Crown Ivinghoe after the rides

10.30am https://ridewithgps.com/routes/44869915

10am https://ridewithgps.com/routes/46464384

9am https://ridewithgps.com/routes/48222066

Ghost Busting

Ivinghoe Velos Ghost Hunt

Ivinghoe velos ghost mystery (something to do on a solo ride or with a small group)

Ride anytime before 31st October when the answer will be revealed. Previously posted on facebook but these things can get easily lost, so repeated here. Road tested by Trevor “ghost busting” Lark who was able to follow the clubs and solve the mystery. Can you solve the mystery too? The route is 39 miles out to Hogshaw, be careful to watch out for traffic while stopping at clues, enjoy the ride!

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/48071943

THE GAME

The local cycle club is having a big problem. Anytime a rider goes out after dark they suffer punctures and unexpected mechanical problems like chain drops and brake pads moving out of alignment. After careful consideration the group have come to realise that they are being haunted by a ghost who dislikes cyclists. The only way to put an end to the evening misery is to find out which local ghost is responsible and exorcise the cycle hating demon.

The club have been lucky enough to have a set of clues to work from which will give the years of death for all the local ghosts. All the group need to do is use the years of death from the clues to eliminate each ghost from their enquiries leaving only the one troublesome entity to deal with.

Your mission is to cycle around a well known local cycle route picking up the years you need to eliminate each ghost. You can discount each ghost by matching the years found on your travels to the year of their death listed below, this will leave just one local spook and then we can call on the services of Joseph Antinio Campagnolo Fortea, who is renowned for being an exorcist particularly favourable to the cycling fraternity.

To help get your started the first clue corresponds to the first answer in the ghosts section. After this the ghosts are mixed up to hide the identity of the troublesome spectre. You will need to be sure you’ve got the right year so you can cross off each ghost from the list.

There are 16 ghost suspects in your list, can you cross off 15 to leave the one true troublesome phantom?

A route will be provided….. or you can follow the clues and make up your own route!

Be careful out there, powerful forces are at play, remember road safety and spirit safety are needed in equal measures, stay safe and pull off the roads carefully when looking for clues.

Think you are up to the challenge? You have until Halloween before the evenings are darker and the ghost problem multiplies, save the velos, find the culprit and rid us of our mechanical misdoings.

THE CLUES

Start at Ivinghoe church and look for an information board about the history of ivinghoe. Your first clue is: what year did the brewery close (cross off the ghost who died this year, they are not your culprit)

Now ride down to Pitstone and just before the roundabout find the information board, have a look to see if you can find what year is the earliest etching on Pitstone Windmill, you can cross the ghost off who died in this year, they won’t bother you.

Take a ride over to Cheddington and find the church behind the playground, have a look for a stone that Mrs Clark helped lay, what’s this year (cross off the corresponding ghost)

Onwards to Mentmore now where a stag is waiting to give you your next year

After mentmore it’s up to Wing. Slightly off the usual route seek out the road to the church, just before arriving at the church gate seek out a blue pump, find the year listed

Now ride up to Cubblinton for an information board which includes some interesting stuff about London’s third airport plans in 1968, We need to go much further back, so find the date Cubblington was mentioned in the Doomsday book, while on the green look at the village sign and your next clue is the year at the bottom of the sign.

Your next clue is a few miles away in Oving. Find the shelter which houses some books and use the year after the word “house” to discount your next ghost

North Marston & off the usual route, turn right and then slight right again. Well well well, find the earliest year listed on the info board

From North Marston we head on our adventure to the Alms Houses in Quainton, they are up by the church. What year were they erected?

Aston Abbotts is our next destination and you are looking for an information board on a green. What date were the earthworks abandoned by Norsemen?

Two clues for you in Wingrave! As you ride past the black and white timer frames houses before reaching the village shop make a mental note of the year they were built, shown on the middle tiles.

Stop at the information board on the green before the pub, cross off that ghost and also have a look for the year Edvard had to resign, this ghost is not of interest and can be crossed off too.

Down now, towards long Marston, before entering the village, stop at the church, enter the grounds and walk left to the witch’s grave. Study the information board and use the year a note was given to the town crier to eliminate another ghost from your enquiries.

Nearly there! Head through Gubblecote and left, the back way to Marsworth, stop at the back gates of the airfield, to note the year the US arrived in Long Marston.

We now head back to the start for one more clue, look for the brass outside the church in Ivinghoe and the date, 9th August, this is the year of the final ghost you can discount.

Well done you have finished the ghost hunt. Maybe it’s time to retire to the Rose and Crown so you can relax and call Joseph Antinio Campagnolo Fortea with the name of the ghost the Ivinghoe Velos have been having trouble with? Be wary though the Rose and Crown has been a pub since 1699, so I’m sure it has a few stories to tell and a few troubled spirits of its own!!!

THE GHOSTS

1927 Jason Hoy was a bricklayer working on the exciting relocation of the Thomas Corum foundling hospital at Ashlyns in Berkhamsted, Jason would cycle from his home in Long Marston to work each day, during a busy day a pile of bricks fell on Jason breaking both his arms, despite cycling home like any pro rider would, that evening his wounds became infected and sadly being a couple of years before antibiotics were used to treat infections he didn’t make it. His ghost can be spotted riding no handed along the Cheddington expressway on dark nights.

1290- Edward 1st passed a law preventing land to be given over to the church, this created animosity between some church going folk and local royalists, in a fight to the death Geraint Wiggins lost his life and still roams the nearby church grounds arguing with passers by they they can’t take this land back.

1901- Rural living conditions were poor at the turn of the 20th century and poor Primoz Vingegaard was living in a hut in Oving, sadly the industrial revolution and victoria building standards hadn’t made it as far as Oving and Primoz was killed by a falling roof during a storm, his ghost is often seen on the lane in Oving on stormy nights, frantically looking up avoiding falling debris.

1902 despite them falling out of favour 20 years earlier Johnas VanArt (who loved a bargain) purchased a second hand Penny farthing bicycle, he loved the freedom it provided and he got quicker and quicker round the local lanes. Until one fateful day when he took on Toms Hill down into Aldbury. Witnesses say he might have got away with it if he hadn’t hit the ancient stocks, parting company with his bike and drowning in the pond. Be careful when riding through Aldbury, there is something after your bicycle.

1903 Lotte Vollering from North Marston was desperate to get rid of her husband, her affair with a younger more attractive man was in full swing but she knew only murder would free her from her old man. Having persuaded her lover to help do the deed they were soon caught, sentenced and hung, one of the last hangings in England. As you enter the village from the south you might just sense their conspiratorial mutterings.

1847 local lass Anna Pendleton worked at the Ivinghoe brewery, she had no teeth due to poor dental hygiene at the time, this didn’t seem to hinder her second career as a lady of the night, sadly after downing too much gin which had been provided by her grateful clients she fell headfirst down a cellar during a delivery, breaking her neck, her ghost has been spotted by the cellar door looking at people ”in a funny way”.

1938 Mercky the dog was most troublesome when visitors arrived in the village of Cubblingon, he chased horses, harassed bike riders and scared children. It was quite a relief when Mercky was ran over by his owner’s tractor. If you hear growling and panting by the cricket pitch that might just be Mercky’s ghost.

1799 Building canals was a hazardous business and Miguel Hinault was one of the last victims. A very lazy worker who enjoyed a slow pace of life and a few beers, Miguel was catching a nap in the bed of the canal as they filled it for the grand opening at Marsworth. while you are speeding over the canal bridge on your bike at Marsworth if you hear someone splutter “slow down” it could well be Miguel’s angry ghost.

1687 Crow Sheryl was never a good judge of character, shacking up with a Roman Catholic in 1687 was not a good idea, a swift life ending trip to the noose soon followed. What’s that hanging from the tree by the church?

1863 Tom Frome was very proud to have been part of the workforce building the world first underground railway, from Paddington to Farringdon Street the line opened in January to a huge fanfare, sadly for Tom he was run over by a stagecoach which was taking passengers away from the station. Buried in his home town Quainton his ghost is often seen dashing in front of vehicles on the high street, Tom has clearly not learnt his lesson.

1942 when American Sean Kuss arrived in Long Marston to help the war effort he was a big hit with the ladies. However, having chosen to have an affair with a married woman, his days were numbered. When hubby returned on leave and found out about the affair he cycled round to confront the American with a big knife. Soon Sean’s “John Thomas” became a “John Doe” and he bled to death on the spot. His ghost is said to be looking to take revenge on passing cyclists.

1086 While William was summoning all the most powerful men in the county to the iron age hill fort at Old Sarum. In another Hill fort in Cholesbury Remco Segan was drowning his sorrows for not receiving an invite, with a large helping of Mead inside him rendering him paralytic, he didn’t even hear  the wolves coming. If you hear a rustling sound on shire lane, that will be Remco.

1952 Kasia Kenny was a keen campaigner for road safety, news was filtering through that an act of parliament coming soon would require volunteers to patrol school walking routes holding large lollypop sticks. Kasia decided to start the ball rolling early in Cubblingon, but tragically in an age before hi-viz lycra a car travelling up from from Wing didn’t see Kasia standing in the middle of the road. Kasia’s pole waving ghost has been spotted menacing cyclist on the local Strava segment.

1627 Lizzy Poley from Cheddington died of a broken heart after her husband died of smallpox, her only son was conscripted by the Duke of Buckingham into the 7,000 strong brigade heading for La Rochelle. While modern day visitors enjoy three weeks of mountains and sprint finishes in France, back then Lizzy was sure she would never see her boy again. If you are near the old church with the wind in the right direction you might just catch Lizzy’s whispers.

1488 One of Jasper Tudor’s soldiers gave his life fighting to secure Cardiff castle, the unknown soldier actually heralded from the hamlet of Aston Abbots joining the duke of Bedford’s army at a young age. Some say on still, quiet evenings they hear marching boots by the church, which seem particularly ominous if you are Welsh.

1876 Nurse Laura Archibald worked at the Chesham cottage hospital. Laura, from Wiggington, was indeed a brave soul as the purpose of the hospital was an isolation establishment for infectious diseases. Laura caught typhoid at work, early symptoms were mild but while on a walk to try to raise her spirits Laura’s conditions worsened dramatically and her ghost is often felt sneezing on passers by as they descend Hemp Lane.

1751 Highway man Lance Livstrong got away with crimes for years by telling people he just didn’t do it. He eventually got caught in 1751 when confessing to local witch Opera Windy, he was hung at the scene of his last crime and now haunts road users as they pass by at night

https://docs.google.com/document/d/16Vk94pRXCTdbbqCFBQ9Xb9Lp51jCEQVRWBk4VPe9WuA/edit?usp=sharing

Ivinghoe Velos Rides For Sunday 25th August 2024

Three rides this Sunday, all departing from outside Ivinghoe church at various times in the morning, getting everyone back to Ivinghoe for lunchtime.

1030am https://ridewithgps.com/routes/48110111

10am https://ridewithgps.com/routes/48110043

9am https://ridewithgps.com/routes/48113944

While the later rides head East to tackle Dunstable Downs the 9am ride goes West hoping to take advantage of the forecasted strengthening Westerly wind for an assisted return. Distances this week are 23, 35 and 50 miles and all rides have a similar mid range climb ratio, so something for everyone!

Roll on Sunday!

Ivinghoe Velos Rides For Sunday 18th August 2024

Three routes to choose from this Sunday. With a bit of careful planning the 9am route should merge with the 10am route at Whitchurch/Oving (29 miles on the 9am route, 14 miles on the 10am route) The final 20 miles will then be the same for both rides, so I’d suggest any biscuit stops should take place somewhere after the joining point to increase the chances of seeing the other Velos group on the road! The 10.30 route joins the party at Wingrave but this is a relatively shorter route so unless riding super slow should arrive back first…….. to get the beers in at the pub. All rides start from Ivinghoe church.

Thanks as always to Dave B for providing the medium and short routes, if anyone would like to step in as a guest route planner please let us know!

Great turn out last week, loving this summer weather!

10.30am 23 miles, mostly flat with a little climb up to Wingrave https://ridewithgps.com/routes/48014071

10am 35 miles with the Weedon climb late on to test the legs https://ridewithgps.com/routes/48013989

9am 50 miles rolling, not steep, Oving and Weedon to climb https://ridewithgps.com/routes/48014658