This week we mark remembrance Sunday by looping back to the church to join the congregation for the outside part of the service. We aim to be back at the church by 11am.
Please wear your Ivinghoe Velos kit for this one.
Please park your bike across the road from the church, by the park, to avoid blocking the entrance to the church.
Thanks to Dave B for putting together the routes for this week
Great to see so many faces out on Ivinghoe Velos rides last Sunday, we managed to fill the pub garden, not bad for an October day! We did well with all the rides finishing at a similar time, coming together towards the end of the rides, so this week we will aim to do that again, tqo routes, with the shorter route 7 miles and/or 30 minutes less than the longer route.
10.30am 25 miles Soulbury Searching https://ridewithgps.com/routes/48922490
10am 32 miles Long Vile Newton https://ridewithgps.com/routes/48922441
Next Sunday is remebrance Sunday, so we will plan routes with a stop at the church for 11am
Rides start at Ivinghoe church and we aim to leave no one behind!
Futher down the road, don’t forget next year we have a weekender planned- “The highs and lows of Ludlow”. Make sure you have booked time off to attend this social riding weekend in Shropshire, from 16th to 19th May 2025, 4 days of riding, meals and beers without needing the car after arriving! Short rides on travel days, Friday and Monday and longer options on Saturday and Sunday, maybe check out accomodation for yourself too!
Two routes for Sunday, depending on numbers we may split into different groups depending on expected pace, however last week there were only five riders who all took on the longer option, so if numbers are low we will ride at a pace to support the slowest rider.
Rides start in Ivinghoe, at the bus shelter outside the church and finish conveniently close to the Rose And Crown public house. Please make sure you have a road worthy bike with spare tubes, pumps etc and a good knowledge of the planned route (or better still a bike computer which tells you the way).
10.30am Petite Witt https://ridewithgps.com/routes/48845322
10am Driving you to your Witts End https://ridewithgps.com/routes/48854480
Some riders may have seen a lot of activity in the fields this week as local farmers harvest their corn crops. This has led to a fair bit of mud on the roads, so care is needed in some areas! The corn grown locally is not usually of the sweet variety, it’s primarily used as animal feed. The corn kernels are harvested using a combine harvester which sorts the kernels from the rest of the plants, these kernels are often ground to a powder and stored dry, with other nutrients added to make a great animal feed for over winter. The corn stalks are also havested and can be used a flooring in barns, reducing moisture and providing insulation. The roots of the corn plant can be left in the soil to avoid erosion before the next crop is planted, usually a cover crop to add nutrients to the soil.
Three routes to tempt riders out this Sunday, thanks as always to route master Dave Bembridge for the short and medium routes. I’ve patched in the same final 10 miles on the longer route, making use of the forecasted southerly wind to blow us home!
We have two routes starting at 10am and one at 10.30am. As always please arrive ahead of the planned start time with a good idea of the route and enough repair items to be self sufficent out on the roads. We aim to leave no one behind but wrong turns and detached riders can happen.
10am medium long https://ridewithgps.com/routes/48794047 32 miles 1550 feet of climbing
10am medium https://ridewithgps.com/routes/48789861 29 miles, 1440 feet of climbing
10.30am back to the pub before 12 https://ridewithgps.com/routes/48790330 22 miles 1193 feet of climbing
We have a kit order poll currently open. We have 9 items of promised orders and we need 10 items to justify opening the order. If you ride with us regularly and don’t currently have the “team” kit, now is the time to update your wadrobe.
Treasure hunts!!…… Two live cycle hunts active right now (watch out for the November “Elevation Game” coming soon).
Two weeks left before we draw a line under the ghost ride treasure hunt, we’ve had a number of successful ghost busters so far…. with halloween fast approaching, now is the time to give it a try! Please see previous posts and the facebook event for this mystery to find the clues and route etc.
As of yet, no one has solved the cheesy chip mystery! Here is the clues so you can give it a go!
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. You could even make a note of the clues needed and do the challenge over several rides.
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…..
word 1
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
1 8 10 10 12 12 11 9
word 2
_ _ _ _
3 2 8 6
word 3
_ _ _ _ _ _ _
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 repeated 3 times). 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 please)
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!!!
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!
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!
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!
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!
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
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
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