While the temperatures for our 1st April ride won’t be a patch on the mini heat wave we enjoyed this week, our insiders at the Met Office tell us it should be a dry & bright morning. Having said that, please do look out the window before choosing the appropriate numbers of layers to wear tomorrow because our insider also advises the government on what to do when fuel shortages are projected – and we all know how that went this week.

As always, please assemble at the Rose & Crown Ivinghoe around 9:45am.

Long Route

Short Route

Cycle safe.

We had a lovely 18 mile ride in the hills last Saturday, well done to all who came out. We went a little further than usual, but were rewarded with a beautiful ride and lovely weather- and of course, tea and cake.

This weeks ride will be shorter and less hilly, but with just as much tea and cake as usual. The weather looks dry and calm, so bikes out of the shed and see you at 10 outside the Rose and Crown.

Sally

Oh what a joy to be able to cycle in shorts and proudly wearing the Vinghoe Velos Jersey (I have 3 requests for new ones and will need 2 more if we are to order some!)

Far from avoiding the rain and the puddles the challenge now is to remember how quickly you dehydrate when its nearly 20 degrees outside.

Get the summer super slick tyres on, oil your chains and lets hit the road tomorrow meeting at the Rose and Crown at 0945 tomorrow morning.

Long Ride – Yes I know we did it a month ago!

SLong Ride – Yes the same as the Long just slower 🙂

Shorter Ride – Shorter than the Long ride!

The sun will be shining, perfect cycling weather and a great ride planned. See you all at the Rose and Crown at 10am. New riders always welcome.

Sally

We have three items for you in our mid-week post : off-road ride scheduled for Thursday evening, French adventure planned for September and a update on Andrew and Jose’s charity ride.

Off Road Ride

So first off, we are putting a call out for any off-road riders who would like to join the normal Thursday evening muddy trek around the local villages. We are meeting up on the 22nd (i.e. tomorrow) at the Pitstone Memorial Hall at 7pm sharp. Our in-house navigation specialist Dave “Ain’t no mountain high enough” Howe has planned the route below with some definitely uncharted territories so please join us as we try and avoid getting lost. Lights will mandatory as where we are going, there are no street lights !

Thursday evening off-road route

French Adventure planned for September – all welcome to join

Below is a message from Velos regular Peter.

Jim and I are intending to go on a cycle ride in France! We are proposing to go to either Caen or Cherbourg from Portsmouth with Brittany ferries.  The date that we have in mind is Monday 10^th September. The intention being, to spend four nights in France, doing around fifty miles per day. Brittany ferries have already worked out good circular cycling routes for us, the detail can be found by following this link.

There are also .pdf files describing in detail both the Cherbourg and Caen routes. These routes are designed to avoid busy roads and to follow the numerous Velo tracks, both routes are around the 200 mile mark in total. We will arrange transport to get down to Portsmouth  and nothing has been decided about accommodation, needless to say we are out of the school holiday season so I do not envisage any major problems in this area.

If anybody is interested send an E-Mail to pthompso@btinternet.com

Charity Ride by Andrew & Jose

The sponsorships are picking up for our two intrepid endurance cyclists A & J Hetherington but they still need your support. They are riding all the way to Paris for for a fantastic charity, Action Medical Research, dedicated to to improving the health of babies and children in the UK. Please take the time to read about them on the sponsor page and, if you can, sponsor our two members in support of the tough task they have set themselves.

Andrew’s Sponsorship Page

Jose’s Sponsorship Page

Thanks for listening and see you on the next ride.

As many of you will know Jenny and Simon, having been 2 of our earlier members leave the cosy confines of Ivinghoe and the comfort of HQ, the Rose and Crown.  As Simon recently recounted 2 years ago they didn’t own a bike, yet now between them they have 4 between them in the UK alone (not forgetting 2 at their holiday retreat!).

Simon’s first run out on the fabled sunday ‘short’ ride saw him laid up on the sofa for the afternoon with exhaustion yet the 60 mile Luton Reliability ride a few weeks back was no problem.

For Jenny initially the return to cycling was the Industrial estate at Pitstone regaining her natural  balance but as with Simon she rapidly progressed to her gleaming new road bike to join the Sunday ‘long’ ride on  a regular basis.

So to this weekend we will be cycling (provided no monsoon) to say farewell to great friends, failing that please try and make it to HQ for 1230 tomorrow to have a drink and say farewell properly.

Longer Ride

Shorter Ride

What a lovely week it has been for cycling. Hopefully the warm spell might hang on for tomorrow’s tea ride- but whatever the weather, another exciting ride (and another tea room) awaits those who wish to meet outside the Rose and Crown at 10am.

Sally

Well if we were a public body then I would be forced to put out an inane and grovelling appologing for the lateness of this posting, and the quality of its content. But we’re not.

However I have spent much of this morning on the dog and bone to Angie, the German Chancellor, trying to arrange one of those loans where you only have to pay back a small proportion of what you owe. As a means of reducing my overdraft, and credit card bills I thought it would be a sound strategy to approach the exceptionally generous Germans for a few free euros.  Much to my horror the old bird started to babble on about collateral and credit ratings, ability to repay, and many other criteria that I thought would simply not apply.

I explained that I bank with a spanish bank, and that any bailout to me could simply be considered as an advance on the bail out that the rest of the nation would surely be begging for soon. Then there was more banging on about collateral, and I felt I was not going to get a word in, but eventually she choked on a piece of sausage and I jumped in. I explained that we are a long established cycling club, that our honoury president is Sir Jimmy Saville (RIP), and that our splendid shirt that resides in the Rose and Crown could be offered as security. When she asked “who is zis Jimmy Deville” I slammed the phone down in disgust. 

 It seems to me that we live in strange times when a gipsi gets free handouts and the worlds grafters get nothing. Well take back your wheezing VW beetle that we’ve been burdoned with for over half a century, the velos can do without you.

Here’s this weeks ride, you’ll be glad it bypasses Germany.

Long Route

Non Existant short Route.

The weather is mild with no wind, perfect cycling weather so grab your bike and make your way to the Rose and Crown for another mystery tea ride. See you there!

Get ready for summer and get the wardrobe fitted out with the latest in cycling mankinis and ultra tight tops, whilst treating your bike to a new set of super fast tyres; to help with this the mighty Vinghoe Velos have recently set up ties with the

Both the Road Room and Mountain Mania will offer ‘members’ of the Vinghoe Velos 10% discount on accessories and be delighted to talk about the best price for a new bike simply by you telling them you ride with the Velos.  It is possible that in time a discount card will be coming and news on this will follow if that is the case.  We are also discussing with them the thought of a new jersey with the thought being a long sleeve full length zipped top and everyone’s input on this would be appreciated along with some idea of the level of interest in a new jersey.  It is hoped that the Road Room will help drive out better prices for the new Jersey.

Jerseys

We continue to receive requests for our original Jerseys from old and new members alike and require a minimum number to go ahead.  If we can muster a minimum of 5 orders (with Cheques for £38 per jersey made out to A Hetherington and left in an envelope in the pub along with your name and sizes required) I will progress an order, but will not cash cheques until an order is placed!  Sizing is best done by discussing with and trying on other members Jerseys.

This weekends rides, please see yesterday’s post for details of the tea ride leaving at 10 today from the Rose and Crown.

Sundays rides

Meeting, as usual at 0950 at the Rose and Crown

Long Ride

Shorter Route

In signing off I unashamedly ask for your support in helping Jose and I raise much needed funds for 

by sponsoring us through the link above

In anticipation many many thanks

Andrew