… those of you with a sense of fun about you will have joined in the greatest cycle event Ivinghoe ever sees – The Tinsel Ride (Saturday 17th December) – but more of that nearer the time.  There’s lots of other great stuff got to happen before then….

We’ve got the Velos Christmas Gathering at the Rose & Crown on Friday 16th December. £15 per person – other halves, partners, spouses welcome too.  Money & dietary requirements to Sally Beezer or Elke & John Hegarty please.

The Church Lane (Pitstone) Christmas Lights Switch On is Saturday 10th December – we are expecting great things from the Velos representatives!  And I believe it’s the 20th anniversary this year …..

The youngest members of the Velos will reach “double digits”, each rather than combined, so the Tea & Cake will be on them at some point in the next couple of weeks…..

And you thought I was going to say ….. “it will all be over…”

There’s 35 days left to the end of the year.  That means there’s 6 more chances left in 2016 to enjoy the Tea Ride at the Rose & Crown at 10am on a Saturday.  (Don’t worry…. I’ll still be here in 2017 )

QUICK!!!!  In true Black Friday spirit – grab it before it runs out!!!

So…. in his new live show, MrMcIntyre tells us all about the week in Austria he was “forced” to endure at his wife’s insistence…. lose a stone in a week…. eat lentils and juice…. and look miserable….

The best words he says…? Eat cake and be happy.  So once again, the Tea Ride gets it right.

Tea/coffee … and endorphin raising cake.  Inane banter and information free of charge.

Bring some pennies …. Leaving the Rose & Crown at 10am. Back for lunchtime.

Wrap up warm and bring the the bike you are most proud of.  Or the one that you have.  We don’t judge and we don’t care.  We just want to see you there with a bit of enthusiasm and we promise to look after you. (Under 16’s must be accompanied by a responsible adult).

I run around town
Around around and round
The pedal to the metal
The pedal to whatever

Shooting round the streaky bends
I hear a conversation in my head
Thinking of a place to be
I sing a little melody instead
I won’t argue with myself
Today my legs are getting some help

Gonna ride my bike until I get home
Gonna ride my bike until I get home

I can understand it
But I can’t really stand em
Girls love cars
Cars cause harm to the planet
Don’t you want to
You take a joyride on my tandem
Hubby on a huffy
Don’t I look so handsome

Bikes suffice
They so nice like priceless
Working on my calves
Triceps and biceps
Bypass the gas
Stopped at traffic lights
I get around town
Without a drivers license
Hello, (Hi) you walking?
(No) Farewell, (oh) I’m off then
And I’m whipping through the city
With a 40 and a 50
Party popping on my wheely

Gonna ride my bike until I get home
Gonna ride my bike until I get home

It’s called “The Bike Song”…. and you can hear it here – if you’re that interested!!

Just some random bike things to warm you up for the Saturday Tea Ride 🙂  We will be leaving the Rose & Crown at 10am, every week, regardless of the weather.  Bring a bike and clothing to suit.  As fast as the slowest rider……

VELOS CHRISTMAS MEAL – FRIDAY 16 DECEMBER – 8PM

The votes are in and the location survey is now closed. Over 75% voted for a hot, fork buffet meal in the Rose & Crown and it is the location availability that has dictated the date.
However, we now need your input on choosing the menu for the night so… another little survey for you….
https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/M28VHWZ

I’ll be 44 on my next birthday… the same age that Francis Bacon was when Guy Fawkes did his homemade chemistry experiment in 1605.  Amongst other things, Frances Bacon is known as the father of modern science methods.  He also had a lot to say about a lot of things….

“Nothing is pleasant that is not spiced with variety.”     Bit like the Tea Ride then…..

“Silence is the virtue of fools.”  Just as well we are a chattery bunch then…

“Write down the thoughts of the moment.  Those that come unsought for are commonly the most valuable.”  The average Tea Ride post then – definitely “of the moment”….

“No body can be healthful without exercise…”  Need I say more?!

“People usually think according to their inclinations, speak according to their learning and ingrained opinions, but generally act according to custom.”  And it’s our custom to be out on 2 or 3 wheels at 10am on a Saturday morning….

So, as per custom, see you at the Rose & Crown by 10am, ready for some pleasant exercise and, in the interests of variety, we shall be venturing out for BACON sandwiches.  (GLUTEN FREE type people, please bring a bread substitute as I can’t guarantee they will have that bit covered!!)

A  quick refer back to last week’s Tea Ride post… Greenwich Meridian….  Saturday night the clocks fall back by an hour (at 2am to be precise)… taking us back to Greenwich Mean Time.

And for those wishing to fall back into line, there will be a “as fast as the slowest rider, not faster than 10mph average, not staying on the Tarmac the whole time” ride plus (at least) a second group of road only riders who may clock up a slightly faster speed.

As always, heading out for tea & cake (and I have new venue in mind!) from the Rose & Crown, Ivinghoe at 10am.

Christmas is a-coming

We are rapidly approaching Christmas and so we need to organise ourselves in terms of the annual Velos get-together. There was talk last year of us moving the event from the Haldi to the Rose and Crown but no firm decision has been made, so we need some feedback. Can you please take a couple of minute to fill in our survey here with your preference. We will go with the most popular choice.

Other Important Stuff

In 1884, on 22nd October to be precise, the basis of geographical and navigational longitude was adopted as the meridian passing through Greenwich, London.  The meridian was actually established by George Airy in 1851 but, by 1884, two thirds of all shipping transport was using it as a reference point so the International Meridian Conference voted that it should become the officially recognised Prime Meridian.  Now, because of a whole bunch or re-triangulations over the years, your modern fandangled GPS thingies will actually show a discrepancy of about 103 metres between where the line of steel is on the ground and where the electronic doodah believes it to be.

103 metres may not sound like a lot. But, if you’re intent on joining the far more important display of steel (aluminium and carbon bikes also accepted) tomorrow morning, it’s about the difference between being outside the Rose & Crown, Ivinghoe and being at the junction by St Mary’s Church. i.e. the wrong place.

So, let’s all be in the right place, at the right time, please.  Ready to depart at 10am, Saturday 22 October, outside the Rose & Crown, Ivinghoe.

There will be an “any-body, any-bike, as-fast-as-the-slowest-rider” group, doing an approximate average of around 9.4mph.  Those wishing to go further or faster and head to the same place are welcome to come along and form additional groups.

So those new to the Tea Ride posts may have established that the weekly email is either full of useless information or succinctly advises what time & where the Tea Ride is on a Saturday.  Either way, the Tea Ride is a learning experience.  If you don’t learn something new from the post, you’ll learn something on the day – be it you need some help with or a recommendation for something or you get to know your fellow cyclists a little better.

This week, it’a another public information service email.  This one is dear to me so I’m taking advantage & sending lots of love to a precious friend & her Dragonflies.  October 15th is Pregnancy & Infant Loss Remembrance Day.  So wear it pink or blue…

And – especially as we will be stopping for tea and cake – it’s GHD. (Not the straighteners!)
Global Handwashing Day. A campaign to motivate and mobilise people into changing their dirty habits. (No nun wisecracks thank you)

So not only will we motivate & mobilise the soap and water on hands situation, the Tea Ride will motivate & mobilise the rest of you – out of the chair and onto the saddle!  It’s only a few miles with lots of chatter and laughs, tea, cake – and you get to sit down the WHOLE time!!

Ready to leave the Rose & Crown at 10am please 🙂

.. in Hawaii.
And Colombus Day for much of the rest of the Americas.
For Ivinghoe and its environs, it’s Tea Ride Day. Much like any other Saturday in the year.

So, dig out your steed – whatever it may be – and come and join us on our Voyage of Discovery as we potter around the lanes and villages in search of refreshments. It’s a journey that never fails.

We are planning on a hybrid/mountain bike/”back of the shed special” paced ride plus a separate group of roadies if they want to go faster.  As ever, we will be as fast as the slowest rider out.  And tomorrow they may be 9 years old, 109* years old pr somewhere in between.

Leaving the Rose & Crown, Ivinghoe at 10am.

* Older riders are very welcome too – whilst under 16’s must be accompanied by a parent/guardian, we don’t insist on this for those over 99…..

The Terrible Tangerine Tricycle trundles through the town.
The Tea-ride takes the tricky trail towards the teacake temple
Though the tricycle trips towards them, threateningly, they trek towards tempting, toasted teacakes.
Tyres turning, taking the tangible tangerine tricycle too, the twittering throng travel towards the thicket.
Taking to the track, they travel towards the tearoom to try the tasty titbits.
Tea. Tomorrow. Ten.

Continuing the testing of our new and, we think improved, format, we will have two groups – one that may or may not venture off the main tarmac but not that adventurously – just a change of scene! And a road group, heading to the same venue.

So, in case you didn’t know… as fast as the slowest riders…. leaving the Rose& Crown at 10am on Saturdays.  Any bike, any rider (under 16’s must be accompanied by a parent/guardian).

C U 4 T