Velos Ride

Given the lovely weather, this week’s route takes us to Winslow covering around 35 miles. Pete Thompson has kindly agreed to lead the ride. We meet as usual from 9:45am at the Rose & Crown, Ivinghoe.

The Velos Sunday ride to Winslow.

“Ride to the Horns” – The Slapton Wheeler

Some of our group have entered one of the three Slapton Wheeler sportive rides this Sunday. If you have signed up and would like to ride over to the start with you fellow Vinghoe Velo, there are the times we suggest to depart from the R&C –

101 mile route : 7:30am
54 mile route : 8:30am
26mile route : 9:30am

If you haven’t yet signed up for the Wheeler, they will accept entries on the day so why not take advantage of the super weather and push yourself a bit further than normal.

Rod Mordey

As many of you will know Rod Mordey, along with some of his work pals, are heading off on an enormous challenge this weekend. They are riding from Aberdeen to Southampton over 7 days – that’s 750 miles ! It’s all to raise money for some fantastic causes –

• Whizz Kids try to give disabled children the chance of a more independent life through the provision of mobility equipment, training and advice.
• Marie Curie Cancer Care provide nursing care to people with terminal cancer and other illnesses.
• The Elifar (Every Life Is For A Reason) Foundation help improve the quality of life of disabled children and adults by providing grants for specialised equipment and respite.

You can follow their progress on their blog http://rockspringcharitycycle.wordpress.com/ or on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/RockspringCharityCycle?ref=hl .

If you would like to sponsor them, this is the link to their Virgin Money Giving page http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/rockspringcharitycycle .

We wish Rod and his friend the best of luck with hopefully tail winds the whole way.

Marsfest

In other news, our much loved shirt sponsor and specialists in re-hydration sports drinks, The Rose & Crown, are running the Bar at a great event on the 14th July run by Marsworth Preschool. More details can be found in here – Marsfest

Sunday Ride

This week sees us heading towards Chesham. Meeting at the Rose and Crown from 9:45am with a view to heading off at 10am.

Route to Chesham

Mid-week Rides

Last Tuesday saw our biggest ever mid-week ride. 16 of us did a nice shortish ride to the Carpenters Arms where we met up with the Slapton Wheelers. They were most hospitable and we had a great time swapping cycling related war stories. We originally suggested another meet this time at the Rose and Crown the following Tuesday, but we have realised that the quiz is on so not the best time to double the number of patrons. We are trying to rearrange the next meet-up with them for the following Tuesday (2nd July) – more news next week.

The weather looks to be getting better during the week so we will be meeting again at the Pitstone Village Roundabout at 7pm on Tuesday for another road ride. On Thursday the off-road group will be meeting at the same place from 7:30pm for a muddy adventure. As always, we welcome new riders to all of our rides – please feel free to join us.

Laughter on the Lawn

A last minute reminder that there are tickets still available on the door for Laughter on the Lawn this Saturday (22nd June). Sean Hughes is the headliner for what promises to be a fantastic evening of entertainment.

Sunday Rides

First up is a long training ride organised by Mr Beezer and Mr Mordey … and it’s a toughie. A 70 mile round trip to Benson taking on around 3,700 ft of climbing with a target average speed of 15 mph. We plan to leave from the Rose and Crown at 8am Sunday for this ride so we should be back not long after the usual time (subject to punctures).

The 70 mile training route

The main 10am ride will be led by Mr Bembridge. The pace will be at the slowest rider so no one gets left behind.

10am Mr Bembridge route

The Slapton Wheeler on 30th June

Our friends from the Slapton Wheelers have organised a very local sportive that takes place on the 30th June 2013. There are three routes to chose from – 26 miles, 54 miles and an eye watering 101 miles. A few our our group have already signed up so if you fancy giving it a go, you are likely to have some company. The sign up forms are over on their “Ride the Horns” webpage.

Road Ride This Tuesday Evening

Continuing on our quest to make best use of the light evenings, we will be venturing out on the road again this Tuesday. The meeting point is the Pitstone Village Roundabout at 7pm. We have an invite from the Slapton Wheelers to stop by the Carpenters Arms for post-ride rehydration so we might need to bring lights for the way home.

As per our posting earlier this week, we have two main events this Sunday.

The Usual Velos 10am Ride

We gather from at 9:50am for this one. No lead rider nominated yet so please do bring your maps just in case you get selected ! The route is detailed below.

Velos 33 mile Route

The Tour de Vale 55 mile Sportive

As a number of our group are riding the Tour de Vale, we thought it would be fun for us meet and ride over to the start together. As the main event starts at Stoke Mandeville from 9am, we plan to meet at the Rose & Crown Ivinghoe at 8am. The route below doesn’t include us going there and back – we will make that bit up as we go along. If you haven’t entered online, their website does say they will accept on-the-day entries at £20.

Tour de Vale 2013 route

Midweek rides

Given the great weather we continue this week with our mid-week rides.
A road ride will depart on Tuesday at 7pm from Pitstone Village Roundabout and an off-road ride will start from the same place at 7:30pm on Thursday.

Tuesday Road Ride

On Tuesday evening we are planning a road bike ride for a couple of hours from 7pm. The meeting place will be the Pitstone village roundabout from around 6:50pm onwards.

Thursday Off-Road Ride

As usual, we will be going on an off-road adventure this Thursday evening. We will be starting from the Pitstone village roundabout at 7:30pm. It might be a bit dark out so lights are advisable.

Tour de Vale this Sunday

As a number of us are going to cycle the 55 mile Tour de Vale Sportive this Sunday, and as the weather is looking pretty good, we thought we would ride together to the starting point at Stoke Mandeville. We will be meeting on Sunday at the Rose and Crown at 8am. If you haven’t entered the Tour yet, you can do here or pay on the day. The route takes in much of our normal Sunday rides so there won’t be too many surprises.

If you don’t fancy the Tour this weekend, no fear, we will be putting out a ‘standard’ 10am Sunday ride over the weekend.

P.S. Team Kit

Mr Hetherington has been working hard researching ‘Vinghoe Velos Team Kit’. If you are looking to buy something then watch this space as we will have news on how you can do that shortly – and it is looking like it won’t just be jerseys ! Woo Hoo.

Short and sweet this week (the posting, not the rides!).

The Longer ride

Mr Bembridge (suits all) ride

We are back this week to everyone meeting at 9:50am for a 10am departure from the Rose and Crown. The 9am start was popular last week so there may be more in future weeks.

Best of luck to those members out on the Chiltern 100 this week.

A tale of two rides

It’s the Bank Holiday weekend and we are going big with the rides this week.

Giro d’Aylesbury

Dave ‘The Hill’ Howe has designed a great route circumnavigating Aylesbury that is actually pretty flat. Just as well because it will be around the 55 mile mark, so we plan for this ride to leave earlier than normal. It will depart from the Rose & Crown at 9am. If required, we will split in to groups based on the assembled abilities. Given the distance, please bring enough liquids just in case the sun makes an appearance.

Giro d’Aylesbury route – 55 miles, 9am start

Bembridge Beautiful Bonanza

Our other resident routemaster, Dave Bembridge has put together a great route for the regular ride on Sunday. He will be leading the ‘steady’ paced group that is suitable for all riders. We don’t have a lead yet for the 13mph group so we plan to elect one on the day. This ride will start at the usual time of 10am from the usual place, The Rose & Crown, Ivinghoe.

Bembridge Beautiful Bonanza route – 33 miles, 10am start

Action Davina 100

We would like to congratulate the Vinghoe Velos Ladies who successfully competed the Sussex Davina 100 ride a couple of weeks ago. They did a FAB job of representing the club and the finishing times were pretty flipping brilliant. Well done girls, you did us all proud. Also well done to Mr Hetherington for completing the very tough job of being Ms MaCall’s bodyguard for the event – we aren’t jealous at all, honestly.  

Our route this week has been planned by Dave Bembridge, who has also kindly offered to lead out a ‘steady’ ride again. At this time, we don’t have a volunteer to lead the 13mph group so we will sort that appointment out on the day. As usual we meet at the Rose and Crown, Ivinghoe from 9:45am with a view to starting off at 10am.

The route – 28 miles with one or two slopes on the way

One last thing. We were reminded last week by one of the group that we probably should be clear about our legal standpoint regarding everyones’ personal responsibilities – so here goes.
Those who lead out a group, the route planners, those who send the postings out each week, and those who organise things like our trip to France, in no way make any assurances as to the safety of any rides organised under the ‘Vinghoe Velos’ banner. Each participant is wholly responsible for their own safety, road worthiness of their steed, legal requirements to abide by the highway code and any insurances each individual feels are necessary. 

A tale of two Daves

While I am afraid that this post doesn’t have the eloquence and wordiness of my partners in crime, I can at least entertain you with news of a new main route for our enjoyment this Sunday. Route-mapper extraordinaire Dave “Hardly any hills, honest” Howe has come up with another corker that takes us over to sunny Redbourn. Jose has kindly agreed to lead out the 13 mph group on this ride. For anyone who wants a faster pace, there will be a “bat out of hell” group that follows the same route.

A special word of caution for this route – there is a bit at the end of a dead end road a (around the 13.5 mile mark) where we have to get off the bike to cross a pavement. It is so that we can get across the A5183 safely so don’t be too concerned if your presented with a No Through Road just after riding through Redbourn.

Main Group Route : 28 miles

Another piece of good news this week is that Dave “cycling tutor to the stars” Bembridge has planned a shorter ride for the more sensibly paced amongst us. The length will be 25 miles but there is a sneaky short cut built in for those who just want to do 20. The route isn’t ready for publishing yet, but Dave assures us that it is relatively flat and he will be leading it out. Our normal motto applies – no rider will be left behind so please feel free to join us no matter what your ability.

Sarah has volunteered to lead a steady paced ride again this week.

We haven’t had a volunteer in advance to lead the 13mph group this week, so if you would like to, please step forward in the morning.

Meeting at 9.50am, Rose & Crown, Ivinghoe, for a 10am departure please.

This is where Sarah’s group will be going.

And this is the route for everyone else.