Just as I was about to despatch this, Fuzz rang to say that Bill Stead died this morning in hospital. Bill had looked after himself for years and wasin hospital for only two weeks or so. Thankfully his son Brian from Australia was with him this morning. Another son is in USA. Our sincere condolences go out to Bill's family. Bill was the last surviving of the founder members of our club and although we haven't seen so much of him lately, he always made it to our AGM and always addressed the meeting, promoting fresh thinking. Our doyen for only a short time, Bill will be sadly missed by all who knew him.
Don't forget to visit our blog (web-log): http://midweekwayfarers.blogspot.com where you can see a picture of Mike, Carole, Lynda, Sonja and Suzie at their birthday rides digs and another of Doreen and Ron Powney in congratulations of their wonderful fifty-year marriage. This picture led to a greetings call out of the blue from NZ - you never know who is reading about we Wayfarers.
We welcome to our ranks Ed Naylor from Kingston, whose company we hope to have on a regular basis. Today at New Haw it was good to see David Vines again, available only during school holidays these days. As for the wimp that cried off "don't do rain", I say "rain? wot rain? And best wishes to Grant, who celebrates his 70th birthday with a flight from Redhill Airport and a family meal once he and his tummy settle down.
A' Group, a select band of eight (Brian, Toni, Ed, John S, John M, John B and Steve led by Pete B), on leaving New Haw immediately set off along the Basingstoke Canal, waving goodbye to 'B' Group going the other way on the other side. Passing through Woking, Knaphill and Brookwood, the canal alternated between clear water with abundant wildlife and stretches of ditch with just a muddy trickle at the bottom. Could this be another sign of Global Warming or has the canal system developed as many leaks as Thames Water? After passing Pirbright Camp we cut off over Tunnel Hill and dropped back to the Cricketers in Pirbright for lunch where we were most pleased to find that service was back to its normal efficiency.
Refreshed, it was back through the cemetery and a meandering route through Smarts Heath, Pyle Hill, Jacobs Well, Burntcommon and Ockham before a welcome stop at Wisley tea bar and then back home via Cobham. Creaky hub covered 64 miles.
Hi Brian
From New Haw I led Gill, Cliff, David (making a rare Wednesday appearance), Ed N, Jon, Les, Nev and Norman along Faris Lane to the Basingstoke Canal. Here we saw a motley group of cyclists heading in the same direction as us, but let them get well clear before we carried on along the towpath, enjoying the fine weather, views, peace and quiet and noting the various waterfowl including two family groups of swans, one with five cygnets, the other with seven. Some stretches of the canal were almost dry.
At Curzon Bridge (just beyond Pirbright) we rejoined the road, continuing to Frimley Green and a nice lunch outside at the Harvester pub. After lunch we rejoined the towpath back to Curzon Bridge where we took to the road to Pirbright, Fox Corner and eventually Saltbox Road. Here we turned off at the newish traffic lights so I could collect my Birthday Rides tee shirt from the new CTC office in Railton Road. We found the road but not the office, I got an answer-phone reply to my call to the office so I rang the CTC shop but they didn't know the full office address. That idea was abandoned and we followed the usual cycle-tracks to Watson's at Ripley for tea. Les and Nev didn't stop for tea; afterwards we rode along the old Wisley runway, noted progress on the Black Swan and continued to Cobham where I turned off for home. Terry.
Cooler yesterday and dry. A good turnout with Ron leading from Walton en route for The Old Plough at Stoke d'Abernon. Through the middle of Walton we turned left up New Zealand Avenue, then right into Ashley Park, then Burwood Park then across the Burwood Road and into Whitely Village after which we had a quick run down the pavement on Seven Hills Road and took a left turn into Convent Lane passing the Notre Dame school. emerging in the Portsmouth Road near Street Cobham. I counted at least twelve of us with Tom, Harold, Mark, Bill, Dennis, John, Fuzz, Dave, Lynda, Liz, Helga and Brian Stead who came all the way from Oz to visit his dad whom we wish well. With Ron and me that's fourteen at least so my estimate must be a bit out. Pressing on we turned up Downside Bridge Road and left up Downside Road carrying on directly into Downside Farm (another good bit of offroad) at the end of which we split up; some opting for sandwiches while the rest covered the few yards further to the pub. Ten enjoyed a good lunch outside in the sunshine and Ron had decided to go to Cheam for tea. It would have made a long ride home for me so with the excuse of a dodgy front mech (which turned to be broken and in need of replacement anyway) I took the short way home.
You were right Lynda about the funny noise my bike was producing in the gear department! If you read this Ron, thanks for a most agreeable ride ------------------- Albert
Clive Oxx, Sou'Wester editor has written to Tom Culver: Your obituary for Ron Beams published 03Aug06 in 'News & Views' is greatly appreciated. It should provide a source for information on Ron's involvement with Moultons and recumbents and the V-CC. As you know, Ron was highly regarded as an active member of the Midweek Wayfarers Section of CTC South West London DA.
All together at Shepperton Greeno Centre next week, where I shall distribute the rest of the Sou'Westers.
Olleh Creaky Hub.
Don't forget to visit our blog (web-log): http://midweekwayfarers.blogspot.com where you can see a picture of Mike, Carole, Lynda, Sonja and Suzie at their birthday rides digs and another of Doreen and Ron Powney in congratulations of their wonderful fifty-year marriage. This picture led to a greetings call out of the blue from NZ - you never know who is reading about we Wayfarers.
We welcome to our ranks Ed Naylor from Kingston, whose company we hope to have on a regular basis. Today at New Haw it was good to see David Vines again, available only during school holidays these days. As for the wimp that cried off "don't do rain", I say "rain? wot rain? And best wishes to Grant, who celebrates his 70th birthday with a flight from Redhill Airport and a family meal once he and his tummy settle down.
A' Group, a select band of eight (Brian, Toni, Ed, John S, John M, John B and Steve led by Pete B), on leaving New Haw immediately set off along the Basingstoke Canal, waving goodbye to 'B' Group going the other way on the other side. Passing through Woking, Knaphill and Brookwood, the canal alternated between clear water with abundant wildlife and stretches of ditch with just a muddy trickle at the bottom. Could this be another sign of Global Warming or has the canal system developed as many leaks as Thames Water? After passing Pirbright Camp we cut off over Tunnel Hill and dropped back to the Cricketers in Pirbright for lunch where we were most pleased to find that service was back to its normal efficiency.
Refreshed, it was back through the cemetery and a meandering route through Smarts Heath, Pyle Hill, Jacobs Well, Burntcommon and Ockham before a welcome stop at Wisley tea bar and then back home via Cobham. Creaky hub covered 64 miles.
Hi Brian
From New Haw I led Gill, Cliff, David (making a rare Wednesday appearance), Ed N, Jon, Les, Nev and Norman along Faris Lane to the Basingstoke Canal. Here we saw a motley group of cyclists heading in the same direction as us, but let them get well clear before we carried on along the towpath, enjoying the fine weather, views, peace and quiet and noting the various waterfowl including two family groups of swans, one with five cygnets, the other with seven. Some stretches of the canal were almost dry.
At Curzon Bridge (just beyond Pirbright) we rejoined the road, continuing to Frimley Green and a nice lunch outside at the Harvester pub. After lunch we rejoined the towpath back to Curzon Bridge where we took to the road to Pirbright, Fox Corner and eventually Saltbox Road. Here we turned off at the newish traffic lights so I could collect my Birthday Rides tee shirt from the new CTC office in Railton Road. We found the road but not the office, I got an answer-phone reply to my call to the office so I rang the CTC shop but they didn't know the full office address. That idea was abandoned and we followed the usual cycle-tracks to Watson's at Ripley for tea. Les and Nev didn't stop for tea; afterwards we rode along the old Wisley runway, noted progress on the Black Swan and continued to Cobham where I turned off for home. Terry.
Cooler yesterday and dry. A good turnout with Ron leading from Walton en route for The Old Plough at Stoke d'Abernon. Through the middle of Walton we turned left up New Zealand Avenue, then right into Ashley Park, then Burwood Park then across the Burwood Road and into Whitely Village after which we had a quick run down the pavement on Seven Hills Road and took a left turn into Convent Lane passing the Notre Dame school. emerging in the Portsmouth Road near Street Cobham. I counted at least twelve of us with Tom, Harold, Mark, Bill, Dennis, John, Fuzz, Dave, Lynda, Liz, Helga and Brian Stead who came all the way from Oz to visit his dad whom we wish well. With Ron and me that's fourteen at least so my estimate must be a bit out. Pressing on we turned up Downside Bridge Road and left up Downside Road carrying on directly into Downside Farm (another good bit of offroad) at the end of which we split up; some opting for sandwiches while the rest covered the few yards further to the pub. Ten enjoyed a good lunch outside in the sunshine and Ron had decided to go to Cheam for tea. It would have made a long ride home for me so with the excuse of a dodgy front mech (which turned to be broken and in need of replacement anyway) I took the short way home.
You were right Lynda about the funny noise my bike was producing in the gear department! If you read this Ron, thanks for a most agreeable ride ------------------- Albert
Clive Oxx, Sou'Wester editor has written to Tom Culver: Your obituary for Ron Beams published 03Aug06 in 'News & Views' is greatly appreciated. It should provide a source for information on Ron's involvement with Moultons and recumbents and the V-CC. As you know, Ron was highly regarded as an active member of the Midweek Wayfarers Section of CTC South West London DA.
All together at Shepperton Greeno Centre next week, where I shall distribute the rest of the Sou'Westers.
Olleh Creaky Hub.
Author: Pete
