Weekly Round-up: 11 June 2024
All the latest news, events, and results from NFCC Members from this week’s two-wheeled adventures…
Ten Series Round 6: P170Back to the notorious P170 course for round six of the NFCC Ten Series. Full results for the night can be found by CLICKING HERE. |
RCR FatCreations Goodwood Series #2The second round in the RCR FatCreations Goodwood Series this week with Phill Brown back on the start line again. The 70+ rider field stuck togther well this week and all the breaks that attempted to get up the road were soon reeled back in. Loosing track of the laps, Brown pulled to the front to give a friends team a lead-out into what he thought was the prime lap, only to move out the way at the final chicane and let the pack though to spot the finish flag being waved… oops! |
Thursday Evening Chain GangThis weeks Thursday Evening Chain Gang session was cancelled due to the bad weather – hoping to be back as normal next week, 1900 from St Saviours Church, Brockenhurst. |
Saturday Club RideWith a weather forecast that was more March / October than June this week’s ride was planned for a little over 100Km and kept local to give us a bit of flexibility if changes were needed. Only seven brave souls made the start, so it was a single group ride this week. Being the middle of June, the riders were equipped with club Gabba’s / Perfetto’s / Waterproofs to cope with the conditions. All in long sleeves, many in overshoes, hats and any application of suncream was superfluous. We headed off into the teeth of a gale towards Burley and then headed east and sought a little shelter amongst the trees and hedgerows around East End and Sowley. |
| A loop around Lepe followed with a brief stop to watch yachts tackling the Round the Island race. Whatever conditions we were enduring they looked a lot better than they were on the Solent and those with a nautical bent assured us that south of the island would have been a further challenge. We then headed off for refreshments at Steff’s in Beaulieu. Steff’s is normally packed with cyclists on Saturday mornings but there was no queue and only one other rider in the garden this week. We said goodbye to Phil G who was saving some energy for the Dusk to Dawn ride the next day. Then Ben G peeled off, so it was down to five. |
| The group then went into through and off mode to share the pain of the headwinds back to Brock. We then headed off on the Chain Gang loop for the last part of the ride. Decision taken before Burley was for a second coffee stop at Shappen’s Café as we were all a bit battered. The second stop meant that Phil H was going to be late as he was due home at 1300. The group went into brainstorming mode to help him with an excuse. Mechanical incompetence was the conclusion and Louise would definitely believe that with his history. After coffee, Neil S and Phil J peeled off at Wootton Bridge leaving Phil H, Matt K and Barry to finish the ride in Brock with Phil also riding home earning the respect of the group. |
 All this way and no mention of mechanical fails, clothing faux pas, miscellaneous incompetence? We did have a minor transgression from Matt K who thought it a good idea to take his damp gloves off and attempted a no hands manoeuvre riding a bike with deep rim wheels in a mighty crosswind that happily ended without any damage. Normally that would get him in the barrel but not this week. Phil G’s phone was pinging all morning with members of the club Zwift group logging on for indoor riding. So, this week all those that took the soft option and went on Zwift rather than braving the elements are in the barrel. As it turned out we only had to endure a couple of showers but the wind was a challenge all day. Kudos to all those that went out and took their turns on the front. I salute you! |
Sunday Club RideAfter a rain-affected Saturday ride, the Sunday squad lucked out with warm and sunny weather, although it was still blowing a hoolie!The usual two-group split was formed, with the fast group informally consisting of those with noisy wheels and/or white shoes. The west-east S1 route meant it was a lightning fast run to Hatchet Pond, before we unintentionally joined the course of the Swashbuckler Triathlon for a blustery loop around East Boldre dodging knackered-looking riders and runners. In the fast group, who had been generously sharing turns at the front, Richard suddenly decided he needed to properly test out his new wheels by drilling it at warp speed to Lepe, where a bonus coffee stop in the sunshine was suggested and then quickly rejected, to the secret disappointment of Dan and Rich. |
 At the turn back towards Beaulieu, we were then faced with a solid 20km into a block headwind – not that this reduced the pace much in group one, who finished with a spicy 31kph average over the 57k route and required a team round of Bakewell tarts to replenish their blood-sugar levels. Group two arrived reporting that they’d had a thoroughly pleasant morning out and the Daisy Tea Rooms delivered as always with good cake, coffee and sunshine for all. |
Southern XC Round 4NFCC’s resident muddy-bottoms were out gettng dirty again this week at the Southern XC round 4… |
 Jay Tarrant was up later in the day who also reported: “Another terrible start for me today, missing pedals AND coming unclipped! Caught someone’s back wheel and went down losing my bottle in the process pretty much at the first corner. Luckily the wife came to the rescue late in the race. Some big hitters out today so relatively pleased with P7. Seemed like hard work today though and felt like 50 laps!?” |
NFCC Dawn to Dusk rideWith some significant weather trepidation, a team of six club riders met up at 04.52 (that’s morning!), at Moyles Court for a dawn to dusk ride around the Wiltshire Cycleway. So, to deal with the weather anxiety first, despite the promise of rain and wind for most of the day, we thoroughly enjoyed the sunshine that stayed with us nearly all day (a bit of early evening rain), and are happy to report that the weather forecast, in the most pleasing way, was delightfully wrong!! First stop was a breakfast in Salisbury MacDonalds, (6am, arrived as the shop was opening up) and then time to get serious as we headed off towards Amesbury. Reece, who has the challenging Welsh Dragon ride next week and came along to give us some early morning support, turned for home, leaving the remaining 5 (Graham F, Phill G, Adrian, Stuart and Axum) to munch the miles. |
 A steady ride through lovely countryside bought us to our first coffee stop in Marlborough, where Axum was able to demonstrate his multiple cake eating abilities, before getting back on the road for yet more glorious scenic riding through Wiltshire. A lovely lunch near Ladyswood and we were then turning south to enjoy more beautiful riding and glorious sunshine (Graham F even took his leg warmers off). A long stretch that included a traffic congested Bradford-on-Avon saw us on to Longleat and some much needed refreshment at the Bath Arms. Over 200km now under our belts and it was back on the bikes for the last stretch. But now it was time for the rain which, by chance, managed to deliver a deluge at the same time as we were negotiating what can only be described as a river that the highways department had decided to build a road in, with the requisite unseen potholes and nicely distributed gravel pooh traps. But it wasn’t long before the sun returned, and we were back into NFCC familiar territory with a last stop for a quick recharge at the Queens Head in Broadchalke, before hitting the home run (can’t beat a mixed metaphor!) back to Moyles Court. |
 So all in all a great day out, summary match report:
Well done all on completing NFCC DtoD! See you next year. |
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Get Involved:If you find yourself out and about representing NFCC, don’t forget to jot down a few words, snap a few photos and send them over to press@newforestcc.co.uk. |
