Weekly Round-up: 15 Sep 2024
All the latest news, events, and results from NFCC Members from this week’s two-wheeled adventures…
Gravel ‘n’ Grog TuesdayAfter a good bright day the evening threatened wet for Tuesday’s gravel ride and several stalwarts declined the opportunity to follow up a wet weekend with a soggy Tuesday. Just four riders set out from Lyndhurst including Joe and Emma on their tandem! The rain was quite persistent so they decided to take the shorter course with a slightly steadier pace. Jeff joined the quartet at Brockenhurst and we followed an incident free route back to Lyndhurst being joined by Lucy who’d had to fight her way out of the car park at work! The beer was very welcome back at the Vibrant Tap even though we discovered their porch roof provided a gentle shower through holes in the plastic! |
Saturday Club RideA smaller than usual turn out for a club ride with some of the regulars being away in Belgium meant it was a single peloton of nine riders that headed out of Brockenhurst this week. We welcomed back Adrian and Phil H after their recent Covid battles. Thoughts that Adrian might have fixed his creaking bottom bracket during his lay off were quickly dispelled. The planned route was just 120Km this week but quite punchy with a number of hills especially after the coffee stop. We headed east towards East Boldre and the first candidate for the barrel this week was Paul with a left hand signal that could only be spotted by a well trained Sotherby’s auctioneer it was that subtle! Please note that hand signals should be between 89 and 91 degrees from the vertical and not mimicking a Yuko in Judo! |
| We headed south towards Lymington and thankfully the road closed barriers left enough room for pedestrians and cyclists, so we enjoyed some traffic free time after South Baddesley. Heading towards Pilley, the barrel was settled with another slam dunk from Matt K. As a solicitor, Matt’s particular and diligent preparation for court cases is essential for his profession that keeps him in expensive Bianchi’s. As a cyclist all that goes out of the window. Despite the engineering effort of Mr Shimano and Mr Garmin to integrate their products to ensure that electronic group sets communicate with GPS head units to warn us of things like low battery on a Di2 system, Matt got to the top of the hill and all gear changing facilities were lost due to a flat battery. So, it was a single speed ride home for him and an early shower. |
 Onwards the remaining peloton went having now picked up Lucy who had made a wise move and got a head start. We met Richard at his second home, The Potting Shed and enjoyed the cakes and coffee as usual. Here the group split with Adrian, Richard and Phil G cutting short. Lucy had given Phil an ultimatum for his return to get back and dressed for Sian’s wedding. She knows that it takes him longer to get suited and booted than it would take him to change a groupset, so it was an early shower for him too. After coffee we passed the clubs off supremo, Catherine out for a run getting in some Cx practice no doubt. Then onwards through a sequence of hills that are Smithy’s nemesis (he would have been happy that he missed this week) going through Godshill, Wood Green, Lyburn and Pipers Wait. Here we parted with Phil H and it was just Paul, Matt M and Barry left. Paul then did a heroic turn riding on the front into a strong headwind across Ocknell’s Plain and he did the whole 4Km with a good pace and good humour. Paul peeled off at the A35 and it was just Matt and Barry that made it back to Brock with Matt being the last man standing. |
Sunday Club RideNine riders made the start in fresh but pleasant conditions. We set off in one group this week at what turned out to be a bit faster than the usual slow group and a bit slower than the usual fast group. After a couple of re-groups the pace picked up along Ocknell plain and down to Bramble hill. At this point we suddenly realised that we were missing two riders. One of them was Phill B so we assumed it wasn’t down to the pace. After waiting a while and then backtracking there was no sign Phil H’s total incompetence with a phone didn’t help communications and shortly after we gave up on the missing riders, we set off down Bramble hill to find Mr Brown smiling and waiving in the opposite direction! |
 Apparently it was a mechanical for Andrew and Phill got baited by the comment “…are you sure you’ll be able to catch them?” deciding the best course of action was to follow the route the opposite direction in order to no mis a free ride back for coffee and cafe! A note for riders for the future, if you do notice that anyone has slipped off the back please let those at the front know. |
 We turned at Nomansland with Pipers wait giving Dan S and Richard B another chance to fight it out for the ‘Sunday morning short but steep hill climb world championship‘, Richard won with Dan claiming to have made way for his rival to him out of kindness. Collecting a sunbathing Mr Brown, we headed back to Brock at a lively-ish pace and straight to the cafe. Due to the delay at a Bramshaw, we just missed the breakfast slot at the Daisy Tea rooms Dan’s disappointment was on full display and we were just grateful that some of the club’s really serious post-ride breakfasters were absent so that they avoided the crushing disappointment. |
Wessex CX 2024/25: Rd.3 SwindonCotswold Veldrijden hosted Round 3 of the Wessex Cyclocross League which took riders to the newly revamped Moredon Sporting Hub in Swindon. Unrecognisable from previous visits the new facilities include a tarmac cycle circuit, 3g football pitches, and toilets which don’t make you want to cry (although the old changing and toilet block still stands ominously behind the shiny new pavilion). Find out Team NFCC got on by CLICKING HERE |
 Poole Wheelers Craig Weston Memorial TTNFCC’s time trial superstar Sien vdP was in action again this weekend at the Poole Wheelers Craig Weston Memorial TT and finally smashed the 25 minute 10-mile barrier on her road bike. Huge congrats on such a special weekend for such an achievement and for rounding off an outstanding time trial season in such style. |
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. |
