[you can see the photos in this newsletter in colour on our website...
TRANSCRIPT
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elcome to our readers and THANK YOU to
all contributors to this newsletter. For
more information about us see our leaflet
and Website -http://northstaffscycling.btck.co.uk/
and Facebook -
www.facebook.com/groups/169378003156326
[you can see the photos in this newsletter in colour on
our website and Facebook]
Annual General Meeting
12 people attended the AGM on 6 November 2018 in
the community meeting room at Newcastle fire
station. The 2019 committee was agreed as follows:
Chair – Geoff Cartlidge (tel 626346)
Secretary – Geoff Kilford (tel 388642)
Treasurer/ membership - John Bradbury (tel 860259)
“Long” rides (“A” group) – Clive Parrott (07773
669615)
“Medium” rides – Mike Barr (tel 616243)
Campaign/publicity/newsletter – Mike Barr
Other committee members - Dave Barker, Mick
Bennett, Geoff Cartlidge, Ben Edwards, Rob Fearn,
Angela Hill, Mick Holland, Phil Hughes, Eric James, Alf
Joynson, John Lees.
Membership, income and spend
In 2018 we have 37 members and again income has
exceeded spend and we are comfortably solvent.
Membership subscriptions for 2018 (still excellent
value at only £5) are now due and John Bradbury will
be pleased to hear from you. The income from
membership pays for affiliation to the CTC, for
publicity (including this newsletter and the leaflet),
and administrative expenses.
Rides
There was discussion at the AGM about the wide age
range (20+ years) of members and the emergence of 2
groups of riders with different approaches to group
riding. The riding speed of the “A” (younger) group
has become too fast for the “B” (older) group to enjoy
and the “A” group would generally find it difficult to
maintain and enjoy the slower speed of the “B” group.
Both groups want to maintain opportunities to meet
socially e.g. at café stops where possible.
“Long rides” (50+ miles)
“A” rides
The 2019 monthly rides programme (see the back
page of this newsletter and the leaflet) is the same as
for 2018. The impromptu twice weekly rides (Sunday
and Wednesday) are posted on our Facebook.
“B” rides
These twice weekly impromptu rides (Sunday and
Wednesday) normally start at the same time and
venue as the “A” rides.
“Medium rides” (25+ miles).
The monthly rides will continue in 2019. The rides
normally have one café stop and the start locations
and times will be similar to the monthly “long rides”
programme. Information about the rides will be
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posted on our Facebook and emailed to a list of
“medium” riders a week or two before the ride.
Leisurely (greenway) rides
There will be at least 2 rides in 2019 including Ford
Green to the Congleton food festival (20 miles) on
Sunday 9th June and a “Bottle Oven ride - probably
Stoke to Longton (12 miles) on Sunday 15th
September.
Giro dell’Etna 2016 – Ben Edwards Why oh why is my birthday at the scrag end of autumn? It’s the same every damn year. And as Ange and I like to celebrate by going away for a warm biking holiday our options seemed limited. Scouring a map of Europe, we plumped for Sicily. That’s well south of Stoke so should still be toasty, we reasoned. And so it was then, that we jetted off for a week of sun, sea and cycling. A ridiculously early start saw us catch our flight to Catania. Then a short and quick transfer to our hotel only 15 miles away. Hah! Some chance, this being Italy. Declining the luxury coach option, we dithered before opting for the local 4 euro bus option. Two buses later, endless waiting and a torturous route through undulating suburbia brought us to Acireale, further up the coast. Bumping our cases on cobbled streets we finally stumbled into the smart Hotel Caterina. The flight had been quicker. An evening exploration of the town revealed streets choked with traffic. At least the Duomo church was a welcome distraction. Escaping the mayhem, we sought refuge, ducking into another church. A congregation began to swell. Time to go, not wanting the full service experience, though a blessing for our survival this week may have been in order. We rose with the sun on this auspicious day - Ben’s birthday. Breakfast was accompanied by a fine view through picture windows of the med far below, beyond a trainline and busy road. Worth a look we
thought. A local architect with perfect English thanks apparently to a string of British girlfriends, directed us to some ill maintained steps (392 I counted, being a little sad - who knew that?) down to a rocky shore and crashing waves.
A cappuccino and enticing cakes in town followed. Locals bustled about, wrapped in coats and puffer jackets it being an apparently chilly 18 degrees. We wound our way past buildings with a certain faded elegance and elaborate balconies, down to the tiny harbour of St Maria La Scala. No sign of the famous opera house but there was a small beach. Time for my annual swim. Heading back we passed on the fresh sea food options in a restaurant (choose your victim swimming in a tank of water), dining later in town on steak and chips. Well I did. Biking today! Our hired Basso carbon bikes had been delivered the night before. Only now did we spot the bald tyre, broken cleat and dry chains. Pats of breakfast butter was a lubrication option. Gingerly we set off along black volcanic flagged streets hemmed in by centuries old architecture then endless apartment blocks, all the while fighting for every inch of space with a hellish stream of cars. It was a nightmare 2 hours before we escaped the sprawl to emerge (remarkably still alive) at the town of Nicholosi with only 11 miles on the clock. Steeling ourselves for the slog up ahead, we paused for refreshment at a garage, chatting to a local. Despite having visited Broadstairs, Kent, his non-
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existent English was a match for our failure to grasp any Italian. At last Ange could relax - pedalling uphill of course, to an impossibly distant shimmering objective. The wide empty road snaked up the flank of Etna, through immense lava fields. I lagged behind with aching hips, not really helped by too low a seat. Eventually we limped up to Refugio Sapienza, at 1921m, just higher than Ventoux. The cable car station was near deserted so we snatched some sustenance in a bar and moon walked in a small crater before a long chilly descent. Darkness crept in as we returned to ‘civilisation’ and a desperate battle along busy pot holed roads. I’m not sure the heaving dual carriageway was any more pleasurable. 58 miles. A wild storm swept in overnight and had failed to abate by morning. Disconsolate, we gazed out of the windows munching muesli as the palms outside swayed alarmingly and the sea frothed white caps. Biking we ain’t! A cheap train ride took us into the city, emerging into seedys-ville. We ran the gauntlet of immigrants selling cheap trainers and knock off watches as we shivered towards the vibrant centre. Except it wasn’t. Windy, wet Catania was barely more appealing than a wet and windy Hanley. Any attractions were shut so we retreated to cafes, idling time playing ‘I spy an undented car’.
By the following day the rain had stopped, the wind eased. The road outside was busy despite the parallel A18 motorway. We rode it anyway, heading north and enjoying the marginally smoother tarmac for 2 hours. We caught our first good view of the top of Etna,
cloaked in snow and trailing a plume of smoke or steam. At Calatabiano we lurched inland for some tranquillity. Coffee and nutella croissant at a cafe was a fine choice. Basking in the peacefulness we ambled on past small fields and overhanging groves of (help yourself) oranges. We wound upwards to the hill top town of
Castiglione di Sicilia where houses cascaded alarmingly down from the church and fort. Mafioso territory I pondered? A chill wind tested our resolve as we edged ever upward before the inevitable drop back down to the rat run of suicidal car drivers and appalling roads. 81 miles. What’s Italian for ‘wanker’? That’s what the drivers were as they cut you up, pulled out, did random manoeuvres, or overtook with a generous 10cm to spare or generally did their damndest to kill you. After battling an awful section, we escaped onto a quiet coastal back road to an off-season beach resort. Tunstall’s finest son crooned on an ancient juke box as we rested for a deserved refreshment. Venturing on, we sweated up a steep section to the picture postcard town of Taormina, set as it was on an impressive bluff. A sweeping bay and white capped Etna gave a majestic back drop to the ruined Graeco-Roman theatre. Thankfully being off season tourists were thin on the ground. A topographically challenging return via Piedmonte and Nunziata brought us back to the mayhem of busy
roads and dodgem cars. Miraculously we got back safely. 62 miles. Back at the hotel we sampled pizza with an awful bitter radicchio salad with token couple of sorry tomatoes. It hardly made for the fine Sicilian cuisine
we had been hoping for. Only on the last night were we to stumble upon a cheap back street cafe, plastic table cloths and tv in the corner, for a cracking meal. Our last day, let’s make it a biggy we agreed. Up to Etna Nord. A prompt start down the main SS114 road a few klicks and thence up and away into them thar hills. Fitter and younger - most are these days - lycra lads eased past us. We were reunited in a bar, sipping caffeine ladened drinks ready for the big push. It might come to that. It didn’t disappoint as a deserted route led us through woodland to an alien landscape. My legs were begging ‘stop’ as we edged ever upwards. What a relief then to reach Refugio Civelli at 1741m and a rest and snack. Patches of snow on the ground here.
The inevitable cold descent took us to Linguaglossa and downward to a cracking coastal route home. Only the teeny section back on the main road proved an issue. In the darkness I lost Ange. I pulled into the hotel car park alone. She was behind me only minutes before. Had she fallen or been knocked off? A panicky search back up the road revealed no flashing lights nor bloodied corpse. What a relief then when she eventually appeared having just missed the last turning. 83 miles.
And so endeth our Sicilian bicycle v car adventure.
It all started with... - Andy Baggaley (2016) (see - www.coxbankpublishing.com/your-stories) It all started with being given a diagnosis of MS, a debilitating illness that can take over your life. I was lucky; told that I have what’s called relapsing remitting MS. The best kind, I suppose, if you have to have it.
MS affects your stamina and I was told that I would not have as much as I used to, and they were right. For years especially in summer time I would be like I’d just been unplugged, no energy whatsoever and it wasn’t getting any better. I was rather fed up with it, so I decided to try to do something. So I bought a bike, a mountain bike.
Work was a 10 mile trip one way, and so I thought I would start there. It took me nearly an hour to get to work and I was absolutely shattered and pouring with
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sweat, but I did it. After a ten-hour shift (nights) I had to pedal back, I felt an overwhelming sense of achievement as well as being knackered. Some said I was mad but I hope I inspired many others, as later that year three or four blokes from work bought bikes through the cycle to work scheme, and started doing the same. Not everyone kept it up, going back to their cars after the first attempt. Giving up more like because they were unfit and it was hard work at first, but perseverance pays off -keeping at it made each time easier. I didn’t do every day to start with, maybe two or three times a week. But every time seemed to get easier. This is now a regular commute for me and friend Tony, who I meet up with on the way and we cycle together to work. I was beginning to enjoy it wanting more and more, so much I found the local leisure rides run by Sustrans volunteer Mike Barr. I took my daughter on them too, and they were great. Not only are they very social, but they show you all the cycle network around the city. It was very interesting to know where you can get from or to not ever touching a main road. It really opened my eyes, and Mike is an encyclopedia of local knowledge. I got to know Mike quite well and was hungry for more miles. He told me of a group he was in called North Staffs Cycling, and told me they went on longer rides on a Wednesday and Sunday. Well, Wednesday was my regular day off so we arranged to meet for a ride, and I bought my friend Tony from work with me. Now these guys were not young, most retired some in their late sixties. They were all on road or race bikes, and we were on heavy mountain bikes. We went on a 74 mile ride with these guys and it was great, except for the route back which went through Hanchurch woods. This is quite hilly with some good climbs, and we did struggle. We were both knackered and we just wanted it to stop, and the two guys who were going our way just left us young studs in the dust and waited for us at the end of the road. Being out-ridden by guys twenty years older than us. I was flabbergasted by their stamina and strength to carry on as they did. They did say we did well to do that kind of mileage on our mountain bikes, and we did enjoy it. So much so that I talked my Mrs around to letting me get a road bike, and I would regularly join them on a Wednesday for a ride. Oh yes, it is a lot easier on a road bike than a mountain bike. I now go out with friends from work, and my family for rides. Three of us from work went out last month, John, Tony and myself. It was suggested by John that we ride all along the canal towpaths to Liverpool, and
that’s exactly what we did. But on the way up I was in front riding along a non-existent towpath, (it was just a narrow strip of grass), and all I heard from behind was “Arrrrrooooo” SPLASH! I spun my head around just in time to see John climbing out of the water with his bike above his head, just like he was holding Excalibur. Yep, John had gone forward somersault into the canal. He didn’t see the concrete block in the grass and, well, it was funny, especially when a woman who had heard his screams from across the road came across and offered him a towel and some dry shorts. He kindly refused as they were … pink! We did get to Liverpool, well Runcorn just outside Liverpool, and we caught the train back. Bloody expensive: you really need to book in advance to get the cheaper rates. I try to get out as much as I can, with my mates John and Tony from work. We did Ashbourne, Buxton and Leek one glorious sunny day this year, remember the one. We like to do charity rides through the year, including the Dougie Mac Llangollen ride which is about 110 miles. I did this ride the first time in 2015 with John and Tony. I rode it for my father who had died a couple of months previously from cancer and Alzheimer’s. It was the furthest any of us had ridden. We collected nearly seven hundred pounds between us that year. This year Mike joined us - and another friend from work, Richard, who had only ever done sixty miles once. He did really well, and yep he made it all the way. Next year I will only be doing the 50 mile ride, as my fifteen-year-old daughter Hannah, wants to have a go so I said I would take her. She’s not quite ready for the 110 yet so, we agreed on the 50 mile.
Andy & daughter Hannah, Dougie Mac Ride 2015
Maybe the year after perhaps, you never know. Cycling has improved my fitness and my stamina, I can easily get to work in less than thirty minutes now (my record is twenty-eight). I enjoy long rides with plenty of climbs, I just look at every ride as a challenge and one that I’m going to win! I have even tried the killer mile at Mow Cop, which is a VERY steep climb. I had looked at the record for the killer mile on Strava, a cycling app. It shows you the best times on different segments of road. The record was around five minutes, but it was only a mile.It took me over twenty minutes to get up that one bloody hill, but I did it where many have failed. I’m going to do it again, and hopefully beat my own record. But I think the overall record is safe for now.
Tony, Mike, Andy, John and Rich: D Mac Ride 2016
Cycling has made me fitter, faster and stronger, (up yours MS!) It also creates a good social life; making new friends and meeting other cyclists, who just seem to enjoy sharing experiences. They all seem very friendly. Coffee stops are a must. It’s a lot better than social media sites, and more personal. At the end of the day even illness doesn’t have to hold you back. You can take over it, before it takes over you, by getting on yer bike!
CTC Birthday rides 2018 a Yarnfield - Mike Barr
2018 is the 140th anniversary of the founding of the
CTC in August 1878. This is celebrated with an annual
week of “Birthday rides” and this year they were
based at Yarnfield conference centre. Approx 300
cyclists came for the week, either staying in
conference centre accommodation or bringing their
own motor homes, tents etc. The cyclist are offered a
choice of 20 self led rides of different lengths. The
Birthday Rides’ organisers are volunteers and rely on
local cycling groups to provide local knowledge about
routes. The Birthday riders were previously held in
Yarnfield in 2013 and members of North Staffs Cycling
(Mike Barr, Dave Barker, Geoff Cartlidge, Geoff Kilford
and Alf Joynson) provided the route sheets and gpxs
for the rides. So in 2018 our input was mainly
confined to updating routes to reflect new roads, one
way systems etc. The weather was kind and the
feedback from the riders has been very positive.
However there were fewer riders in 2018 than 2013
and the majority of riders were in the older age range.
Also the committee of volunteers who organise the
rides are themselves in their seventies and will not be
organising any future birthday rides, so it remains to
be seen whether the rides will continue and if so in
what format.
Bert Bailey Memorial Veterans ride 2018
This annual 100 mile led ride for over 55 year olds has
been organised by Chester and North Wales CTC
group for many years. Several of our members have
said that this a really well organised ride and this
persuaded me to have a go this year. So on Saturday
30 June 4 of us (Mick Bennett, Geoff Cartlidge, Phil
Norcop and me) rode out to a pleasant farmhouse
b&b near Tarporley. We extended the day by going
via Chester where we had a relaxing sunny stop for ice
cream by the river. In the evening we walked in to
Tarporley for a meal and drink at the very agreeable
“Rising Sun” inn. The next morning after a full English
we cycled a couple of miles to the Duddon & Clotton
memorial hall where we met our ride leader and the
others in the group, including several from Two mills
CTC. There were 4 groups each with 10 people and a
leader and our group set off at 8.15 am. These
numbers were well down on previous years where the
event’s limit of 100 riders has been regularly
oversubscribed. The catering can not be faulted and
Mick Bennett is quite right when he says that the
main challenge on the ride is eating all the excellent
food provided at the 3 stops on the way round.
It was a lovely hot and sunny day and the ride route
was very scenic, mainly on flattish lanes and headed
south, roughly parallel to the Welsh Border. We
arrived back at Clotton around 6 pm where we
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received our certificates before heading back to the
B&B and a walk in to Tarporley for a drink and yet
more food. I can thoroughly recommend the ride.
Might need to book early for the 7 July 2019 ride
because it is a “triennial” year – see
https://www.entrycentral.com/chesterctc
PS: There is another annual well organised and
catered ride that starts from Farndon (sports and
social centre) and does a 50 mile figure of 8 loop
between Kinnerton and Overton. This ride is self led
and will be on Sunday 14 April 2019 – contact Janet
Gregory on 0771 928 2243 of North Wales and
Chester CTC/Two Mills group
Campaign
Cycle funding
Cycling UK says that Current Government spending on
cycling and walking in England has fallen from £95m in
2016/17 (£2.07 per person pa - outside London) to
just £33m in 2020/21 (just 72p per person pa). In
contrast, spending on roads has increased from £40
per person pa to £80 per person pa over the same
period
A parliamentary committee report in 2013 made clear
that to achieve a significant increase in cycling would
require a cycling budget comparable with some other
European countries of £10-25 per person pa.
Transforming Cities Fund.
Stoke has been shortlisted as 1 of 10 cities to bid for
access to £840 M for funding improved transport
connections. This bid inolves transforming Stoke-on-
Trent Railway Station into a major transport hub,
improving public transport links – including between
the station, city centre and Etruria Valley – and
enhancing walking and cycling links across the city.
Local Cycling and Walking Investment Plans (LCWIPs)
In 2017 the government “Cycling and Walking
investment strategy” aimed “to make cycling and
walking the natural choice for shorter journeys” and
for cycling to become perceived as “safe, normal and
enjoyable ways to travel”. It recognises the benefits
of more cycling and aimed to double cycling (to 4%)
by 2025. The government also produced guidance for
councils to prepare Local Cycling and Walking
Investment Plans (LCWIPs). The key outputs of LCWIPs
are:
• a network plan for walking and cycling which
identifies preferred routes and core zones for
further development
• a prioritised programme of infrastructure
improvements for future investment
• a report which sets out the underlying analysis
carried out and provides a narrative which
supports the identified improvements and
network
Both Stoke on Trent and Staffordshire councils intend
to prepare LCWIPS but have not made any progress so
far. The North Staffs Cycling campaign thinks that
LCWIPS can provide the sort of long term plan that is
vital to achieve a network of safe convenient cycle
routes that allow most people to cycle to work or
school or wherever. This network would be a mix of
greenways, cycle paths/lanes on main roads and quiet
ways (low speed/ low traffic flow roads).
Schemes
Some suggested schemes are shown on the campaign
section of our website
and a priority list has
been submitted to Stoke
and Staffordshire
transport planners for
consideration.
One suggested scheme,
the improvement of a
section of the Biddulph
Valley Way, is being
investigated by Staffs CC.
Local Sustrans volunteers
recently got 5 local
councils to contribute to
printing a leaflet
promoting the BVW
designed by the
volunteers.
National Cycle Network (NCN) review 2018
Sustrans launched the National Cycle Network (NCN)
in 1995 with the aim of linking all towns and cities in
the UK with safe cycle routes. The NCN now extends
to 16,500 miles and Sustrans surveyed the quality of
the Network in 2015 and published “Paths for
everyone” in 2018. This found that the ”traffic-free”
routes (about 1/3 of the NCN) are generally of good
quality but that most “on road” routes (about 2/3 of
the NCN) are of poor quality and need to be made
safer or safer alternatives found. The report hopes to
see this achieved by 2040.
NSC rides 2019
Start location Sun 6 Jan
9.30 am
Silverdale (junction of Silverdale Rd/Cemetery Rd)
Sun 3 Feb
9.30 am
Westport Lake car park
Sun 3 Mar
9.30 am
Barlaston (“Plume of Feathers” PH, Station Road)
Sun 7 Apr
9.30 am
Stockton Brook (Caldon Canal/Leek New Road
Sun 5 May
9 am Silverdale (junction of Silverdale Rd/Cemetery Rd)
Sun 2 June
9 am Caverswall Square
Sun 7 July
9 am Westport Lake car park
Sun 4 Aug
9 am Barlaston (“Plume of Feathers” PH, Station Road)
Sun 1 Sept
9 am Caverswall Square
Sun 6 Oct
9 am Westport Lake car park
Sun 3 Nov
9 am Silverdale (junction of Silverdale Rd/Cemetery Rd)
Wed 6 Nov
7.30 pm
North Staffs Cycling AGM
Sun 1 Dec
9.30 am
Barlaston (“Plume of Feathers” PH, Station Road)
Wed 4 Dec
7 pm Annual dinner
Public liability insurance (PLI): Please note that riders
take part at their own risk. NSC is affiliated to Cycling
UK and this provides PLI for its ride organisers BUT
NOT for individual riders. All riders are STRONGLY
RECOMMENDED to get their own PLI. NSC can arrange
PLI for you for £24 via its affiliation to Cycling UK. This
gives PLI but NOT full Cycling UK membership benefits
(see Cycling UK website). Cycling UK full adult
membership is £46.50; OAP/unwaged is £28.50;
Young person/ Student is £21.50.
Merry Xmas and
a Happy 2019
to all our
readers