BEDFORDSHIRE ROAD CYCLING CLUB MAGAZINE

President: C. Byers; Chairman: D. Sullivan; Secretary: R. Crane; Treasurer: T. Sykes; Editor: D. Roberts e-mail DRobe10229@AOL.com

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Doesn't time fly when you are enjoying your self? It only seems like yesterday that we were opening Christmas presents and not riding much due to the bad weather. But now we are in mid June and events are upon us thick and fast, but the weather can still hold the trump card. The inter club 25 had to be postponed due to standing water on the road, and the River Festival, which was on the same weekend also suffered.

For the first time BRCC had an input into the River Festival with a 'Turbo Time Trial' open to unsuspecting members of the public. They had to ride a bike fitted to a turbo trainer for 5 minutes and see how far they went. There were some impressive performances, not least from a policeman in full uniform. Let us hope that this will raise the profile of the club and attract more members.

Let's be honest, we have all put in a poor performance some time or other. But this always has to be attributed to someone or thing else; it is NEVER down to lack of training, or the fact that we may have stayed in the pub too long the night before a race. So have you ever used, or heard of someone else using a ridiculous reason for a poor performance? I will start the ball rolling on this one.

Last Saturday I was riding open at Melton Mowbray. Before I set off I was having lunch when I experienced the most excruciating toothache. Gulping my food without chewing it properly, I investigated what I had been eating, and realised that I had just lost a filling, and I had swallowed it! During the race I had indigestion, and I am sure that there was too much heavy metal in my bloodstream. I suffered all the way and felt horrible afterwards, having ridden a 28.30 for a 10, and finishing well down the field. (The Ed should point out that his current PB is 27.15)

Please contact me via the usual means marking your letters 'Duff Excuses'. [Send your duff excuses to DRobe10229@AOL.com]

As members who represent BRCC, most of us wear the club strip for open and club events, or when we are just out on pleasure runs, but the committee would like to know your opinion of the quality of club clothing. Let me say that there are no plans to redesign the current strip; we just want to know your opinion of it's quality. For example, I prefer a short sleeved racing jersey with a full zip, but we don't now do one. Recently the material used in racing jerseys has been changed, but does it meet with everyone's approval? If you are either happy or unhappy, please tell us. If you have any suggestions regarding the quality and quantity of clothing offered by BRCC, please tell either Terry Sykes of David Pocock.

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Once upon a time a certain timekeeper wanted to knobble a certain competitor. He did this by showing the eager young man a picture of a hirsute young lady while saying 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, go! This did not have the desired effect as the competitor rode a PB! What ever turns you on I suppose.

On the subject of knobbling, a father and son were riding in the same time trial recently. Son punctured right on the half way point, so when Dad came past he dutifully handed over his spare tube and tyre levers. 'Very commendable' I hear you all say, but what Dad did not pass over was his pump! Rumour has it that this lad and his Dad are at daggers drawn when it comes to cycling matters, and Dad will stoop to the level of a rattle snakes belly to stop his lad from beating him. At least Dad had the good decency to pick up his son in the car, but not till the following day ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bedfordshire Road Cycling Club

2000		Event 6	June 8th
Evening League		Event	Time
Position	Name	Time	Added
1	Kevan Armstrong	00:28:31	00:28:31
2	Richard Laidlow	00:29:11	00:29:11
3	Gareth Rose	00:28:50	00:28:50
4	James Harrow	DNS	00:44:00
5	Tom Sykes	00:30:41	00:30:41
6	Mike Wallis	00:30:37	00:30:37
7	Ian Lacy	00:31:13	00:31:13
8	Mark Holden	00:29:02	00:29:02
9	Chris Hartley	00:32:40	00:32:40
10	Matthew Williams	00:30:02	00:30:02
11	Giles Henday	00:31:01	00:31:01
12	Mark Horton	00:31:41	00:31:41
13	Dave Barnes	00:31:46	00:31:46
14	Peter Hartley	00:34:34	00:34:34
15	Peter Wilson	DNS	00:44:00
16	Ian Highley	00:31:12	00:31:12
17	Des Roberts	00:35:01	00:35:01
18	Les Newton	00:28:55	00:28:55
19	Paul Godsafe	DNS	00:44:00
20	Alan Roome	00:35:07	00:35:07
21	John Keenan	00:36:31	00:36:31
22	Bob Wright	DNS	00:44:00
23	Kevin Worsley	00:30:57	00:30:57
24	Warwick Davies	00:37:41	00:37:41
25	Peter Roberts	00:36:44	00:36:44
26	Clive Savory	DNS	00:44:00
27	Andrew Wilson	DNS	00:44:00
28	Lorna Webb	00:37:52	00:37:52
29	Terry Sykes	00:36:51	00:36:51
30	Dave Crane	00:39:58	00:39:58
31	David Steele	DNS	00:44:00
32	Dave Pocock	00:35:39	00:35:39
33	Michelle Emsley	00:39:34	00:39:34
34	James Elworthy	00:31:35	00:31:35
35	Toby Pocock	00:37:21	00:37:21
36	Andy Maddox	DNS	00:44:00
37	Mark Keech	DNS	00:44:00
38	Natalie Lewis	00:44:51	00:42:00
39	Alice Edwards	00:41:09	00:41:09
40	Ron Gregory	DNS	00:44:00

Hi, Thought I'd just drop a line and give you all an update. Summer is just about here, we hit 90F most days and it won't be long before near 100F is the norm, known around here as the 'dog days of summer'. It pretty much stays that way until late September and October.

I haven't been riding much. 3am feedings and the like have been keeping us both very busy. Nicholas and Caroline are both growing like weeds, Nicholas is now over 12lb and Caroline just over 10lb, were hoping that they will sleep through the night very soon. I've been updating our web site with photos, those that have access it's at:

We've been vacation planning, and have just put down a deposit to rent a house near Taos, New Mexico, for a week at the end of September. Taos is located in the mountains North of Sante Fe and during the winter is a Ski resort. It's about a 12-hour drive from Dallas, which we'll probably do over two days, stopping overnight in Amarillo. Hopefully I can put in a few miles before then as I think there is some excellent Mountain Biking to be found. Many of the ski resorts allow you to ride the ski runs during the summer months, and if you're not into climbing you can always just take the bike on the ski lift and enjoy the downhill!

I thought I'd include the following post that appeared on our club's web forum this week, from Tobin, our trail steward at Arbor Hills, which is a city park in Plano where we have a 3-mile MTB trail. "Both Copperhead's and Water Moccasons are venomous snakes that we have to watch for around here."

At least we don't get Rattlesnakes on the trail I normally ride, although they can be found at some of our other trails.

Thanks for the update Richard. I am glad to hear that your family are coming on in leaps and bounds, but it will not be long before they will be cycling off into the distance on their own.

You make America sound ideal except for the big, poisonous, dangerous snakes that you might encounter while out and about. That, I am afraid, would be enough to put me off ever venturing off road. But then it can be quite a struggle on the road too, what with the lesser-spotted articulated lorry and the white-van-man sloth!

The weather sounds really beautiful. Over here we are suffering the usual down pour followed be three sunny days; and that, I am afraid, is summer done and dusted. Hope you enjoy your holidays and get some biking in.

We have some new members; they are James Elworthy, Alice Edwards, Matthew Williams, and Jonathan Searle. Welcome to Beds Road Cycling Club; we hope you like what you see and that we can cater for your cycling needs. As I expect you know, most of our sporting activity revolves around the Evening League and the SPOCO events on Sunday mornings during the summer. Socially, the clubroom is open on Friday nights, and occasionally there will be organised rides. And if that isn't enough, I still have a few free passes to LA Fitness. What else could you ask for from such a small annual fee?