Just a quick note to convey some good news. Thanks to good team work Chelmer has won this year's Eastern Counties Festival.

 

A special thanks to all those who contributed to our victory and our score of 425 points over second place team API with 395.

 

We had wins in the 3J race and in the Map Reading, plus good places in all the other events. A full results list will be compiled when time permits, but in the meantime thanks again and well done everyone.

Jeff Wade (club Secretary)

 

  

              Results of the Eastern region cyclo-x U12 event: Chelmer rider's

                                        Emily Walkins 3rd,Tristan Price 6th.

Riders Report From Liz Hall 2nd Dec 2007

RUN REPORT 2^nd December 2007

Route to Westmill, Hertfordshire

 

 

It was an impressive turn out for the Sunday run to Westmill, despite the poor weather, including a record number of women (6!) in attendance. 

 

There was a bit of a false start as the initial plan to adorn everyone’s bikes with mud flaps prior to the ride was thwarted – plenty of mud flaps (thanks to Pete and Graham) but no tools to fit them (Ewan!!).  Take two next week.  This Sunday’s run was certainly a good place to test out the efficiency of those mud guards, with some of them certainly coming up short – thanks for the mud bath Alex!

 

As expected with a large group in the wet we had a fair few punctures and there was a reasonable rate of attrition (‘tis the season for Christmas party hangovers etc.).  However, the group rode well and sensibly in the wet.  Even Graham Berry elected for the sensible option for once, taking the footpath rather than the route through the ford we came across on our journey.  The train home was another sensible option employed!

 

Whilst I have little idea of the route we actually took – one of those with lots of little lanes – it kept us out of harms way from too much traffic and looked like it would be very pleasant countryside to be appreciated more on a brighter day.

 

‘The Tea Room’ at Westmill was very welcoming (considering our state) and the service and food was good.  We rewarded them by turning the place into a swimming pool! Hopefully they’ll have us back though.

 

Our efforts were rewarded later as the sunshine came out briefly – in the café… and then towards the end of the ride allowing us to dry out a bit.

 

Overall, despite the weather, it was an enjoyable ride and we all know why we do it….. anyone for Christmas shopping mayhem instead?  I didn’t think so.

 

 

 

 Riders Report From Darren Hughes

Well, this is my first bit of winter riding.  I got my bike about a year ago and joined the Chelmer club.  I rode with them for the 2^nd half of the summer and got used to group riding and mileages up to about 65 miles.  Now winter is coming I’m learning new things (sometimes the hard way!) like what clothing to wear.   I use the term “winter riding” a bit hesitantly because last week some of the more experienced riders told me that 4 degC can’t officially be called “cold”,… not yet…..  Maybe next week they will tell me that rain can’t officially be called “wet”!?

The rides have been popular with around 20 or more people; the winter seems to have attracted even more cyclists.  The mileage has also crept up to 80 miles for some of the longer rides, with people obviously keen to improve stamina over the winter.

Last week’s ride took us towards London, to Waltham Abbey.  The route took in some great rolling hills that made a change to the local Chelmsford scenery.  The momentum from the last hill took you to the top of the next without much effort which was quite welcoming.  There seemed to be about 4 of these in a row, giving the ride a bit of a rollercoaster feel at times.  Mind you, I bet those on fixed gears found it a little bit less fun, with their legs going like the proverbial!

The café stop was the “Riverside Café” on the towpath at Waltham Abbey.  I’m starting to learn about what food is best to fuel the return leg.  I used to go for a nice piece of cake but noticed that most people would go for some kind of cooked food.  After seeing that beans on toast seemed quite popular I asked Trevor Walters the week before if there was any good reason for this (after I received strange glances for ordering a cream tea).  He astounded me by talking for about 10 minutes on why beans was the food of choice.  I don’t know if a doctorate has ever been written on beans, but I now know someone who I think could have a crack!

Anyway, at Waltham Abbey I plumbed for cooked food for the first time, and went for a bacon butty.  I think it really made the difference and I felt much better on the way back than previous weeks.

As usual, the temperature seemed to have dropped to -20 DegC when we came out of the warmth and back on the bikes.  The weather report has said that it would start to rain about now too.  Great.  But luckily, the whole ride back stayed dry, and the whole group got back, and unless I’m mistaken, there wasn’t one single puncture that day.

This week saw us off to Clare, in Suffolk.  Again, the rain stayed off, but the roads were damp and they never seemed to quite dry out throughout the whole day.  This occasionally threw up specks of mud that was a shame for those looking good in the latest fashions, and sparked a bit of inevitable conversation in the café about mudguards and mud flaps.  After a bit of advice on riding position from more experienced riders I had been tweaking my saddle position little by little.  This week I had also fitted a longer stem, so I was a bit apprehensive of an aching back or neck, but it all seemed to work out OK.  A few observant cyclists noticed the difference too, which surprised me – apparently 2cm can make a lot of difference!

Café Clare was extremely nice.  Someone must’ve rung ahead because they miraculously had the precise number of seats free.  Good planning – a nice touch!  Quality was good, the loose tea caught me by surprised as I poured from the tea pot, and the menu offered high class food – but there was no need to panic, they still agreed to make me a bacon butty, which came on focaccia bread, just to keep in with the posh theme!

Organisation on the rides has been very good, with the routes obviously planned well in advance; they’ve been well led and paced with everyone staying together.  I’ve found riding in the group to be quite motivating, and the extra road presence gives me a more secure feeling against the traffic – especially in the winter when it can be darker.