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Sunday ride program | Suggested rides | Ride guidelines

Winter/Spring 2010 Club Ride Programme

Relevant Notes

1. As you are all aware with the inclement weather we have experienced this year, combined with some of our leaders being extremely busy, has meant activities for our ‘steady’ or ‘B’ group have been somewhat curtailed. As the first ‘B’ group ride for some weeks attracted a good turnout there is definitely a demand for a steadier ride, please keep an eye on the Chelmer Diary if you are interested. The main group will continue to depart at 09:00 SHARP (unless otherwise stated), we are now riding at a steady-brisk pace alternating the pace making through the group. Follows a list of interesting destinations for the next two months.
2. Mick continues to lead his ‘C’ group rides departing at 10:00 SHARP.
3. The worst weather is quite probably still ahead of us, please if at all possible try and stick to the mudguard rule until we get into April.
4. As we move into the critical part of the winter and the runs get longer we will be back into Chelmsford between 14:00 and 15:00.
5. Feedback is always welcome; please let me know if you want something different from your Sunday rides. We aim to please!
6. The following programme of rides will gradually stretch in distance and slightly increase in speed, hopefully culminating in a 100% success rate for all in the first club event of the year, that which signals the start of the racing season, the Chelmer ‘100 in 8’.
7. The following list represents a reasonably firm guide as to what we are doing, however if the roads are icy it may change. Also if you plan to ride direct to a destination always a good idea to call Antony, just to be sure that is what is happening.

Sunday 14th February
It’s Cambridgeshire this week with the run heading to ‘The Comfort Café’ at Great Abington. A rolling ride either way should see the group back in the Chelmsford area between 14:00 and 15:00. The trick of the day is to ride the whole route with a red rose clamped firmly between your teeth!

Sunday 21st February
There will be no official ‘A’ or ‘B’ run as the majority of the regulars will be riding the Brentwood ‘75’ Reliability Trial. One of the first occasions when we start to increase our speed, this is a varied route starting and finishing in Billericay, turning at Great Bardfield. It’s worth entering in advance to avoid queueing. Entry forms can be found here .
Mick will confirm the status of the ‘C’ group nearer the time I guess.

Sunday 28th February

There may be a theme developing here but it’s the hills of Suffolk this week! We’ll be heading to ‘Tubby T’s’ at Highpoint Prison, Stradishall (it is outside the perimeter!.  08:30 START!!!

Sunday 7th March

Once again please note - 08:30 START!!!

It’s time to head west for what is arguably the toughest club ride of the winter season. We’re headed to ‘Café Plus’ in Baldock. Over the hills of Hertfordshire this is an epic ride, with fords, climbs and fast descents! The famous ‘Dead Mans Hill’ will be tackled on the return where you can see the bones of former Chelmer members scattered along its verge. They didn’t all get to see Chelmsford again!

Sunday 14th March (Warning: Mothering Sunday)
Seeing as many people have commitments on this day it’s a short ride with a brief stop at ‘The Blue Egg’ just outside Great Bardfield. A brisk two and a half hours to the café then everyone back in town by 13:00.

Sunday 21st March (Sore Leg Warning: 100 in 8!) Route sheet
It’s time for the culmination of the winter, the time to test your speed and stamina in the club ‘100 in 8’! It will be on the Newmarket ‘out and back’ route which offers a half way stop at the ‘Clock Tower Café’ in the centre of Newmarket and generally a pleasant headwind return. Although we will have a steady group and a brisk group there is usually some realignment of the groups on the road! This is the day when we find out who are the ‘winter racers’ are and who the ‘real’ strong men are! Hold tight! The pace is going up!!! As this is one of our premier events, be good to see as many people as possible in Club clothing please.

For those that don't fancy the 100 miler, there is also the 50 in 4/5. Route sheet

Sunday 28th March (N.B Clocks go forward one hour, don’t be late!)
There will be no official runs today as this is the day of the clubs premier open time trial promotion, the ‘Jim Perrin Memorial Hardriders 25.6 Sporting TT’. In memory of our old friend Jim Perrin, whose association with the club and its members goes back to the 50’s, and who lost his life in a tragic accident in a time trial in 2003. In his honour we have devised a testing route based on Finchingfield for this open event, which is also part of the SPOCO season long time trial series. It would be great if the whole membership can once again get behind this event by either riding, marshalling, generally helping or shouting at the competitors from the top of one of the numerous ‘false flats’ around the circuit. I hope that Jim’s partner Ann will be presenting the prizes, and once again we hope to make this ‘classic’ event a day to remember. It’s a 09:00 start and the clocks will have changed so you’ll all need to be on the road bright and early! Your support, in any form, will be much appreciated.

That takes us to the end of March and some will be starting to think about doing less enjoyable things than sitting in cafes on a Sunday morning from now on, it may well be time to race!

A full Spring/Summer programme will soon be forthcoming from our esteemed selection of summer leaders.

Keep training!! Or at least start training!!!

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