Club Runs

7 riders met at PC on a fine summer’s morning with strong sunshine and little wind.

We set off south to Aldborough and then towards Suffield and on to Swanton Abbott. We continued towards Worstead and Smallburgh before turning south west towards Coltishall. This was less familiar territory for the ride leader and one or two misreads of the Garmin, led to a couple of false turns. Having said that, the route took in new roads, unfamiliar to even to those riders who new the area well. Also unexpected for some was the level crossing on which a train barrelled past just after the team had walked across!

At Colitshall, we stopped at the Rising Sun for lunch. In glorious sunshine and at tables by the river, we enjoyed a very good lunch and chin wag, before setting off for the return leg. John S, who was close to home, peeled off at this point and the 6 remaining riders set off towards Tuttington, Banningham, Ingworth, Calthorpe and Matlaske. The breeze strengthened on the way back, being at various times a crosswind or a tailwind. At various points along the way Graham A, Andrew B and Stephen peeled off for home before Mark, Graham J and Duncan finished up back at PC.

Riders: Andrew B, Graham A, Mark, John S, Graham J, Stephen, led by Duncan S

PC to PC 47 miles

Updated here https://nnwheelers.co.uk/time-trials/events/

Six Wheelers met at PC on a perfect summer day – warm sunshine and a light breeze. The route to Little Walsingham, led by Andrew B, took us through Plumstead, Edgefield, Hunworth, Stody, Brinton, Sharrington and Field Dalling. Unfortunately, Duncan had a puncture on the road to Binham, so the direct route was taken to Walsingham and on to the Victorious. At the Café were joined by Andrew C and were able to find a large table outside. The lunch and refreshment were excellent as always. Andrew B and Steve made their own way back from lunch. Jane took over leading the ride after lunch.  From Walsingham we headed north to Wighton (which Andrew had been planning to take in during the morning) then through Binham, Cockthorpe, Langham and Wiveton where the part-time leader peeled off to go home leaving the remaining Wheelers to head respectively for Cley, Holt and Cromer.

PC to PC was 40 miles

Graham A, Duncan, Andrew C, Mike and Stephen, led by Jane A and Andrew B.

As many people know, Brian suffered a nasty crash on the A148 during Tuesday’s ’10’. This was a consequence of a car pulling out in front of him at the staggered crossroads between Station Road and Hempstead Road, Holt, somersaulting rider and bike onto the tarmac. Another driver called the ambulance service, who whizzed Brian off to the N&N, where he was checked for neck and internal injuries, as well as a possible broken knee. Thankfully nothing was broken or seriously damaged. The multiple abrasions, including facial, look very sore, an elbow and knee are very swollen and a finger still looks possibly fractured. Longer term, it might prove to be the damaged knee that will take some time to heal.

Brian would like to thank everyone for the good wishes.

Variable forecasts during this unsettled summer, all blown up by news media hype, restricted today’s bunch to three Wheelers. The scheduled East Rudham run was pushed forward a week and replaced by an impromptu trip to the ever-growing and increasingly popular cafe at Whitwell station. This turned out to be a rather unusual anti-clockwise loop, heading west by way of West Beckham, Bodham and Salthouse Heath as far as Wiveton, before turning south and south east to Letheringsett, Thornage, Burgh Stubbs, Hindolveston, Guestwick Green, Themelthorpe and Whitwell Common to the cafe, where the conversation turned once again to the thorny questions of the nature of cycling club runs and the appropriate format for North Norfolk Wheelers club runs?

Conditions: – Following sustained breakfast time rain and warnings of more to come, the morning weather proved to be fair and breezy with sunny spells developing. These pleasant conditions were rudely interrupted at about 1.50 by a stormy cloudburst in the vicinity of Blackwater Equestrian Centre and Great Witchingham. However, despite towering anvil clouds to the south and south east, the bunch were able to remove their rain jackets by Brandiston. The bad weather continued to move towards Norwich and the Broads.

The return route travelled south for a bit before looping east to the Witchinghams, Brandiston, Buxton, Brampton, then heading for home through Tuttington, Banningham, Ingworth, Dark Lane, Wickmere, Thurgarton, Sustead church, Lower Gresham and a three way split at Gresham church, where the Wheelers talked for a while to a former Clarence Wheeler and Herne Hill trackman who used to ride a Flying Scot from Rattrays of Glasgow.

Both the grizzled ultra-veteran Brian and the former Birmingham cyclo-cross man Neil, who is approaching retirement age but still working fifty hours a week as a joiner and handyman, were going like trains today.

Bunch: Brian; Neil; Harvey.

Distances: 60 to 71 miles.

There were four riders who followed Graham’s route to North Elmham, his first ride as leader. There were two guest riders, Dave from Cambridge and Phil from Holt. All enjoyed a dry ride on a stormy day. At Stibbard there were a few spots of rain forcing us to don waterproofs but by the time we got them on there was nothing to worry about. There was a gusty head wind but there was plenty of shelter. Phil punctured at North Elmham pound.  The food at The Teapot was well worth the service wait. Phil had to get back to Holt so rode back solo, while the three remaining riders enjoyed a following wind and sunshine all the way back to PC via Foxley, Guestwick and Corpusty. 

PC to PC was 53 miles

Robert, Dave, and Phil, led by Graham A.

Only Geoff, Brian, Neil and Harvey were able to get out for this 100K run calling at Tabnabs cafe, where the food was up to its usual first class standard. The route was by way of Itteringham, Witchingham, Collin Green, Primrose Green, Peaseland Green, Brakefield Green, Clint Green, Etling Green, Sparham, Guestwick and Briston to a three-way split at West Beckham.

Distances: 65 miles to 77 miles.

Two punctures, including a badly split tyre, which was replaced with a spare Michelin Pro 4.

Next week (31/7) we will probably switch to Jane’s at East Rudham, via Sculthorpe watermill. This is for the benefit of someone who wants to do that ride but can’t make the following week (7/8).

Eight Wheelers met at PC on a perfect summer day – warm sunshine and a light breeze.  Eight was a lucky number as this just happened to be the number that Jane had plucked out of the air when booking an outdoor table at the Crown at Banningham (the pub assured us that booking was essential).  The route was a clockwise circuit taking in Baconsthorpe, Edgefield Street, Heydon (where we cycled through the park without disturbing the bull who was lying happily in the shade with his cows), Aylsham and Banningham where we mostly enjoyed a good, though rather slow, lunch.  Unfortunately Stephen had ordered garlic ciabatta which was announced to be unavailable, but not soon enough for him to order an alternative, he made do with some crisps…. The return leg was through Antingham, Trunch, South & North Repps, Metton and Gresham with Chris, Graham A, Robert and Graham (?) all peeling off at various points before getting back to PC.  

PC to PC was 45 miles, the longest trip was about 73 miles (Stephen, on just a bag of crisps!)

Andrew B, Chris, Graham A, Graham J, Kevin, Robert and Stephen, led by Jane A.

Nine Wheelers turned out for this 60 odd miles tour of some of north east Norfolk’s smaller lanes. The bright and breezy conditions were ideal for riding these ‘agricultural’ roads. When riding a route such as this it is always interesting to hear people who have been cycling in the area for twenty years and more remark that they have no idea where they are. I won’t spoil their fun by disclosing where they were, but we did visit Wickmere Lower Street, Great Wood Mausoleum, Meeting House Hill, Hill 60, the Harvey Estate and Sally Bean’s House.

Refuelling was in the beer garden at the Lighthouse Inn.

One slow unauthorised deflation. One strained knee. One rider hearing voices.

One rider from nine made it back to the finish, representing a failure rate of 88.8888%.

Bunch: – Ben; Brian; Chris; Geoff; Graham A; Graham J; Harvey; Mark; Matty.

Obviously distances varied a lot, but the Mutton lads put in 87 miles. A clear case of Muttons performing like lambs.

Four riders met at PC on an overcast and windy summer’s day. Unfortunately, Robert had to abandon due to mechanical problems before the start. The route to Walcott took us through Matlaske, Calthorpe and then Banningham (to avoid Aylsham town centre), then onto Swanton Abbot, Honing (avoiding John’s house!), finally arriving at the Lighthouse Café at just gone noon having made good progress with the wind behind us.

We decided to sit outside for lunch which in retrospect was a mistake given the cold wind. The British seaside in July! However, it was a good meal and the portions certainly set us up for the trip back!  John S left us a few miles after starting the route back to make his way home. By then it was evident that we would have to battle against a strong head wind all the way back. The remaining two of us made our way back, taking turns on front  through Knapton, Trunch, Southrepps, Northrepps, Metton and Gresham, where we split for our different routes home.

Many thanks to Jane A who provided, and test rode an excellent route but was unable to attend on the day.

PC to PC was 45 miles

John S, Mark and Robert, led by Andrew B.