Author: Martin Woodhead

Our squadron leader Maurice led a party of 7 others comprising Deputy Dawg Andrew, John B, John T, Brian, Tom, new member Rick (welcome!) and Moley Martin on a glorious circuit of 35 miles from The Pheasant to Wimpole Hall via Barkway and Steeple Morden and back via Barrington, Fowlmere and Heydon:

Thanks to Deputy Dawg, you can also view the route here:
http://gb.mapometer.com/cycling/route_4246835

Although a bit nippy to start with, after an overnight frost, warmth reached our extremities by the time we got to Therfield after which it got decidedly hot. The sun shone throughout and, being February, there was not a wasp in sight at Wimpole, unlike our last trip there in August 2015 when Maurice’s scone and jam was the centre of attention for the Wimpole wasp population.

Bulls eyeing up the heifers.

Wimpole Hall in all its glory

Not a wasp in sight, but any of these guys could sting you

The return trip was only about 15 miles but orders for beer were taken on the ascent to Heydon and these soon disappeared down the thirsty throats of the Pheasant pluckers, followed by an excellent lunch.

Thanks, Maurice, for an excellent ride.

Here is a thank you letter from East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices for the £400 cheque that The Windmill Club sent them after the Christmas lunch in December, and also another copy of the letter from Khandel Light, which received £600.

Let’s raise even more for charity in 2016, so give that bike a spring clean and come on out for a ride! Each ride costs just £2.00 and it’s amazing how it all mounts up to such worthwhile amounts for charity at the end of the year.

East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices DocScan

Windmill Khandel Light DocScan

The person responsible for today’s weather forecast shall remain nameless, for the time being, but at least we didn’t get lost. Starting with drizzle just a few minutes after leaving the Fleur de Lys in Widdington, it didn’t stop until we returned for lunch, when the sun emerged briefly. But that didn’t stop the Squadron Leader, Maurice, accompanied by Deputy Dawg Andrew, Ken, Brian and Moley Martin having an enjoyable ride of 30 miles via Henham, Great Bardfield, Finchingfield and Radwinter. The assorted rats got a warm welcome at our favourite coffee stop in Finchingfield where Maurice enjoyed his favourite scone, and likewise Martin (fuel for the return journey they claimed):

Now you know why we stop there, and how Two Scones Keith got his name.

And here are the assorted rats:

Having only partially dried out, the homeward stretch into headwinds and more rain resulted in large appetites being created for a splendid lunch in front of a roaring fire at the Fleur de Lys, washed down with some fine ales and lager for the Dawg. Lawg?

Thanks, Squadron Leader, for a good ride but ask for a new barometer for your next birthday!

Mechanic Maurice, Moley Martin and Deputy Dawg Andrew set off from Clavering in winds gusting up to 38 MPH for a what turned out to be a very pleasant Monday ride.

The intrepid Windmillers itinerary took in Wicken Bonhunt, Ricking, Quenden, Manuden, Furneux Pelham, Stocking Pelham, Brent Pelham and finally Starlings Green (saw none) and eventually back to Clavering.

Apart from battling some headwinds the ride was reasonably uneventful apart from Maurice being attacked by a rabbit and Moly Martin hitting another pothole both incidents took place on the descent to Pinchpools Farm – Both riders were unscalthed.

As a pleasant surprise Moley arranged for the peloton to be refreshed with coffee in Manuden at the residence of his lovely daughter Jessie and husband Robin who was having a lie-in until Moley called.

The ride concluded with a very pleasant lunch at Jamie Olivers parents pub The Cricketers in Clavering where we were eventually joined by the super grumpy Kell (the Irish) complaining that Deputy Dawg hadn’t sent out the usual smoke signals of our impending arrival !  (intentionally ha ha)

On a crystal clear chilly day, five hardy souls comprising our leader Maurice, Deputy Dawg Andrew, Brian, relatively new boy Tom and Moley Martin set off from the Pheasant at 10.00am on a 30 mile circuit via Barkway, Therfield and Sandon, stopping for a coffee in Buntingford and then back via Anstey, Meesden, Langley and Chrishall. The full route can be seen on the Mapometer link above.

Here is a photo taken by Brian of the gang of freezing pheasant pluckers near Therfield:

…but things improved once blood reached the extremities.

The second stop was caused by Tom having a puncture in his rear wheel but instead of offering to help we watched in awe as he swiftly changed tubes and removed bits of flint, but not, however, in the stipulated 4 minutes. (Has anyone ever achieved this magic figure?) It was the general opinion that Tom had passed his first ritual test:

Then, by an amazing coincidence, Moley Martin recognised that the heavily pregnant lady in the coffee shop in Buntingford was in fact his daughter Jessie who happened to be meeting someone there. She would have been in good hands should her babe have decided to join in, what with assorted tyre leavers and spanners and puncture repair kits to hand, but she said she would have declined our services. Here she is with unborn Acorn enjoying our witty company:

And so back to the Pheasant via more splendidly quiet and picturesque lanes for a warm welcome by Ollie, Alison and Simon, when printed copies of our 2015 blog were examined critically. ‘You call yourself a publisher?’ rang out around the table. It was great to have Kell join us for lunch.

Thanks, Herr leader Maurice, for a great ride.

//www.mapometer.com/embed/route/4237288?view=roadmap&units=miles&notes&graph

Monday 28th Dec was a momentous day when we welcomed Simon back in the saddle after nearly 12 months absence.As we gathered outside The Pheasant Simon looked like a lost boy with two flat tyres. Deputy Dawg to the rescue and within minutes Simon was no longer deflated.

Andrew Dawg , Lindsey Dawgs assistant,  Brummie Brian and Simon set off in near perfect conditions passing Barway – Nuthampstead – Ansty -Brent Pelham- Roast Green -Langley -Duddenhoe End etc etc.

The route perhaps should have been titled Cold War and Churches as the first point of interest was the Cold war bunker/ observation post near Brent Pelham where Brian who was so fascinated by Deputy Dawgs knowledge of the Cold War – fell off his bike missing a large puddle by inches.

Next point of interest was a detour to The Hamlet Church at Duddenhoe End which unknown to me is a 16th century barn converted to a church in 1859 -all riders dismounted for a visit inside.

From Duddenhoe End it was a brisk cycle up the Chrishall with Turbo Lindsey taking the lead. This was followed by a superb lunch at The Pheasant with the additional company of the Ryan Trio – Kell in Lycra no bike , Kells wife Glen and daughter Sinead.

Well done Simon -as they say in Scotland  ”

On Yer Bike Man”

Here below is a PDF of a thank you letter from Bridget Gough of Khandel Light for the £600 cheque presented to her by Maurice at the Christmas lunch. Also a copy of a letter sent to the East Anglian Children’s Hospice enclosing a cheque for £400.

On this happy note, the Windmill bloggers wish everyone a wonderful Christmas and a healthy and prosperous New Year.

Windmill Khandel Light DocScan

Windmill East Anglian Hospice DocScan

After an early start for a Monday at 10.30am, our leader Maurice led the way, hotly pursued by Dirty Dawg Andrew, John B and Moley Martin, around 19 miles of dryish lanes, taking in Little Chishill, passing John T’s house, Meesden, Clavering, Arkesden, Duddenhoe End and Chrishall. Maurice had a puncture but Andrew remains the puncture champion of 2015.

After returning to The Pheasant for a pleasant lunch word got around that the King was dining there too, ie Alf Engers, looking very smart compared to the assorted Windmillers who by that time included Road Hog Kell Ryan who joined us for lunch.

…….shouted Moley Martin as he struggled up a steep hill near Ickleton Old Grange on his old bike, a hill he regretted having suggested tackling to fellow riders Deputy Dawg Andrew and Two Scones Keith. It would have helped to give the recalcitrant Granny a kick before attempting the hill but she was laughing at his misfortune by the time he finally made it. Thereafter it was a pleasant 18 mile ride taking in Catmere End, Littlebury, Duddenhoe End and Chrishall before reaching The Pheasant before 4.00pm, when it was almost dark. Roll on those lazy hazy crazy days of summer, but you can keep the pretzels.

Thanks, Dawg, for organising the ride, and apologies for late blog.

A large gathering of members, spouses and friends took place over a splendid Christmas lunch at The Pheasant to celebrate another successful year of cycling and raising over £1,000 for charity. John (Sticky Toffee) Tarrington relayed the good wishes of Kell Ryan, who unfortunately was unable to be present, and summarised the achievements of The Windmill Club over the past year and thanked our leader Maurice Warner for all his hard work.

John was followed by Maurice who presented a cheque for £600 to Bridget Gough who received it on behalf of the Khandel Light charity. This charity works to improve the lives of vulnerable and disadvantaged people in Rajasthan, India, and has achieved great success in recent years. It is also supported by Simon and Ollie at The Pheasant, and Simon is running a marathon in 2016 to raise further funds. Well done Simon, who also plans more cycling in 2016 too. Another cheque for £400 will be presented to the East Anglia Children’s Hospice in Milton, the patron of which is the Duchess of Cambridge.

Maurice then introduced a first time award for the club person of the year and presented it to Deputy Dawg Andrew Rusack for all his assistance in arranging rides and communications with members. Well deserved! He also presented a large bouquet of roses to Ollie with thanks for her hospitality and support over the year.

Then came Deputy Dawg Andrew Rusack himself, also known as Dirty Dawg, Wee Willie Dawg and various other names, who said it had been a year of developing nicknames as we pedalled along, including Two Scones Keith, Moley Martin and Sticky Toffee Tarrington. More to come in 2016! Andrew then gave Simon a smartly wrapped Christmas present of a large tyre pump and thanked Simon and Ollie for their wonderful hospitality and friendship over the year, greeted with much applause from all present.

Here are some photos of the happy occasion:

It was great to have our leader Maurice back with us today after his recent bug, but he was immediately given a stern hill at Little Chishill to climb by Deputy Dawg Andrew, now known also as Wee Willie Dawg (on account of his hat, just in case you were wondering – see below). Keith and Moley Martin were the others taking part on what proved to be a pleasant afternoon after the earlier gloom at noon. But it was still necessary to be back at the Pheasant by 4.00pm due to darkness descending but an enjoyable ride was had by all, taking in Clavering, Arkesden and Chrishall. We were then joined by John B and tucked into an excellent cheese board kindly provided by our hosts Simon and Ollie. Thanks to DD for organising the ride.

Blogger Mart was not present on what he understands was a very pleasant ride via Sandon to Ardleigh and back to the Pheasant, led by John B and followed by Ken, Keith and others. So not a lot to report nor pics of the Pheasant pluckers, much to their relief.

This late autumnal ride on a fine day, but a bit wet under the tyres, was more or less the reverse of a ride a few weeks back. A good turnout comprised Deputy Dawg Andrew, Ken, Keith, John T, John B, Rod, Brian and Moley Martin. Other nicknames were discussed en route but the only ones that stuck (ho ho) was Sticky Toffee John (T) for his valiant attempt to devour a large pudding at the Fleur de Lys. Keith is also known as Two Scones from now on following his mid morning snack.

Having first repaired Brian’s puncture, we set off riding through Debden, Radwinter and Great Sampford, and it wasn’t long before we reached Finchingfield for another excellent coffee stop in Bosworth’s, the cafe by the green. The light outside was at its best due to the low sun, as depicted here:

Enriched with caffeine, beer, scones and jam, a fast pace was then set homewards until a suspected slow puncture affected Andrew (who will be awarded the 2015 puncture prize at the Christmas lunch), followed by his chain coming off and, meanwhile, Rod was still having difficulty with his granny (gear). But by 1.15 pm we were back at the Fleur de Lys where we were joined by our leader Maurice and an excellent lunch was enjoyed by the knights at their round table washed down with some fine ales.

Thanks to Andrew for organising the ride and the gods for the excellent weather.

Three hardy souls, Deputy Dawg Andrew, Keith and Moley Martin, set off from The Pheasant earlier than usual at 2.15 due to the dark evenings, wrapped up well to survive the 5C temperature. But going downhill to Duxford didn’t produce any warmth and it wasn’t until Coploe Hill in Ickleton that the first trickle of heat was felt in the extremities. And, of course, with DD being the aviation enthusiast that he is, a mandatory stop to view Duxford airfield was necessary despite the cold. A Gnat was spied, the sort with a jet engine. Both Andrew and Keith were wearing matching Sleazy Jet orange jackets and here they are viewing the runway:

Returning via Littlebury Green, Elmdon and Heydon, The Pheasant’s fire was particularly welcome along with a fine cheese board kindly provided by Simon and Ollie, and it was good to be joined by John B who was recuperating from having split too many logs.

Thanks, Andrew, for organising the ride.

Today’s ride of 29 miles, led by Deputy Dawg Andrew and accompanied by John B, John T, Keith, Brian and Moley Martin, took us through Barkway and on through uneventful lanes to Hare Street, past a well known Volkswagen dealer M J Warner, and on to the pretty village of Furneux Pelham. Then we approached the pothole capital of Essex, Manuden, and if those didn’t bring us close to death then being shot at by a shooting party near Maggots End certainly did. Guns went off all around us, just a few metres from the road, but despite hitting a hail of pellets we survived to tell the tale.

Next it was a pleasant break for coffee / beer in The Cricketers at Rickling Green and a final run back through Arkesden, Duddenhoe End and Chrishall, with the odd light shower now and then. The roaring fire in The Pheasant was a very welcome sight, as was our leader M J Warner who joined us for lunch. We hope his bug will have bug…ed off soon and that he will be back in the saddle.

Thanks, DD, for organising the ride.

Yellow men in The Cricketers.

Setting off at 2.30pm, led by Deputy Dawg Andrew and followed by puppies Keith, the two Johnnies, Andrew G (minus huskies) and Martin, a reasonable pace was set in dry but darkish conditions, averaging 12mph overall. Andrew G took a different route back from Lower Langley, probably longer, and got back to The Pheasant ahead of the peloton. Altogether a very pleasant autumnal ride and thanks to DD Andrew for organising it. We were sorry not to have Maurice with us, who was down with a bug, but we wish him a speedy recovery.

Follow Ai Weiwei’s example, weld them together, make a chandelier and sell it for millions!