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Four Windmillers, Maurice, Andrew, Sandra and Martin, set off from The Bull, Lower Langley, at 3.00pm, exactly a week after John Tarrington’s funeral in Stevenage. His funeral was attended by a large gathering of his family, friends and colleagues – standing room only for many – followed by a wake at The Woodman in Nuthampstead. It was a fitting end for someone who enjoyed life to the full and who never gave up. There were some wonderful memories and reflections on John at the service and Bridget has supplied some additional eulogies from his rugby playing chums which can be accessed here: John Tarrington Eulogies .  Amongst many fine stories and memories, it is good to read of his novel method of ordering a meal in a Chinese restaurant in the ’60’s!

There was a very good turnout of Windmillers at John’s funeral and so it was good that some of those who attended could also pay their last respects by cycling via Nuthampstead on today’s ride. And who should we meet outside The Woodman but Bridget, who explained that the flowers in front of the World War II Memorial for American servicemen, shown above, were those that had bedecked John’s coffin. John was closely associated with the work of the Nuthampstead Airfield Museum which is behind The Woodman.

Having invited Bridget to join us for a drink at The Bull at opening time, the Windmillers continued their circuit via Anstey, the Pelhams and Meesden before arriving back at The Bull bang on 5.00pm. How does Maurice manage this kind of precision? It is indeed masterful. En route, Sandra indicated that she does not intend to let Graham ride away with the 2019 longest distance award. Not only is she regularly cycling to and from a ride’s start / finish point but she had clocked up a mere 80+ ‘leisurely’ miles the day before. What a role model!

Here is the route taken:

Maurice was proudly displaying the modifications to the e-bike which he first purchased from a chap in Aldeburgh shortly after his hip operation last year. It was a bit troublesome from the start what with difficulty in removing the rear wheel to mend punctures, to a limited range and then, finally, the complete collapse of the hub of the rear wheel. The difference now is amazing thanks to some clever Chinese technology – a new wheel with an efficient, powerful motor and better range with the same battery. And should there be a puncture the rear wheel can be easily removed too. All this and new controls, brake levers too for less than £200. The only downside is weight as it needs a fork lift truck to get it into Maurice’s car.

Although it had been a mild weather ride it was still very pleasant to sit down at the bar of The Bull to enjoy a pint of Benny’s Best in front of the fire, and even better when Bridget joined us and relayed more stories about John. We shall miss him but hope to see Bridget on future rides.

Thanks of course to Maurice for leading the way and to Andrew for getting us to the starting line on time.

Martin

PS. Don’t forget to bid high for John’s bikes! All proceeds to Headline – the brain injury charity

 

 

The origins of Valentine’s Day are murky and so it was very appropriate that Suffolk was shrouded in thick fog as 10 Windmillers gathered at The Red Lion in Great Wratting, feeling cold and not the least bit romantic. The forecast had been for mild weather, and the sun had been shining en route to Great Wratting and so there was the prospect of it breaking through, and indeed it did.

Coffee was served and lunch orders were placed before departing but due to snarled up traffic on the A505 and other places it took a while for all to assemble. Eventually, Maurice signalled the start and he shot off, lights blazing, hotly pursued by Andrew, Ken, Chris, Roger, Lawrence, Victor, Simon T, Graham and Martin. Graham had already clocked up 18 miles by setting off early from Ickleton, and would pedal back home at the end of the ride, thus laying an early claim to the 2019 longest distance award. Sandra – you have competition this year!

It was not only foggy but very cold and so we welcomed the first hill and yearned for more in order to warm up. ‘The views here are fantastic’, said Maurice at one point even though he could only see the end of his nose. But we believed him and just as we reached Glemsford for a coffee stop the fog lifted and we were treated to a glorious sunny Suffolk day.

There was some speculation that Glemsford had a café but after making enquiries anongst the very pleasant local population the ‘café’ turned out to be the village store which possessed a jammed up coffee vending machine incapable of producing a standard white coffee let alone a cappucino with chocolate stripes. However, after several bangs and opening up the interior to inspect the innards, Baristas Maurice and Simon unjammed it and succeeded in persuading it to produce some brown coloured liquid. Meanwhile, other Windmillers stood around talking to the locals, who had never witnessed such a gathering before of so many cyclists in their shop, and enjoyed some hot and spicy vegetable soup ladelled out by a member of staff.

Having warmed up and said goodbye to Mr Gnome and his friends, we then enjoyed a Suffolk Spring day in all its splendour – wonderful views, pretty cottages and impressive mansions as we cruised through the lanes whilst also ascending and descending some significant hills.. Other than Simon’s chain coming off at one point it was an incident free ride despite the early fog, quite a lot of difficult-to-see potholes and recent hedgecutting.

By this time the temperature had probably reached an unseasonable 13C but we weren’t complaining and it continued like this all the way back to The Red Lion where it was good to be joined for lunch by Simon O and his dog, followed shortly afterwards by John B who had also been riding around the lanes. Valentine’s Day was in full swing, with the Landlord sporting a particularly interesting tie but in the interests of decency it is best left to the imagination.

And here is the route taken, a real half and half ride anti-clockwise. Half in fog and half in sun:

Thanks go once again to Maurice for planning the ride and doing a great job of not getting lost in the fog. Well done Maurice! And, of course, thanks to Andrew too for getting us to the starting line, and for the Strava map above.

Martin

 

 

 

It was more like a Roman candle than a birthday candle fizzing away in front of Brian. He had bought the beers and the Windmillers – back from a 29 mile outing – had just finished a big lunch at the Pig & Abbott, when Landlady Pat surprised the birthday boy with a very large cake topped with a rather alarming firework. Pat stood by with advice on the best way to blow it out – but the pyrotechnics eventually fizzled out themselves and Brian was able to cut generous slices for all.

Twelve Windmillers – Maurice, Graham, Sandra, Deborah, Ken, Lawrence, Rod, Brian, Chris, Tom, Andrew – and his old school chum, Don – had set off from Abington Pigotts on a route that had taken in Steeple Morden, Potton, Gamlingay and Waresley, where we pulled in for coffee at the garden centre. Then on the return leg we took a diversion to visit Cockayne Hatley; a charmingly named little place at the end of a no-through road. Nice enough but – as Americans say of Canada – not for the whole weekend.

The outing would have been uneventful but for Chris taking a tumble on a slippery bend not far from the finish. Thankfully, the road was quiet and – apart from road rash and a very sore shoulder – Chris didn’t sustain too much damage. Just as well, as he is off skiing soon.

Back at the pub, we were delighted to be joined by Vernon, who’d heard rumours of free beer.

Thanks, as ever, to Maurice for planning the route and guiding us around – and to Andrew for getting us all organised.

Brian

There was a certain aroma in the air as Martin emerged from his BMW; distinctly savoury, some likened it to Lancashire hot pot, others to boeuf bourguignon. Martin explained his misfortune; he had up-ended a pot-full of casserole in the footwell earlier in the week. We suspect it’s a new business venture; some sort of meals-on-wheels-for-the-well-heeled, or a soup kitchen for the super rich. We will let you know.

There were eight Windmillers gathering outside Andrew’s house in Wendens Ambo for the regular Thursday outing: Geoff, Chris, Tom, Roger, Sandra and Brian, plus Andrew himself and the fragrant Martin.

A quick risk assessment concluded that – barring an unlikely encounter with the Duke of Edinburgh’s Land Rover – the main hazards to look out for would be a low sun and frost in the shade.

Anticipating a cold ride, we set off at pace, heading out through Saffron Walden and Hadstock to Linton, where we passed a vaguely familiar rider going the other way. What with him being so well wrapped against the cold it was a while before it dawned on us that that did look like Victor. Likewise, with the low sun in his eyes, Victor had pulled up wondering whether he had just passed the Windmillers. But, sensible chap, he turned around and we all caught up; so now we were nine.

It wasn’t long before Tom pulled up with a flat tyre. Alas, his reputation as a mechanical wizard took a knock when he needed two attempts at the repair, though no doubt the poor chap was hampered by cold, numb fingers.

With Tom re-inflated, we continued on through Little Abington, where we shouldered the bikes and took the footbridge over the A11, Babraham, Sawston, Whittlesford and Duxford, where we pulled in at Greystones for refreshment. Our first visit, the warm welcome, coffee and excellent cake were all very much to our liking; we shall return.

Then it was on to Hinxton, Ickleton (where we were minded to inspect Martin’s kitchen facilities – alas time was short) and up the steep incline of Coploe Hill to Strethall, where we spied a familiar figure on his shiny new e-bike. Maurice! Now we were ten.

Then came the best bit; whizzing down the long descent into Wendens Ambo and the warm embrace of The Bell, where we thawed out in front of a splendid log fire. It was here that John Bagrie turned up; now we were eleven! And this being Martin’s birthday, we enjoyed a few beers – not to mention stew jokes – at his expense. Cheers!

Brian

With the evenings drawing out, a later start of 15.00 at The Bull, Lower Langley would see 5 participants for this ride – Maurice, Nigel, Sandra, Andrew and Don Kent (AKA – Malbec Don) – Andrews school friend from Newcastle and a participant of some  ‘memorable’ Windmiller rides!! Great to have you back with us Don, if only for a few days.

Having cycled up with a gloomy sky, I was pleased to see this clearing as the guys arrived and we prepared to set off, for what would be perfect weather, if a bit breezier than expected for the journey of 18 miles, clockwise.

Setting out towards Little Chishill, taking care through the well rutted downhill section before turning up ‘The Three Hills’ section to Great Chishill, stopping for a breather and also a quick repair to Dons rattling mudguard using a trusty cable tie. Then on through Heydon to Elmdon, briefly stopping outside the Elmdon Dial, Don quick to spot a photo opportunity.

With a chill forming in the air and before Don could even get his phone back in his pocket, let alone the many layers of gloves and mittens that needed to be removed to take the picture, Maurice, Nigel and Andrew had set off and were nowhere in sight. Having had the same difficulty on a previous ride, I stayed with Don to make sure we didn’t lose him. Catching up with the gang again at the Duddenhoe End turn and a notorious hill, on to Arkesden, Clavering, Stickling Green, passing the two windmills before veering off to Roast Green and Meesden Bury before dropping back to Lower Langley and a very warm welcome back at The Bull.

Thanks Maurice for another great ride and Andrew for organising us.

Sandra

This first Monday ride of 2019 would be a bit windy, so the decision was made to reverse a regular route to take advantage of a tailwind on the return leg. Maurice, Andrew, Simon and Sandra (4) met outside The Tally Ho and set forth on the route below clockwise. Thankfully it was relatively well sheltered most of the way, just a few exposed sections, which make you appreciate the cover of hedges etc.,

Setting out from Barkway, we went around Barkway Golf course before turning to Wyddial and on to Buntingford, then through all the ‘Ends’ of Sandon (Lye, Mill and Green) to the centre, pond and Church, to veer off towards Kelshall but taking the hairpin bend before reaching the village, to head to Stumps Cross and its outstanding views on a clear day, from there it was Therfield, Reed and this was where the full force of the wind was apparent, as we coasted along ‘Reed Joint’ (never done that before)!!

Back to The Tally Ho for some Trelawny and nibbles with Saleesha as our host again.

Thanks Maurice for the route and Andrew for organising us.

Sandra

 

The last ride for 2018 would see Graham out for his first Windmillers Monday outing (still in the recovery period from recent surgery), riding up from Ickleton to join Sandra, Simon, Maurice (back on the repaired E-Bike) and Andrew (5) for yet another great ride. Arriving early and sampling the beer prior to the ride proved to be a good choice, as you’ll see later!

We set off towards Nuthampstead before veering off to Anstey, Meesden, Langley (Lower and Upper), Duddenhoe End, up to Elmdon and then heading back via Heydon, Gt Chishill, Shaftenhoe End back up to Nuthampstead. On route discussions of one of Graham’s favourite routes being from The Woodman to Anstey known locally as ’21 bends’, never counted them but I’m not sure that’s the correct number! With time and daylight in hand, we set forth along this delightful route. Andrew stopping abruptly, having seen an unusual dog being walked along with another dog and a couple of handlers, he knows the way back from here, so we carried on regardless. Graham and Sandra carried on to Anstey and then back to The Tally Ho, leaving Simon and Maurice cycling together (or so we thought!) and Andrew somewhere behind. By the time we got back to The Tally Ho we were ready for some more refreshments but total darkness, NO! Sign on the door, clearly crossed out 6pm closing and replaced with 3.30pm!!! A quick Google to see if anywhere else would be open proved disappointing, nothing obvious. We were soon joined by Andrew, in a rush to swap bike for Range Rover to go back and collect Maurice, the E-Bike had failed again, AH! At this point we realised Simon was missing and it was getting quite dark too, dilemma, do we go in search or wait and hope he finds his way back. Waiting was the chosen option and with Andrew heading back to fetch Maurice, thankfully they found him on his way back, having gone into The Blind Fiddler, Anstey to get directions, all’s well that ends well but still no beer, this is where Maurice would be our saviour and invited us back to his for some delightful Abbott before he was due to go out partying the night away and welcoming in the New Year. Much appreciated Maurice. While at Maurice’s, Simon told us of exploits and then realised, that with The Tally Ho being closed, that would be why he recognised so many people in The Blind Fiddler and they recognised him too!! If the locals go there too, maybe it’s worth a visit too soon.

Thanks Maurice for organising the ride and Andrew for organising us.

Sandra

With most windmillers on their travels to family or to find more festive weather and maybe a bit of Apres ski or last-minute buying and wrapping presents, this afternoon/evening would only yield three riders, Maurice, Simon and Sandra.

And what a lovely ride it would be, almost clear skies and very little wind. Having arrived early at the The Tally Ho, the festive party atmosphere was in full swing, after a swift half and some words of caution from the locals regarding cycling in this area, into the evening sporting faux antlers (rutting season is in full swing)!!

We set off for the 19 mile circuit before heading back to a warm welcome from Saleesha and some delightful refreshments, there also seemed to be a bit of a competition involving Xmas jumpers, the winner was a rather dazzling one with flashing lights, sadly no pictures, as we could only cope with a few seconds at a time!!

Thanks to Simon and Maurice for joining me, Maurice for opting for and guiding us around the gentler route with less hills. (Sadly no E-Bike).

Sandra

We had just completed Thursday’s ride and were back in The Fleur when we heard the dreadful news that our good friend and cycling buddy, John Tarrington, had died. John had suffered a stroke while on holiday in Spain and, sadly, did not recover. Our thoughts were with Bridget and his family.

Over lunch we reminisced and swapped John-stories. For one, he had a fine singing voice; something we only discovered last year when, over a beer after a Monday evening ride, the conversation somehow got around to Rogers & Hammerstein. John professed to being a big fan and, before we knew it, launched into Some Enchanted Evening. A few beers more and he’d done all the big numbers from South Pacific, Carousel and Oklahoma.

A very fit cyclist with a head-down-and-go-for-it style of riding, John was also known for falling off his bike more than most, to the extent of sometimes needing medical attention.

There were lots more John-tales: how he didn’t know how to put on a duvet cover; he was the scourge of countryside fly-tippers; too many to mention here.

We shall miss John – a much loved Windmiller and true friend – and the many happy times we shared.

With the hedge flailing season in full swing and the roads strewn with thorns, it was a miracle nobody had a puncture; not even Deborah!

Eleven Windmillers – Maurice, Rod, Ken, Nigel, Lawrence, Andrew, Chris, Geoff, Deborah, Graham, and Brian – had set off from The Sword at Westmill on a very cold Thursday morning. Maurice, astride his shiny new e-bike, guided us around a 29 mile circuit, stopping for coffee at Ardeley, before returning us all safely to the pub for lunch.

Nobody got lost and nobody fell off; a fine start to the New Year.

Brian

‘Twas the second day after Christmas – which probably explained the low turnout; there were just five Windmillers on Thursday morning’s ride.

Maurice had picked a new venue – The Three Hills, Bartlow – as our starting point. Joining him were Sandra, Graham and Julia (both had cycled from Ickleton) and Brian, who turned up on a particularly muddy bike, having taken an off-road route from Great Shelford.

Setting off towards Castle Camps and, with hardly a mile gone, Brian pulled up with a puncture; a thorn in the tyre, no doubt a result of his off-road escapades. But this was soon fixed and we were on the road again.

An uneventful seventeen miles further on and we pulled in for coffee and biscuits – remarkable value at £1 per head – at the Red Lion, Great Wratting.

Back on the bikes we made short work of the return leg to Bartlow.

Weather-wise, it had been an unusual outing; starting warm (for the time of year) but ending decidedly colder – so we were glad to tumble back into the cosy bar at The Three Hills, something of a gastro-pub, where we enjoyed a fine lunch washed down with a few pints of Woodforde’s Tinsel Toes.

Thanks, as ever, to Maurice for picking the venue, mapping the route and leading the way. Thanks too, to Sandra, who deputised for Andrew as communications manager.

Brian

E-bikes are great but, boy, when they go wrong they are difficult to fix, as Maurice found to his cost again today. And without a bike AA to call out who do we rely on in times of a breakdown?  An off-duty Windmiller of course, which was indeed the case  in the middle of Elmdon when Maurice’s rear hub disintegrated resulting in an extremely wobbly wheel that stood no chance of getting back to Barkway.

And so it was that having set off from the Tally Ho! at 2.30 pm on what could prove to be the darkest ride of the year, Maurice, Andrew, Sandra, Keith and Martin had time to take in some fine views before Maurice’s hub began to complain.

On we went without a hitch until Elmdon where Sandra, Keith and Martin waited for  some time before Andrew appeared announcing that Maurice had suffered a hub failure. But then Maurice arrived, gingerly, saying that his steed would go no further.   Initial thoughts were that a volunteer might head back to Barkway and rescue Maurice and his bike but that would have meant leaving him in a bus shelter for 45 minutes in the cold December gloom. But then thoughts of local Windmillers Ken and Elmdon Simon were had and after a couple of phone calls Ken was found delivering Christmas cards in Ickleton which he promptly finished and rushed back home and sped up to Elmdon to offer his services, having not removed his golf clubs from the back of his car. Before  he arrived who should drive past but Simon who also offered to help but as Ken was already speeding towards Elmdon, Simon decided to take advantage of Ken’s taxi to the Tally Ho! and climbed in with Maurice leaving Maurice’s sick steed to be collected at a later time.

Whilst all this was going on the remaining Windmillers carried on towards Duddenhoe End , spotting a fine herd of deer en route including an Albino, and then through the usual lanes to the Langleys, Meesden and Anstey.

Here is the route taken:

It was almost dark when after 19 miles we entered the Tally Ho! to find Maurice and Simon (who we were of course surprised to see) already propping up the bar but no sign of rescuer Ken who had to get back, presumably to deliver more Christmas cards. A convivial evening it  turned out to be, with possibly two new recruits from behind the bar, Pete and his wife Maggie, who were helping out whilst Saleesha and her husband were away.

Thanks to Maurice for planning the route even though he was unable to complete it, Andrew for his organisation and Ken for his sterling rescue service.

Martin

Barely a week had passed before the Windmillers were back at Braughing, gathering once again in the car park of the Golden Fleece. Notable this week were Sandra, in festive headgear, and Peter the Birdwatcher, a new recruit who we had met last Thursday at Amwell Nature Reserve. Joining them were Maurice, Andrew, Vernon, Lawrence, Geoff, Ric, Rod, Keith, Roger, Nigel and two Brians; fourteen Windmillers in all.

It’s not often that we lose riders but somehow – and within minutes of setting off – fourteen became twelve as Peter and Brumme Brian, having missed a turn in Puckeridge, sallied off alone into deepest Hertfordshire.

It was another two hours before we all met up again at Church Farm, Ardeley; Brian and Peter having enjoyed a relaxing 9 mile cruise in the sunshine – whereas Maurice had cracked the whip and driven the others at pace to clock up nearly twice that distance. Brian and Peter were chatting over a second coffee as the main peloton arrived, looking distinctly warm.

Back on the bikes – and now making a special effort to stick together – we completed the 10 mile return leg to The Golden Fleece where Landlord Peter served up another excellent lunch.

Thanks, Maurice and Andrew, for leading the way (even if you did lose a few of us for a while).

A Merry Christmas to all our readers!

Brian

Maurice, Andrew, Martin, Graham, Sandra, Bruce, Roger, Lawrence and both Brians – ten Windmillers in all – turned out on a chilly Thursday morning to cycle from Braughing to Stanstead Abbotts and back.

Twelve miles in to this hilly 30 mile circuit, we pulled in for refreshments at the Ware Café. Locals looked askance as we commandeered and rearranged tables, stripped off our outer layers and generally got the place all steamed up – but the coffee was good and the mince pies were a real treat.

Back on the bikes we continued south along the Lee towpath, pausing to admire the famous 18th century Gazebos on the far side.

Further along the river we stopped again to take in the view at Amwell Nature Reserve.

Leaving the river at Stanstead Abbotts, we headed northwards through Hunsdon and Widford before stopping off at St Thomas’ Church, Perry Green, where we visited the grave of Maurice’s grandparents. Reflecting quietly at this peaceful spot, Maurice reminisced about Annie and Harold. Harold – who used to drive a steam traction engine – passed away in 1993, aged 101.

Setting off on the final leg, Maurice led the way through Hadham Cross, Barwick and Puckeridge, before returning at last to Braughing and The Golden Fleece. Standing around the bar, we teased Landlord Peter – who has ridden with us in the past – about not seeing him on a bike for nigh on two years. But he took it well and served us up an excellent lunch at the long table.

As ever the conversation was wide ranging; we were particularly impressed with Yorkie Brian’s knowledge of 1960s Formula 1 racing drivers.

Thanks, Maurice and Andrew, for planning and organising things, and for generally looking after us so well.

Brian

This year we decided to make a change and go to a new venue, The Red Cow at Chrishall, where 29  Windmillers and their guests met to celebrate Christmas and to review a year of cycling in 2018. As it was such a lovely day, albeit a bit chilly, Andrew rode up from Wendens Ambo, Sandra rode up from near Royston, Simon came from Littlebury Green and Ken, Graham and Martin climbed up from Ickleton. All needed brandy after getting back home.

Meeting at 12.00 for 1.00pm gave everyone a good chance for a chinwag before sitting down to an excellent lunch with dishes including starters of parsnip soup, chicken and ham terrine, and smoked salmon; mains of turkey with all the trimmings, pheasant and pork casserole, sea bream and a chestnut and onion tart for the veggies; followed by a selection of puds including the Christmas variety, and cheese for those without a sweet tooth. And a very good lunch it was considered to be too, with good service, all washed down with some fine wines and beers.

Here are some pics of the happy occasion (with apologies from the photographers whose cameras could not cope very well with the lighting conditions):

 

After lunch, Andrew rose to his (remarkably steady) feet and commenced the formal part of the proceedings by firstly thanking Maurice for all the planning he had done during the year which enabled many enjoyable rides to be had. Maurice then rose to his (fairly steady) feet and thanked all the members for taking part and contributing £3.00 per ride for the charities we support. This resulted in the distribution of a total of £2,000 to four charities:

£250 to Cystic Fibrosis, £750 to the Eve Appeal for research into womb cancer, £500 to EACH, (East Anglian Children’s Hospice), and £500 to Macmillan Cancer Research. This was greeted with much applause from the assembled gathering.

Andrew then asked Martin to rise to his (not so steady) feet to announce the results of his analysis of the year’s blog. He started by stating that the blog was in its 4th year and had been viewed over 5,000 times to date. In 2018 it had been viewed 883 times so far by 421 visitors from countries including the US, France, the Netherlands, India and the United Arab Emirates. He thanked his fellow bloggers Brian and Sandra, plus Andrew who helps out if necessary. Here is a link to all the blogs since it started: https://thewindmillclubdotnet.wordpress.com .

No. of rides since 4 January 2018: 77 (approx. 80 for the year as a whole to 31 December)

Total distance to date: 1,994 miles

Av. distance per ride: 25.9 miles

Longest ride: 51 miles (never again)

Shortest ride: several of 17 miles on Monday evenings

Largest mileage by members: Sandra (3,000 miles+), Andrew (2,500 miles), Ric (unknown but often rides to and from starting point) and new member Graham expected to be in fierce contention in 2019

No. of pubs visited: 22

Most frequented pubs: The Tally Ho! – 17 times, The Bull – 13 (+ a few visits whilst en route to The Tally Ho!), The Fleur de Lys – 9, The Fox and Duck – 5, and 3 times each to The Pig and Abbot. The Black Bull, The Fox and Hounds, The Bell and The Sword Inn Hand.

Largest no. of riders on a ride: 15 on Vernon’s birthday on 8 November, when he bought a round of drinks (was there a connection?)

Other birthdays celebrated: Brian, John T, Maurice, John B, Andrew, Sandra, Ric, Keith, Lawrence, Ken and Martin (apologies for any omissions)

Smallest no. of riders on a ride: 1 – just Sandra on a cold day on 8 Jan, when The Tally Ho! was shut too at the end of her ride. What lengths will some people go to in the interests of the club?

Deaths: None

Accidents, illnesses and ailments: No falling off ladders this year (Nigel, last year) but there was Ric’s nasty accident on 24 May when he hit a pile of loose gravel and fell off breaking his collar bone. But a quick recovery had Ric back on his bike, which needed straightening out by Maurice, by 12 July. Well done, Ric! Very few illnesses or ailments except for Maurice’s hip operation on or around 17 May followed by lunch a week later at The Fleur and back on an electric bike on 28 June. A remarkable recovery – well done Maurice!

Then came a few prizes ahead of the official awards ceremony which would come later:

Involuntary dismount prize 2018: Several candidates including Martin, Brian, John B and Bruce but the winner was Roger who fell off twice the same day and also subsequently fell backwards off a bench on 6 September whilst clutching his pint of beer without spilling a drop. He promised to repeat his party trick at the Christmas lunch but failed to do so (sensibly).

Top speed prize 2018: Andrew and Martin both claimed 33.4 mph on 3 September and will be awarded the prize jointly unless anyone else has a better claim.

Entertainment prize 2018: Entertainment is forever present in The Windmill Club but there is only one true enter’tenor’ amongst us and that is John ‘the Tenor’ Tarrington who twice entertained us in The Tally Ho! with his butcher friend Julian to wonderful renderings from South Pacific, Oklahoma and other Rogers and Hammerstein musicals. John gets the Entertainment prize.

Punctures: 16. Martin had 4 of these and Deborah had 2 the same day and has only been a member since September. The Puncture Prize 2018 went to Martin and Deborah jointly.

Dodgy Bike Prize 2018: Several candidates – Tom had a problem with his nuts on 29 March, Keith with his spokes on 21 June but, for the second year running, Andrew had problems with his gears / chain and so won the prize once again.

Getting lost prize 2018: only one candidate – Maurice who gave us a tour of Bury St Edmunds’ suburbs when we were meant to be heading for Ickworth. Perhap’s that’s why the first lines in Maurice’s version of Rudyard Kipling’s ‘If’ read: If you can keep your head when all about you are lost And blaming it on you ……’  But could anyone do any better?

Stuck in the mud prize 2018: again only one candidate – Andrew, who led us off road down a mile of thick Essex mud on 31 May. Vernon’s language even frightened some ducks looking on.

Photographer of the year 2018: Brian, once again, for often lying down on the ground determined to get a good shot, David Bailey style.

Keeping cool in road rage incident prize 2018: Lawrence won this coveted prize for remaining remarkably cool whilst being screeched at by a large lady in Nayland on 25 October, whose husband had scraped Lawrence with his Ford Focus. But Lawrence got his own back having flipped their left hand wing mirror whilst being scraped and removing the car’s fuel filler cap in the process.

Martin went on to say how careful Windmillers need to be at all times when out on the road.

To wind up (not before time) Martin drew attention to the huge amount of admin that Maurice and Andrew undertake for the benefit of all members, assisted by Sandra and Brian who also plan rides at times, and thanked them all. Andrew sends out 100’s of emails each year and also organises events such as the Christmas lunch. This led up to the prize of:

The Unsung Hero of the Year 2018,  which was awarded jointly to Andrew for all his hard work and to Ric for recovering so quickly from his accident and hardly mentioning it, plus clocking up so many miles on his bike. Well done, lads!

Andrew then introduced Simon, ex-landlord of The Pheasant in Great Chishill, who was our special guest together with his wife Ollie. Simon recounted the early days of The Windmill Club when, out jogging, he happened to meet Maurice on his bike and that’s how it all started. He also regaled us with some great jokes in true Simon-style and threatened to join us once again on his new bike which has been waiting patiently in his garage for some time to hit the road. He would be more than welcome.

Finally, Andrew took to the floor again and thanked Simon for his and Ollie’s unfettered support for the club, presenting them with a bunch of red roses. He then announced the most important awards of the year:

The Golden Pedal Award : to Brian for his unstinting support as photographer, blogger, bike transporter and being willing to help out at any time.

The Clubman of the Year: to Sandra for hardly missing a ride, clocking up 3,000+ miles, making a massive contribution to the club in so many ways, from planning rides to mending punctures, and putting up with so many eccentric blokes.

The Super Clubman of the Year: to Maurice for his grit and determination in keeping going as his hip deteriorated and his equal determination to get fit and back on a bike as soon as possible after his operation, whilst all the time planning rides and helping us all to raise the handsome amount of £2,000 for charity.

Well done to all our special award winners!

Happy Christmas one and all.

Martin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So who popped a Viagra pill into Maurice’s battery this evening? Or was it just that he was in a hurry for a pint of Trelawney in the Tally Ho! and pressed the full pelt button on his e-bike? Or was it just the fading light at this time of year? Whatever it was, the four other Windmillers who thought they were out for a gentle ride had trouble keeping up.

The light was reasonable as Maurice set off burning rubber from the Tally Ho! in Barkway at 2.30pm, hotly pursued by Andrew, Sandra, Simon and Martin. The route was a figure of 8 via Anstey, Brent Pelham, Meesden, Roast Green, Stickling Green, Clavering, Arkesden, Duddenhoe End, the Langleys and back via Meesden:

There was hardly time to admire the landscape let alone ponder over whether it was a pair of buzzards or red kites flying overhead. By the time we reached Clavering we had a moving average of 13.2mph, about 3.0 higher than usual. A few hills then ensued but by the end of the ride the average was still 12.7mph.

Following on from last week’s encounter with dogs, word must have got around the local dog population that the Windmillers were worth racing. Just after Langley Upper Green a young Labrador raced across a field ready to chase Simon but gave up when he realised Simon was doing about 25mph trying to keep up with Maurice. Sandra saw none of this happen as she was up front trying to dodge large deer leaping out of the hedgerow in front of her.

Skidding left by The Bull at Lower Langley and then sliding round the next right like a track bike, Maurice tore up the hill towards Meesden on full power leaving the others gasping for breath. Whizzing by the junction we had passed earlier and with the light fading we were then treated to a wonderful sunset, but there was no time to stop and capture it! But, finally, Maurice just had to ease up for a call of nature and so the remaining four were able to cruise past and get back to the Tally Ho! first.

Saleesha pulled some very good pints of Trelawney and it was good to see Sally turning up for duty smartly dressed in a Santa woolly outfit. Rumour has it that Sally might be thinking of joining us for a ride sometime.

Thanks, of sorts, go to Maurice for planning the route and leading the way. Only joking, Maurice! It was a great ride which allowed us to shed a few extra calories in time to put them all back on again with a vengeance at the Christmas lunch on Wednesday. And thanks of course to Deputy Dawg Andrew too for his organisation, not only for today but throughout a very enjoyable and successful 2018, with a few more rides still to go.

Martin

PS A printed version of this year’s blog will once again be produced early in 2019. The cost is unknown yet but, depending on numbers, should be in the region of £25 – £30 all being well. Place your orders now! Please contact: martin.woodhead1@btinternet.com

The Windmill Club territory borders on the counties of Essex, Hertfordshire, South Cambs, Bedfordshire and Suffolk, with occasional forays to Norfolk, London and elsewhere. This means we frequently criss-cross county boundaries and can compare road surfaces, potholes, white lining, the behaviour of motorists and other fascinating variables. This ride, however, was a 100% Essex ride which meant that potholes should be generally mended but we should keep a watch out for mad drivers. It was also an opportunity to assess the myth that Essex roads were built by Irishmen who always worked with the wind on their backs, which frequently changed direction.

And so it was that the Fleur de Lys in Widdington was once again the start and end point of a delightful clockwise tour of quiet lanes for no less than 14 Windmillers, a record for a December day. After a safety briefing to ensure that our large group left several gaps to assist overtaking Essex drivers, Maurice led the charge followed by Andrew, Rod, Sandra, Keith, Ken, Brummie Brian, Yorkie Brian, Ric, Chris, Victor, Graham, Geoff and Martin. Ric rode to and from Widdington from Harston and Graham arrived just in time having consumed a large bacon butty in Saffron Walden whilst cycling from Ickleton – well done, lads!

Here is the route taken:

For a December day, the weather was pleasantly mild and not too windy which resulted in steady, puncture-free progress around quiet lanes through villages preparing for the festivities to come. Wimbish, Radwinter and Hempstead looked particularly festive.as did Henham later in the ride.

A large group needs a large coffee stop. Maurice must have known there would be a good turnout as he wisely chose Parrishes in Thaxted for refreshments – a coffee shop cum wine bar cum pub with ample space at the rear for 14 Windmillers.

Then it was back through more quiet lanes taking in Broxted and Henham, including a detour through Little Henham, before the final climb up the steep hill to Widdington and a Fleur de Lys brimming with customers enjoying lunch and some fine beers.

Grateful thanks are due to Maurice for leading us effortlessly around twisty Essex lanes, which only goes to prove that Irish workmen and the changing Essex winds were indeed to blame. Thanks also to Andrew for whipping us in.

Martin

 

 

 

 

The first ride of the meteorological winter brought five intrepid wind-millers out to test the roads. Maurice, Rod, Geoff, Simon and Sandra met at The Tally Ho, Barkway. The time is drawing closer to clean and put away the Summer bikes and bring out the winter steeds, sporting mudguards!! Having encountered a heavy shower on the ride up to Barkway, with Rod gleefully tooting his car horn passing by at this moment in time, I knew then that I had chosen the wrong bike for this ride but I sure wasn’t going back to change it now.

A little bit of confusion at the start, thinking Martin would be joining us but no sign, a few phone calls ensued and still no sign, with light fading we looked around to see that Maurice and Rod on their electric steeds, had set off, thankfully for the followers the wind was on our tails as we turned to head towards Nuthampstead and we quickly caught them up, passing Barkway golf course heading to Anstey, Geoff and Maurice drew the attention of an Alsatian being walked off leash in the field nearby, as it rushed over to say hello, apparently friendly but didn’t sound that way to those dashing off in front!! On to Gt Hormead, Furneux Pelham where we took the track from Whitebarns through to Hartham Common, this was where Rod had flashbacks to a previous ride on this route and the first outing with us on the EBike, thankfully the thorns had been washed away or squashed enough not to cause any punctures on this ride. On through various Greens (Walsall, Starling’s, Deers and Roast) to Meesden, again along this stretch Geoff would draw the attention of another dog being walked, this time on a leash but with enough rope to lurch at him as he cycled past, a warning to us all, if there are dogs around make sure you’re not cycling with Geoff!!

Back via Anstey to a warm welcome from Saleesha and a roaring fire at The Tally Ho. A mixture of refreshments this evening, selection of beers and even a warming pot of TEA.

Another great ride, if a bit damp and mucky. Thanks Maurice.

Sandra

 

It was gloomy only due to the time of year, not for any other reason, as four Windmillers in good spirits assembled in the Tally Ho! car park in Barkway at 2.30pm for what proved also to be quite a chilly 17 mile ride around the lanes. Maurice led the way followed by faithful Dawg Andrew, Deborah and Martin. Here is the anti-clockwise route taken:

Deborah came well layered, Martin donned ski gloves and both Maurice and Andrew looked as though they had a few layers on but were not admitting it, nor removing them. But Deborah was also minus lights and as it was already gloomy when we set off we agreed to keep her well sandwiched to avoid any possible danger.

It wasn’t long before we all began to feel the heat seeping through and, luckily for Deborah, Martin’s capacious rear bag swallowed two of her layers with space to spare for one of his own.

On we whizzed through Kelshall and on to Sandon, where a brief stop was made to admire the pond, before cycling past Lyn and John Bagrie’s lovely house on the outskirts of Sandon. Then it was down to Buntingford and left to Wyddial where we recalled that memorable vision of loveliness that some of us experienced on a hot summer’s evening earlier in the year – see Blog of 23 July for all the details! Or was it just the heat getting to us?

Less exertion was required on the homeward leg which meant some re-layering on Deborah’s part to keep warm but it wasn’t long before the Tally Ho! came into view. We bid farewell to Deborah, and the remainers (no Brexit pun intended) were then welcomed warmly by Saleesha who opened early specially for us, the log fire already roaring. And what a pleasure it was when Keith joined us along with John and Lyn Bagrie, who we hadn’t seen for a while. Much mirth and merriment was to be had.

Thanks go as usual to Maurice for planning the ride and to his Deputy Dawg Andrew for getting us to the starting line on time.

Martin

 

 

 

 

We didn’t go cycling; it was too windy! That said, Ric and Graham, being made of sterner stuff, did venture out on two wheels and met up with the rest of us at Balsham, where we enjoyed a hearty lunch at the Black Bull. Lawrence bought the beers; top chap!

Brian