RSF - The Off Road Cycling Club

The Adventure Starts Here

1962

“Any Day I’m Out On A Bike Is A Good One” – Martyn Ashton

 

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The sleep of early December was in the eyes of the morning, in the naked beauty of the trees leaning over the stream besides the military-like men's wash-room at Cynwyd YH. The clouds plodded steadily on a south easterly course, without a trace of sun, but set fair against rain. The prospect of a dry day for our Berwyn crossing was something to be thankful for. A rough lane climbs above the stream with glimpses into the ravine through the trees. 
For the second time in my life as Editor (7 years), I have been threatened with exposure, exposure of the fact that I duplicate the magazine and have received ’hard cash for myself’ for this service. As Editor, I consider it my duty to have our magazine produced by the cheapest means (commensurate with results) that I can obtain in Liverpool. This is being done. Members objecting to me having this ’right of action’ should of course raise the matter at AGM level
Generally speaking, places where food can be obtained are much further apart than in France - on several occasions I found gaps of 30 or 40 miles - and it is wise when one does come across a village shop supplying fruit and biscuits, to stock up one's pockets. A competent bicycle mechanic at La Ainsa provided me with a new left-hand crank at a very reasonable price. Apart from broken spokes which I replaced by the road side, I had no mechanical trouble otherwise.
For cyclists coming south out of Germany from Garmisch-Partenkirchon into Austria and then heading eastwards, a wonderful day over fairly easy rough stuff can be had, avoiding the traffic-ridden Inn Valley and spending the day in the peace and quiet of the mountains. At Scharnitz - where accommodation can be obtained - a rough jeep road starts from the main road in the centre of the village on the north side of the river bridge and is signposted to Karwendelhaus.
The crossing was over and the time was seven in the evening but the clock had crept round to ten before v/e were washed and sat down to a meal at Eskdale Green where we were booked in for the night. The six members of our party looked back on the day with rather mixed feelings. I was not at that time a member of the RSF and think that Black Sailwas a good ’breaking in’ to rough-stuff for me. Time taken on a fairly rough day from Ennerdale to Wastwater was four to four-and-a-half hours.
Founded in 1941 in Cairo, the Fraternity of Buckshee Wheelers is restricted to male cyclists who served in the Middle East during the last war. Under abnormal conditions the Fraternity was run on as near possible English cycling club lines, with Sunday runs and a clubroom (?) night. I say abnormal conditions, because these Sunday runs were often met with a barrage of half-bricks from sections of the native population en route

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