RSF - The Off Road Cycling Club

The Adventure Starts Here

2015

Cyclists see considerably more of this beautiful world than any other class of citizens. A good bicycle, well applied, will cure most ills this flesh is heir to.” — Dr K.K. Doty, 19th Century New Yorker and cycling evangelist

 

All content in the journals is copyright either of the RSF or the author or indeed both. It's use without permission will result in a stiff memo. If you would like to use an article or images please contact the general secretary in the first instance

It never ceases to amaze me just know much knowledge there is in the RSF. Nowhere is this more evident that at the annual slide show on the Friday of the Easter meet. As the lights are dimmed usually the presenter cannot read his notes so we are not told where the slide is. No matter there is always someone in the audience who can identify not just roughly where it is but the route, the exact location, the angle and some commentary eg.. “ah yes that’s on Glen Affric just past the hostel before you get to Camban bothy, just round the corner is a nice spot for a brew”
Of course we sent in a short report of the ride in February, but it has taken until now to convince the four hardy souls to agree to letting everyone know about their ‘embarrassing’ night out! Oh yes they really should have read the weather reports and maybe even sometimes believe them? Now at the end of February there were some high winds and rain forecast, but the fantastic four of Uncle Geoff, Ivan ‘the not so terrible’, Robbo and JP were not to be put off! Though to be fair Uncle Geoff must have had at least an inkling, as he had packed a tent in his saddlebag.
Fain would I have thee read a tale of der-doing by heroic warriors of the wheeled horse, verily of Herculean feats performed with nonchalant bravado, but due to the editor wielding a mighty pen and our respected assistant secretary not wielding his, I fear you’ll have to settle for this account. It all started just past Kirkibost where we climbed over a car parked in front of the gate which bore a large notice saying ‘please do not park in front of the gate’.
With Rob’s customary punctuality six of us set off on the stroke of 10am on a beautiful spring morning to explore the Apedale Road. A gentle ride down the hill to Grinton gave way to the first of many climbs of the day as we meandered along the south side of the Swale passing the intriguingly named Nanny Ward’s Well and up past the appropriately named Swale Hall. Having attained some height we were loath to lose it and with a sharp road descent facing us and an attractive rough track beckoning to our left and promising gentle height gain we naturally chose the latter
My wife’s grandfather’s territorial battalion (6 th Durham Light Infantry) reached the trenches at Potijze road a couple of miles east of Ypres on 25th April 1915, and was immediately involved in bitter defensive fighting as the Germans tried to follow up their devastating first gas attack two days earlier. This family anniversary gave me the idea of a centenary biking trip to the 1915 front line and neighbouring battlefields. We based ourselves at the pleasant village of Kemmel, a few miles south of Ypres and in day outings, explored the 14-18 fighting lines including canals, rivers and old railway lines
We were greeted by numerous barking dogs, for the shieling is still occupied, but what attracted our attention was the graveyard higher to the north of the track. Our visit to it proved very interesting. Some prominent people are buried here, the most famous being Sir Archibald Sinclair who had a distinguished military career before turning to politics, eventually becoming the leader of the Liberal Party. During the Second World War he was a member of Churchill’s coalition government and took the title of Secretary for Air.

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