Cycling UK Wantage | Programme of Rides and Events

Past Rides

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Tue Jun 2nd 2020

Virtual Pub Night

Leader: Steve Swanton	Start Time: 8:00 pm	Start Location: Zoom
Description: As we are unable to meet together as a group due to the Covid-19 regulations, we are holding a Virtual Pub Night on Zoom to chat and share news in the comfort of our own homes. Please BYOB so we can pretend we are all in the pub together! An invitation to the meeting will be sent out by email to all those subscribing to our newsletter. If you don't receive this and would like to join us, please drop me a line before 6pm on Tuesday. There is no particular structure to the evening, but if you have any cycling or club-related questions that you would like to ask please drop me an email, or of course raise them on the evening. Looking forward to seeing as many of you as can make it.
Riders: Amanda Seddon Carin Tranter David Jackson Gareth Smith Jan McCabe Jane John John Tranter Jon Townsin Karen Townsin Lorna Swanton Mike Bailey Peter Hallowell Roger Postbeschild Simon Atkin Stephanie Haddrell Steve Boreham Steve Swanton Susan Holdroyd Val Smith Riders = 19 Report: It was really nice to see everyone again! An interesting and useful 90 minutes of chat and the bonus of an unexpectedly extended free session so that we weren't interrupted. After catching up on people's cycling activities during lockdown, a range of topics came up including the new Cycling UK Wantage repository of rides on rideswithgps, vitual turbo sessions , Cycling UK's updated position on group cycling , the production of local route sheets , advice to those wanting to buy a bike to get cycling, and the potential for redesignating the canal towpath and Larkhill track as bridleways for cycling. Thanks for everyone's contribution to the discussion . We decided at the end that while we couldn't meet and cycle together, it would be nice to maintain contact. So we agreed to continue the virtual gatherings on a weekly basis starting at the slightly later time of 8:30pm, for those who may be out cycling or joining the new virtual turbo sessions. Please look out for the meeting details on Facebook and by email. Look out too for details of a Cyclle treasure Hunt next week to provide a common goal for our cycling activity. Looking forward to seeing everyone again next week .
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Thu Jun 4th 2020

Thursday Catch-up

Leader: Carin Tranter	Start Time: 10:30 am	Start Location: Zoom
Description: As we cannot ride our bikes as a group under the Covid regulations at the moment, we are going to put on a zoom video call instead. We will probably have a coffee and a biscuit ready on the session so we can pretend we are all in a cafe together! Steph, Di and myself will be hosting. Further sessions can be set up depending upon the response to this one. We hope we can chat and share news in the comfort of our own homes whilst still being able to go out and exercise at other times on our bikes solo or with members of our households. Anyone who has done a Thursday ride in the last few months has been sent an invitation. If anyone else is interested, please contact me.
Riders: Carin Tranter David Bridge Diana Whidborne Lorna Swanton Roger Postbeschild Stephanie Haddrell Val Smith Riders = 7 Report: We had a fun catch up with 7 people on the zoom call. We voiced our frustration at not being able to ride together but agreed we needed to stick with Government regulations and Cycling UK advice. We agreed to try a socially distanced ride the following Thursday using Stanford coffee shop as our meeting place for take away coffee. We would ride solo or in socially distanced pairs and meet up at Stanford followed by completing our rides back home. The group would be 6 of us from the zoom call (excluding Val who couldn't make it). We would offer this out to further Thursday riders if this was successful.
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Tue Jun 9th 2020

Virtual Turbo session

Leader: Jon Townsin	Start Time: 6:30 pm	Start Location: On line
Description: After a successful trial yesterday evening we will now be holding a weekly 40 minute Virtual Turbo workout to make up for the loss of the normal Tuesday evening group ride. You will need your own Turbo set up, a mobile device / laptop and Zoom version 5 installed on your device. The session will include various combinations of hill climbing, sprinting and, of course, some recovering(!). More details on the night. To book your place drop me an email and I will send you the login details.
Riders: Barry Stanton Jan McCabe Jon Townsin LeeAnn Norris Lisa Footner Nicole Pethybridge Ursula Hallam Riders = 7 Report: A great first virtual Turbo session - thanks to all for coming along!,,,
Negative splits
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Tue Jun 9th 2020

Virtual Pub Night

Leader: Steve Swanton	Start Time: 8:30 pm	Start Location: On line
Description: It was great to see so many of you on our first Virtual Pub Night last week. And while we can't meet and ride as a group for the time being, we've decided to hold these weekly. It's a chance for a chat and to share our news from the comfort of our own homes. Please BYOB so we can pretend we are all in the pub together! An invitation to the meeting will be sent out by email to all members subscribing to our newsletter. If you don't receive this and would like to join us, please drop me a line before 6pm on Tuesday. Looking forward to seeing as many of you as can make it. With thanks to Jan Mc for hosting.
Riders: Brian Hipwell David Bridge David Jackson Gareth Smith Jan McCabe John Tranter Jon Townsin Lorna Swanton Nick Portsmouth Nicole Pethybridge Peter Hallowell Richard Pethybridge Roger Postbeschild Stephanie Haddrell Steve Swanton Val Smith Riders = 16 Report: Another good chat and nice to see a few members that weren't able to join us last week . A broad range of topics this week : the kindness of cycling strangers (when you get a puncture at the top of Spring Hill, 20 miles from home and discover your pump has broken ); starting a new job on-line in lockdown; progress on the new cycle route between Wantage and Harwell (the bridge of doom is gone); smart turbos and virtual racing ; the North Denchworth lions; and the new Cycle Treasure Hunt was launched. All this plus zoom-bombing by Steph's cat . Thanks to Jan for hosting. Hope to see many of you again, same time next week .
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Mon Jun 15th 2020

Cycle Treasure Hunt 9-15 June 2020

Leader: Steve Swanton	Start Time: 8:00 pm	Start Location: Where you are
Description: While we are unable to cycle together as a club, a cycle treasure hunt can provide us with a common goal for individual or household cycling. To participate, all you need to do is find the answers to any three of the clues while riding over the coming week (between now and 8pm, on Monday 15 June). Do share your experiences of riding to collect the answers with the club on Facebook or by email to Steve. For this week, the level of cycling challenge is relatively modest, with seven clues located within 10 miles of Wantage and Grove. Each clue is provided on the interactive googlemap accessed through the link below. Just click on a checkpoint to reveal the clue. No route between the clues is provided. It is for each rider to plan their own route(s) to collect the clues, depending on their starting point. All clues are located in quiet, readily accessible public places. Most clues are intended to draw attention to points and places of interest that we sometimes cycle through or past without really noticing. Do take the time to take in and enjoy your surroundings. Click on the interactive map here 1. The clues are in no particular order. You could collect them in a single ride or on several rides over the week if you want to. 2. Please do share your experience on the club Facebook page. 3. But please dont give away the answers! 4. If you do have trouble finding the answers, please let Steve know. 5. Please email your answers to Steve by 8pm on Monday evening (15 June), 6. The answers and results will be given out on Tuesday at the Virtual Pub Night and subsequently through the website, 7. There are no prizes for being the first to complete the challenge but it may merit a mention, as might the most interesting, longest or shortest routes. 8. Above all, have fun, enjoy cycling and stay safe. If there is sufficient interest, we can undertake further treasure hunts, perhaps on a weekly basis.
Riders: David Jackson David Smith Gareth Smith Jan McCabe Peter Hallowell Roger Postbeschild Ros Hallowell Stephanie Haddrell Ursula Hallam Val Smith Riders = 10 Weather: Report: Congratulations to all of those who completed our first Treasure Hunt by visiting all of the checkpoints over the last week. Roger was the first to send me a complete set of answers and chapeau to David and Ursula who cycled over from Newbury to bag all seven on Sunday. Peter and Ros also completed the round in one go from Abingdon. Jan tells me she ran out of time to complete the set on Sunday while hunting for the Uffington answer, but she then went out again to bag it on Monday evening! I'm delighted you all enjoyed it and in light of the feedback, we shall run it again, with more clues over a two-week period. The checkpoint map remains open via the link above for anyone to use as a spur for riding and exploration. Enjoy!
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Tue Jun 16th 2020

Virtual Turbo Session

Leader:	Start Time: 6:30 pm	Start Location: On line
Description: The second of our weekly 40 minute Virtual Turbo workout to make up for the loss of the normal Tuesday evening group ride. You will need your own Turbo set up, a mobile device / laptop and Zoom version 5 installed on your device. The session will include various combinations of hill climbing, sprinting and, of course, some recovering(!). More details on the night. To book your place drop me an email and I will send you the login details.
Riders: Barry Stanton Jan McCabe Jon Townsin Lisa Footner Ursula Hallam Riders = 5 Report: A hot evening for 5 climbs but we made it!!! Well done everyone
5 Climbs
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Tue Jun 16th 2020

Virtual Pub Night

Leader: Steve Swanton	Start Time: 8:30 pm	Start Location: On Zoom
Description: Do join us for an hour or so of convivial chat (some of it cycling related). While we can't meet and ride as a group, it's a chance to keep in touch and to share our news from the comfort of our own homes. Please BYOB so we can pretend we are all in the pub together! An invitation to the meeting will be sent out by email to all members subscribing to our newsletter. If you don't receive this and would like to join us, please drop me a line before 6pm on Tuesday. Looking forward to seeing as many of you as can make it. With thanks to Jan Mc for hosting.
Riders: Carin Tranter David Bridge David Jackson Gareth Smith Jan McCabe John Tranter Lorna Swanton Nick Portsmouth Peter Hallowell Robin Tucker Roger Postbeschild Stephanie Haddrell Steve Swanton Val Smith Riders = 14 Report:
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Tue Jun 23rd 2020

Virtual Turbo Session

Leader: Jon Townsin	Start Time: 6:30 pm	Start Location: On line
Description: A weekly 40 minute Virtual Turbo workout to make up for the loss of the normal Tuesday evening group ride. You will need your own Turbo set up, a mobile device / laptop and Zoom version 5 installed on your device. The session will include various combinations of hill climbing, sprinting and, of course, some recovering(!). More details on the night. To book your place drop me an email and I will send you the login details.
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Tue Jun 23rd 2020

Virtual Pub Night

Leader: Steve Swanton	Start Time: 8:30 pm	Start Location: On Zoom
Description: Do join us for an hour or so of convivial chat (some of it cycling related). While we can't meet and ride as a group, it's a chance to keep in touch and to share our news from the comfort of our own homes. Please BYOB so we can pretend we are all in the pub together! For starters, and noting Jon and Karens early morning sunrise ride, I am interested to hear how others marked the summer solstice weekend awheel? There will be an update on the Route Sheets for beginners and families, and the launch of the new Cycle Treasure Hunt to run for two weeks. If you would like to join us, please drop me an email and I will forward the link. Looking forward to seeing as many of you as can make it. With thanks to Jan Mc for hosting.
Riders: Carin Tranter David Bridge Gareth Smith Jan McCabe John Tranter Lorna Swanton Peter Hallowell Roger Postbeschild Simon Atkin Steve Swanton Riders = 10 Report: With fewer participants, a more chatty get-together this week. We shared our stories of celebrating (or not) the summer solstice/ Fathers Day last weekend; discussed tyre longevity and tyre pressures and the next Cycle Treasure Hunt was launched. We are close to going live with a series of 7 of local route sheets with a dedicated page for them on the website. Watch out for further details. Good to see everyone - enjoy your cycling over the next week.
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Tue Jun 30th 2020

Virtual Turbo Session

Leader: Jon Townsin	Start Time: 6:30 pm	Start Location: On line
Description: A weekly 40 minute Virtual Turbo workout to make up for the loss of the normal Tuesday evening group ride. You will need your own Turbo set up, a mobile device / laptop and Zoom version 5 installed on your device. The session will include various combinations of hill climbing, sprinting and, of course, some recovering(!). More details on the night.
Riders: Jan McCabe Jon Townsin LeeAnn Norris Lisa Footner Riders = 4 Report:
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Tue Jun 30th 2020

Virtual Pub Night

Leader: Steve Swanton	Start Time: 8:30 pm	Start Location: On line
Description: Do join us for an hour or so of convivial chat (some of it cycling related). While we can't meet and ride as a group, it's a chance to keep in touch and to share our news from the comfort of our own homes. Please BYOB so we can pretend we are all in the pub together! If you would like to join us, please drop me an email and I will forward the link. Looking forward to seeing as many of you as can make it. With thanks to Jan Mc for hosting.
Riders: David Bridge Gareth Smith Jan McCabe John Tranter Jon Townsin Lorna Swanton Nick Portsmouth Peter Hallowell Steve Swanton Riders = 9 Report: Very interesting discussion this evening. After touching on the advantages of doing turbos online (without musical accompaniment) and the US icon of the brown-paper bag, main course for the evening was a wide ranging discussion on peoples views about resuming rides within current social distancing guidelines. This followed from John's newsletter on Sunday and initial feedback received. Very useful straw poll and range of opinions were shared. I won't go into details here, but Jon T will start consulting with ride leaders shortly.
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Ride Filter

Start Locations: WMP
Wantage Market Place; OMH
Old Mill Hall, Grove

Categories: 1* - Suitable for irregular, social, beginner or family riders, pace will match the slower riders. Not hilly or long. Expect rides up to 3 hours. Gentle exercise.; 2* - Suitable for regular riders who prefer to cover some distance but at a more relaxed pace. Likely to be half-day rides. Solid exercise.; 3* - Suitable for experienced riders, may be hilly, long, quick, or any combination! Likely to be half or full-day rides. Challenging exercise.; 4* - Suitable for athletic riders who can ride safely above the 3* standard. Quick rides for the fit.; More Information

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