Cyclists’ Touring Club
Bristol Section
Year Ending October 2002

Club Rides Having submitted a report to the DA Committee in which I failed to mention that we actually ride bikes I can report that numbers on our Sunday rides have remained at a healthy level, averaging out at a combined total of around 30 on the two regular rides on offer. In spite of the near November-like temperatures in the late Spring and early Summer, numbers on rides remained at these levels, with no significant increase as the weather improved. I have always found that it is the destination of the ride, and the Leader more than the weather that seems to have the greatest effect on attendance and we are fortunate in having some good Leaders who go to places people want to visit.
Christmas Holiday Hugh Marshall’s traditional “Sleigh Woods” ride on Boxing Day was not as well attended as usual as people were away on holiday. However, with mulled wine, mince pies and other goodies being prepared for twenty it meant that eight riders had a rather convivial time - thanks, Hugh and Ann.
New Year The “Last and First” rides, to Colerne and Clutton Hill respectively, prised some of us out of our post Christmas catatonic state, with the New Year’s Day ride in cold but brilliant sunshine being particularly enjoyable. Even the rider of the recumbent, on his first outing with us and introduced to a couple of green lanes (not really what they are designed for?) enjoyed the day.
July - Section Barbecue. The Section barbecue was stoked up at the “Blue Flame” at Nailsea on the first Sunday in July with over 40 attending. A wet, miserable morning gave way, to a glorious afternoon. Organised by Joe Prosser and with excellent food, courtesy of Jean Broome and Joan Orchard this was a repeat of last year’s success and looks set to become a regular feature in our calendar.
Other Rides Notable outings were Jerry Croome’s visit to the Roman settlement of Isca near Caerleon and our usual Mothers’ Day ride to the “Hunter’s Lodge near Priddy on Mendip. Why there and on that particular day? It’s a great pub with excellent, cheap food, eminently quaffable beer but above all it’s not the sort of establishment where the family would usually take Mum, so, no crowds on Mothers’ Day - simple really.
Wednesday Evening Rides These started, as usual at the end of the Clubroom season and attracted a small, but dedicated, band of followers.
Of course all these rides wouldn’t take place unless we had someone to organise Leaders and to assemble, publicise and distribute the Runs Lists, so to Joe Prosser, our Runs Secretary, once again a big thank you!

Weekends Away & Club Holidays
November/December - Minehead YH Bristol Section have particular affinity with Exmoor. If you consider the magnificent and wild scenery this is not surprising, although the strenuous nature of the terrain can be testing. Testing terrain or not, this visit produced another grand weekend away. Apart from the company of good friends and the social activities which are so much a part of these breaks, the weekend will be remembered for the ride back from Knowstone after lunch on the Saturday with the winter afternoon sunshine highlighting the colours of the remaining leaves on the trees and the long climb up from the valley of the Exe to near Wheddon Cross with a huge yellow moon rising over the Brendons - magic.
January - Slimbridge YH Once again, it being that time of year, the regulars at the Tudor Arms” at Slimbridge were treated to the spectacle of outrageously clad Bristol members taking over their skittle alley for our New Year Fancy Dress evening. There was little cross-dressing this year, except for Jon Croome as a strident, be-headscarfed and wellington booted old bag - somewhat tempered by Lorraine as a very fetching Scarlett O’Hara. Jenny Jones and Mike Atkins, our DA Treasurer, made a worrying appearance as Bonny and Clyde - has he turned to crime I asked myself. Joe Prosser, Richard Shopland and Pete Bressington, in genuine dress from Goa, portrayed three Indian gentlemen and still on a foreign note John Perret was looking for at least a little pillage as a rather disreputable Viking. Mark & Shirley Tily were the Laurel and Hardy of Teletubbyland in home-constructed costumes which were repaired as the evening progressed with liberal application of electrician’s tape. Disguised faces were evident with Janet Adcock as a believable clown and Stan Watts wearing a mask which some considered an improvement - unfair, that. Our visitors from the Isle of Sheppey, Helen & Brian Knell were Miss Muffet and the Spider (Helen, by the way, as Miss M - we don’t want any reputations besmirched) Continuing the nursery rhyme theme Karen Crombie may have intended to be the Good Fairy but she could have fooled us. Of the recent past Dave Tout & Joan Orchard took us back to the late 60’s (Joan in a suit she actually wore then) and Jerry & Lyn Croome as a believable Sonny and Cher from the 70’s. Amazing how Afro wigs can change a guy’s appearance! Your Secretary appeared an Edwardian beach bum, complete with straw boater - and didn’t swim in the Canal - no water wings. Winner of the prize for the best costume was Jackie Bressington as a Warrior Maiden, complete with sword and a very determined air. (sorry about the length of this bit, but the efforts put in really do deserve a mention )
Easter Tour - Peak District The news that Buxton YH is to close made it the more fortuitous that the Section elected to use it as a base for the Easter Tour. In good weather, 22 enjoyed a varied weekend which included visits to Bakewell and the High Peak Trail, Longdon and the Manifold Valley (which included a 19-lot “hit” on a fish and chip shop) and to Edale and the Black Death Memorial at Eyam. A rather strenuous walk of anything between 13 and 17 miles (depending how tired you were at the end of the day) was also available as an alternative on one day.
Spring Bank Holiday A week’s very successful visit to the Lake District over the Spring Bank Holiday combined cycling and walking, visiting Ambleside and Derwentwater Youth Hostels was organised by Mike Atkins
August - 64th. Semaine Federale - Quimper our visit to the 64th. Semaine Federale was the next important event in our calendar. Around 45 booked via Joe Prosser, staying in a variety of locations around the city of Quimper with the majority camping, conveniently, on the sports ground close to the Permanence - the centre of operations for the week. The selection of rides on offer ranged, as usual, from the moderately easy 40 to 50K to some rather testing 200+K treks around the Brittany hills (who said this area was flat?) With the expected high standard of cuisine, the entertainment and the lovely countryside and coast of the Finisterre region the event lived up to its well deserved reputation.
August Bank Holiday Beer YH hosted the Section Bank Holiday Weekend. 24 of us spent the weekend around the beautiful, if hilly Devon coast and countryside enjoying some memorable rides planned as usual by Jon Croome and also the complementary apre cyclisme social activities. Incidentally, the advertised Sunday ride on the holiday weekend attracted 15, which added to the number on the weekend away indicates a healthy riding membership. We must be doing something right, somewhere!
Other Holiday Tours Aside from the official Section events two notable tours were organised for members by members. Joe Prosser organised and led a select band on an End to End based on a CTC route (with fine tuning via the Good Beer Guide ).
Taking in foreign parts, a Jerry Croome led tour of Corsica had members enduring temperatures of 38C, coming home with tans to make the even the most assiduous solarium worshipper green (?) with envy. All agreed it was wonderful experience on a beautiful island. I won’t repeat the obvious joke about Napoleon. Jerry also organised a week’s plane - assisted ride to Scotland at the end of September

Clubroom & Social Activities
Clubroom The Winter Clubroom season got under way in October and offered presentations covering subjects as diverse as Canada, Tibet, Tasmania, the Galapagos Islands, the Panama Canal, Sri Lanka, Austria, Australia, Alaska, the North West Passage and even the good old Aust Ferry. The talks on Alaska and the Northwest Passage and the Aust Ferry were particularly well attended and deservedly so. Certainly the sequence at the end of the Alaska show of the exhumation of the only three bodies yet found from the Franklin Expedition of 1845, in which all perished, after 150 years in the permafrost stilled the usual mutterings in the back row. As for the Aust show, which described the trials and tribulations leading to the recovery and return to Chepstow of the “Severn Princess”, for sheer knockabout comedy with a serious background it would be hard to beat. Attendance at the clubroom was noticeably up on previous years and thanks are due to Reg Porter for providing a varied and interesting programme. The highest attendance was at the Auction where, under the direction of John Vince 40 members shelled out £180 for items to bring back next year (joking, joking).
Christmas Party Our regular December visit to Sorrentos Trattoria was approached with some trepidation as the premises had recently changed hands. There was no need to worry, however, as the welcome was as warm as ever for the 41 members who sat down for a couple of hours of pasta fuelled self indulgence!
Social Section, Bristol DA 1949 to1960 - Reunion The old Bristol Social Section was one of the progenitors of the present Bristol Section, and to be honest the similarity between them is quite marked. Except that then we were younger, had no family responsibilities, and drank less. But we did, as today, enjoy ourselves immensely. So although not strictly a Section activity I am pleased to report that the reunion organised in May assembled nearly 40 old Socialites for an evening of pure nostalgia. It was amazing that, upon meeting, how the 40-odd years since most of us had seen each other slipped away!

DA & National Events
DA AGM - We had our usual representation at the AGM and were pleased to see Joe Prosser elected to the new DA Committee post as DA IT Representative ( or DA Webmaster, take yer choice ) and Jerry Croome nominated and subsequently elected as a DA Vice President.
DA Carol Service Nearly thirty Bristol people attended St George’s Church in Cam, all giving of their best in the singing of the old favourites. This event is always popular for two reasons - the aforementioned singing and of course the magnificent tea provided by Ted Berryman and his crew from Stroud Section
DA Dinner & Dance Once again the Dinner and Dance provided Section members with the chance to disport themselves in their finery (and the girls didn’t look bad, either!) The sprinkling of rather gaudy male waistcoats evinced some comment - some of it even complimentary. Bristol was well represented and everyone enjoyed the new format which left more time for the presentation of the trophies and dancing. It was an added pleasure to see Alec LeBas receive the well deserved award of the Arthur Powell Trophy. Many thanks, as ever, to Joan Orchard, DA Social Secretary, and her team.
DA Photographic Competition This attracted a number of entries from Bristol people and the Section featured well in the prize list. Berry Parker took the award for best overall picture, Roy Williams for best close-up slide, Reg Porter with best monochrome print and Jean Nichols with a highly commended colour print. Many thanks to Joan Orchard and especially Andy Morgan for organising the event and to Reg Porter for the accompanying slide show afterwards.
Castle Combe Church Service The Brian Chapman 600K unfortunately clashed with the Castle Combe service, so the Section attendance was down on previous years, but a respectable showing was made, nevertheless.
Veteran’s 100 in 12 Although we have had some reasonably good weekends, our luck ran out with the Bristol Section organised Vets 100 in 12 - heavy rain and strong head winds rendered the first 70 miles or so nothing if not interesting. Still, eventually, it cleared up and gave the 22 hardy souls who dared to start - and. indeed, finish - at least a reasonable end to the day. As the organiser I would like to thank all those who took part.
Inter Section Meet at Grittleton Once again the Inter Section Meet was blessed with wonderful weather and Bristol made the most of it with 30 on the ride and another 15 to 20 arriving independently. Many thanks to Hugh Marshall for his sterling efforts behind the tea bar! Also, how does he organise the weather?
DA Treasure Hunt This saw only a handful of entries from Bristol, due to the distance to the start, but those who rode voted it very enjoyable and wish to thank David Lyle for his expertise in planning such a pleasurable day.

Audax Events
Brian Chapman Memorial 600K Joe Prosser and the team assembled to run the Brian Chapman 600 with customary expertise and it was, as usual, a successful event - if you exclude the weather. I have never felt so sorry for people on a ride in my life, it really was appalling with rain and a cold blustery wind all through the night! It was surprising that as many as 24 out of the 50 starters actually finished. The real loser was the poor guy who packed, found a B & B and was refused a bath by the landlady (no, not with) on the grounds of expense!
South Glos. 100K In complete contrast to the 600K Jerry Croome’s South Gloster 100K was held on a glorious day (strange to say, it usually is!) with nearly 100 participating. This event goes from strength to strength and has acquired a deserved reputation as great day out for everyone. Especially for those with an arduous control stint at the “Hunters Hall” at Kingscote.
“Tasty Cheddar” 100K This, the last event in our calendar saw 112 riders on the road, in glorious weather and was a just reward for all of Joe Prosser’s hard work in organising the ride. It attracted riders from across the spectrum of cycling and it was particularly pleasurable to see members of Bristol Cycling Campaign strongly in evidence.
Of course our members do not only ride our home grown events. They are in evidence in most of the Audax events in the area such as the “Cheltenham Flyer”, “ Elgar Route”, “Brevet Cymru” and flying the flag even farther afield in such exotica as the “Dartmoor Devil” and the “Dorset Coast” to name but two.

Section Finance (see Treasurers Report )
The purchase of the new Club clothing made a very serious dent in Section finances, albeit temporarily. Most of the outlay will be recouped quickly from existing orders. The Runs list is still being sponsored by Lloyds TSB Bank, thanks to Jackie Bressington. The Auction raised £180, a welcome boost to funds. Thanks are due to Richard Shopland, our worthy Treasurer who has performed this sometimes thankless task with quiet efficiency.

Press & Publicity We have had, thanks to Lorraine Croome, the usual publicity for our rides through the various media outlets, although the Club as a whole gets little meaningful coverage in our mainstream local press or on our local radio and TV - in fact this seems to apply to cycling across the board unless it is in negative terms. Brian Griffiths, the DA Press Secretary, in spite of submitting a wealth of information to the local media gets little worthwhile response. Brian and Richard Burton have had, however, several quite long letters published in the “Evening Post” in answer to the usual criticism of cycling and cyclists. On a brighter note, some of our Club activities have been reported in the “South Glos. Gazette” via a useful contact cultivated by Reg Porter.

National Bike Week
As in past years Bristol Section provided a significant marshalling presence on Bristol’s Biggest Bike Ride, the closing feature of the local Bike Week festivities. As a contrast the weather was kind and as usual it was so good to see people out on their bikes in such numbers, especially those with families, enjoying the pleasure that we revel in all year. As last year, Karen Crombie must be thanked for all her efforts in co-ordinating our input to this event with the City Council. It was, again disappointing, that this event saw little media attention.

Cycling Rights and Network Activities
Your Secretary, with Ted King and Richard Burton have represented the Club on the Bristol and South Glos. Bike Forums and on various other committees and workshops in the area. Richard, in particular is still locking horns with South Glos over numerous issues and has been subject to some unfortunate personal attacks by senior councillors, who should really know better.
Incidentally, referring back to the Semaine Federale, one does wonder what would happen if 15000 cyclists descended on Bristol for a week. It would, no doubt, be reckoned to herald the commercial death of the City and give the “green ink” brigade a field day in the “Evening Post”!

People
I am sure that it gives everyone great pleasure to know that Ted King, our Section President, is now an MBE in recognition of his services to the CTC and indeed a lifetimes service to cycling in general. It must be remembered that back in the 1960s when CTC membership plummeted to an all time low it was the loyalty and devotion of people like Ted who kept the Club and the sport alive for us to enjoy today.
It was a shock to hear that Mary Williams suffered a stroke back in the Summer. However, she is now home and making a remarkable recovery, under the care of her devoted husband, Roy. He has even got her out on her bike! Our oldest riding member, the Lord of the Manor of Bear Flat, Vinny Butcher, was not well earlier in the year, suffering from a nasty virus and bursitis (tennis elbow - tennis?). Judging by his sprint to the pub the other Thursday upon the rumour of a rather young, statuesque barmaid he has made an excellent recovery!thoughts are with him and the hope that his progress continues. Malcolm Hacker, who was struck down by a rather nasty viral rheumatic illness is still off his bike but recovering slowly. We wish him an early return to Section activities Peter Boulton continues his slow recovery from his stroke last year and I’m sure our thoughts are with him and the hope that his progress continues.

Appreciations
The Committee and all of our members will wish, I am sure, to offer Jon & Lorraine Croome their best wishes for their future, even if tinged with sadness at their leaving Bristol for a new life in Exmouth. As YH and Press and Publicity Secretaries respectively their joint contribution to the Section has been invaluable. We will especially miss Jon’s (a.k.a as the Olveston Travel Service) quiet good humoured expertise after all, he not only booked the accommodation but organised the rides as well. As for Lorraine, apart from her publicity skills - well - when Rainbow came in, the sun came out!

The Committee wish to thank all the members of the Section for their support, company and friendship over the past year. Without you there would be no Bristol Section! I am sure we all look forward to another year as good as last and, if possible - even better!
On a personal note, I would like to thank everyone on the Committee, not forgetting, of course, our ex-officio members, Jean Broome, Joan Orchard and Richard Burton and in particular our Chairman, Hugh Marshall, for the help and support I have received over the last year, their collective expertise really does make the Secretary’s job easier and more pleasurable