As a member of Banbury Harriers you can compete on the road, 
track & field, cross country and cycling. Yes you heard it cycling. I must admit it is more for the cakes than anything else but it does keep you fit and helps take a bit of pressure of the joints.
The Banbury Harriers cycle club meet once a year or so for a 20 to 30 mile jaunt around the local countryside. This years effort was a 28 mile ride starting in Brackley in aid of the Nicademus trust http://www.nicodemustrust.org.uk/ they are a Brackley based charity set up to help young people in Guatamala and the UK. The bike ride was the brain child of Billy, one of the young adults helped by the trust, and was a challenge to the riders to travel a total of 5313 miles, the distance between Brackley and Guatemala, and to raise money for the charity.
All started well as our group consisting of Alan, Andy, Lisa, Phil, Ros & Tony were photographed, filmed and cheered as we left the car park at the football club in a light drizzle. However when we got to the end of the road and stopped for traffic Tony decided he needed a lie down and fell of his bike. He was OK but he could not get his shoe off the pedal so we had to return to the car park to make use of the mechanic. We had travelled all of 200 yards.
Once we got going the rest of the route was very enjoyable, well signed and with few hills on country roads with little traffic. We were taken through many small villages such as Westbury, Tingewick, Fringford, Cottisford, Croughton and Hinton-in-the-hedges.
When I say the route was well signed, it was, and the cyclists never
wavered but our support crew did. Michelle and Ken kept popping up sporting cameras on every junction. When they got to Hinton-in-the-hedges they missed a right arrow and Michelle, braving the weather, opened gates on a gated road before the penny dropped and they decided they had gone the wrong way. If any of you are old enough to remember, this was part of the route of the Don Sullivan 10 which was organised by Harriers in the 1980’s.
When we got back to Brackley we were greeted with cakes, flapjack and other treats. After which the others went home where as I carried on to do the northern loop. A hillier 23.7mile route taking in Marston St Lawrence, Morton Pinkney, Wappingham and Helmdon. Again it was a well signed and scenic route and I just managed to get back to base before a storm flooded the roads.
Just to say thank you to Ros for rallying the troups, Michelle for the support and Ken for the photographs you find here and on Picassa. We made a contribution of 192 miles on the day out of a total of 6480 on the day and the preceding week of training. It is a ride well worth doing and I expect to see more of you there next year.
Phil
p.s. The photos above are “The grand depart” (or was it the second depart I am not sure) Andy making a few minor adjustments to his bike, “Lost” featuring Michelle Bartlett. and "on route"
