Ride to Sibertoft, Sunday 2nd May

Start time: 9.30am
Meeting point: Moulton Co-op, Stocks Hill, Moulton, NN3 7TB
Distance: 40 miles
Refreshment Stop: The Old Vicarage, Naseby.
Average Pace: Around 13mph

The ride takes us out through Holcot, Harrington, Great Oxendon, Sibertoft where we turn back to Naseby and the Old Vicarage for coffee, tea and home made cakes and scones; a treat not to be missed. We are booked in here at 11.30am.
It is then a short ride home via Guilsborough, Brixworth, Pitsford (400m of gravel track around the reservoir note) and Moulton. We should be back by 1.30pm at the latest.

The RidewithGPS route is below which will get the steady pace group to coffee by 11.30 as planned.
If we have enough riders there will be a an extended route for a Brisk group which which goes out to the Laughton Hills. Route to be published later.

Coffee will be outdoors on the patio. We may need cash to pay for coffee etc.
Please let me know as soon as possible if you plan to ride on Sunday so that we can sort out ride leaders etc. for each group.

Please reply to this email or
let me know at tunbridge21@gmail.com

Hope to see you on Sunday. For more details you can ring me on 01604 622073 or text 07722 055149
Brian T

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/35856838

Advertisement

Brisk and Moderate Rides to Castlethorpe, Saturday 24th April

Peter B is leading this ride and writes:

Start time: 9.30 a.m.

Meeting point: Hunsbury Hill library, Overslade Close, East Hunsbury NN4 0RZ
Distance: Brisk 37 mls, Moderate 30 mls
Refreshment Stop: Salcey Forest Cafe at 31 / 24 mls
Average Pace: Around 14 to 15mph for the Brisk, or 11 to 12 for the Moderate, depending on riders
Time Expected Back: Around 12.30pm
Please confirm if you wish to join the ride by e-mailing Fatgadgi@yahoo.com, or replying to this email. Please give me your preference if you have one, ie Brisk or Moderate.

Dear All

Saturday’s ride is to Castlethorpe, or to be more precise, both rides pass through Castlethorpe as part of a triple looping sort of route. Our cafe stop will be at Salcey Forest Cafe towards the end of the ride, which will allow us to struggle home a short distance full of cake and coffee afterwards.

We will meet near the Library in East Hunsbury at the usual time of 9.30am. Apologies that we have met at East Hunsbury 3 times in a row now, and I promise that there are other rides planned from MC and BVW later in the schedule.

We are of course still restricted to our cafe stops being outdoors only, however for the second ride in a row, it looks as if the weekend weather will be dry and sunny, so no excuse not to come out.

The ride will take us South East of Northampton this week, in a looping route that is not too hilly, and takes in Hackleton, Ashton, Hanslope and Castlethorpe. I know this is going to cause me navigation challenges, because my Garmin tends to get upset when the route crosses itself, which means I will need to concentrate for once. The routes are similar for both Moderate and Brisk, but one of the loops is a bit bigger for the Brisk group.

As usual, we need to comply with the COVID requirements of distance etc. both before the ride and during the cafe stop. Remember to take masks.

Look forward to seeing you on Saturday.

Cheers – Peter

Ridewithgps Routes:

Brisk:

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/28439645

Moderate:

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/28439647

Ride report – Sunday 18th April

PhilJ went on this ride and writes:

With options for cafe stops running out, the reliable Forge at Culworth was a last minute choice for this Sunday’s ride. At this time last year it seemed to be one of the only cafes you could actually get a coffee at.

Making up the numbers this week included GaryC, a CTC member of some years and GaryH our resident speaker, both welcome on today’s ride. Also present was AnneC making a welcome return with friend Judy who wasn’t about to have the best of starts to her day!

JamesC headed up the faster group whilst PeteB took the steady group just behind. A decent six and seven split. We all headed down to Banbury Lane at Hunsbury Meadows for the long haul up to the A5 at Fosters Booth.

It transpired that Judy didn’t even make it over the first canal bridge having dropped her chain which then became jammed around the bikes drive-train. Reluctantly, with no other option Judy was forced to make the rather long uphill walk back to the start where her car was parked up.

Meanwhile two groups continued over the A5, passing the original Canons Ashby venue and onto Moreton Pinkney before signs for Culworth appeared. The Forge Cafe garden was already busy with groups of cyclists when we arrived but we bagged ourselves a table and parking for the bikes.

Service was a little slow and the choice of cakes was limited but it was a welcome change to be able to relax outside in the sunshine on a sunny day. The second group arrived somewhat later than anticipated due to the aforementioned mechanical just as our group departed for home.

JamesC led his group back out onto the road minus Hartley who chose to join partner Viki on the ride back. Another undulating leg complemented the ride out making it a pleasant 35 miles of riding without too much to bother us.

Hope you all enjoyed the ride.

Thanks to PeteB and JamesC for leading the groups.

Ride to Canons Ashby, Sunday 18th April

Peter B is leading this ride and writes:

Start time: 9.30 a.m.

Meeting point: Hunsbury Hill library, Overslade Close, East Hunsbury NN4 0RZ
Distance: 35 mls
Refreshment Stop: Canons Ashby at 20 miles
Average Pace: Steady, around 13mph, depending on riders
Time Expected Back: Around 12.30pm
Please confirm if you wish to join the ride by e-mailing Fatgadgi@gmail.com, or replying to this email

Dear All
I’ve had to change our cafe stop to the Forge in Culworth.
Unfortunately Canons Ashby are requiring people using the cafe to purchase garden passes.
Woodford Halse, which the original ride also passed, is not open on Sunday.
But the Forge is waiting for us !!
So, I’ve modified the route to keep the distance the same, meaning we don’t pass Woodford Halse anymore.  New route is linked below:

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/35694539

Dear All

Sunday’s ride is to Canon’s Ashby.

We will meet near the Library in East Hunsbury at the usual time of 9.30.

This will be the first weekend that we can have a proper cafe stop, with the COVID restrictions further relaxed. We are, of course, restricted to outdoors only, however Sunday looks to be dry, probably sunny and possibly up to 14 degs. Nearly summer.

The ride will take us to the West of Northampton, following familiar roads through Pattishall, Maidford, Woodford Halse and to our cafe stop at Canons Ashby.

As I’m sure we are all sick of hearing, we need to comply with the COVID requirements of distance etc. both before the ride and during the cafe stop. Remember to take masks.

This will be a steady ride, probably around 13mph, depending on the riders. If we have enough riders, as usual there is the possibility to have more than one leader, allowing faster or slower groups to suit the riders. So, can you confirm to me if you want to join so that we can ensure sufficient leaders.

Look forward to seeing you on Sunday

Cheers – Peter

Route on RidewithGPS:

EH/WoodfordHalse/35mls

CTC Northampton AGM 2021

Dear All

Later this month, Wednesday evening, 28th April, we will be holding our AGM, which will include a fascinating talk by Gary Hill – “Bikepacking the Balkans; seven countries in seven days”.

We usually hold our AGM in October, however this has been delayed to be in line with CyclingUK’s new financial year, and we will have to use Zoom rather than a physical venue. Although using Zoom is not the same as our usual face to face gatherings, it does at least allow as many of us who want to join in, to do so from the comfort of our own homes, and without the need to pre-book.

So, everyone is welcome to join via Zoom by following an internet link which will be sent out shortly, along with a more detailed agenda and some of the pre-prepared reports.

In summary, the agenda will be as follows:

• 7.30 Start
• 7.50 Reports from Officers
• 8.20 Election of Officers and Committee
• 8.50 Talk by Gary Hill
• 9.30 Open forum and AOB
• 10.00 Finish

Regards – Peter Bayles, Chairman CTC Northampton

Ride report – Saturday 3rd April

Peter B was a Leader on this ride and writes:

It was always going to be a popular ride, being the first weekend this year that we were allowed to ride as a group again as the COVID restrictions, that had been in place since before Christmas, started to relax.  In the event, 20 riders set off from the Canoe Centre (plus an additional rider joining part way) on the 27 mile circular route that took in Olney.

The number of riders meant we split into four groups, with Brian, Philip G, Milton and myself Leading smaller groups.  It was great to see some riders who had not been out on the weekend rides for some time – clearly the pent-up frustration of lock-down was a big motive.  We had two riders with e-bikes, which was great.  We also had a couple of riders sporting injuries, but still determined to get back in the saddle;  one rider was recovering from a recent operation, and another had a recently broken toe, which meant that she had to ride with one borrowed over-sized training shoe on the affected side.  Keen or what ?

The weather was kind, being overcast and cold all day, but dry with a slight breeze.  Because of the continued restrictions, most cafes were still restricted to takeaway services if they were able to open at all, and so we planned the route without a refreshment stop. Hopefully the Government’s expectation that cafes can open for outdoor food will allow our normal cafe stops to be resumed, starting from our scheduled ride on the 18th.

The more energetic riders joined Philip’s group and were the first to set off, maintaining a fast pace, and never to be seen again by the the other groups.  I talked with one rider afterwards, who just told me “it was hard work”. 
Milton took his group in the reverse direction to the plotted route.  To be fair, this was Milton’s route, stolen from his famous “Turkey Buster” ride, so really it was the rest of us going in the wrong direction, not Milton. We passed Milton’s group near Olney and “waved” across the road.
Brian’s group and my group stayed fairly close to each other throughout the route, enjoying the ride and the countryside.

A great day, and fantastic to see everyone again.  Thank you to everyone that joined the ride and look forward to seeing you again (James’s ride to Silverstone is this coming weekend).

Cheers – Peter

Ride to Silverstone – Saturday 10th April

James C is leading this ride and writes:

Start time: 9.30 a.m.

Meeting point: East Hunsbury Library, Overslade Close, East Hunsbury NN4 0RZ
Distance: 29 mls
Refreshment Stop: No Cafe Stop, but opportunity to stop & eat own snack at Silverstone
Average Pace: Steady ~13mph
Time Expected Back: Around 12.00pm
Please book a place with James, or by reply to this email.

Dear All
I’ve attached a GPX for this Saturday’s Steady ride to Silverstone. 29 miles starting from EH. No café stop but we’ll stop outside the race track for a breather and a chance to scoff any food anyone has brought in their back pocket. Should be back at the start for 12:00.

I recommend we meet in the library car park rather than the end of the cycle path, but within sight so we can beckon people over.

As per last week, we will have additional leaders if we get numbers.
James

Route on RidewithGPS and .GPX File

Silverstone