"Sixty Years On" - 1968

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The snow continued into January and there were hard frosts the following month which ended with a slide show "Round the World in 80 minutes" by Kentish Wheeler veteran, Jack Holdsworth.

In March, Russ Mantle completed a hilly "50" in 2¾ hours and a five day Easter holiday was spent in the Lake District by some.

An April invitation ride - when the temperature topped the 70's - brought out 32 but only three were new-comers.  A hot lunch at Ramsnest Common was a feature of the Spring joint run with the K.W.'s and Les Warner and family took part.

After a Thursday evening ride in May, Ted Pritchard (56), a popular member and owner of a Chobham cycle shop, was found lying in the road near Gordon Boys' Home and he died in a Wimbledon hospital two days later.  The cause of his accident was never discovered, an open verdict resulting.  After July's temperatures in the 80's, Bill Inder represented the D.A. during an International Cycle Rally in Denmark and, on August Bank Holiday, seven members went to the West Country with Cheddar hostel as a base.  In September, seven of the Wayfarers helped with a BCTC final in the Marlow area and the "100" was a disaster.  Heavy rain all Saturday night continued into Sunday and only two riders set off from Brookwood at 9 am - John Moore (The Brat) of Guildford and Dave Simmonds of Egham.  They reached the 54 mile check at West Meon and battled into driving rain to Petersfield and Midhurst but, still with 30 miles to go and only 1½ hours left, they finally surrendered as flooded roads made progress impossible and they were eventually rescued by John Moore's father who managed to get to Midhurst by car.  That day's deluge caused wide-spread damage;  bridges at Dorking and Cobham were destroyed and a woman motorist, leaving her car in a flooded road, was swept away by the fierce current and drowned.

In October, Owen Brown again won the free-wheeling off Chobham Ridges but the venue for the hill-climb was changed to Thorncombe Street with Ian Price winning.

Two frame tubes fractured on Basil Vowler's bike at Petworth and with no rail link and no Sunday bus service, a phone call was made to Vice-President Les Norman of Guildford who came out by car and collected both bike and rider.

The Thursday nighters had two suppers at the Hen & Chickens at Bisley and Bob West gave a slide show of a C.T.C. tour he led in Norway.  The price of tickets for the dinner at Guildford had risen to 21/0d (£1.05) but 82 attended.  "Paddy" Shea proposed the toast the the Club, praising the efforts made in helping to frame legislation permitting cyclists to use bridleways, while R. Rolleston replied for the guests, now being domiciled in Devon.  Bert Evans retired as D.A. Secretary in favour of Alan Robinson and Ray Craig won the Benstead Cup.

There was snow after Christmas and several regulars were away climbing in Snowdonia again.


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Web page by Chris Jeggo.  Last revised:  9 January 2005.