Cyclists Touring Club
Newark On Trent
Section

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NEWARK NOTES from the Secretary

March 2002

Seasonal Affective Disorder on wheels

As most of us would rather forget, 2002 began with a dank and foggy whimper, at least as far as Sundays were concerned. For the first two, yours truly found himself ploughing a lonely furrow through the fog hoping visibility would improve, and thinking "I'm doing this for fun?"

The 20th, being the third Sunday, was Wassailing day at Brandy Wharf, and it 's become something of a Newark Section tradition to attend (any excuse.). The fog and drizzle had given way to gale force winds and forecasts of rain, snow, plagues of cyclists and general pestilence but Peter and myself braved the elements to keep up the tradition.

The Cider centre had been closed over the winter for some major underpinning work - apparently it was in danger of slipping into the Ancholme - and although the work wasn't complete, Ian, the landlord, made sure it was open for the festivities. The resulting crowd certainly looked to have made it worth his while. Although the number of bikes was down, doubtless due to the dire weather, the usual contingent of trikes, tandems and other unusual machines that this place seems to attract, was there in force.

Early February brought a ride to Colsterworth (which should have been Woolsthorpe Manor but I discovered too late it didn't open until April) and a 'Club Ride' (read: I can't be bothered to think of a destination this week) to Blidworth Bottoms, whilst the end of the month took us to Clumber Park, another traditional destination but one missed out last year due to its closure during the F&M epidemic.

Coming to March, I suppose I was asking for trouble turning up for the ride to Bardney on a newly cleaned bike. Colin and Pete managed to find the muddiest, squidgiest but still-rideable-on-a touring-bike track in Lincolnshire to explore and 'christen' my cleaning work! And once again, we had cause to rue the choice of a run across the fens; the usual westerly wind making the return journey a chore in places. Is it just me or do the winds get stronger each year?

Mike Graham

Page updated 19/02/03