Ride Reports
Cycle maintenance quiz at Redmount
This club night will be remembered less for cycling than for a table leg, accidentally detached by some overactive boys and later fully repaired. Better still, results of the ‘test’ showed clear improvement since the start of the social season.
Snow foils Hunters' Path run
A bitter easterly and snow-slick lanes defined the day: the ride to Bovey Tracey was a slog. South Dartmoor’s Gabrielle and Michael chose a fireside coffee at Brookside Tearooms before turning back, while three Torbay members pressed on into the moor.
Littlehempston snowball fights
Three Dawlish youngsters were ferried to Buckfastleigh for an Easter Tour training ride and handled the scenic lanes through Totnes and Staverton well, but lingering snowdrifts turned the day into a succession of snowball fights, leaving them exhausted by the finish.
Games evening at Summerlands
A sociable club evening where Roger, Di and Paul learned the rules of backgammon and played a few friendly games, an entertaining change of pace for the group.
Topsham Bridge via the old railway
The day centred on exploring the South Brent–Kingsbridge railway amid talk of reopening; earlier Steve Hughes, battling a cold, rallied by lunch. A muddy detour to Moreleigh Mount earned tea at Forces Cross and triggered water fights from Mark Moxham and Luke.
Mamhead Obelisk and Dawlish coast
A day defined by punctures and mishaps: after Vicky’s early puncture, young Simon Lewis arrived at Gappah with a broken derailleur, and a forest detour produced yet more, prompting four lads who’d gone round again to think better after Richard punctured. Two more on the way home made for a late tea.
AGM, games and film at Redmount
The winter social programme closed with another preview of Jason – The Movie and a go on Luke’s new electric games. It was agreed the monthly summer socials would remain unplanned, as last year.
Gales force a Widecombe detour
Driven by violent moorland winds, the ride turned into a day of seeking shelter and rerouting, abandoning the Bellever road and finally dropping to lower ground after a picnic on Leusdon Common. Steve Hughes was blown off his bike, while others still danced on Haytor Rock before the cold forced a retreat.
Cinema trip: Clockwise in Torquay
A last-minute dash to the Colony cinema, Torquay left space tight—only one car—and some members missed out. John Cleese proved the perfect tonic, delivering effortless laughs throughout.
Shipley Bridge to Avon Dam dash
Easter’s final preparation ride for the junior tour became a crème‑egg‑fuelled dash: arrivals at Shipley dam were rewarded, lifting the pace and even prompting Steve and Andrew Lawson to double back for more. It ended with refreshments at Redmount and a Dawlish tiddler cracking a real egg on Michael’s spare bed.
Somerset & North Devon Coast 1986
Twenty-two bikes and a wary station manager set the tone for a tour that balanced logistics, laughter and Exmoor’s big skies. Taunton gave us our first test—spreading bikes along two shopfronts and placating an irate chip‑shop owner by eating his lunch. Showers, fords and off‑road descents led to the cliff‑top path above Heddon’s Mouth, where the sea and moor seemed to hold everyone still. Then came the epic: the long haul to Gidleigh beset by broken mechs, buckled wheels and repairs by torchlight, ending in our latest hostel arrival and a roaring fire. A collie’s dawn bed‑round, a brief April snow shower and clear sunshine over Dartmoor saw us home, tired but quietly elated.
First evening ride to Staverton
An invigorating chill marked our first evening outing of the year, along Colston Road and over the Dart at Staverton. We looped back via Bumpston Cross and Wash, the twilight clear and the first stars pricking the sky as we dropped to Pridhamsleigh.