Just a reminder to everyone in the LA Group, our rides are still suspended until further notice. Please continue to send me your photos from your lockdown rides. Thanks for all the photos I've received so far. Email stephen.webb001@gmail.com
Just a reminder to everyone in the LA Group, our rides are still suspended until further notice. Please continue to send me your photos from your lockdown rides. Thanks for all the photos I've received so far. Email stephen.webb001@gmail.com
The second Taunton group quiz was very well supported. Nick and Rachel hosted the Zoom event and 14 tandems took part. There were seven rounds of (very hard) questions but the most popular was Malcolm and Grace’s Generation Game. Twenty topical items were briefly shown including hand sanitizer, toilet roll, flour, pasta and as a nod to the past, a cuddly toy! We then had 45 seconds to write down all the items with the Generation Game theme tune playing in the background.
It was good to see everyone again and another evening is planned with a slight change of format.
A third quiz was organised by Nick and Rachel for the Taunton group. Ten couples attended and questions ranged from trees to gin and ‘seconds’ (highest, longest etc).
Malcolm suggested a bingo game next time and to get us into the spirit, Grace’s questions were based on the bingo nicknames that callers have traditionally used: half a crown in pre-decimal currency was two & six - 26! The pre-decimal currency also featured in Ian and Lisa’s questions so perhaps some of us are ‘of a certain age’.
A new feature this evening was newsround and we learned that John and Judy had been out and about; their questions were based on their rides. Tim and Mary’s tandem is still locked down in France, Mark and Liz are still hoping to work in the Shetlands and many of us were looking forward to meeting up with family (socially distanced of course!) Several members have birthdays in May. We usually celebrate with them on a Tandem Club Rally but not this year. Many happy returns went to Grace, Katherine, Rachel, Ian and Len.
Round 4 of the now regular two weekly Zoom virtual quiz night for the Taunton Group saw 14 couples arrive and a move away from the regular quiz format. Organised by Malcolm & Grace it was eyes down for our first Bingo night, all the Bingo cards were emailed out in advance and we played two exciting games. From the outset it was clear we had some hardened Bingo regulars keen to show their expertise, others however were completely new to the game and took some while to grasp the concept with questions like “what do we do with the blank squares”…………. All this was put to one side once the games got underway with everyone remaining very focused and surprisingly quiet as they all concentrated on crossing their numbers off.
Two games proceeded with a line then a full house in each game and a coffee break in between. Winners were Gill & Nick in the first game and Karl & Ian in the second. Huge cash prizes were awarded (chocolate 10 pence pieces) which unsurprisingly are still awaiting to be claimed.
Everyone is now waiting with anticipation to see what the next quiz night brings as James and Liz promise to conjure up something a little different.
Barry Wilson wished to stand down at the AGM so the Committee considered how to deal with this in the absence of an AGM. The outcome was that Peter Weeks, Club Publicity Officer, was willing to stand as Tandem Club Chairman. On 26 April 2020 the Secretary contacted the Committee and Regional Officers to conduct an election.
Nomination of Peter Weeks as Tandem Club Chairman
- Proposed by Pauline Fox, Club Secretary
- Seconded by Eifion Francis, a former Club Chairman and who, with his partner Jill, is a Regional Officer and oversees the Club’s Talking Journal service.
- 49 individuals (TC Committee members and Regional Officers) invited to vote in lieu of the AGM
- 2 abstentions, the current Chairman, Barry Wilson and one Ordinary Member, Janet Wilson.
- 29 votes received, all were in favour of Peter Weeks being the Chairman of the Tandem Club.
- No other votes, objections or comments received.
Peter Weeks was therefore elected as Tandem Club Chairman with effect from 1 May 2020. This will be subject to formal discussion and election by members at the next Annual General Meeting.
Our congratulations and thanks go to Peter as he takes up the role of Chairman. He has also, fortunately, agreed to continue as the Club’s Publicity Officer for the time being.
The 48th Annual General Meeting of the Tandem Club was scheduled to take place on Saturday 11 April 2020 at the Easter rally. The Agenda was published in the Tandem Club Journal (vol 288). We said in the TCJ (vol 289) that the 2020 AGM was postponed indefinitely, but of course we don’t know if and when we will be able to hold an AGM in 2020. It may be that we cannot meet together until 2021. In these exceptional circumstances the business usually transacted at the AGM has had to be done elsewhere:
- Club Accounts – the accounts for the year ended 31 October 2019 were published in the April/May Tandem Club Journal (vol 289). The Treasurer has received no comments or queries from members on the accounts.
- Membership fees - As stated in the April/May Tandem Club Journal (vol 289) the annual subscription has been raised from £10 per year to £15 per year.
- Election of Officers – Club Officers are elected at the AGM. Committee members and ex-offico officers have been assumed to continue in role unless they have indicated otherwise. Barry Wilson has served as Chairman since 2015 and has been on the committee since 2011. He had indicated a wish to stand down. Further information about this is given below. Janet Wilson has been on the committee since 2011 and has stood down as an Ordinary Member. If anyone is interested in joining the committee as an ordinary member please contact the Secretary. Our thanks go to Barry and Janet for serving the Club diligently over this period.
Just a reminder to everyone in the LA Group, our July ride will not be going ahead but I don't think it will be long before we can get together for LA Group rides again. Please continue to send me your photos from your lockdown rides. Thanks for all the photos I've received so far. Email stephen.webb001@gmail.com
This was our last zoom Taunton group party and it was my turn to choose the theme.
So, I chose a game where we had to remove our adult hats and put on our kids hats. It was a scavenger hunt. Just incase you didn’t know scavenger hunt is a kids game, where you have to find a said item
. . First item to be found was a wine glass or a beer glass. So, as you can imagine there was a very quick response to this request!
I think two of the funniest requests were, a. some cyclists bum cream and b. a pair of the wife’s knickers placed on the chaps head! (I did have a winner for this but wouldn’t want to embarrass him especially as I heard he kept them on for 24hrs.)
It’s been a fun way for us all to stay in touch.
But, I’m thinking, that by now, we are, all of us ZOOMED out.
Liz & James Goodwin
19th July – socially distanced group tandem ride!
This was our first group ride since the beginning of the New Year and with some restrictions lifted we decided to try out something new.
We would need to socially distance, only 6 people in a group, this meant putting cyclists into pods and sending them off at intervals – no catching up and chatting! A maximum of 12 tandem places were offered for our trial ride.
Maps were issued and leaders for each pod were sure they knew the route which took riders through nature reserves and moors on the Somerset levels.
It was a beautiful day and the reserves and moors looked their summer best. Some riders were pleased with the flat ride, there were wildlife photo opportunities and time to walk the bumpy bits and share news.
The pods worked well, thanks to our guides Malcolm, Isaac and Alex.
We used the Avalon Marshes Centre as our base where we could park, use the facilities and enjoy the café which was well set up with a one way system and tables spread out in the open air to accommodate our social distancing.
Though our group has been in contact on Zoom doing quizzes and Bingo it was refreshing to catch up in person finding out how we spent our time in lock down and speculate on the future. We had 9 tandems and three solos and welcomed new members Nic and Jane.
We enjoyed showing off our corner of Somerset – ‘the north levels’ recently featured on the One Show. There was plenty of information on the area available from the Avalon Marshes representative which may encourage some of us back for a spot of bird watching. In the mean time we were treated to a bee swarm at the information point!
As a trial ride the pods worked well, looking to the future we will need to brush up on our map reading skills as we set the pattern for further meetings.
Rex and Hannah Whitcombe
The Club is in the Daily Mail Online:
The LA Group's post 'lockdown' rides start this weekend (9th August) with two mini group rides of 3 tandems each. We are hoping to expand this next month, depending on the latest guidance. Looking forward to seeing everyone again soon. Stephen
https://www.cyclinguk.org/article/bicycle-made-two-tandem-use-surges-during-lockdown
Article currently on the front page of Cycling UK website and will be featured in Cycle Clips 14 August. Should create interest in the Tandem Club and attract new members
Eighteen cyclists, on 8 tandems and 2 singles, met at Darts Farm, Topsham on Sunday 9th August. It was one of the hottest days of the year but we were off cycling in 3 groups before the heat built up and later there was time to relax and converse in the picnic area with plenty of space. It was impressive that people had travelled so far to be there, most folk from Somerset but special mention to Lisa and Ian who came across from Bournemouth, James who interrupted his holiday at Lydford and also Anita and Andy who cycled in from near Crediton.
Two of the three groups went south, with staggered start times, to Exmouth on the East side of the Exe Estuary trail including boardwalks and views of the Estuary. The first group, kindly led by Andy and Anita, went straight onto Budleigh Salterton for a coffee stop, picking up the cycle track on the old railway route through farmland and woods. They then went over Woodbury Common, a renowned pebble bed heath, on quiet roads to make a circular route back to Darts Farm.
The second group, led by Ruth at the front and James as sweeper, stopped for coffee at the National Trust Farm on the edge of Exmouth. The foresight and generosity of a farmer leaving this farm to the National Trust stopped ribbon development along the East side of the Estuary. The group then cycled onto Budleigh using the same route as group one. After a pause at the seafront, they returned to Darts the same way with less hills than group one though in fact a longer route.
The third group, led by Liz and Mark (who also planned the overall day), went north through Topsham to Countess Wear then across the Exe onto Exminster. After a short, steep hill to the Exminter golf course, extensive views opened up over the Estuary. Back roads through the countryside were taken down to Powderham Castle then along the Estuary to Starcross. There was welcome coffee and flapjacks at an enterprising coffee trailer in the carpark, then a return on the cycle path past Turf Hotel and under the motorway to Countess Wear. The route was then retraced back to Topsham and Darts.
All three groups were miraculously back within half an hour of each other. As well as fulfilling social distancing, we reflected on the advantages of these smaller groups of six people. These included making it easier for cars to pass, creating a good social group and helping the role of the leaders with a smaller group to keep together. Thank you everyone for coming to the Exe Estuary on such a hot day, enabling us to share our local and wonderful Exe Estuary trail for the three routes.
Liz and Mark Nicholson
The LA Group's post lockdown rides continue on 13th September. Don't forget to email me if you are interested in joining us so that we can organise groups and leaders. Pre-booking is essential. Thanks Stephen. Email stephen.webb001@gmail.com
On July 26th 4 tandem crews had a 32 mile pootle through some Worcestershire lanes, lunch was taken at The Galton Arms in Himbleton.
Paul and Jeannette led us through the quiet lanes of South Cumbria and North Lancashire on today's (socially distant!) LA Group monthly ride. Great day out :-)
The TC website group along with our Journals editor have been busy modernising the style of the TC website. We hope you like the new style ! There is on-going work to improve this style and to improve the websites functionality. To login please use the "User/Login" top menu item of the "User" quick link icon at the top of the webpage. Some of the webpage content still needs editing, GPS files need adding and we need additional articles and content for the website, so we are looking for TC member volunteers to help out. If you can spare a bit of time to help the club, please contact us at: internetgroup@tandem-club.org.uk
Lovely sunny afternoon ride out to Matfen against the wind so flew home!
Lancashire and Cumbria Group : Just to let everyone know, we’ve cancelled our October Group ride on the 11th due to the addition Covid-19 measures in Lancashire. Hope we are able to get together soon. Stephen