The club dinner and prize presentation has been booked for Saturday 22^nd January at the Lighthouse in Aldeburgh, starting at 7:30pm. Members and partners are welcome. Meet at the Cross Keys pub at 7pm if you’d like to have a drink beforehand. The meal costs about £17.50 for the set 3 course menu, or there is an a la carte version available. If you’d like to see a sample menu, please ask. Let Viv know by 14^th January if you would like to attend – either 01728 452143 or broughton.m@btinternet.com.

December Club run

Reviving the old club tradition of pigging out on the Christmas run (but not the "fancy dress" element), the December club run started at Saxmundham and meandered towards the Friday Street farm shop and cafe. That's the Friday Street on the road from the A12 to Snape, not one of the other ones dotted around Suffolk.

At the start we bumped into Nick C, who was meeting up with a group of triathletes, but unfortunately they were heading the other way. Jim Ingram had to be back early, so missed the cafe stop, but did do the rest of us a favour by sitting on the front of the group whenever there was a headwind - much appreciated! As we passed Snape Maltings heading away for a final appetite-building loop, we saw this weird contraption heading towards us - it looked like a bike with a sidecar, or a weird shaped trailer or something. As we drew closer, we realised it was just Pete, lying down again, flanked by Bev and Andrew, taking a more direct route to the cafe.

After a very pleasant breakfast of bacon butties, large steaming bowls of coffee and slices of cake, we felt recharged enough to continue. At Willesden corner, we said cheerio to the Whelans and Tony, and Becky, Trevor, Valerio and Steve continued through Chillesford, the "10" finish and Sudbourne. Trevor was not having a good day - he'd picked up a slow puncture early in the day and had been forced to top up his tyre at Sax and before leaving the cafe. By now, it was back to that distinctly squidgy state. As we went through Snape again, Trevor and Becky headed one way to home, while Steve and Valerio took an indirect route back to Sax.

January Club run

This will be a MTB ride from Minsmere RSPB car park at 10am on Sunday 16^th January. Mark will be leading the ride through Dunwich forest, taking in some different tracks. A trip to the RSPB café at Minsmere for lunch should compensate for using their car park.

This picture was taken on the recent club run at Thetford, and shows cleat adjustments en-route.

Members’ News

The club sends its best wishes to Mark Howlett, who has recently been diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. We hope that you’re feeling better now it is in remission, regaining some of that weight, and that you’ll soon feel well enough to get back on the bike again.

King of the Hill

Well, the club has a new "king of the hill", but fortunately for him, he doesn't have to wear Trevor's red-spotted cap!

Adrian McTigue is the man and the title comes after he blitzed the hill in a new club record of 54.2 seconds. This very impressive performance might have won the event in some years, but this was not to be one of those. It was still good enough on the day for 6th place, and only half a second away from a championship medal.

Of our other riders, Jim was sick and didn't make the start (sensible fellow, if you ask me), Valerio was disappointed with his time, as he was just outside the magic minute, stopping the watch in 61 seconds for 17th place, and Steve recorded his best time for a few years with 58 seconds (13th place). Together, we had our best team result since we won the team trophy (in '98), coming in 3rd, behind Ipswich and Mildenhall, but ahead of the traditionally strong teams from Sudbury and Haverhill.

IBC managed a clean sweep, with Adrian Pettitt taking the win, and the East District championship, with a fine ride of 51.1 seconds, which is not that far away from the very long standing hill record of 49 seconds.

The week after the hill climb, the hill was closed for resurfacing, so it could all be different next year. Once thing won't change though - the riders with burning legs gasping for air at the finish!

Steve

Winter training

A number of riders have been meeting up at Northgate Sports Centre (north side of Ipswich) on Sunday mornings at about 10 am for a training ride. These rides are between 2.5 and 3.5 hours long, at an average speed of between 15 and 16 mph, and the route varies according to where the wind is coming from, how people are feeling... These rides are intended to be "base" miles, at an aerobic level, so as a rough guide, you should be able to chat reasonably comfortably while going along.

Anyone who wants to go faster in 2005 is welcome to come along - go on, make it your New Year's resolution!

If there's enough interest, we may do some runs starting elsewhere, say Snape crossroads or Saxmundham, but if we do, there'll be a note in here beforehand.

Steve

Foxhall Roller Rides

In stark contrast to the Sunday rides, these are definitely NOT aerobic - it's a full-on sprint. Roller riding is fast - there aren't many times when you can do 50+ mph on a bike, and especially not indoors! For training, it's good for power (there's no time to change gears, so you start in a big gear), it's good for developing a high leg speed, while staying smooth and it's some light-hearted competitive fun in the middle of winter.

If you fancy a go at this, it's held up at Foxhall stadium, Ipswich, on Friday evenings, from 7pm to about 9pm. While all are welcome, some children's bikes don't fit on the rollers.

Newport Track Day

Jeff Wade of the Chelmer CC is organising another track training day at Newport Velodrome, primarily for Eastern Region riders on Sunday February 13th. I know some of you have expressed an interest in trying the track out and these sessions are ideal. If you are interested then rather than me duplicate what Jeff is doing the best thing is for you to contact Jeff directly, the details are below.

"The track is booked from 09.30 till 16.00 hrs and the cost will be £20 for the full day (payable in advance). As previously there will be sessions for all abilities including complete newcomers.

If you are interested then contact Jeff at ChelmerCC@aol.com <mailto:ChelmerCC@aol.com> or send a cheque for £20 to:- Jeff Wade

1 Rana Drive, Braintree, Essex, CM7 2TD.

If you don't have a track bike then the velodrome can supply bikes, they are nice Pinarellos, not sure whether there is an extra charge though. If you are interested then let me know but please book it directly with Jeff. Once we know whose booked we can sort out travel arrangements, car shares.

Trevor

Dates For The Calendar

Tuesday evenings – MTB ride from Sizewell car park at 7:30 (or sometimes Snape crossroads)

Friday– Roller riding, Foxhall Stadium, from 7pm.

12^th January, Committee meeting, 8pm Aldeburgh

16^th January, Club Run, Minsmere MTB 10am.

22^nd January, Club dinner, The Lighthouse, Aldeburgh

23^rd January, MTB Enduro Thetford

23^rd January, East District Prize Presentation (inc Spoco East Presentation) at Roydon Village Hall (main Diss to Thetford Road A1066).

9:00am 50Km Reliability Ride
12-1:00 Lunch - food & drink available.
1pm Prize Presentation

Quote of the Month

Ms R Figgitt, on the December club run: "Let me through, it's my turn on the front."

The rest of us nearly fell off our bikes in astonishment!

Committee Meetings

The next meeting of the committee is at 8pm on Wednesday 12^th January at 185 Saxmundham Road Aldeburgh. Any club member is welcome to attend.

News contributions

Send us any news of events, results etc so that they can be included in the newsletter.

Our e-mail address is broughton.m@btopenworld.com

2005 Open Events

The following dates for Plomesgate CC Open TTs for 2005 are now visible on the CTT website:-

19/03/2005 Sat B10/9 10miles 14:00 Solo TT
19/03/2005 Sat B10/9 10miles 14:00 2upTTT
19/03/2005 Sat B10/9 10miles 14:00 Tan TT

14/05/2005 Sat B25/2 25miles 14:00 Solo TT
14/05/2005 Sat B25/2 25miles 14:00 Tan TT

18/06/2005 Sat B10/9 10miles 14:00 East DC GHS Championship
18/06/2005 Sat B10/9 10miles 14:00 Sol TT
18/06/2005 Sat B10/9 10miles 14:00 Tan TT

2005 Club Events

Thursday April 28th start time 18:45
Thursday May 5th start time 19:00
Thursday May 19th
Thursday June 2nd
Thursday June 16th
Thursday June 30th
Thursday July 14th
Thursday July 28th
Thursday Aug 11th
Thursday Aug 25th start time 18:45

For Sale (1)

GT Timberline MTB (17" frame), Manitou suspension forks.

It's 3 years old, but has only been ridden for about 10 miles and has rested in a shed since.

It has been maintained to a basic level, i.e. nothing is rusty or has fallen off!

Available for viewing / test-ride in Martlesham, near the Black Tiles pub.

Reason for sale: Need the space.

Offers around £50.

Contact via Steve J.

For Sale (2)

Marzocchi MZ comp suspension forks – brand new – unused. Any sensible offers accepted. Reason for sale – I want rigid forks on my Winter training bike.

Contact Mark or Viv.

Subscriptions

Subscriptions are due on 01/01/2005 for the current year. Please send you subs to Steve Jones, 4 Leicester Close, Ipswich. For over 18s it is £10, under 18 and over 12s, £5, and under 12s free. If you are a second claim member half of the above fee is due.

	Plomesgate Cycling Club
	www.plomesgate.co.uk