The following articles about Bury Tandem Club appeared in the Bury Times newspaper over the last few weeks. Each describes one of our Sunday rides.
Our sixty nine year old blind president finished off his racing season on top form. Along with his steering partner Phil Rowley they posted 24 minutes 2 seconds in the Yorkshire Velo 10 miles time trial, which is just short of 25mph. His last event was last Sunday’s Velo Cumbria 50 miles time trial with Mike Bigmore. In foul conditions of drenching rain and wind they posted a sterling 2 hours 6 minutes and 35 seconds, which reflects a complete disregard of the aging process.
From time to time our club has to endure setback and this the case at the moment as only Derek and Alan were out last Sunday. Derek as we all know completely ignores his 69 years and he took the opportunity to extend the ride to Walton-le-Dale by taking a long route over the demanding Roundhills. He did an even more impressive ride in the middle of the week with Mike Bigmore when they covered 155 miles in eleven hours. He did this to celebrate his first ride on a tandem 50 years ago and he followed the same route over Belmont up to Bo’ness in the Lake District. Then the luxury of a sail on the ferry across the Lake for the ride to Newby Bridge. Fifty years ago Derek was partnered with one Ronnie Myers, and they took fifteen hours. In those days tandems were usually equipped with four gears. In marked contrast the speeding duo had twenty four gears at their disposal and they used all of them.
Not only did the planned pairings come together last Sunday for the clubrun to Hebden Bridge but Derek was also in luck as Medical Student Nigel Noor rode was available to partner him. So we had the lady pairing of Janice Lowe and Julie Swale, father and son pairing of Peter and David Brewer and Elaine Barret steered by Ben Coleman. Although we are in the midst of a few days of rainy weather on this occasion lady luck was with us as those out on the 45-mile ride escaped the wetting that occurred in Bury. Evidence of this was still on the roads as the group rode into Bury. We take our roads for granted these days and we now have the facility of macadamed roads which whilst far from well maintained do mean that enjoyable cycling is possible. A few centuries ago the roads were hardly more than rutted tracks that meant travelling in any wheeled vehicle was highly hazardous and agonizing for stagecoaches and wagons. Some enterprising people built better-maintained toll roads and one of these was apparently on the route to Hebden Bridge between Littleborough and Todmorden. Pilots will be able to recognise a toll house with its peculiar shape of bevelled corners with windows so that the toll collector could spot approaching vehicles and collect a fee for the use of the road.
So there are only three scheduled rides this month and on the first run there were only two pairs out. Alas Janice was unwell and unable to attend. However, I was delighted and I am sure you will be as well to see that Sharon was out again on last Sunday's ride to Uppermill. Things look much better for the 21 October and 4 November runs with 7 and 8 pairs scheduled to be out. On the 4 November ride those out will have the pleasure of meeting new member Kelly.
Two Sunday rides were organised in October the first being Uppermill, which lies east of Oldham and on the approaches to the Pennine Chain. The second ride was to Rivington, which nestles nicely close to the West Lancs Moors. On this occasion we had the pleasure of the company of twenty-two years old Kelly Robinson out on her first ride with our club. She is completely blind and David Harrison her pilot for the day described her as lovely and bubbly with an infectious laugh. Another blind lady member out on both rides was Sharon Cox who was welcomed back after a lay off due to a troublesome knee. Sharon is another lovely lady who has been riding with us now for many years. The way that blind people cope is a lesson to all who have good vision. At the birth of her twin sons she gained one of life’s precious gifts but at the same time she lost the precious of gifts of her sight. Family and friends rallied round to see her through the worst of her difficult time and then social services played a big part in maintaining the family unit. Now her boys Daniel and Thomas are thirteen years old social service are withdrawing much of their support so that the boys are playing a greater part in the family unit.
Derek tells me it was a splendid 40-mile ride last Sunday with the refreshment stop being at Haigh Hall. Kelly Robinson was out again on her second ride and this time her pilot was James Whitham. So she has already graduated from a 30-mile ride to a 40-mile ride. Sharon Cox was the other lady out and she was steered by Alan Fogg. Alas Elaine Barrett and Janice Lowe could not make it. Derek was out on his first ride after his holidays and David Jones piloted him. Derek tells me that on this holiday for blind people a visit to one of those Railway preservation places was arranged and he was given the opportunity to drive the steam engine of the train. Now Derek as a blind person had already driven a car and ridden a bicycle. So he reckoned his next step was to fly and aeroplane. I suggested combining this with a parachute jump but he was having none of this. Also out on the day was John Robinson steered by Bryn Thomas and Peter Brewer steered by his son David.
Despite the uncomfortable weather conditions of a cold rainy day in October five tandem pairs set off from the Tottington HQ for last Sunday’s ride. On Derek’s advice because of the weather the ride was changed from Hebden Bridge to Rivington . It was most pleasing that our new member Kelly turned up but not being fully acquainted with the hazards of cycling she did not bring any waterproofs. The club is well prepared for contingencies, though, and she was duly equipped with some waterproofs from the spares kept at the HQ garage. Now Kelly, bless her for her enthusiasm, is not only blind but she is also a diabetic and this condition obviously makes her less able to deal with extreme conditions so along Crompton Way she was beginning to feel unwell. Resourceful as ever the club sought refuge in a café near Asda and a rescue operation was mounted and she was take home by car and the rest of the club decided that discretion was the better part of valour and abandoned the ride. It’s a fortnight to go before the next ride but next Friday we have the Annual General Meeting to look forward to. I am really looking forward to the supper that goes along with this annual event. Club officials for the ensuing 12 months are duly elected and I am willing to continue writing notes for Bury Times although, as I have done in the past, I will be happy to let the job go to another enthusiast. If it doesn’t work out then I can always pick up the reigns again.
Whilst the club is very strong in its organisation with its dedicated officials we are at present having to endure a shortage of sighted riders willing and able to act as pilots on our Sunday rides. This means that for the present we are only able to organise two rides each month. The first ride in November was to the former industrial town and now tourist town of Hebden Bridge. This was in glorious weather conditions but the second ride was most unfavourable.
New blind recruit Kelly Robinson alas, is a diabetic and her inexperience meant she had not realised she was not robust enough for the conditions that prevailed. At Astley Bridge in Bolton she found it was not possible to cope and a rescue operation was mounted whilst refuge was found in a café. The stop made the rest of the club decide on discretion, there being questionable valour in continuing, and so it was back to Bury. The A.G.M. was held at the end of the month with no changes in officials. Three blind members play active roles with Derek Pritchard ably chairing meetings, Janice Lowe being joint fund raiser along with Angela Ball and John Robinson managing the website. John’s mother, Joyce is our enthusiastic secretary and long serving Ann Gill remains treasurer. John’s father Alan who is transport secretary reported on the car assisted rides. One of these was a weekend in York staying at the international Youth Hostel. Although this was in the period of the atrocious weather that resulted in the floods the tandem riders enjoyed rides on both Saturday and Sunday. Members on the weekend who are not riders usually have a walk but on this occasion they remained in York to enjoy the shelter of the historical buildings. Derek Pritchard continues to enjoy mid-week rides with Mike Bigmore. During November they have enjoyed rides to Southport and Scorton. Not only are we seeking new pilots David Harrison gave notice that whilst he would continue as club trainer for volunteer pilots and social secretary he would be retiring from his post as club mechanic in July. This is a very responsible position and we are working hard to find a replacement. If there is anyone interested in helping as either a pilot or mechanic would they please ring David on 0161 797 7912. Comprehensive information about our club can be seen on our website: www.bury-tandem-club.org.uk
Dogged determination, Carry on regardless, Weather Warriors what else? To describe the approach of the six tandem pairs and the trio on the triplet who assembled at the Tottington HQ for last Sunday’s ride in weather most foul. For Bury Times notes I will chose Carry on Regardless so here goes: If the clubrun on 2 December is anything to go by Carry on Regardless must be a trait developed by the blind and by association those volunteers who steer them in our club. The conditions were extremely unwelcoming with cold pelting rain striving to penetrate the armoury of waterproof garments available these days. There was though the company of tandem club friends to look forward to and these kinds of rides are the ones that are always remembered better in retrospect than to experience. The run was changed from Hollingworth Lake to Haigh Hall giving some concession to the prevailing inclination of Mother Nature. On this ride we welcomed new steersman John Paddon and it was doubly pleasing that his wife Jennie accompanied on a solo machine.
First and Foremost I wish you all a very Happy Christmas and a splendid new year, which I sincerely hope will include many pleasurable rides with the club. Tandem club people are a hardy lot getting out whatever the weather. Derek tells me it was extremely cold last Sunday’s ride with members kitted out with layer upon layer. Even so I gather those out enjoyed their ride through Littleborough and Todmorden for the ascent of Cliviger Gorge. In my attempt to make these notes interesting for you and any Bury Times readers I do a little research about some part of the ride so this time I asked my Google search engine for something on Cliviger Gorge. Sure enough the Yorkshire Geology Trust had made a short note from which I am abstracting the part I can understand. The note tells us that it is a remarkable example of a glacially over deepened valley formed by escaping melt water at the end of the last glacial period. I was vaguely aware that it was ten thousand years ago so I referred to my encyclopaedia and found that it was in a period one million six hundred thousand years ago to the ten thousand I had remembered. As we know time changes all things and there is a possibility it is not yet over with another peak in sixty thousand years. Now my encyclopaedia is around ten year old so I guess this estimate might be revised as global warming takes its effect. In the meantime enjoy your cycling. Refreshment was as usual taken in Burnley then it was the three miles climb out of the valley en-route for Bury.
The last ride of the year was on the 30 December when the stalwarts enjoyed a day of mild weather for their ride to Rivington Barn. Due advantage was taken of these conditions and the long route through Westhoughton and Adlington was taken to come into their refreshment destination. On this occasion we were pleased that Janice Lowe was able to get out again after missing the rides since the 4 November. Up to the age of 17 Janice did have the sight of one eye and even with this impairment she was always ready to join in with the physical activities at school. Alas whilst she was doing forward roles on a gymnastic mat another girl participant’s foot hit her good eye and this led to total blindness. Not one to give in to misfortune Janice learned to type and worked in an office until she started a family. When they were old enough to manage on their own she learned to be a masseuse and now does voluntary work in this capacity as well as some professional engagements. Always willing to try something new Janice is an adept user of her computer and takes advantage of the Internet to communicate with friends. She usually has a speech facility on her computer to read emails but at the moment it is not working. Hopefully the charity Action for the blind will be able to effect a repair. In the meantime her sixteen-year-old daughter Jessica is reading incoming emails for her.
If the first ride of 2008 is anything to go by the club is in for a successful year of Sunday rides. Seven pairs turned up at Tottington HQ for the ride to Hollingworth lake. This was as scheduled with the only difference being the David Harrison taking over from Phil Knowles. We were pleased to have with us Angela and David Ball who have not been out with us for some months now. The longer Bacup route was chosen for the ride and a strong tailwind was enjoyed although there was some drizzle but the hardy tandemists of our club would never let a bit of drizzle spoil their day. A great thing about my doing these notes is that I take interest in the places visited. Perhaps I should do my research before your visit. It might just be more interesting for you to have the information before your visit. Anyway Bacup is interesting for all kinds of reasons. It is one of the best-preserved cotton towns in Britain. In the nineteenth century people came from all over Britain to work in the cotton mills so there will be quite a cocktail of what became Lancashire customs. Bacup is I recall a largely stone built town and apparently it was the incomers from Cornwall who worked the quarries for the building materials. Apparently they introduced Morris dancing to the region but with blackened faces as well as their polished clogs. This became something of a ritual and it is thought that its origins were from tribal dancing brought in by Africans who came to work the Cornish tin mines in the seventeenth century. From Bacup down to Whitworth it was a headwind of such severity that it was hard going down hill as well as uphill. At Hollingworth Lake it was reminiscent of Blackpool on a stormy day with the wind hitting the hardy bunch full blast from across the lake. There was then the haven of the café for refreshment before the return to Bury.
The second ride in January was to Walton-le-Dale, which was reached as usual by Belmont’s scenic moors. A new route home through Blackburn and then the splendid ride along the lanes through Edgworth to Tottington.
The annual Club dinner takes place on Friday 22 February at the Waterloo Hotel, Manchester Road. David Harrison as usual is running the event and a £5.00 deposit should be paid to him by the 14 February. The full cost of the meal is £17.50 and donated raffle prizes would be appreciated.
Last Sunday’s ride started in gloriously sunny weather but the low temperature of the day deflected from this pleasure as the group added layers of clothing to match the conditions. Two tandem pairs were unable to make it so pilots Dave Harrison, David Brewer and David Jones enjoyed the company of stokers Kevin Greenan, Peter Brewer and David Jones. The exertion of riding up the incline out of Bury towards Fairfield found the group nicely warmed but later on in the shade of the Calder Valley the effect of the low temperature was again something to be endured. Onwards then the small band of tandemists sped to the destination of the former Mill Town of Hebden Bridge to arrive soon after 11am. This town originated in the fifteenth century when a stone bride was built over the river Hebden to improve the packhorse route. This became the nucleus of present day Hebden Bridge which became another industrial town when textile mills were built in the eighteenth century.
David Harrison is pleased to report the recruitment of two new pilots Geoff Deane and Jody Lestnor. It is expected that they will be with us on our March rides. David also tells me he spent much of last Saturday going down to Longstaffes to collect 3 tandem frames that have been modified, examined for faults and re-sprayed. The maintenance work that David does is essential for the safety of those out on our Sunday clubruns.
It was raining as the group left Bury for Croston on the Lancashire plane on the last Sunday in February. The adverse conditions eased as the group made their way to this historical village so named because seventh Century Celtic missionaries who brought Christianity to England erected a wayside cross. An adjacent settlement, then, became known as the ‘Town of the Cross’. The last ride of the current programme was to Lymm, which lies on the same plane as the previous ride but becomes the Cheshire Plane. The crossing of the Manchester Ship Canal was by way of the Warburton Toll Bridge, which must be one of the few in the UK. Motorised vehicles have to pay but these days cyclists get a free passage.
David Harrison once again organised a most successful annual dinner at the Wellington Hotel on 23 February. There were 27 attenders who enjoyed the usual excellent catering of the Hotel and the games that David organised.
The organisation of the weekly runs is a complex affair so the associated work that our totally blind president, Derek Pritchard, does is worthy of comment. He had to design a system that enables him to match available pilots to stokers and tandems. This was achieved this by constructing a pegboard with separate columns of pilots and stokers in Braille along with telephone numbers. The pegs are moved around to achieve a suitable match of those intending to be out. Each blind person has a specific tandem so it is a regular job to adjust saddle heights and pedals to fit the volunteer pilot in preparation for the Sunday ride.
The vagaries of the English weather were encountered in the latest series of rides but come rain or shine the enthusiasm of members is never dampened. Haigh Hall set in a splendid 200-acre country park was visited on the last ride in April. This Hall is the former home of the Earls of Crawford and was built in the mid 19 th Century. Wigan Corporation now owns the Hall and has included the usual café facilities.
The next two rides were to Hollingworth Lake, near Littleborough and Rivington Barn again places where café facilities are available for appetites sharpened by good exercise and fresh air. Whichever place is visited there is always something of interest to reflect on from the past. Hollingworth Lake is where Captain Webb trained before becoming the first person to swim the Channel. Rivington Barn has a history stretching back to a Saxon Settlement.
On the latter two rides we enjoyed the company of David Brewer who was steering his blind father Peter. Up until 7 years ago Peter had been riding solo regular Sunday clubruns. An unfortunate fall led to his loosing his sight so for Peter particularly the existence of the Tandem Club is a boon.