The club was formed in November 2013, so celebrating in 2024 seemed appropriate. I’ve been a member since April 2014. My first club ride was memorable…we had to pick up a chap that had fallen off his mobility scooter after a few drinks, then phone an ambulance for a dog walker that had been pulled over by his dog and cracked his head on a wall! Thankfully the other 1000 or so rides I’ve done with the club have been less eventful. I’ve met hundreds of new people, cycled in Majorca, attended many HCC camping weekends and completed a 100 mile ride through the night-more of that later.
Many cycling clubs have been in existence for over a hundred years, but we agreed that our 10 years was well worth marking. So how did we celebrate our 10th year? Well, we did what we do best, kept riding our bikes throughout the year, but added some interesting events into the mix, all subsidised by HCC.
We welcomed Markus Stitz, renowned single speed, endurance and gravel rider to talk to us about his love for cycling. Great turn out, great talk, and members attended for free. 20 of our riders completed the magnificent ‘Ride to the Sun Scotland’. Starting in Carlisle in the evening, our club members joined 1500 other riders to cycle up to Cramond in Edinburgh in time to see the sunrise, not to mention the ‘CycloRavetm at midnight in a remote pub car park! A bus and cycle trailer provided transport there and back, and valuable support.
Finally, on 8th September all our club runs finished at New Mill Club for a social event, enjoying subsidised fish and chips provided by the ‘Scholes on Tour’ chip van. A chance to get together to meet riders old and new.
I’d like to say thank you to all those people that got together in 2013 to launch the club, it’s certainly changed my life. Thanks to the coaches, the route planners and the committee members who work hard to make the club a success, and most importantly to all the members who we wouldn’t be here without! I certainly won’t be around to celebrate our 100th anniversary but hope that the club goes from strength to strength!
