South Dartmoor CTC Album

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Page 14 of 408 (4072 items)
Sunday 29 June 1986
Day ride (With Torbay CTC): Easdon Tor
Mixed
12 Participants: David Bitner, Richard Burge, Richard Hopper, Steve Hughes, Michael Jones, Ian Malem (15, Torquay), Martin Olney, Mark Pearce (Junior, Devon), Vicky Sanders, Andrew Simmons, Simon Whale, Damian Williams (15, Torquay)
Early thunderstorms and torrential rain resulted in a delayed 1pm start for those members sensible enough to ring the Cycle Control Centre at Redmount. The few brave souls who started at the planned time of 10am were, however, rewarded when the sun appeared an hour later.

The South Dartmoor late starters met Torbay at Bickington only to find poor Martin Olney looking the worse for wear after a bad fall on gravel. He clearly needed stitches in his chin so Kevin escorted him to Ashburton hospital while Michael rang his parents. I can’t remember when we’ve had such a nasty accident on a club run: with Mark’s grazes last week it seems as though we’re going through a bad patch at the moment.

There was only time for a brief ride, up to Haytor and along the pretty road to Manaton which we seldom use for some reason. But there’s always enough time to visit the Primrose café at Lustleigh, and today was no exception.
Friday 4 July 1986
Evening ride: Cross Furzes
Drizzle
3 Participants: Richard Hopper, Michael Jones, Jamie Wicks
Perhaps Dartmoor wasn’t the best choice of destination in view of the miserable weather.
Sunday 6 July 1986
Afternoon ride: Huccaby
Sunny
10 Participants: Richard Burge, Daniel Coles, Steve Hughes, Andrew Hutching (17, Devon), Michael Jones, Warren Masters, Richard Palmer, Kevin Presland, Luke Rake, Jamie Wicks
Representation from seven different areas of South Devon helped to make this afternoon jaunt across Dartmoor a very special event. Luke’s appearance on Mini-Shopper (a poor relation of Super-Shopper perhaps?) caused quite a stir, rivalled only by news of the Mens’ Singles tennis final result overheard on a car radio.
Tuesday 8 July 1986
Evening ride: Forder Green
Sunny
8 Participants: Wayne Bolton, Gabrielle Bourn, Hunter Brimmacombe, Richard Burge, Jeremy Ford, Richard Hopper, Michael Jones, Vicky Sanders
This was the evening when silly jokes dominated the conversation. Quite what Vicky thought of her latest nickname “Penelope Pitstop” was difficult to determine.
Sunday 13 July 1986
Day ride (With Torbay CTC): Treasure Hunt
Sunny
17 Participants: David Bitner, Gabrielle Bourn, Richard Burge, Daniel Coles, Richard Hopper, Steve Hughes, John Iles, Brett Jamieson, Michael Jones, Ian Malem, Warren Masters, Mark Moxham, Martin Olney, Mark Pearce, Luke Rake, Vicky Sanders, Damian Williams
A staggering thirty five people turned up for this special event. It had originally been scheduled for 11th August 1985 but had to be postponed owing to a poor turnout! The participants were split into five teams regardless of Section as we’d decided to run it as a fun event rather than a competition.

If the route wasn’t to everyone’s liking – well, you can’t please all the people all the time. The general consensus, however, was that the idea should be developed next year. We had great fun organising it – thank you for supporting it.
Friday 18 July 1986
Evening ride: Avon Dam
Sunny
7 Participants: Wayne Bolton, Damian Cannon (15, Reading), Jeremy Ford, Michael Jones, Richard Palmer, Vicky Sanders, Andrew Simmons
Wayne and Jeremy, our two under-elevens, seemed to get stronger as the ride progressed, a factor which allowed us to make our first evening venture along the Abbot’s Way. One had to feel a little sorry for the occupants of the steady stream of vehicles that could be seen on the distant A38: we had the beautiful Dean Moor to ourselves.
Saturday 19 July 1986
Weekend ride: Steps Bridge
Day 1
Sunny
20 Participants: David Bitner, Richard Burge, Matthew Burrows (14, Torquay), Damian Cannon, Daniel Coles, Richard Hopper, Steve Hughes, John Iles, Brett Jamieson, Michael Jones, Warren Masters, Mark Moxham, Paul Palmer, Richard Palmer, Vicky Sanders, Andrew Simmons, Roger Simmons, Robert Spence (Adult, Torquay), Mark Stott, Mark Williams
We were joined on the youth hostel weekend by Damian Cannon of Reading CTC who was getting in some practice for the Scotland tour. Having successfully rendezvoused with assorted bods at Drumbridges, Gappah and Starcross, lunch was eaten on the banks of the Exe estuary.

The canal towpath was bedecked with luxuriant vegetation, which impeded progress somewhat but provided ideal training for next year’s Venezuelan tour (book now with Section Secretaries).

Leaving Exeter by way of Alphington we passed through Shillingford St George and Dunchideock before the long climb over Haldon and the long drop to the Teign House Inn, where a head count revealed that we had lost Budgie. The group was split into a number of posses and a systematic search made, but we were unable to locate him so we headed for the hostel in the hope that he’d made his own way there – which he did eventually, arriving at 8.30pm much to the relief of all concerned.
Sunday 20 July 1986
Weekend ride: Steps Bridge
Day 2
Sunny
20 Participants: David Bitner, Richard Burge, Matthew Burrows, Damian Cannon, Daniel Coles, Richard Hopper, Steve Hughes, John Iles, Brett Jamieson, Michael Jones, Warren Masters, Mark Moxham, Paul Palmer, Richard Palmer, Vicky Sanders, Andrew Simmons, Roger Simmons, Robert Spence, Mark Stott, Mark Williams
Leaving the hostel next morning we followed the Teign upstream to Clifford Bridge where the day’s first repairs were effected. Fingle Bridge was reached by way of a long climb and a wrist-jarring descent, and popular opinion decreed that we stop for lunch on the Hunters’ Path (is this a record – only seven miles before lunch?).

Despite further workshop sessions we were only fifteen minutes late arriving at Widecombe to meet the Afternoon Riders (Richard Hopper, Roger Simmons and Richard Palmer) which brought numbers to twenty for our cream tea finale.
Tuesday 22 July 1986
Evening ride: Sigford
Sunny
9 Participants: Gabrielle Bourn, Richard Burge, Jeremy Ford, Richard Hopper, Michael Jones, Paul Palmer, Richard Palmer, Vicky Sanders, Andrew Simmons
This evening’s circular route encompassed hitherto unexplored lanes (and hills) between Ashburton school, Owlacombe and Sigford, and even a new track at Goodstone – John Iles take note!
Sunday 27 July 1986
Day ride: Lannacombe Beach
Drizzle
5 Participants: David Bitner, Richard Burge, Richard Hopper, Steve Hughes, Michael Jones
The Moreleigh Church pick-up, whilst undoubtedly costing support from Torbay youngsters, did allow a different outward route via Diptford and Kingsbridge. In view of the weather, Lannacombe was abandoned in favour of Torcross, where a happy hour was spent on the beach and in the café.

The sun had emerged by the time we had finished our prolonged tea stop at Higher Poole Farm, East Allington (another of Michael’s relations), making the return trip through Totnes even more enjoyable than expected.
Page 14 of 408 (4072 items)
Events Index Gallery Participants