togglechaintour bikes

[corshamjim]

Yes I'm glad I took a few pictures 'cos otherwise Claire is convinced we never left the pub all weekend!

Thanks everyone from me too - especially Mike for creating such an 'interesting' cross-country ride and Graham for reminding me that however cold and damp I was feeling there's always someone worse off than me.

[Edwards]

5 of us hardy ToggleChainTourers went for a ride in the torrential rain in Dorset today the other 6 went shopping or something...
Mike- A southern softy wot likes to feel superior to the 'ard northerners who think "when the going gets tough...the tough go shopping.

I thought it had been so long that there had been rain in the south that there would have been a novelty factor. I hope you took some photos as a memory aid.
Up here he have rain quite often (now you remember that it is) that it is easy to find a wet day to ride.

[GrahamNR17]

Wow, what a mixed weekend! Friday evening "dietary slumming" in the rain at Poole quay chippy, fantastic ride Saturday, disastrous Sunday dodging waterfalls in the tent, and a stunning Monday ride, including superb catering at the "beach bunker" by Mrs Mike2Smith.

The one and only constant for the whole weekend was the company, which remained good-humoured throughout.

I think that Sunday showed more attention needs to be paid to contingency planning in the event that lousy weather stops play, and TCT3 will have an "emergency activities" plan.

Like most of you, today will be spent drying out the tent. In my case, the resultant dryness shall be followed with a box of matches.

Thank you all for coming, the TCT is turning into the highlight of the year for me, and already I'm looking at suitable hotels for TCT3. Hat's off to Mike for organising superb routes, even though one of them didn't get used.

I'll be back later with some photos.

[MikewsMITH2]

even though one of them didn't get used.

Us "Southern Softies" managed to do all but 3 miles of the Day 2 route spread over days 2 and 3 - plus an extra 14 miles getting there and back on Monday. The "Hard Men of the North and East" missed the delights of Wareham in the rain. (Thanks for the photos Steve.). Rob was even harder choosing only to do the wet section. The Welsh contingent are excused because they have rain nearly every day, so there was no novelty value in it for them.

Monday was an idyllic cycling day: We welcomed Steve (Greybeard), Tim (HGF), Graham (NR17), Anne Marie (AMC) and her other half Matt along with Chris (667) to our "Run wot U brung day" Jan and I brung our Tandem, Graham brung his gorgeous Raleigh Clubman, Steve brung his Pedersen and Tim brung his Dad's Viking Severn Valley (with a hub gear ). Steve was delighted to have ridden on a boat (switch on adenoidal voice) technically a floating bridge though Steve (switch off adenoidal voice) and seen a steam train up close and personal all in one day. We started off with hot breakfast rolls at our beach hut, provided by Mrs MWS2 then we cycled along the prom to the Swanage Ferry and cycled for a couple of hours on the near deserted roads of Rempstone Heath and Wych farm on the site of the old oilfield. BP have left us some lovely smooth roads (we did include a couple of bridleways for Tim) and only spoiled the view across the heath and the harbour with the interesting sight of a couple of (now stationary) nodding donkeys and an oil farm. Our tea stop was a teashop in a railway carriage on the Swanage Steam railway. The weather was gorgeous with a bit of a headwind on the way out, but we were reaching 22 mph - a speed seldom seen on a 3 speed for the run back to the ferry. In all Jan and I did 35 miles on the tandem. Graham must've done at least another 15 miles as he rode from and back to the camp site.

Weather is beautiful again today, so we were really unlucky to have experienced the only really wet day of the last few months on the weekend of the TCT.

Looking forward to the "Yorkshire Yomp" next year and starting to build a bike with fat tyres to cope better with Tim's off roading excursions.

[GrahamNR17]

Seeing as it's such a nice day, Mike, do you fancy riding up to the campsite and retrieving my ice pack from the right hand corner of the right hand freezer. It's a special one that's designed to clip in the lid of my coolbox but I left it behind. it's in a plastic bag with my name on.

It's happenin', I'm startin' to forget stuff

[MikewsMITH2]

I'll try this PM. Where is the Freezer?
Trying to dry our 2 pairs of wet shoes. They'll have to go outside. The hall is starting to smell like a wet dog

[GrahamNR17]

I'll try this PM. Where is the Freezer?

There's a "recreation room" to the left of the reception/shop with fruit machines etc in it. There are two chest freezers, and the ice block is in the right hand corner of the right hand freezer. No rush, nobody will nick them.

I'm trying to dry the trailer out. There's puddles in it still

Just emailed the Pennine Owners Club (there's even a club for poxy trailer tents!!!) and told them I'm breaking it for spares if any of their members need parts. Should do the trick

[Greybeard]

(switch on adenoidal voice) technically a floating bridge though Steve

(switch on very adenoidal voice) I feel I must take issue on that very point, Mr Smith. To my knowledge, there is no requirement under the Prevention of Collisions at Sea Regulations for a pontoon to display a black ball when secured to the the land by anchor. I think that in this instance, as the vessel (or ferry, in local parlance) can be regarded as being permanently at anchor, albeit occasionally travelling along said anchor chain, it may to all intents and purposes be considered as being so secured. It should therefore display, as it was doing so, a black ball. The requisite markings required of a vessel constrained by draught or impeded in its ability to manoeuvre would not in this case be appropriate.(switch off adenoidal voice)

You still awake, Graham?
Great weekend, Mike. Well done - and thanks also to Mrs Mike for the much appreciated catering.
Steve (wot got home just after 11pm last night and now has an almost dry tent )

[GrahamNR17]

You still awake, Graham?

I think I've found a way, yes

[robc02]

(switch on adenoidal voice) technically a floating bridge though Steve

(switch on very adenoidal voice) I feel I must take issue on that very point, Mr Smith. To my knowledge, there is no requirement under the Prevention of Collisions at Sea Regulations for a pontoon to display a black ball when secured to the the land by anchor. I think that in this instance, as the vessel (or ferry, in local parlance) can be regarded as being permanently at anchor, albeit occasionally travelling along said anchor chain, it may to all intents and purposes be considered as being so secured. It should therefore display, as it was doing so, a black ball. The requisite markings required of a vessel constrained by draught or impeded in its ability to manoeuvre would not in this case be appropriate.(switch off adenoidal voice)

You still awake, Graham?
Great weekend, Mike. Well done - and thanks also to Mrs Mike for the much appreciated catering.
Steve (wot got home just after 11pm last night and now has an almost dry tent )

That looks really interesting and I wish I could've been there to witness it myself - as it was I was back at work, bashing my head (a bit like Graham - but for different reasons ).

Despite missing Monday, it was a good trip .... thanks to Mike for organising it and Graham for his admin/website etc.

[Greybeard]

as it was I was back at work, bashing my head

My word You must have a very understanding employer. Who is it, Anne Summers?

Steve (wot has terrible mental images now)

[random37]

Well, I am back. And it was lovely.

Highlight for me was probably stealing a kids bike. But the museum was great, and so was the company.

[GrahamNR17]

TCT2 continues now I'm home. Had a fabulous 20 miler on the Sunbeam today. It's like every day is a TCT day.









Life don't get more perfect than living in Norfolk with a Sunbeam

[Greybeard]

Why have you strapped a small castle to your handlebars in the first shot then?

Steve

[GrahamNR17]

Why have you strapped a small castle to your handlebars in the first shot then?

Steve

I knew someone would ask that.

I knew it would be you.

Graham, wots surrounded by 'em