WEEKLY RIDES IN NANAIMO

As the 2010 season winds down, many people have expressed interest in regular local recreational group rides, especially in the off-season. These rides would take place on various days and at various times to fit in with everyone's family/work/retirement activities. Our club is willing to undertake the task of coordinating these rides and working on meeting places / times / days / distances / speeds / leaders, etc.

All interested riders, please respond to pakamac@bikeracing.ca before October 30th. and we'll put together a plan

This is a great opportunity to finally get some real club runs going  on a regular basis in the Nanaimo region, with good numbers of participants.

CYCLE TOURING IN BRITAIN IN THE 1950's Some of you from across the pond who are old enough will remember what it was like to take the train to a distant destination and then cycle home with your riding companions. Here is a CTC (Cyclists' Touring Club) promotional film from that era. The rest of you can smile at the less sophisticated bicycles from the 1950's

CROSS ON THE ROCK PROVIDENCE PHOTOS Photos from Sunday's cyclo-cross at Providence Farm, Duncan  here.                            .

CYCLE TOURING IN THE EARLY DAYSWhen I first started serious cycling in the 1950's, our club organised a number of tours every year. Most of these used youth hostels as  cheap and convenient places to stay en route. As we used to combine our recreational cycling with training, we distanced ourselves from the "Tuggos"who loaded up their protesting bikes with front and rear panniers and saddlebags, preferring to travel with just a 'bonk bag' -a large shoulder slung bag, not unlike the courier bags in use today, usually made from deck chair canvas. Some of us would prefer to have a very light wire carrier on the back and carry our essentials in a small duffel bag attached to the carrier by the predecessors to bungee cords. We would send  the heavier stuff ahead to the hostels by way of  Her Majesty's Royal Mail Service.

For a more complete account of touring in the  'old days', go here.

NEW RESTAURANT IN TOWN here