Only 4 people at the rides meeting on Wednesday but we now have a very
full list of rides arranged. To ease the pressure, could people please
volunteer to lead some of the rides? As always, we can teach anyone to
be a ride leader - no pressure and no obligation. Just drop me an
email.

Rides are:

Sun 6 May: Chislehurst Caves.
9:30 at the library. Tours cost £4.00 but no admission charge to get
to the cafe. If we time it right, you could get a chance to go on the
tour. No promises though! Hilly and bumpy.

Sun 13 May: Isle of Dogs.
9:30 at the library. Waterlink Way to Greenwich and then through the
foot tunnel to the Isle of Dogs where we'll find a suitable pub. Back
the same way. Nearly all flat.

Sun 20 May: Return to Mugswell.
9:30 at the library. A re-run of the Ride of the Year but with a new
pub for lunch to avoid waiting 2hrs for food. Hilly

Mon 28 May: The Old Jail.
9:30 at the library. A Bank Holiday Monday ride to Downe. Hilly.

Sat 2 June: Epsom Derby
9:30 at the library. A social ride to see one of the biggest horse
races of the year. Bring your own food as the area will be packed. A
few hills,

Sun 3 June: Eel Pie Island
9:30 at the library. A crazy island in the middle of the Thames at
Twickenham inhabited by artists and boatmen. We'll lunch at the pun
opposite. If it's high tide, watch the cars sink under the water!
Flattish.

Sat 9 June: Viking Coastal Trail
Train-assisted. Times tbc. The fantastic coastal ride around the
beaches of Broadstairs, Margate etc. A few hills.

Sun 10 June: Merton Cycle Quest
10:30am at the library. Another chance to ride the 17 mile route
around Merton, taking in all the sights. Hills around Wimbledon.

Sun 17 June: Hampton Court
9:30 at the library. A joint ride with Merton Cycling Campaign

Sat 23 June: South London Windmill Ride
9:30 at the library. Another chance to visit the 5 windmills in South
London. Longer than the average PHC ride so not suitable for
beginners.

Sun 24 June: Wandle Trail
9:30 at the library. The entire trail including Waddon Pondons,
Carshalton Ponds and the Wandle Delta at Wandsworth

Sun 1 July: TBC

Sat 7 June: Tour de France Prologue
9:30 at the library. We'll link up with MCC to gain special access to
the viewing area reserved for local cycling groups. The Prologue is a
time trial around a central London circuit offering lots of
opportunities to see the riders.

Sun 8 June: Tour de France
We'll ride to *somewhere* on the course to watch the race but
unfortunately, Southern Trains have banned bikes that weekend so we
can't train-assist into Kent as originally planned. Stay tuned.

Sun 15 June: CTC ride to Reigate, Charlwood & Brockham
9:10 at Mitcham Junction. We've seen the fireworks there. Now it's
time to sample the cakes at Teas On The Green at Brockham - a
favourite haunt of cyclists.

Still to come: Basingstoke canal and the Forest Row. Hopefully the PHC
website will be fully updated in the next few days. Those thinking of
coming on a ride with us for the first time are advised to check the
details on the website. We ride very slowly and stop in the mornings,
for lunch and again in the afternoons. All welcome!

===

Not everyone can ride a bike or ride confidently. There are two
schemes locally that might help:-

Paulo at Merton Council is running a scheme for people wanting to
learn to ride a bike. You get given a bike for the entirity of June
and have an option to buy it when the scheme is over. Point interested
people to:

http://www.cyclingfuture.com/tcp/merton.php

or send them along to the area outside the Odeon in Wimbledon on May
12th where Merton will have a Try Cycling Roadshow from 10:30am to
2:30pm

===

Original PHC members Elizabeth & Channa are running the following scheme:

FREE CYCLING LESSONS
FOR YOU & YOUR FAMILY

Winterbourne School, Winterbourne Road
CR7 7QT 2 – 5pm

EVERY SATURDAY
STARTING FROM 19 MAY

- LEARN TO RIDE A BICYCLE

- IMPROVE & GAIN CONFIDENCE

- CYCLING ON THE ROAD & PLAYGROUND

- CYCLING WITH CHILDREN TO SCHOOL, ETC.

- 8 YEARS UP WITH ADULT CONSENT

- CYCLE CHECK & MINOR REPAIRS WITH

Dr BIKE 2 TO 4PM

Limited places. You may book on 079040 21944 / dezoysa@... or
otherwise just turn up.

===

See you out on a ride!

Mark
PHC Co-ordinator
07711 688189