June. The best month of the year in some ways, but also the month when revision reaches its climax and silence is maintained in the examination rooms. Yes, I know cycling’s great fun, but it’s worth missing out for just a few weeks, because certificates can be quite useful later in life. We ticked along though, with an average of nine out each week, and the high level of recruitment we have been seeing since Christmas showed no sign of a let up with six cyclists joining us during the course of the month, all aged between 11 and 17. If all the keen ones come out every week there’d be forty or more for our Sunday rides, and that would be quite a sight; but meanwhile we’ll aim to beat our current records of twenty one before the summer’s out – OK gang?

Sunday 6th June saw Stephen Downer, one of our most promising youngsters, turn up with yet another of his friends, this time Mark Richardson of Totnes, who is also fortunate enough to attend Totnes Comprehensive (!). Robert Leeke came along with them too. By the time Michael Roberts, Phil and the usual bunch had arrived we were nine in all, and since the weather was so pleasant we decided on a slightly longer excursion than usual for an Afternoon Run. And so it was that we set off through the lanes towards Stoke-in-Teignhead. I thought it would be nice to go through Haccombe, where Colin had taken us one Wednesday evening, but annoyingly I went for the wrong track again and completely missed the place – the white road on the map must have been so trivial in effect that we rode past it! “Oh well,” said Phil, “they sell some delicious ice-cream at Shaldon, so why don’t we .. “. But he didn’t get any further – we all disappeared down the road!

Not only were the ice-creams good, but so was the fudge, and the mince pies, and the scones … a very pleasant stop indeed. The village of Stoke-in-Teignhead was along our homeward route, which took us back to Marldon via Torquay and Shiphay – a lovely hill to finish on. I think Mark enjoyed his ride, although he was a little tired after tackling all those hills with his somewhat limited range of gears.

(Michael Jones)