Next day we embarked on a new venture which had been planned for several months – our first split in an attempt to cater more successfully for the harder riders in the group. The Afternoon Run took place as usual, but the keen ones set off at 9.30 for Mary Tavy.

I attended the Afternoon Run, but on the way back to Buckfastleigh from Marldon I came across Mark and Michael from the Day Ride. Things had evidently not gone quite according to plan: Michael was bruised and scratched and so was his bike. They came back to Redmount for a drink and some patching up, and then the whole sad story emerged.

Whilst cycling to the Totnes pick-up with Kevin that morning, John Pope had run into the hedge on Dartington Hill, landing up with a cut chin amongst other injuries. Some friends came to collect him after a telephone call. Later on in the day, Michael had run out of road at the bottom of a hill near the destination, leaving him with a multitude of cuts and bruises – they managed to hobble on to get within sight of Mary Tavy before heading home with all speed.

When I telephoned John that evening I discovered that he had been to hospital for stitches and was feeling very much under the weather, and on the following Wednesday evening run Michael informed us that he had a small fracture in his wrist! Everyone has now recovered I’m glad to say, so let’s forget about that ill-fated ride.

(Michael Jones)

The Afternoon Run went quite well, with two new youngsters joining us for the first time - Paul Betts from Paignton and Neil Pena from Dartington. It was also good to see Matthew and Richard back with us again after a short break, during which time I understand they have been learning about life under canvas. I think it will not be too long before Torbay embarks on a series of cycle-camping trips!

But back to the Run, and the ten of us set off for a ride around Compton, Denbury and Woodland. It wasn’t too long before Paul was lost – three minutes in fact – and as time went on he was obviously getting a little concerned about something. “When are we going to turn back?” was the question that came out. His mind was put at rest when we described the circular nature of our proposed route. Neil enjoyed the ride, showing the world that he really has done a good deal of cycling on his own. Frances and Kim, who had found the afternoon unusually peaceful (!), left us near Landscove to return to Totnes with Neil whilst the rest of us wandered back towards Marldon via Ipplepen.

(Michael Jones)

Report unavailable.

May 16th was the date of the BCTC Heat at Bovey Tracey. All those who managed to get up early enough made their own way to the start for 9.15, ready for the day’s activities. Eight Torbay members rode the event, including new rider David Incoll who has recently moved to the area from Oxfordshire. There were many other members present on and off during the day, helping with marshalling and catering or just spectating, so all in all there were 20 of us at the event.

Whilst we were chatting outside the village hall in the afternoon we heard the church gate creaking just opposite us. There was a deathly quiet as everyone looked up. Frank Boyes, whom no-one had seen for nineteen weeks, was emerging from the graveyard with his bike! When we were all fairly confident that he wasn’t a ghost he was given a very warm welcome, and our minds were put at rest when he told us that he had merely taken a short-cut through the church grounds. Thanks for making the effort to come Frank – it was good to see you.

A full report on the course is give below, and it only remains for me to say thank you to Colin and Jean for a great day out. I know that everyone thoroughly enjoyed the event, including the three Plymothians who attended.

(Michael Jones)


The Devon BCTC heat on May 16th was blessed with warm sunny weather, and after a rather chaotic session at Bovey Tracey car park, where most of the entry forms were written out, riders started with a warming climb through Brimley. There was a pause just beyond Brimley for Cliff and Win Charlton to ask a few questions before a rough section to Liverton where many other cyclists congregated for “Mont’s Road Race”, causing minor confusion.

Time for another cup of coffee and another quiz near Blackpool school, then brains in gear to decide how long it’s going to take to ride to Fosterville, which is about six miles away. The brainwork was obviously pretty good because six riders were within two minutes of their estimate.

From Fosterville it was over Chudleigh Heath to Bovey and an early lunch to compensate for the early start; another quiz and four “observation photographs” didn’t seem to spoil appetites.

Afternoon map-reading clues were dished out and, with varying degrees of success, solved, before being checked and corrected as necessary. Following the route in practice didn’t seem to create too much problem, although I think a fair number kept their eyes on where Pete Luxton was going! Oh well, it didn’t affect the result and we didn’t have to send out search parties.

There was lots of activity back at Bovey where Jean, Sue, Doreen and other helpers were coping magnificently with preparing a superb salad tea, for (due to lack of bookings until the day) a completely unknown number of folk.

The results are listed below, and I hope the few entrants enjoyed their day’s riding, but it would have been nice to have had support from the DA’s strongest Section. Possibly members don’t want the event, in which case I hope they will attend the AGM and tell us.

Many thanks to the thirty-odd folk who turned out to marshal etc. - it was nice to see you all.

On the quizzes by the way, not many knew the colour of Jacobs Sheep (brown and cream patches), the owl that hoots (Tawny) or the other end of the Fosse Way (Lincoln), but nearly all can tell a grass snake from an Adder.

Position - Name (Penalty)

1 Pete Luxton (8)
2 Michael Ward (16) First Junior
3 John Pope (18)
4 Mark Morton (20)
4 Robert Spence (20)
6 Dave Incoll (23)
6 Kevin Presland (23)
8 Colin Downie (25)
8 Adrian Parkyns (25)
10 Martin Clarke (41)
11 Bernard Shapland (42)

Nigel Wilson and Phil Benstead did not finish.

(Colin Brierly)

Mark’s Bridge was the destination the following week, and the person from whom the bridge’s name is derived could not attend because of exams! Never mind, there were still twelve Torbay members out, and our numbers were boosted at Avonwick by the presence of Plymouth Section who had wandered our way.

Everyone was surprised to see Philip Wrigley out on his bike again – the last time we were so privileged was in August! Furthermore, after the completion of Ten Tors the previous week we were pleased to see Andrew Winstanley with us again – he tells us he completed the course easily!

We took the lanes through to Ivybridge and after a wrong turning into a private estate at Fardel eventually reached Mark’s Bridge. It turned out to be small and ugly – no reflection on the person of course! The area was very pleasant and we had a relaxed lunch hour under the shade of the trees. The route back took us through Ermington, where we stopped for ice-creams. Thanks to Michael and Kevin for again taking the lead – a very interesting route.

(Michael Jones)

[1 point: Mark Morton]
[3 points: everyone else]

Exam season is with us once again, and the inevitable effect on a Section such as Torbay, with its high proportion of school-age cyclists, is that turn-outs have been a little below recent averages. Nevertheless there has been steady support for all the rides, not least Wednesday evening rides, on which Neil Pena has been the most notable recruit. The rides have been varied and interesting, including a trip around Brixham with Derek Cudmore on his first ride, a tour of Babbacombe and Cockington before the grockel season, and some excursions to Denbury and Ipplepen. Midweek evening rides are very pleasant at this time of year, and we are always pleased to see newcomers of all ages.

(Michael Jones)

The last ride of the month was to Challacombe Down, near Postbridge. By this time revision was really beginning to take its toll, but on and off we saw thirteen people, plus two from Plymouth. Frances came as far as Ashburton, Phil Wrigley as far as Ilsington, Colin, Jean and Matthew as far as lunch, Iris as far as “just after lunch” and Phil Benstead as far as Ponsworthy!

We made it to the destination via Widecombe and sampled the beauty of the area by walking the footpath around the Down. The return route was through Poundsgate to New Bridge, where ice-creams were again the order of the day – we also had a chat with Walter Pearce, who looks after the National Park Information Centre. There were refreshments at Redmount yet again for those who made it that far.

(Michael Jones)

[1 point: Frances Lofty, Philip Wrigley]
[2 points: Colin Brierly, Jean Brierly, Matthew Tewson, Val Farrell]
[3 points: everyone else]

Colin and Michael had set off from the pick-up point, accompanied by Kevin for a short distance before he returned to his books. They had a good ride via Otterton and Peak Hill, reaching Sidmouth by lunchtime. They returned through Woodbury Salterton and along the canal banks to pop in on Don for a “cuppa” before tackling the last hills through Combe-in-Teignhead to Torquay.

(Michael Jones)

[1 point: Kevin Presland]
[3 points: everyone else]

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)