01/08/2010
Women on wheels social ride
02/08/2010
Summer holiday Level 2 Bikeability training
04/08/2010
Summer holiday Level 3 Bikeability training
29/08/2010
Free access to Sports Village track
04/09/2010
Tour de Baschurch
My dad led me astray!
The story of Sue Collinson's end to end ride...
2 years ago when for a Christmas present he bought me membership of the CTC. I wasn't sure what the Cycle Touring Club was all about but they did have a list of rides that leave the square in Shrewsbury each Sunday at 09:30am. So I began cycling - just a few wobbly miles to start with. This gradually built into more and more cycling and chatting with new found friends the miles flew by. So on a bright windy late summer's day 21 of us (for once more ladies than men!) gathered around a sign post at Lands End and squinted into the sun...and smiled as cameras froze our images.
The theory behind cycling up-country is that the prevailing wind 
should help to carry you up all those hills between Lands End and John O Groats; after all although we didn't know it yet we had some 75,000 feet to climb before reaching sea level at the other end of the country. All too soon we met the first of the hills as we headed north along the Cornish coast.
We also met an obstacle in Devon - a log cabin stuck fast in a lane. There was nothing we could do we just had to wait until a tree was felled and we could push our bikes underneath the cabin and under the felled tree to continue on our way. Leaving behind the poor farmer whose tree had been felled lamenting the fact that 'that tree have been there since I was a lad'.
We crossed Somerset to reach the Quantock Hills, and a rise that saw us slowly grinding up what seemed to be an endless pull, followed by a descent that would be burned into my memory forever we were doing well over 45mph. When we reached the bottom my jaw ached from all the smiling and laughing just pure joy. A few more dips and climbs and the Avonmouth bridge came into view, followed by the Severn bridge. On to Monmouth where we took a wrong turn and had a detour round this very pretty town until we found the tourist information.
Home to Shrewsbury and chance to drop off washing, meet up with friends as well as Emma from Cycle Shrewsbury. A home cooked meal and we set off on the second half of our journey.
Onwards across industrial north to the wilds of Yorkshire. We cycled along the side of Cumbria, through the little town of Kirkby Stephen, and the beautiful Eden Valley. The following day saw us ride round Carlisle and across the border into Scotland, stopping to make the most of photo opportunities then continuing to the scenic roads to Moffat. This was our one rest day. The route took us over the 'Rest and be Thankful pass' - I was thankful when I reached the top of the pass that I didn't rest as it was pouring with rain. A fast descent led to rain stinging the eyes, a visibility somewhat difficult. I pitched up at the Maritime Museum, soaking wet and freezing cold and shaken with my near death experience from an articulated lorry. I was given coffee and cake on the house and a total of £35 cash donations to the charities we were riding for. 
I was completely amazed at the generosity of people giving to a weary, soggy cyclist.
All too soon John O'Groats came into view. Together we had made a journey of a life time - what a thing to be able to do, father and daughter together. 1074miles completed and between us for the British Heart Foundation and Asthma UK we were just slightly shy of £3000 raised in sponsorship. You can still donate on the Just Giving website
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Well done Sue!!!