devoncycling

Vietnam message

graham@gjbrodie.freeserve.co.uk — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 20:04:57 GMT

Hi there everyone
Hanoi is a great place for everything! We have been up to the border with China to see the mountains but the mist stayed put and we couldnt see anything. We are back in Hanoi and we really enjoyed returning. There is such a buzz about it. We have been getting some culture, sampling lots of food - it's got fantastic restaurants - and tonight we're going to the water puppets.
Tomorrow we go to another hotel -a prebooked one - so looking forward to a spot of luxury and must try and pack up the poor old bikes. We have only our hand luggage after that so will have to throw away as much as we can to avoid paying 37 pounds sterling per extra kilo! We are looking forward to coming home but wonder what weather will be greeting us. It is very pleasantly warm here (at last).
love to you all
Derek and Ursula

Vietnam - Easter update

graham@gjbrodie.freeserve.co.uk — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 15:52:22 GMT

Hi everyone
Now in Hanoi, quite the most fascinating place we have been to yet. Lots of food as well and making up for all the fasting. In fact fast becoming fatsos so cancel the food parcels!
Cycling all finished for now. In fact if Roger could see the state of our bikes-filthy, caked in mud and dirt, chains all rusty- I fear he would vote us out of the CTC. Off to mountains near China for a look see. Soon be home. Hope you all had a good Easter
Love Ursula and Derek

graham@gjbrodie.freeserve.co.uk — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 15:50:47 GMT

oncycling

Vietnam update from D&U

graham@gjbrodie.freeserve.co.uk — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 00:55:45 GMT

Pirates!
We have just got back from the 'cruise' vietnam style. An old Chinese junk with just one compartment with 2 doible beds for us and 2 French girls. Derek not Phased by this! I was told there was a loo but never got to see it. We chugged off into the murk and explored little islands with big caves full of stalagmites and the other things.In the evening we were kidnapped by pirates and forced to do Karaoke. when they heard our rendition of the Rhinestone Cowboy the pirates opted for walking the plank! Did rock climbing on Monkey Island (me with flip flops!) and Derek had to be rescued by Kayak. Saw a troop of wild monkeys.
Hope you are all well. see you soon

More from Vietnam

graham@gjbrodie.freeserve.co.uk — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 22:12:43 GMT

17th March - in between power cuts............
Hi everyone
We are in the north of Vietnam on the delightful island of Cat Ba. Lovely cycling,no traffic,hardly any litter, SUNNY AT LAST,and food available. Life is looking up.
(Would someone tell Pete Lewis we lost his e-mail so cant include him inthe updates,please)
Tomorrow we are going on a 2 day cruise. I have a sneaking suspicion that 'cruise' May be a bit grandiose a term for the unseaworthy junk we are going on but hopefully we will be pleasantly surprised.After that it's Hanoi.
On balance, although we have done some fantastic cycling the overall reality is that Vietnam doesnt figure on the cyclist's must do list of cycling countries. The pollution, litter,noise and traffic on the roads where there are hotels and food make it unpleasant and where its beautiful and unspoilt there's nowhere to stay and nothing to eat unless you co camping and cook your own food.
We have had a lot of laughs and its an eye opener everyday but give me the good old Newton Road every time!
Thanks to all who have answered us by the way, we really appreciate it
Love, Ursula and Derek

14th March - ........foot rot setting in.
hello there again
We are in north Vietnam about 60 miles short of Haiphong (where U.S. troops used to go to for hospitalization). We have been cycling round godforsaken paddyfields and also on motorbikes over so many potholes and disintegrating roads (roads?) admiring mountain after mountain of filthy plastic bags and rotting rubbish. We had one dry day but then the rain came back and the water and mud threw itself at us and our poor little tootsies stink to high heaven with foot rot or fungal infections. Everyone looks round and sniffs when we appear and we do our best to look uninvolved. Been on boat trips. I told Derek that people row with their feet. Oh, Pedalos, says Derek. No, they actually lean back on their hands and row with the side of their feet and their little toes. They dont have foot rot. Cant imagine why not as they are always knee deep in water either sowing rice or digging mud or washing the dishes or worse.
Anyway, off cycling to Haiphong tomorrow and hoping for dry.
Love, Ursula and Derek

Vietnam trip update.

graham@gjbrodie.freeserve.co.uk — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 00:15:43 GMT

Hi there
we met some kind cyclists in Hoi An who gave us an up to date Atlas of Vietnam's roads so we went up the coast to Danang via China Beach and then headed inland to Highway 14 over by Laos. We were told that it was quieter there and yes it was. Practically nowhere to sleep and very little to eat. In fact on Wednesday we did 40 miles up two mountains (it took all day) with just 2 small bananas and some water! Derek said he needed to lose some weight so he's got his wish. (in the pouring rain) Superb scenery, subtropical rain forest all we wished for. Five days later we are back in (relative) civilization although still pouring with rain. This is Hue a World Heritage Site so we are off on a bus and dragon boat tour tomorrow while our cycling gear is washed and to get some culture. Much cooler here but the rain is non stop and has been so for several months. We will have to revise plans again. Regards to all...Ursula

More from D&U in Vietnam

graham@gjbrodie.freeserve.co.uk — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 21:54:47 GMT

Sat 1st March:
Hi everyone
here are just a few of the things we have seen being carried on mopeds: 4 people,10foot ladders (sideways), 8 foot panes of glass,wardrobe (2),20 foot lengths of steel,about 20 boxes of 30 rolls of toilet paper,16 piglets ,8 dogs,blocks of ice,a bicycle,small tree and assorted large cooking pots.
In addition because of the pollution most of the women and a lot of the men wear face masks so you get 3 million Michael Jackson lookalikes speeding around on the pushbikes and motorbikes.
Love Ursula and Derek

Fri 29th Feb:
Apologies for repetitions to those of you who got the earlier versions.
We set off from Saigon but were not able to take the ferry because bikes have been banned since last year so had 100 or so miles to do to get to where we wanted to start. Sweltering heat didnt help gale force head winds slowed us down somewhat but what really buggered it up big time (scuse my French) was that nearly all the place names have been changed since thay printed their most up to date maps which we got off the internet so all our route on the GPS made absolutely no sense with regard to the signs we saw on the road. In fact we never knew if a sign was a place name or something like 'queues ahead". we set off at 6a.m. to get some time in before it got too hot (about 10) and had to stop about 12 so the milage not impressive. We have learnt a few things e.g. you dont get sheets on beds here except in swanky places. We dont do swanky much.Eventually we got on a bus to Nha Trang (still called that) and then to Hoi An (ditto because Unesco paid them a lot of money to keep them like it). We met some German cyclists who have also taken the bus for the same reasons. It seems that climate change is happening in a big way here. We spoke to some Lancashire tourists to day off a Cruise ship and who said they havent seen the sun on their whole trip from Hong Kong Taiwan and China and its freezing cold and wet just north of here. So we are off to enjoy the cold and wet the day after tomorrorow. We will try and do the whole trip on the bikes to Haiphong. Regards to you all

GOOD MORNING FROM VIETNAM

graham@gjbrodie.freeserve.co.uk — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 00:19:34 GMT

Hi there to all
The e-mail account we set up in advance wouldnt work when we got to Saigon so have set up this new one with only a few names on it as yet.
We are in Nha Trang having spent 4 days in Saigon just learning to cross the road. We couldnt get the ferry out of Saigon because they no longer permit bycycles on it so had a long hot slog in amongst the millions of motorbikes out to the coast. Were we brave or were we brave? This key board has lost its letters an I am only guessing so there may be mistakes. Steep learning curve in all areas here and we go from abject squalor to dizzy luxury in just hours. heat is excessive (100 F) and high humidity. We have to get out on bikes by 6a.m. Are gasping by 10 and have to stop by noon. Gale force wind starts mid morning. However it's all flat. Today we got on a bus to avoid a long ride along what is essentially a building site for future mass tourism but is not attractive at the moment.
We hardly eat for fear of a bug but Derek has been seen eating RICE! and NOODLES!
We send lots of love and will get some more names on the list soon
Ursula and Derek

BRITTANY FERRY CANCELLED 29th FEB!!

graham@gjbrodie.freeserve.co.uk — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 12:34:04 GMT

URGENT NOTICE! - The ferry to France this Friday has been cancelled. This means there will be no weekend CTC trip to Brittany - a great disappointment.
For further information, Please contact Geoff Sharpe 01803-812743, or check back on our website. ( It looks like an alternative sailing on 14th March will be available.)

SECTION A.G.M DETAILS -This Week!

graham@gjbrodie.freeserve.co.uk — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 21:27:54 GMT

Don't forget your section AGM's this week.
TORBAY: Wednesday 26th, Court Farm Inn, Abbotskerswell, 8pm
EXETER: Thursday 27th, 24 Wrefords Drive, EXETER.( Mike & Liz Bowden) 7.30pm
SOUTH HAMS:Sunday 30th September, 70, Cleave Drive, Ivybridge. (Bill Barnes)
GB

150 miles in 12 hours

graham@gjbrodie.freeserve.co.uk — Sat, 19 May 2007 07:41:58 GMT

NOTE: The 150 in 12 on 20th May has NOT been cancelled.
The ride will go ahead at 8am from the Arch at Kingskerswell.
Please be there by 7.50am to sign in for the start.
GB

NEWS UPDATES

graham@gjbrodie.freeserve.co.uk — Sat, 20 Jan 2007 23:58:13 GMT

Because of another problem with the transfer of Data to the Orange.co.uk website (which hosts our newspages) we are unable to update the News section, so will be posting any newsworthy updates here until they can sort the problem out.
Graham Brodie.

NO GOVERNMENT MONEY FOR DEVON ROAD REPAIRS

graham@gjbrodie.freeserve.co.uk — Sat, 20 Jan 2007 23:56:13 GMT

THERE was disappointment for Devon today when the Government confirmed the
new grant settlement for 2007/8 without any increase for road maintenance.
It means Devon will receive £49 per person LESS grant than the average for
English counties - a massive £36 million LESS funding for public services
across the county.

Leader of Devon County Council, Brian Greenslade, said: "Devon County Council
is responsible for the biggest road network in the country at nearly 8,000
miles long. It beggars belief that the Government has not given any increase
for road maintenance. When added to price increases in the previous two
years, the gap between Government provision and council budgets has widened
significantly." He added: "How the Government chooses to share out grants
is vital to reducing the Council Tax burden on Devon people, but this grant
settlement perpetuates the injustice in the current system. If Devon received
just the average grant for English counties it would be equivalent to cutting
average Council Tax bills in the county by over £130.

Local CTC riders are already suffering on the decaying roads and lanes around
Devon. One member had both rims badly damaged by a pothole near Kingskerswell
- estiamted at £70 for repairs.

CTC now have an automated reporting system for potholes via the National
website, and we will shortly be putting links into this and would
strongly encourage mambers to use this a way of informing the Area
Service Groups of defective roads and cycleways.

In the meantime Devon County Council have an on-line defect reporting
form which can be seen used by clicking http://www.devon.gov.uk/form-road_surfaces?url=webcsm/Defect.aspx&sid=vdde0bjmkvcjryekwyngiv55

DA COMMITTEE MEETING - Notice

graham@gjbrodie.freeserve.co.uk — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 23:50:59 GMT

Don't forget the DA Committee meeting tomorrow night (18th) 7.30pm at the home of our DA Secretary Nicole Pethybridge.
GB

News from Pashes in NZ

graham@gjbrodie.freeserve.co.uk — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 22:14:13 GMT

Here's a message from Rod & Lisa pash who are currently in New Zealand enjoying one of the coldest "Winters" on record!...........

One month in and as we transfer from North to South Island, it's high time to send traveller's tales.

Having dropped our Bike Friday suitcases in Auckland with NZ CTC member Keith Craig (Rod & Gavin's trans Am partner) we set off up the northern peninsula.

I'd looked at the rumpled terrain on Google Earth and believed that 'if you can cycle in Devon you can cycle anywhere' - it went up and down, up and down, up and down 1:4 everytime, no following of contours, just straight up and over, anyone would think the Romans had been here! We'd heard of truck drivers who don't stop but not of the crazed speeding youth who delight in testing how close they can shave you. Riding the 'white line' is hazardous, one false move and your sideways into a gravelly ditch. Rod seems to have developed another whole vocabulary of swear words for truck drivers. Another particular feature of cycling in NZ is the aroma of rotting possum - they're poisoning possums and I swear they all stagger out into the road, get squashed and litter the roads. Add to that the coldest December since records began in 1928, icy Antarctic winds and sometimes rain. Challenging cycling. On the plus side, fine public toilets (twice we've found ourselves out in the wilds and had to pitch a tent but with the local facilities, makes it all seem very civilised). And food - some fine tea stops with excellent cakes.

We are in something of a 'tourist sights' round. We went into the caves at Waitomo as
featured on Planet Earth - You get into wet suits and float down through
beautiful caves and then in the dark you see the extraordinary grubs and
the glowing chains they make hanging from the ceiling. (Tony A will know all about this). Then we cycled on to a micro but better version of Roturua which is full of geysers and
such like smelly things. In the centre of North Island we did a 7 hour walk through volcanoes and lava fields - quite fantastic, even if it was something of a procession with 600 other walkers! Distances too great and so our trusty folders will get put onto buses to move us through less interesting areas.

75th ANNIVERSARY DINNER and the AGM

graham@gjbrodie.freeserve.co.uk — Sat, 11 Nov 2006 09:33:41 GMT

Seventy of us are due to turn up at Buckfast Abbey on Saturday 11th November.
The DA AGM is in the afternoon at 2.30pm at the Southpark Community Centre which is near the Mill Shops as you approach the Buckfast Abbey complex.
At 4pm there is a choral concert in the Abbey. Members are welcome to attend this concert before going on to "The Grange" restaurant for the 75th Dinner.
Edward Genochio is the guets if honour, hacving recently returned from a two year trip to China and back.

Website - Service Failure

graham@gjbrodie.freeserve.co.uk — Sat, 07 Oct 2006 10:59:19 GMT

There appears to be a problem with some of the Orange webspace used to store the NEWS pages and DARTMOOR DEVIL and various other pages for the website.
ORANGE have been contacted and an urgent resolution requested. Apologies if you find lot's of broken links and missing pages!
Graham Brodie

Devon Delight & Torplex 200 - 2006

graham@gjbrodie.freeserve.co.uk — Fri, 29 Sep 2006 22:54:55 GMT

Cards and badges for this years Devon Delight 100Km, and TORPLEX 200Km rides have arrived back with the organiser, so this will be despatched in the next week or so - you are not forgotten!
GB

TORBAY CTC AGM - TONIGHT - 7.30pm

graham@gjbrodie.freeserve.co.uk — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 07:46:26 GMT

Don't forget Torbay CTC's AGM - tonight at the Court Farm Inn, Abbotskerswell, 7.30pm
GB

Technical Troubles

graham@gjbrodie.freeserve.co.uk — Tue, 19 Sep 2006 23:28:21 GMT

Due to computer problems it is not possible to update the main part of this website.
Our newspages will still be updated, along with some other parts of the site.
Hopefully this will be resolved within the next 48 hours.
GB

£100 fine for centre lane cyclist.

graham@gjbrodie.freeserve.co.uk — Thu, 10 Aug 2006 21:47:58 GMT

Read our NEWS pages for the story of the appaling judgement against a Cyclist who was fined £100 plus £200 costs for riding defensively on the approach to a roundabout in Telford.

KINGSKERSWELL BUS LANES PROPOSAL

graham@gjbrodie.freeserve.co.uk — Fri, 19 May 2006 22:19:18 GMT

The closing date for objections to the proposed bus lanes at Kingskerswell is 22nd May.
Whilst bus lanes in general are fine, this proposal seeks to remove existing well used cycle lanes, and replace with a lane where cyclists would share with buses and more worryingly HGV's!
Cyclists coming the other way facing the traffic squeeze would face a diversion through the village on to roads that already have very "bike unfriendly" traffic calming and are narrow and busy.

The only positive outcome of the new scheme would be an alleged saving of a minute or so on the bus journey time between Penn Inn and Kerswell Gardens, however beyond Kingskerswell the buses would still be in a traffic jam as they are now. Cycling would be marginalised on this route, which is probably the flattest and safest route into Torbay for cyclists.

If you can please send your objections to this scheme to
Mr. Roger Gash
County Solicitor
Devon County Council
County Hall
EXETER
EX2 4QD

Check our Newsw pages for more details and also http://www.nacg.org.uk

CTC ANNIVERSARY TEA

graham@gjbrodie.freeserve.co.uk — Fri, 28 Apr 2006 23:05:24 GMT

105 people are now booked in for our ANNIVERSARY TEA at Starcross on Sunday.
Although all the tickets for the afternoon tea are sold, anyone is still welcome to come along and join in with the celebrations. We hope to have a large photo-call at some stage during the afternoon.
GB

CRAZY CYCLE LANES

graham@gjbrodie.freeserve.co.uk — Fri, 17 Mar 2006 11:20:05 GMT

With the changes in wording in the new Highway Code, it's good to see that people are highlighting the issues with many of the "so called" cycle lanes and facilities in the UK.
Copy the link:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_pictures/4794198.stm

Graham B ( who was blasted by a VW Passat in Laira, Plymouth for not being on the cycle path, when there wasn't event one there!)

Another bulletin from Derek & Ursula Gibbings

graham@gjbrodie.freeserve.co.uk — Wed, 01 Mar 2006 22:32:50 GMT

Dear everyone
we are doing a round robin thing to you all because there is a queue for the
computers and we are a bit slow!
So glad to get all your messages. bikes are going well (at the moment) Derek
isnt doing so well at the moment chest problems? we are seeing some amazing
scenery and the amount of drift wood around is incredible. we have just
reached Greymouth and it has just started to rain so we may well do our
cycling in a bus! These little folders are very handy.
The rain forest scenery along the West coast from Westport to here has been
stunning. We cycled along miles of beach with the breakers thundering in
from America ( I think- geography not a stong point!). Last nights
Backpackers hostel was right on the beach near the famous Pancake rocks.Only
fly in the ointment was we shared our room with three other people- (mind
you I'm not averse to comparing Derek's snores with those of lissom young
Swiss youths!)
(huh ursula breathes very heavy. she says I call it snooooring)
Today we are in the very best Backpackers ever. It's called the Global
Village and is super duper deluxe to make up for yesterday.
We are off to the glaciers (Fox and Franz Josef ) soon more updates when we
can.
(Jilly- we got banana holder at Lakeland in Exeter)
(Gabi- get in touch!)
Our hearts are bleeding at the thought of all you CTC people suffering in
the snow!
p.s. Yesterday we met a chap from Mary Tavy on a Thorn Nomad!
Love Derek and Ursula