The Beacon Message Board

In November 2016.Any events planned?

If I recall, a decision was reached not to hold a 70th anniversary to avoid a proliferation of anniversaries. Furthermore, it would be better to wait for five years and hold a Diamond Jubilee thus providing a greater landmark date.

As the club is a full stretch, yet another event would probably be too much of a drain on volunteer capacity.

Does that mean I have to avoid the Crem for another five years?

Yes of course!

There is definitely a proliferation of anniversaries. I've heard of some happening every year.

Alan, your attendance is a non-negotiable requirement. Don't even think of trying to get out of it by playing the incineration card.

Although surely we shouldn't discourage members from trying to do something remarkable to mark the year should we?

Birmingham to Newcastle in January?
Birmingham to Weston-super-Mare and back in February?
Everesting on Rose Hill in March?
Little Mountain Time Trial original route as a club run in April?
7crits in 7days in May?
Birmingham to Belfast and back weekender in June?
Birmingham to Ventoux in July?
Brecon Beacon 300 in August or is it June or July?
Beacon Hill Climb on a 1946 bike and kit in September?
Birmingham to Bournemouth to Brecon to Barmouth to Blackpool to Berwick to Burton to Bermondsey to Birmingham 8 day tour in October?
Birmingham to Belgium to race CX in November?
Birmingham to Dodford Inn or the new pub for recovery fuel in December?

Any takers?

I've already started so...

Tim - as club run secretary, I'll put you down as Leader for the April Club run on the original 1948 Little Mountain 65 mile course to/from Holt Heath Village Hall via the Clee Loop and the Stanford Bank loop.

I read on the archive page that Bob Maitland won the inaugural 104kms LMTT in 3hrs 0 mins (did he really get up Ankerdine in 3mins 16 seconds!!!)...very few people could do that even now on that course...and certainly not on that bike!

I'm always amazed at the much longer rides rides and speeds of riders in the 'good old days'

Being pedantic, the original Mountain Trial was never the 'Little MTT', just the Beacon RCC MTT. It was held on the second Sunday in May and started and finished outside the Red Lion at Holt Heath, which was also the event HQ.

The Little MTT was a separate event, held early April, and organised as an inter-club event with the Bromsgrove Oly., the Saracen RC, and, I think, the Audnam Wheelers, who later amalgamated with the North Worcs RC to become the Stourbridge CC.

The Little Mountain was in being when I first joined the club in 1952. It started and finished at Ombersley, taking in the Stanford/ Ankerdine circuit, about 35 miles in all. I was pretty sure I'd ridden this a couple of times, but can only find a record for 1957, when I did 1. 48. 52, Ken Haddon winning in 1.40. 27

Didn't do me much good, as I only managed 3.23.59 in the 'Big' MTT in May, although I managed a 3.16 something later.

Red wine plus cycling ideas = carnage.

I'm not sure I can lead on my second ever club run??????

Stu I look forward to seeing if you succeed in any of them

Tim wrote:I'm not sure I can lead on my second ever club run??????

Nonsense. With your route planning skills, what could go wrong?

Bring lights

Put me down for December.

I like the April idea, if we can move it to later in the year.

Tim wrote:Everesting on Rose Hill in March?

approx. 120 ascents

I'm disappointed there is no anniversary event.I had been looking forward to a re-union with my remaining contemporaries- even a club run for those in the club during 1959-1976.......

Rod Goodfellow wrote:I'm disappointed there is no anniversary event.I had been looking forward to a re-union with my remaining contemporaries- even a club run for those in the club during 1959-1976.......

Rod, if I understand the above postings correctly, the committee has decided that it isn't going to organise anything on the club's behalf until the 75th. However, I personally find it hard to imagine that anyone would have the slightest objection to you and/or any other individual(s) deciding to independently organise a commemorative ride or a social gathering to mark the anniversary, and inviting interested parties via this MB, the Facebook group page and/or the Bulletin.

1 I am in USA most of the winter
2 I am not au fait with road developments in the Midlands
3 I am not au fait with suitable club run destinations
4 I do not know how many of my contemporaries are still around and capable of riding/ getting to a venue

However if sufficient persons express an interest and no-one local is willing to organise I would be prepared to do so (but then caveat emptor!) maybe on a weekday as most of us are past working-- I shall finally retire in July.

For members that are now in their eighties some of them wont be around in 5 years time or physically unable to attend. Could something possibly be arranged, maybe a buffet at Rowheath?

I'm sure those of us old 'uns who don't make it through will be there in spirit.

Perhaps the club could arrange a seance and provide a pianist?

Tim, been looking into "Everesting Rose Hill". As mad as it may sound, I am well up for this!! Maybe even get some sponsorship going? Probably not very safe to do the steep side but the shallow side looks a good bet and easier on the brakes. Average of 4% and a 452ft elevation gain means it needs to be done 67 times. For me, a steady ascent is 10-11 minutes (based on several Sette Dodici climbs having bonked prior...) Thus, based on a very steady ascent time (that would be sustainable over long time periods) set at 15 minutes, it would take between 16-17 hours of riding to complete weighing in at a whopping 134 miles... But easily within the 24 hour time window! Any thoughts?

My thoughts are that I struggled to get up 'the shallow side' once this morning! And I'm a slow descender! And I certainly won't be doing it in March, which idiot suggested that? And we'd need some meals at some point, any members live roadside on the shallow side?

So think I'd need 22 hours. Plus toilet stops.

67 times can we get it relayed first?

Patton, Hunt and Mungoven could crank it out in ten hours I bet?