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DYNAMITE! The OFFICIAL London Dynamo Newsletter #101, 26.05.06
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+++ Having a blast every Friday +++ Dyna-mail news, views, and gossip to dynamite@londondynamo.co.uk +++ Check out DYNAMITE! on the web – go to http://www.londondynamo.co.uk and click “newsletter” +++ Have a peek at our pics at http://www.londondynamo.co.uk/forum/album_personal.php?user_id=321 +++ WEEKEND WEATHER: Sat, cloudy, 18C max, wind W 12mph; Sun, cloudy, 18C max, wind NW 10mph +++
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OLD ONES ARE THE BEST
+++ Veterans return from inspirational trip +++
Remembering all those great newsletter moments from yesteryear for our retrospective 100th issue left the exhausted editorial team feeling quite old last week – but a few days later we received an inspiring tale from a silver-haired squad of Dynamates which made us decide against swapping our titanium frame for a Zimmer frame. Boasting a combined age greater than that of STUART ‘POSTAL’ JEFFREYS’ Cougar, mature ‘Mos STEVE ‘LE PATRON’ ALLOTT, TERRY ‘SHIRTY’ BISHOP, VINCE ‘SNEAKY’ HEANEY and ‘RUBBIN’ ROBIN OSBORNE decided they would oldly go where many younger men fear to tread – the terrifying slopes of Mont Ventoux. Aided by STEVE ‘DS’ COOPER in their support car, there were to be no cramps for these gramps as they tackled the legendary Giant of Provence on the inaugural Veterans’ Ventoux Velo trip – and the fashionable fivesome even wore their own Dynamo-blue polo shirts designed by Terry when they arrived at Steve’s palatial pad in Eygalieres. Just don’t tell Designer-mo RUSSELL ‘RUSTY’ SHORT that you tinkered with his logo, fellas…
http://www.londondynamo.co.uk/forum/album_pic.php?pic_id=261
The three-day weekend excursion, which took place a fortnight ago, began with a warm-up ride before the big climb the following day. Each Dynamate set out at intervals from the car park in Bedoin, with Vince finishing in two hours exactly while Terry and Robin clocked a few minutes less. Steve, the only one in the group to have tackled the climb before, was north of the two-hour mark but took a massive 15 minutes off his personal best. Well done, sir! Vince reveals: “Justifiably proud, the team posed for a group photo certain in the knowledge that this was the first ascent of Ventoux in Dynamo summer gilets and caps. A Dynamo bottle also made a stylish addition to the Tom Simpson memorial.” He’s right, you know…
http://www.londondynamo.co.uk/forum/album_pic.php?pic_id=262
The day-glo-wearing Frenchies got a lesson in cycling style when the snazzy quintet showed off their Dynamo livery on the final day’s ride, which coincided with the local club’s Sunday morning run. They didn’t know what Brit ’em! This publication hopes the older ‘Mos trip will become as much of a Dynamo tradition as the Summer Social, which that other senior member PAUL ‘ALL BLUE’ HARKNETT has been organising this week. Let’s find out what the venerable Social Secretary has in store for the young ‘uns…
GUINEA PIG-OUT
+++ Come along for a pint and a pizza +++
It’s that time of year again, readers! The club’s annual summertime drinking session is always a cause for eager anticipation, and this year’s bash on Thursday 29th June is no exception. The crack team being put together for the Surrey League 5-Day will have completed the arduous stage race two days before the shindig, so come along to welcome them back from their world of pain. Just don’t give them too much to drink – given the condition of their legs by that point, the lads will have trouble standing as it is! The fun begins at 6.15pm at the Guinea in Bruton Place off the north-west corner of Berkley Square, between Bond Street and Green Park Tube…
The welcoming watering hole is situated in a quiet mews, making it ideal for supping outdoors if the sun comes out. Event organiser PAUL ‘ALL BLUE’ HARKNETT is reserving tables for 8pm at the Pizza Express opposite the pub, so send us your RSVP with “Summer Social” in the subject heading and we’ll pass it on to him. Let’s make it a record turnout!
BRIGHT IDEA
+++ Reminder to make yourself seen in Richmond Park +++
Paul, incidentally, helped strengthen Dynamo’s links with the Richmond Park community last week when he was invited to a meeting in Holly Lodge chaired by Senior Inspector Simon Broughton, chief of the Royal Parks police. Richmond Park’s manager Simon Richards was among the dozen or so attendees at the two-hour pow-wow, which was the equivalent of a neighbourhood watch gathering, and there were only a few cycling-related areas that needed to be addressed. Paul reveals: “Apparently the park is shut to all traffic, including cyclists, after dark. I didn’t know that! Insp Richards said he chose not to ask the police to enforce this rule, but he was concerned about a number of cyclists not using lights at night and he may be forced to push for action.” So consider this a reminder to get your lights on! Parkriders should also try to keep the entrance areas to the Roehampton Gate car park clear after Saturday’s ride and our knobbly-tyred chums should adhere to the 10mph speed limit on the shared path on the perimeter. Them’s the rules!
WRINGING THE CHANGES
+++ Spies swaps slicks for knobblies as Palace is rained off +++
Talking of mountain biking, mud-loving STUART ‘EASY PEASY’ SPIES was forced to return to his roots on Wednesday after the previous night’s racing at Crystal Palace was cancelled again due to the inclement weather. The South African sensation says: “At least at Beastway they won’t let a little downpour stop proceedings!” The heavens opened early on the mucky Lea Valley circuit and slip-sliding Stu ended up on his bottom before moving from fourth to third in the final lap. He reveals: “I had the fourth-placed chap nipping at my heels but with my erratic wiggling all over the course I think he decided risking a bar end in the knee just wasn’t worth it, so I got me a third.” Or did he? The official results seem to indicate that Stu didn’t see two other riders ahead of him…
http://www.beastway.com/series2006/wk1.html
…which wouldn’t be a surprise as Stu says he got “about a kilo of mud” in his eyes during the five-lap race. He adds: “I also got my Dynamo shorts shredded by brambles.” Ouch!
BEYOND A SOAK
+++ Trio get an utter drenching at South East championships +++
Earlier in the week, Chelsea challenger MARTIN ‘COMEBACK’ GARRATT made a bid for glory at another rain-drenched event – but the lanky lad retired from the wind-lashed South East Championships at Goodwood after getting into an early break just to keep warm and spending two-and-a-quarter hours off the front. Unlucky, pal! Plagued by a sore throat, IAN ‘KING OF’ PAINE did an abrupt U-turn after he was dropped from the chase group, leaving DAVID ‘DORIAN’ STREULE as the trio’s sole finisher in Sunday’s 84-mile E/1/2/3 event – and what a result he managed to pull off. Ian reveals: “Dave did a great ride, getting into the chase group and eventually coming 13th in this National B race.” And just look at the high quality of the field…
The threesome feasted on KIMBERLY ‘CANUCK’ KABATOFF’s delicious dried fig flapjacks, which the race marshal had made herself – but there was no such post-race solace for poor old Whitewebbs competitor JIM ‘CLARK’ KENT, who braved the hell of the North Hertfordshire 3/4 race only to miss out on the points by a whisker…
The unluckily-placed 13th finisher cramped up with cold and went backwards in the final hundred metres of the 68-mile event. Jim says: “Perhaps my sprint performance was due to some Kryptonite in the rain water. It felt like it, anyway! Thanks for a great newsletter and keep up the good work.” Cheers, pal!
FROM A SMILER TO A FROWN
+++ Sad day for committee as Norris steps down +++
Finally, this publication and the Dyna-management would like to thank DAVID ‘SMILER’ NORRIS for his superb work in dealing with the biggest influx of membership applications since the club began. A spell of illness and a second baby on the way has forced the Teddington titan to step down from the post of Assistant Membership Secretary, but his technological know-how has left the system of online enrolments in a much better state than it was before he joined the committee. Cheers, buddy!
IT’S COCOA-VER
The nurse has come along to give us our nightly cup of cocoa, which means there’s just time to switch off the hearing aid and thank everyone for sending in stuff. Please keep Dyna-mailing your race reports, news, gossip, and further sightings of the elusive KEN ‘BUS PASS’ BUIST to the address at the top of the page – or simply hit your reply button if you are reading this on e-mail. The deadline, as ever, is Wednesday afternoon for Friday’s edition. And now, as we shuffle to the bedroom using a track pump as a walking stick, it only remains for us to remind you about…
THIS WEEK’S RIDES
SATURDAY
9am: The Parkride. Richmond Park, roundabout by Sheen Gate. Four laps split into fast, intermediate and steady groups.
SUNDAY
8am: Kingston Gate, Richmond Park. Non-stop ride through Surrey Hills.
9am: Hampton Court bridge, Surrey Hills ride. Fifty-ish miles at a steady pace. Stop at Box Hill for tea and cake. Bring a pump, inner tubes, drink, and Grecian 2000.
WEDNESDAY
7.30pm: Richmond Gate, Richmond Park. Steady ride to Chertsey, back via Weybridge, 28 miles.
So until next week, Dynamates, goodbye and happy riding.
The DYNAMITE! team.
The DYNAMITE! Files 
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