RIBBLE VALLEY NEWS

NOVEMBER 2007

Two Flat Earth Men in the Mountains

I was recently reminded of a silly 4 days that myself and one of the Agula team, “Anglio”, had down on the Italian/French border, messing about with passes in 1953. We caught the train from Trieste to Milan and got a lift on a truck to Alessandria. From there we rode through Asti and Bra to Cuneo on the old E74. We stopped at a youth hostel in Cuneo and Anglio told everyone that I was a convict who had escaped from the British Army. It became a standing joke. Some people weren’t too sure whether it was true or not and gave me a wide berth.
We looked at the map. Anglio’s dad had raced the Triestina years before and had marked some areas he had raced over, one being the Bonette Pass, which is very high, about 7 000 feet above sea level. Just as well we weren’t starting at the seaside. The area around Cuneo is quite flat but soon starts to rise. We set off to a place called Demonte, had some breakfast and rode on to the village of Vinadio. Here the road branches left to a ski resort (Santa di S. Anna) and pushes on up the Lomberde Pass. As you climb, the view is out of this world. I fell off twice through not looking where I was going and Anglio fell off laughing at me. We passed the new ski resorts being built and came to a stop in Isola, where we found overnight digs with the monks. The next day, we set off again and got lost, ending up in some place well off the main steamship routes called Auron, where everyone spoke French. The only policeman in the place was married to an Italian, so Anglio got directions from her. She had difficulty with his Triestini Italian; goodness knows what she would have made of me. I kept my mouth shut. Back we went over the road to St Etienne. The valley road was not bad; most of it had tarmac, mostly in the gutter. But I looked ahead and the mountains in the distance looked big, very big to a pair of sprinters. We wondered what we were in for. Anglio’s dad must have been laughing when he set the route for us.
We started going upwards in a steady manner, passing a French police post on the way. It seemed endless, round hairpins on a rough gravel surface, spinning a fair amount but every so often hitting a flat stretch where we could stop and eat. Onward and upward the road goes until the top is reached. I think we stopped and had a bath in the roadside stream as we were caked with grit and dust from the road surface. (A mountain biker would have been happy up there). Down we went in our normal daft style, both biting the dust a few times as most of the descent was loose shale, into a place called Jausiers. We were in France, but the local policeman was Italian and let us sleep in the cells and provided us with breakfast and directions.
Along the valley, the road was much better, with stone setts on the corners and tarmac down the middle into a place called Glezoles and on to Larche for dinner. We were running out of time and Cuneo seemed a long way away. We pushed on and climbed again, a medium sized mountain, but from the top we had tarmac and we saw a sign for Cuneo saying 62 km, about 38 miles in my book. It was a 2 up time trial from then on, mostly downhill. An hour and a half later, we were back at the starting point. We rode back to Alessandria, put the bikes on the post bus to Milan and used our return tickets on the train to Trieste, arriving home early in the morning. I left my bike at Anglio’s house and walked the 3 miles back to Rossetti Barracks just in time to shave, change, have breakfast and start a new day. It took us about a week to get over our trip, but it was worth it.
Tom Potter

SUSTRANS CONNECT2 PROJECT

Sustrans' Connect2 is an ambitious UK-wide project that will make it possible for millions of you to make your everyday journeys in a way that is good for your health and our environment. Connect2 will transform local travel in 79 cities, towns and villages across the UK by creating new walking and cycling routes for the journeys we all make every day. New bridges and crossings will be created over busy roads, railway lines and rivers that currently stop people getting around by foot or bike. Each crossing will link to a network of walking and cycling routes, making it possible for you to get directly and safely to the shops, school, work, the park and to the countryside. Connect2 will put you back in touch with your local area, your family and friends. Connect2 is one of 6 big projects competing for a single grant of £50 million from the Big Lottery Fund. The winning project will be decided by public TV vote in early December. To find out more visit www.sustransconnect2.org.uk or telephone 0845 058 13 73.

WELCOME to new members Sue Harvey, Andy Marshall, Carmel Tooher and James Widdop.

Found a pothole? If you have a problem with the roads in Lancashire and want to report a pothole or other hazard, you can ring 0845 053 0011, email: highways@lancashire.gov.uk or contact the council via the website www.lancashire.gov.uk.

TROPHIES AND CLAIMS

Please return all trophies to the club room as soon as possible so that they can be prepared for presentation at the dinner in January. If you want to claim an award, now is the time to be submitting your claim.

DISCOUNT ON SIS PRODUCTS

Club members can now obtain a 25% discount on all SIS sports nutrition products bought through Wallis Cycles. Contact Martin Wallis at the club room, or telephone 01772 339222, or email: martin@walliscycles.com. Orders will be made quarterly, and 50% of the purchase price must be paid when ordering.

RESULTS

WHAT’S ON

Every Sunday Steady ride for new starters. Contact Janette Stratford (01772 717385). Volunteers to help with “new starter” rides are always welcome.

Rota for November

First Saturday in each month Mountain bike ride. Meet at Preston College and drive to suitable area. Contact David Warren (01772) 749709

Cyclo Cross races take place throughout the winter. If you want to give it a try, please contact Tony Hood (01257 251375) or Martin Wallis (01772 339222).

Wednesday 31 October Spinning classes begin at Preston College. Contact Gail Warren (01772 749709)

Monday 17 December Christmas party at the club room.

Saturday 12 January 2008 Annual dinner and prize giving.