Halloween 2020 - Covid Edtion

Halloween, maybe my favorite time of the year! This year, 2020, it was set to fall on a Saturday, with the Friday before also being a Critical Mass ride... the fun we had planned!.... then along came Covid-19.

We did still plan to have a Mass ride, but kept the "promotion" low with the rule of 6 in mind, we did read that protests could still take place, within the current "social distancing" guidelines, but we decided  that we would avoid causing any "bad press". This, as it happened was the right decision, as as of Midnight on the Thursday, we were placed into the higher tier 2 restrictions and so really should not have been meeting at all! 

As it was the core group of our Critical Mass group turned out and we had 9 riding a short city based route, ending up on top of the one of the City car parks where we planned to have a play with some smoke bombs, purely for the photo opportunity!    

As we had a quick chat, we where taken aback by a visit from the local Police!, as it turned out after a photo for their "social media"! - taking little interest, if any, in the fact there where 9 of us! - we did wonder what would have happened had they arrived 5 minutes later when we were drinking beer and riding with smoke bombs!!

Saturday, in line with tier 2 restrictions was a quiet day in comparison to a usual Halloween, taking the rickshaw on a ride into town for a coffee at the Melbourne in Lichfield and then a swift pint, or two, at Bittersuite-micropub. The ride home was a long one as I stopped at the numerous requests for a photo!

Here`s to 2021 and a more normal Halloween - the planning has already begun!                  

 

Christine Bottrill Cancer Research UK 4.3TT

For the second year running we attended the Christine Bottrill 4.3TT, a 4.3 time trial organised by Christine`s son Mark, hosted by Coalville Wheelers and run on their 4.3mm TT coarse.

Fun is the aim, alongside raising funds for Cancer Research UK, 2020 was the 4th year for the event, with a sum just short of £3,000.00 raised, a total over the 4 years of just short of £10,000.00 - you can donate Here.

Last year, the Wheelers clubs house was full to overflowing, tea and cake in plentiful supply and lots of "banter". We were not sure of what to expect, a full on TT or madcap fancy dress event, in the end it turned out to be somewhere between the two, so me on my "tall bike" and James riding the Shopper "swing-bike" fitted in well and we were welcomed, and questioned about our choice of "rides". Not sure if there is a World Record for a 4.3 mile tt on either bike, we maybe should have checked. We enjoyed ourselves enough to place the date on our 2020 calendars.       

Along came Covid, events cancelled here, there and everywhere, but with some Covid guidelines and sensible planning the ride was cleared to go. 11th October dawned, following the wet and miserable day before, bright and sunny, as it was last year. Bikes packed and then the short drive to Griffydam and Coalville Wheelers Clubhouse, staggered arrivals and the Clubhouse being closed (apart from the toilet) might have made for a more subdued event, but laughter was in the air and the various fancy dress outfits made for a great morning.

James was dressed as a "courier" on his "fixie", myself Elliot and ET with a Halloween theme! 

I also removed my 1980`s Coalville Wheelers jersey from its (picture) frame and managed to fit in to my "costume". 

A great event, and one already on the Calendar for 2021.