On a cold and frosty morning...

Dave grows an antenna from his helmet in an attempt to beat the cold...

The Early Riser riders set off from the club this morning in a temperature of about -4C - which must have went down another notch or two by the time they climbed out of Loughton towards Epping. Icy conditions aside they enjoyed the ride and bumped into the A team of Clem, Alex and Tao at the tea hut on their way up to Hertford with Joseph and the ever young Dave Carr.

Is the the Lea valley ice rink?

Club Runs - Early Riser Ride - Women's Ride

Please note the CCH club runs are currently meeting at the Lea Valley Ice Centre at 9am on Sunday mornings not 10am as it states on the side here - all are welcome to come along. The website is in development and all club activities will be properly flagged up on it when it comes online.

The Early Riser ride leaves from the clubhouse at 1 Olympus Square at 8am on Sunday mornings. Contact Andy

Women and girl riders (13+) are invited to join the bi-monthly CCH women's ride on the first and third sundays of the month. Your lead riders are Liz Rees & Anna Hart
13-18 year olds please contact Keir for further information and consent forms.

December rides -

Sunday 5th December Epping loop (20-30 miles) 9.10am Chingford train from Hackney Downs.

Sunday 19th December mulled wine at the Mole Trap (15 miles) 10.25 am Chingford train from Hackney Downs.

For all rides meet on train platform. Please bring spare tubes & tools, water and oyster cards.

Deep in the mud at Gunpowder Park

The boys line up for the Under 12's.

Sunday November 21 saw the ninth round of the Mosquito London/South East Cross League held at Gunpowder Park, London, promoted by London Phoenix and Lee Valley Youth CC. Artie rode in the Under 10's whilst Ned, Logan,Bede and Frank rode in the Under 12's. The going was very boggy which made for hard racing. Harry and Neil took part in the veteran's and senior's race later on with Harry finishing well whilst Neil had to retire due to a broken deraillieur - one of six similar mechanical breakdowns on the day.Full results here.

Andy's photos here.

Frank going strong

Bede going for it

Meanwhile Sam took getting close to the mud to a new level at training on Saturday earning him crash of the day award.

Hackney Primary Schools Cycling League

The girls line up

Amelia on the alpine circuit

The boys line up

CCH riders were out in force at the Hackney Primary Schools Cycling League circuit race held at Hog Hill circuit on Thursday 18th of November. Representing Gayhurst Community School Cycling Team were Amelia, Bede, Frank and Logan, who along with their school team mates competed against Kingsmead and Southwold Primary Schools. Peter Cattermole from British Cycling came along to check out the racing and hand out prizes. Amelia came 6th in the girls race whilst Logan came 1st in the boys followed in 2nd place by Bede and Frank in 5th.

Frank looking stylish

Bede and Logan pull away

Logan enjoying his second win of the week

Many thanks to all those who helped organise and run this event - Andy, Harry, Gary, Kate, Markus, Joe - CCH for providing bikes to race on and Mick for coming up trumps with the minibus. The schools league features monthly events with more schools joining and many of the riders keen to join CCH will ensure it'll be a regular part of this blog.

Go-Race - Hillingdon 13/11/10

Twelve riders from the under 13's squad ventured over to Hillingdon Cycle Circuit to take part in a British Cycling Go-Race event last Saturday. The riders rode three races each in their age categories on the circuit and in the mud.

- see photos here

- more photos from Andy here

The riders put on a good showing with podiums for Mostyn, Garvey, Jack, Ned, Shaquille, Logan and Artie. With Ned doing especially well with two 1st places and a third giving him overall 1st for Under 12's.

Zebra story: Links regarding the Lower Clapton & Downs Road junction.

Some more info can be found regarding the Lower Clapton & Downs Road zebras story in the web site yeahhackney.com
You may have used this junction as a cyclist or attempted to cross it on foot. If you think that a safety improvement is overdue here you may like to add your name to this on-line petion
http://www.petitionbuzz.com/petitions/claptoncrossing

Saturday morning town ride - 13.11.10

New members Alex Mckerrell, Rose Cormack-loyd and Dan Wellard pictured here at the top of Swains Lane after climbing the hill to Highgate village. Prior to this up-lifting experience the group passed over Alexander Palace from the Wood Green side, down and back up to Muswell Hill and on to Highgate. From here the route led to Hampstead Pond, passing by (not entering) the Spaniards Inn and down to the Emirates Stadium via Chalk Farm and Kentish Town. At the new home of Arsenal FC we caught up with some practicing and stylish speed skaters circulating the concourse.

Crossing Zebras - Clapton Pond E5. Two-way for N16?

Probably one for HC but the crossing Zebras of Clapton Pond are eye catching.

Watch out when crossing the road, especially by Clapton Pond at the junction of Downs Road and Lower Clapton Road - perhaps real Zebra crossings would be a good idea? An improvement is called for in any case, it's not safe there for anyone, including cyclists!

Staying on the better/safer transport campaign vibe look here and here for news articles relating to the Stoke Newington one way system.

Inauguaral Hackney Youth Sports Personality of the Year. "And the nominations are..."

 

Tasha Danvers, Mayor Jules Pipe, Alex Peters & MC Cat

Press release:

The under 21 Sports Person of the Year
This award recognises an individual who has had outstanding success/achievements within their chosen sport. The nominees were:

Chloe Jean Carpenter – is a member of the Saracens Rugby Club & the Hertfordshire County Rugby team under 15
Ismail Cetin – a member of the Newington Rangers Football Team and participated in the Keele University International Festival at Old Trafford.
Le-My Dang – Has represented the London Borough of Hackney in the Mini Marathon. The London Youth Games Badminton and Aquathon and is a keen member of most of her school sports teams.
Tao Geoghegan – is a member of the winning London Youth Games Cycling Team and is currently ranked 4th in the country in his age group.
Alfred Mugabo – is a member of the un 16’s Arsenal Academy Football Team and has also been called up for the England under 16’s International team, along with this Alfred helped the London Borough of Hackney Boys Football Team to achieve third place at the London Youth Games.
Omarie Mears – is a member of the winning London Youth Games weightlifting team and a National Schools medalist.
Daniel Morgan Melville – swims for Clissold swim club where he achieved 2nd place in the Butterfly at the Middlesex County Championships.
Christian Millan – is a member of the Newington Rangers Football Team and participated in the Keele University International Festival at Old Trafford.
Alex Peters – is a member of the winning London Youth Games Cycling Team and is currently ranked 2nd on the road and 4th on the mountain bike in the country at his age group
Kim Pham – is a member of the winning London Youth Games weightlifting team in addition to this she has won medals at both the National Schools and National under 18’s Championships.
Callum Poland Smith – is currently ranked in tennis 17th Nationally & 1st at County level in the under 16’s.

In third place: Alfred Mugabo,
In Second Place: Tao Geoghegan – Hart
The winner: Alex Peters

CCH/Interlinkx CIC bikes for Kampala are on the way...

Left to right: Kyroah, Alex, Dan, Rose & Joseph.

Last Saturday's youth training group passed by Forrest Gate on the way back from Epping in Essex. There they visited the cargo people in charge of shipping our two bikes bound for community projects in Kampala, Uganda, East Africa. These recycled police station bikes were prepared by Interlinkx CIC's bike maintenance club and handled by CCH.
The good staff at Salama International reported that all is well and good; bikes - see you on the other side!

Alex Peters wins Hackney young sports personality of the year

...Alex Peters wins Hackney young sports personality of 2010. This was awarded at the annual Hackney youth sports awards held on Wednesday evening, 3rd November at the Hackney Empire. It was actually another CCH 1-2 with Tao Geoghagan Hart taking second place, both lads getting the nod ahead of an impressive list of nominees.

Behind the photographer stands Beijing Olympic 400m Hurdles, bronze medalist, Tasha Danvers who was working with 'chirpsman' Kat-B as compares for the evening.

Above you can see members of the 2010 LYGs winning team and their manager who were called on stage to be recognised for their achievement.
More pictures and text on this event later...

Andy on the Radio

CCH coach Andy O'Regan let's the Radio 3 listeners know how he gets into the zone - click here to listen - http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00vk52f/Between_the_Ears_Summer_Sesshin/

Programme info - Between the Ears - Summer Sesshin

The challenge of carrying silence into daily life

Andy is a typical London taxi driver, and his daily life involves navigating through the choked streets of the capital. But Andy is also a monk who will take us to a totally different world of a Buddhist retreat and what is known as a 'summer sesshin'

'Sesshin' is a Japanese word which means 'touching the heart - mind' and involves a period of intensive meditation in a Zen monastery. In this Between the Ears we hear from those who have to balance stressful lives with their Buddhist outlook. Along with Andy we meet a young Polish student who exchanges her work behind one of the noisiest city bars for the silence of the Buddhist retreat and a chip shop owner who attempts to escape the chaos of a Saturday night by attending a sesshin. Can they manage to carry the silence of the sesshin back into their daily lives?

As we discover their lives we hear the precise, beautiful sounds mark the timing of daily rituals such as wake-up, meditation, meal and work times.

Wednesday 10th November - 2010 CCH Annual General Meeting

Announcing that the 2010 CCH Annual General Meeting will be held on Wednesday 10th November, from 7.15 onwards at 1, Olympus Square, Nightingale Estate, London, E5 8PL.

Saturday morning training ride - 30.10.10

Original 2008 Hackney London Youth Games racing cyclist and 2009 competing champion, Kyroah Pang was out with CCH again after several months of trying out other activities - Kyroah's back cycling with CCH - good one!
Before we left Hackney there was a distraction on Downs Park in the multi sports area in the form of a lively cycle polo training session, very skillful riding indeed, impressive stuff there.

Kyroah joined Keir, Joseph, Christian and his son Scott for a town ride tour of East London, taking in the new Olympic stadium via the Greenway and out to Becton for a summit meeting on the summit of the Beckton Alps. From here it was down to the river and a ride along Albert and Victoria docks, home of University East London and the Excel Centre. The route back took in Stratford, the Olympic village and a photo call in front of the nearly completed velodrome.

Club Run 31.10.10

Clem (Captain Sensible) Berril, Ryhs Howells, Tao Geoghegan Hart, Keir Apperley and Mick Smith retraced last weeks route, up over and around to drop into Hertford. This time the weather was different - it was cloudy and wet for most of the day, no sun except for the last five minutes when the returning group experienced a few hazy rays whilst riding back down (the gauntlet that is) Lea Bridge Road. This years slow burn autumn has finally begun to tell with the leaves in the trees holding on in numerous shades and colors - a fine sight. The air temperature was not cold today and the conditions were quite atmospheric, something like Belgium, northern France or Skipton even? Other changes this week were sensible Clem's hair style; it was good bye the old long hair swishy look and hello to the squady cut. Squady? ...regarded as 'a member of the armed forces who thinks he's' - "Gods gift to women". On that subject Tao was resplendent in his new British Cycling Talent Team kit (see picture) and on the road he informed the group all about his recent four day induction into the team.

There is a refreshment establishment in Hertford Town that must love CCH, as they always go there. Love was doubtful this week though, the riders arrived in a soggy state and left the wooden floor and seats with a bit of a distribution of wet grit brought in from the lanes. Apologies from CCH to the cafe staff for any inconvenience caused.  
A request was called during this ride; could all riders attending any group club runs between October and March please ensure that they have at least a rear mud guard fitted to prevent any following riders from getting splattered unnecessarily.