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Every December since 1982, cyclists have gathered at Wendover in Buckinghamshire for a day of off-road riding in the Chiltern Hills. The ride was started as a monthly event in by Geoff Apps in 1982 and December's outing soon became known as the 'Birthday Ride' because three of the riders had birthdays in December. Though the monthly rides stopped in the early 1990's when Geoff moved away from the area, the December ride has continued to this day.
Due to ever tightening Covid19 restrictions it looked like the 2020 ride might not be able to take place. However, the rules for the day allowed for a maximum of six riders so the tradition was fortunately able to continue. Unfortunately, Geoff was unable to travel down from his home in Scotland and join us.
This video captures the character of these rides well: Dodgy weather, in this case freezing fog. Lots of bicycle banter and enjoying of the damp Chiltern winter landscape.
There would usually also be a stop at a warm pub for lunch, but this year we had sit outside and risk hypothermia. To warm up again we rode off quickly into the freezing fog and the half-light of dusk. Ahead of us lay the joys of negotiating the; slippy, log and root strewn ridiculously muddy, Chiltern forest trails in the dark.
With luck and SatNav assistance, we descended down off the hills and back into Wendover.
Would we prefer to go for a nice dry and warm summer's ride? Hell No?
Watch the video of the 38th annual Cleland-Wendover-'Birthday Ride' here:
38th Wendover Ride 2020
Due to ever tightening Covid19 restrictions it looked like the 2020 ride might not be able to take place. However, the rules for the day allowed for a maximum of six riders so the tradition was fortunately able to continue. Unfortunately, Geoff was unable to travel down from his home in Scotland and join us.
This video captures the character of these rides well: Dodgy weather, in this case freezing fog. Lots of bicycle banter and enjoying of the damp Chiltern winter landscape.
There would usually also be a stop at a warm pub for lunch, but this year we had sit outside and risk hypothermia. To warm up again we rode off quickly into the freezing fog and the half-light of dusk. Ahead of us lay the joys of negotiating the; slippy, log and root strewn ridiculously muddy, Chiltern forest trails in the dark.
With luck and SatNav assistance, we descended down off the hills and back into Wendover.
Would we prefer to go for a nice dry and warm summer's ride? Hell No?
Watch the video of the 38th annual Cleland-Wendover-'Birthday Ride' here:
38th Wendover Ride 2020
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