June 17th - Opening of Weetslade Country Park - Reivers 10
Attended by:
Phil, Doug, David, Lindsay, IainK, IainG, Dean, Stuart & Milly
The day dawned bright and sunny but quickly clouded over with a stiff wind coming up. Arriving on site we found the area / tent we had been assigned and awaited for Phil to arrive with the Display banners and leaflets etc.

We were in the same tent as a man selling ornaments made from Coal and was it coincidence the CAKE tent was only yards away !!

At 11:00 we all rode off to the opening ceromony at the base of the winding path up to the top of the old pit heap. David Bellamy duly declared the park open and we all made our way to the top.

At the top we saw the new sculpure which consists of three upturned drill bits with text composed by local children around the columns.

The descent was a lot quicker than the ascent - later that night David and Stuart were briefly glimpsed on the local BBC news item about the opening.

There were quite a few cyclists in the park - and a lot of them complained about the access control gates fitted in the park - these are impossible to use. There was a tent nearby where you could leave feedback and your views on the new park - all of us did so. Later the park manager come along to our stand where Doug & Lindsay had a long converstion about these gates - which he responded that the matter would be looked in to quickly. They had over reacted to the old motor bike problem and the barriers still do not stop motor bikes as witnesed by two lads with a mini scooter riding "under" the gates. As it happened Iain Grant (Cycle Cop and Ranger) was on patrol in the park and stopped them.

Meanwhile our Ranger Jester Stuart entertained everyone with his skills on the Diablo - teaching Milly and other passing children how to do it.

We even manged to sell a few books and maps which will be used to offset transport costs getting the display to and from the venue.

On the way home I had another go at passing through the access control gate but it completly defeated me and I had to resort to clambering over the horse step.

June 18th - Downhill all the Way Ride
Bob, Doug, David, Rob & Ben
The five taking part met up at the Gateshead Civic Centre car park - where we loaded bikes into the vans and ourselves onto the coach- - for what seemed a very long roundabout trip to Parkhead via Durham, Crook, Stanhope - apparently this is the only way that the coach can go to avoid grounding going over bridges !!
Having arrived at Parkhead we found our bikes - and tried to meet Lorraine - it was absolute chaos inside with two large C2C parties already there along wiht 40 riders doing the Downhill Ride.

We quickly decided not to wait for everyone to get sorted out with tea & coffee and set off before the threatning rain descended.

Good time was made down to Consort where the obligatory photo was taken at the Terris Novalis sculputes. Bob doing his civic duty.

Onwards we sped meeting some Dutch Riders with a mountain of camping gear on thier bikes !! We gave them some guidance about the route and now slightly getting wet we headed for Rowlands Gill whre Bob departed for home - stopping to collect litter on the way.

Into Derwenthaugh Park where disaster struck - Ben (Robs son) took a nasty tumble off his bike going round the bend at Clockburn Lonnen Lake. He was quite badly shook up with nastly gashes to both knees. At first it was thought the aggresive swans had caused his crash but it was the loose garvel on the adverse camber that did it. The swans are quite close to the track and had five cygnets hidden in the long grass and the male swan is quite aggresive.

After some adjustments to his rear wheel and brakes he mounted up again and with encouragement from the rest of us bravely carried on - Rob phoned ahead and arranged to be picked up at The Skiff Inn cutting the ride short.

Rob reported later that Ben was OK and out in the street playing with his friends and raring to go the following Sunday on the Great North Bike Ride.

PS. Doug rode back to the Civic Centre where he had parked loaded his bike into the back - only realising when he got home he had left his front wheel behind - despite quickly returning to the car park it was nowhere to be seen. Enquires the next day revealed no one had handed it in.
On the ride Doug mentioned it was the only wearing part of his bike he had not renewed recently !! Luckily Edinburgh Bike Coop had a 20% off during Bike Week - so on Monday after Civic Centre display it was off to buy a new wheel and tire - plus shoes etc.etc. All in all an expensive days outing !!

June 19th - 23rd - Gateshead Civic Centre
Attended by: Doug, Ron, JohnK, Lindsay
The display stand was to be manned only during the lunch hours 11:00am to 2:00pm
Doug and Ron set up the stand on Monday and then manned it over the lunch hour until 2:00 pm.
Doug meanwhile hunted high and low for his front bike wheel he had inadvertently left in the car park after the "Downhill all the Way Ride" the day before - to no avail.
Charlie Hall from Tyne Bikes then took it upon himself to continue to keep our stand topped up by robbing Gateshead Council's stand - which resulted in a mild reprimand from Neil Frier next day when John Kirkbride took over. Ron took over on Wedsnesday during the lunch hour
Lindsay manned the stand on Thursday when Neil Frier revealed they had viewed the CCTV footage and found it was Charlie that was the culprit !!
The final day saw Doug and Ron manning the stand and then packing up - business was not as good as previous years but Ron did manage to sell a couple of books !!

Waggonways to Health Charity Fun Ride                          
Saturday     June 24th 2006
A brief report by Lindsay Perks.

Attended by: Phil, Lindsay, David, Angie, Marrion

This 20 mile ride, mainly along the recently upgraded and massively improved North Tyneside waggonways was organised jointly by North Tyneside Council and The Chris Lucas Trust. The ride started from the Cobalt Business park at 9:00 am and finished at The Rising Sun Country Park, where a Family Fun Day had been planned from 10:30 am to 3:30 pm.  Phil had delivered our stand and leaflets etc to Rising Sun, so that we could promote Sustrans alongside all the other activities.

Saturday morning dawned dismal and damp with a temperature more suited to an autumn or, even, winter event than a mid-summer one.  Nothing daunted, Phil and I made our way to the start about 8:30 am. We had agreed to marshal one of the busy road crossings along the route, on New York Road and thought we should be there in plenty of time.

When we arrived we were surprised and thrilled to find about 100 cyclists already gathered, making inroads into a mountain of free bananas and keen to get the show on the road. Late registrations were being processed with a £5 donation to the Chris Lucas Trust from each participant. David Daniels was there, of course, and we were also able to say a brief hello to a new Ranger, Kirsty.  The Mayor of North Tyneside, John Harrison was due to start the ride, but Phil and I moved off to take up our positions at our crossing. Here we were Joined by Stuart, one of Jim Cowen’s Waggonway Rangers, and awaited the riders.

 After a very short time we saw the first of almost 300 cyclists bearing down on us. We managed to get them all across the road safely, mainly due to cooperative attitude and patience of motorists and the good discipline of almost all the cyclists. It was good to see Angie Doughty and a number of other familiar faces crossing the road with the main body of cyclists. But, what struck Phil and me most was not the total number of participants, which was pretty amazing on such a morning, but the large number of really young riders and families taking part.

As arranged with NTC, Phil and I took up a position at the rear, to act as back markers, as soon as the last cyclist was safely across the road. We tried to maintain this position for the rest of the ride and were able to assist people who may have strayed from the route and were not sure which way to go, carry out very basic adjustments to bicycles and help to lift cycles over the few, but still too many, barriers on the route. David was particularly proactive in this department and earned broad smiles of thanks from a number of young ladies. The down side was that most of them were under 14! We gave encouragement where we could, to people who were struggling, but there were very few of them until the final stages of the ride. We were particularly struck by a girl of 7 who had only just learned to ride a bike and was taking part in her first proper ride. She finished the course. Perhaps more remarkable. were two boys aged 4 and 6 with their parents. They took turns to use the tag bike behind their father’s bike and cycle along on a small BMX type bike. They finished the course in good form with the four year old sprinting home – totally unfazed.

Throughout the ride we had regular contacts with Graeme Clark, who had been responsible for organising the ride and other North Tyneside colleagues, notably Andy Flynn. Excellent support was also give by Stuart and the other Waggonways’ Rangers.

Problems? Well there were less than we anticipated. Potentially hazardous sections of the route were efficiently marshalled, mainly with the help of the NTC Rangers. Most problems were the result of many of the direction signs being vandalised, re positioned to point the wrong way or removed altogether. This seemed to more of a problem on the return route. Placing, or at least checking and correcting, signs by an advance party going ahead on the day of the ride, rather than on the day before, may help to minimise this. Mind you, they would have to be speed merchants.  The first riders arrived back at Rising Sun at 10:40!   

While on our way out, Doug rang to say he was unwell and would be unable to get to Rising Sun to look after the stand. The good news, as we found out later, was that Marion Cassidy had arrived and organised the stand, ably assisted by Angie, when she arrived back at the finish.

When the intrepid three reached Weetslade, we manfully cycled up to the top to inspect the artwork and met a number of cyclists returning along the same path. Certainly a quicker and easier way down we thought, but I had an official map, which showed a longer way down along a very rough but just manageable track that circled the hill. As far as we know, we were the only people to use this route and that was probably as well!

The return ride was pretty uneventful, but took in a number of new cycleways, which were unfamiliar to us. We met a number of stragglers, helped them on their way and arrived at Rising Sun just before 1:00 pm.

The event there was in full swing, free ice creams and chopped fruit were consumed on completing the course and we were all awarded free tee shirts.   These were all one size (LARGE) and some of the smaller participants were drowned in them. However, everybody was enjoying themselves. 

Alongside the Sustrans stand was the Tyne & Wear Joint Local Access Forum stand, which was well patronised, with people being asked to nominate their priorities in enjoying the countryside. Not surprising “more cycle routes” was the most popular item! As Chair of the LAF, I had to spread myself between both stands and there was good cooperation. In fact, Roy Deane, who was running the LAF stall, bought one of our books. It was also good to see a leading local equestrian, Kathy Atkinson, supporting what was principally a cycling event.

It has to be acknowledged, though, that easily the most popular stall was the Painting Faces stall, with the Balloon Magic coming a close second. None of us thought our faces could be improved and we did not want to hold the children up anyway. When we left at 3:30, there was still a long queue for face painting.

Phil has sent out an email thanking people who helped. I endorse everything he said. With him, I think the networking was a most important aspect of the day. There was cooperation and good humour among all involved, but I should particularly like to mention Graeme Clark. We had raised concerns with him before the event.  He and North Tyneside colleagues addressed many of these and invited any feedback following the ride. Well done to him. And to Suzanne Smith, who acted as the link person at Rising Sun.

As well as supporting a very worthwhile charity and celebrating North Tyneside’s Waggonway project, it was great to see so many people on their bikes enjoying themselves.                                                       

Lindsay Perks  25/6/06

PS: Phil, Sustrans Number One for this event – thanks Phil – and I worked closely and well together throughout the whole day. You will not be surprised that the only time I lost touch with him was after we had passed, or at least I had passed, a mobile café dispensing tea and cakes!

PPS: Doug seems to be a lot better. We missed him of course but it was good that we all coped so well, largely due to his training. Special thanks are due to Marion on the stall.