Training begins again!

Well after a few months of pretty sporadic bike riding, we have resumed training again and the last two Sundays have seen us out and about the local roads.

Sunday 10th October - Our 8 am starts do not phase us hardcore early birds these days!!! I chose the route today. From Pollicott we headed down to Wescott and along the A41 turning off for Quainton, through the village going past the very picturesque village shop towards Denham, where we turned up onto a bridleway which goes in several directions, to be used later in training. Today we followed the concrete path through to Ladymede Racing Stables where we headed left up and over a short hill and coming down through a dairy farmyard onto Carters lane, this joined up with the Quainton to Whitchurch road and then along to cross the A41 again and up the steep hil to Upper Winchendon and then back to Pollicott. We were pleasantly surprised that our fitness levels had not dropped too much over the summer and Sian reliably informed us that the route measured 15.5 miles.

Sunday 17th October saw another 8am start. Once again we headed down to Westcott, where we picked up our NEW 4th Belle - Amber!! Small chit chat and on we got, starting out on the same route as the previous Sunday. By the time we got to Quainton it was very apparent that Sian was missing from the front of the group and seemed to be struggling somewhat at the back, pulling up in the layby across from the village shop it was revealed why, Sian had a flat front tyre. This was a first for the Belles - Sian quickly got to work removing the wheel and tyre, we thought it was a wonky valve rather than a puncture so she re-set the tyre and inner tube and put the wheel back on.

During this time we all got various comments from locals popping in and out of the shop getting their Sunday papers!! Cold it most certainly was and once we got going again we all felt really stiff and lethargic. We had not been going long again - we got to the racing yard about 5 minutes away and Sian's tyre was once more flat, this time I insisted we use the spare inner tube I had been storing in my bum back all this time!! Sian quickly removed the tyre and pulled out the old inner tube and put the new one in, meanwhile Amber and Alex continued on the ride so they didn't get cold again.

Sian and I were soon on our way again and caught up with the other 2 in the farmyard, which due to recent rain resembled liquid slurry, this soon became slurry all over ourselves as we picked up speed again!!!

After the mahoosive Waddesdon Stud hill Amber suggested turning down the estate path by the gatehouse, which took us off-road back to Westcott, her ulterior motive was missing out another hill, but Alex, Sian and myself still had to do the hill up from Westcott, very cunning Amber - we're going to have to watch her!!

Back home we were greeted by bacon sarnies and fresh coffee which, needless to say, didn't hang around for long!!! A somewhat eventful ride but another chapter in the book!!!

Just Before We Start

So, the South Downs Way is the chosen route for the Pollicott Belles 2011 escapade – a fitting backdrop for a very fitting cause. Before the Belles get into our usual banter about the mayhem, pain, and hilarity that is fast becoming the trademark of our activities, I think a brief word about why we chose Helen & Douglas House as the charity we wanted to support this year.

A few months ago I had the good fortune to meet Peter, a grandfather of two young boys who died at the heartbreakingly young ages of four and ten years old. Both suffered from brain tumours and were cared for at Helen & Douglas House. Peter told me his story over morning coffee and when I arrived back home I jumped on the good old Google to find out a little bit more about what these guys do.

By the time us Belles had got together to discuss our next fundraising effort I was convinced I wanted us to do something, however small, to help. This is an incredible charity, the work they do is nothing less than special – and usually in the most distressing of circumstances.

I wasn’t sure how Sian and Vicky might react to the suggestion that we look at doing something outside of Macmillan, this is a charity close to all of our hearts and through our adventure earlier this year we came to know many people who do the most amazing work. As it happened I needn’t have worried – it turned out we had a secret Helen & Douglas House supporter in our midst in Sian. It didn’t take very long at all to unanimously decide this is the charity we wanted to support for our next challenge.

Peter supports Helen & Douglas House by raising as much money as he can selling plants outside of his house. He was more than pleased when I told him that the three crazy chicks from Pollicott (aka The Pollicott Belles) would also be doing their bit in 2011 to help a very worthy cause.

This ride is for the memory of Peters grandchildren, Michael and Ryan, and with the help of all of our supporters The Belles hope we can do something special for a charity that is worthy of all of the help we can give.


Alex xx

And We're Off

I have just registered Andy, Joe and I for Santa's on the Run - Oxford - 2010 and sponsored myself £50 so that gets the Pollicott Belles fund off to a good start. If you fancy sponsoring us please click on the justgiving link here or hand dosh over to any belle!

This is me last year - I'll get a new outfit this year if I hit £100 sponsorship before then!!

Your 5 Minutes of Fame?

I mentioned before that I do the Santa's on the Run event that Helen & Douglas House hold every year in Oxford. To promote this they are doing a photograph and need willing volunteers - wearing red T-Shirts I think. If you can spare the time please go - it will be fun. Or if you know someone who may be able to then pass it on. If you go please let the team at H&DH know that The Pollicott Belles sent you!!

Places We Will Discover - Cheesefoot Head

We have Dinah Mason to thank for pointing out the fabulous name of one of our waypoints on the South Downs route. I was intrigued so googled to find out if there really was such a place.

Cheesefoot Head is a natural ampitheatre and place of outstanding beauty - wow, nice, they have a horse box parking area as well. However, it is also a place of special scientific interest (and not for it's name). It is, it seems, regularly the site of crop circles. The best bit is that, in 1989, there was the Cheesefoot Head incident involving the first ever crop circle investigation unit and UFO's. Google it if you dare - there were news paper articles and all sorts. The whole team experienced strange things - a feeling of force, an inability to break free, the head of a small ET, people moving at an angle or moving backwards and so on.

But, they ain't seen nothing yet - the Belles are on their way and UFO's have nothing on us. We have witnessed some UFO incidents ourselves - Alex on several occasions and has been known to land in unidentifiable circular objects (OK it was a patch of stinging nettles but it was strangely circular). Vicky and Sian have, what seems now, a suspiciously common denominator in the form of Isalda who was there to swerve and pick us up in our most dramatic of flights. Vix managed an unusual levitation from her bike on the Chilton road and Sian took to the air over Little London in Oakley. Isalda is, of course, an alien and on both occasions we felt the need to 'phone home'. It's all coming together now - Pat Delgado and Colin Andrews may wish to make a return trip in June for scientific interest as the Belles land at Cheesefoot.

In the meantime can anyone give us lessons in crop circle making - we feel the force!

And the 2011 Pollicott Belles Cycle Challenge is....

The South Downs Way - another ancient route where we will ‘experience some of the finest countryside great views, attractive wildlife, visible prehistory, fine pubs and pretty villages.

The 160 kilometre (100 mile) South Downs Way follows the old routes and drove ways along the chalk escarpment and ridges of the South Downs, between Winchester, the first capital of England, and the white chalk cliffs of Eastbourne. It’s promising to be another Pollicott Belles classic event.

We have thought very long, and very hard, about our charity this year. Macmillan Cancer Support remains close to our hearts. We have all witnessed the wonderful care and advice their nurses have given to special friends. We know it’s a charity people are pleased and proud to support. We love our green T-Shirts and we very much like the fundraising team in Launton. And yet, though we will all personally continue to support Macmillan, we have decided to focus our joint energies this year on a charity that is close to home.

Why? Alex was the catalyst – she placed a leaflet on the table and told us about the man who had inspired her to think about supporting a local charity (more about him from Alex in a later blog).

And so, we have registered as fundraisers for Helen & Douglas House and we intend to raise £1000 for this fabulous local charity. We know it's going to be harder in many ways but we also know we can help to make a difference in difficult lives.

Coincidentally, I have supported Helen & Douglas House ever since I heard the founder - Sister Frances Dominica – telling her story and I was captivated by her (again another blog). Every Christmas Andy, Joe and I dress as Santa's and run round Oxford.  We even starred on their 2009 Christmas card. So it wasn't a difficult decision for me to support them some more. And, guess what Alex and Vicky will be roped in to do this year!!

Helen & Douglas House provide hospice care for children and young adults. They provide respite and end of life care for children and young adults with life-shortening conditions, as well as support and friendship for the whole family. On their website is a list of useful resources - I looked at it thinking it would have a logo and it's not that sort of resource - it's a list of other charities and support groups for parents dealing with the horror of a very ill child. That brought home to me just how fragile life is and how lucky we all are to be fit and healthy enough to do the things we do.

There is a marvellous story to tell about the work at the 2 houses and we will tell it as our blog unfolds. In the meantime we ask you all to support us through our training, fundraising events and the challenge itself and help us to raise £1000 once again.

Phoenix from the Ashes

The warm weather back in the first week of June seems, and is, a long time ago. Mid-September and the cold nights are drawing in. Some things are a distant memory, some are not!

"Oi you lot" screamed 'Military Miller' "are you ready for another challenge"? Being the Pollicott Belles is pretty explanatory, we all live in Pollicott which means dear old Sian is never too far away.

Vicky and I were intrigued and before we knew it all three of us sat to reflect on the great fun we had back in the hazy days of Summer doing our little bit for the great team at MacMillan.

Sure there were cuts and bruises, but there was generosity and support in far greater proportions, as we recalled our favourite bits of those gruelling months of training it became a certainty that the Belles would 'ride again'.

I find it difficult to recall a single favourite memory, I do know the commitment, that Sian showed me I possessed, has changed my life forever - I pushed myself into achieving things that I never thought possible.

There was already friendship long before The Belles was born, but simple friendship was brushed aside as even deeper relationships were forged. We were there to support each other when the going got tough: for every mile further Sian convinced me I could go, Vicky was there with support and a shoulder to collapse on when the need arose.

Today is Friday 17th September and tonight is a rather special occasion because the Pollicott Belles are about to rise again - like a phoenix from the ashes.

Watch this space good people - time to hose the bike down and get the chain grease out!!

Alex xx