Greetings---
Thank you, Billy for that nice write-up of the 2010 Rural Ramble. My apologies to the CR List for failing to post a ride report and photo links. Shortly after I had drafted the report I had a massive computer failure akin to the one which struck Wool Jersey. By the time I had a new rig up and running and all issues sorted out I felt the report was a bit behind the times, so I didn't post it. But, seeing as Billy brought up the ride and this being the New Year, a time to look both backwards and forward, I'll play Father Time and post it now.
Just one more thing to say before the report: There most definitely WILL be a Rural Ramble 2011. And while the date has not yet been posted, I've already found some interesting variations on the route. For a general view of the ride, please feel free to visit http://www.bicyclingbackwards.com.
Thanks, and Happy New Year!
Peter Jourdain Whitewater, Wisconsin USA -------------------------
My photos are here---
Ric Greene's photos, in two formats (slide show and static), may be found here:
--and here:
Mike & Sarah Jenkins' pictures are here:
http://www.flickr.com/
LONDON TO CAMBRIDGE RURAL RAMBLE REDUX: AND THEN THERE WERE 13\u2026
The Union Jack fluttered unmolested from the rafters of the Lake Mills, Wisconsin Headquarter of the Glacial Drumlin Trail for Sunday\u2019s First Annual \u201cLondon to Cambridge Rural Ramble: Through Farm, Fen, Field & Fell.\u201d
An extremely collegial and eclectic mix of 15 souls\u2014-some hardcore \u201cnutters\u201d and others relative neophytes to British-themed cycletouring--braved the chill morning air to mount the platform and register for the ride. Upon signing in they were greeted with a welcoming pot o\u2019 tea, a basket of Cox\u2019s Orange Pippin English apples (notable for their loose seeds which rattle when shaken), and a most generous contribution from nutter Ric Greene---complimentary sew-on Raleigh patches.
One Minnesotan faithful who journeyed to join us from afar was Steve Granger. His keen interest in the ride and in the Aztalan Native American settlement won the award for \u201cMost Dedicated.\u201d We also had four Illinoisians, Sarah & Mike Jenkins, and Anna Rooney and Billy Ketchum, all of whom jumped borders to be with us.
Making a stealthy appearance were two \u201cmystery machines\u201d without transfers (decals) of any sort and of undeclared nationality. Was it possible that a cabal of Francophile agent-provocateurs could have infiltrated our Redcoat ranks, harbouring malicious intent? The momentary anxiety of an impending French Revolution was calmed when the riders of the two in-cog-neato machines, Anna Rooney and Madison\u2019s ace wheelbuilder Earle Young, proved faithful friends to the group and acted not at all like the vile French to which we English are so accustomed.
After chit-chat and ogling of each other\u2019s wheels, we left the former rail station fairly much as any English train does---30 minutes late.
Westward along the crushed limestone trail we rolled, stopping to admire the view from the cycle bridge which spans the narrow necks of Rock andMarsh Lakes. Thence we rolled through a tunnel and into the Lake Mills Wildlife Area. Formerly known as \u201cLondon Marsh,\u201d the wetlands was in the 1830s hideout of the infamous \u201cFighting Finches,\u201d a family of stagecoach robbers who, after each raid, retreated to an island in the swampy morass which the local militia was unable to penetrate. Today the terrestrial Finches have flown, but the Marsh remains a haven for the winged variety as well as for blue heron, swans, ducks and snowy and great egrets, a large group of the latter being espied loitering in a serene pool not far off the trail.
Carrying on, the group arrived at a small assemblage of wooden buildings to which the ending of the statement, \u201cTHIS is London!\u201d was changed from an exclamation point to a question mark. Alas, as nutter Troy Mayne observed, there was not a step to climb at St. Paul\u2019s and not pigeon to feed in Trafalgar Square. In fact, there wasn\u2019t even a square of any sort. But we did have chance to examine with a detached scientific eye the local rustics in their natural habitat and can make two empirical findings which are beyond dispute. 1) These Londoners, when born, are possessed of a unique genetic trait, for they come strangely out of the womb permanently affixed to a straw cowboy hat and something resembling a Ford F-150 club cab pickup. 2) On Sundays, while the nearby historic Moravian Church sits still and silent, London\u2019s masses congregate at an alternative service in the house of worship curiously named \u201cLondon Tavern.\u201d
After making the above keen observations, we continued on trail and macadam to the shire of Cambridge where giant éclairs and cream puffs were consumed at the Ripley Bakery, but not a photo taken of the guilty parties so doing. I myself was too preoccupied resisting temptation to snap photos. And if you buy that, I\u2019ve some prime home sites for sale in London Marsh for you\u2026
Sufficiently fortified and back on the road, we snaked along the shore of lovely Lake Ripley, admiring the vacation homes and being regaled with tales of Lake Ripley lore by the affable local Cantabrigian Mark Sewell. Mark won \u201cBest Sport\u201d award for riding the Rural Ramble after just the day previous having done 60 miles in Tyranena Brewery's Oktoberfest Ride.
Steve Granger bid us adieu at the bakery to really dig into the Indian Mounds at Aztalan, but somewhere along Lake Ripley we noticed that another one of our number was missing. It was the personable Ron Smith, who had arrived late and had caught up with us on the road to Cambridge. But somehow we failed to account for him when leaving the bakery. I should have taken a roll call, but, alas, did not. So while \u201cWrongway Pete\u201d had not this time gotten himself lost, he had lost one of his charges! The disease, it seems, is contagious. After some waiting and discussion as to whether or not Ron\u2019s statements at the bakery had portended a voluntary departure on his part, we reluctantly rolled onward. I later received word from Ron that he had made it back to Lake Mills safely but had not in fact intended to leave the group. It was just one of those miscues on our (my) part which should not have been. After Lake Ripley we again entered the glorious grain belt of farm and field, where some in the strong set sallied forth to test their mettle. Foremost among them was Ric \u201cWhite Dot\u201d Greene, who rode a scouting mission ahead on his jet-black Falcon lightweight.
A bit of the famous racer Ernie Clements\u2019 (Falcon's manager) rocket-like legs must have rubbed off that bike into Ric\u2019s sinews, for his spinning oft scorched him ahead of the pack. Lagging behind at the tail end of the second half of the ride, I could always tell how far the vanguard section of the group had gotten by observing the tiny white dot of Ric\u2019s fisherman\u2019s sweater in the distance.
After stopping to mend a puncture on Earle\u2019s mystery machine, the group rode awheel to Pat\u2019s Prairie and then to Sandhill Station, where the boardwalk unrolled under our wheels right up to the shore of Mud Lake. Of all the names for lakes in Wisconsin, a recent survey has revealed that \u201cMud\u201d is by far the most popular. This fact no doubt speaks volumes about Wisconsinites\u2019 tendency to both hoist a glass while saluting \u201cHere\u2019s mud in your eye!\u201d and to our propensity to sling the political sludge about. And Wisconsin natives seem to be particularly adept at accomplishing both tasks in tandem, whether awheel a bicycle built for two or not.
A brief on-road chat with Kathy Huber revealed that this was the farthest afield her stout Raleigh Sports had ever taken her in a single trip, it having been used previously primarily for around-town jaunts. Yet she stormed ahead admirably, while her husband, Tom, Bicycle & Pedestrian Coordinator with theWisconsin Department of Transportation, rode his regal Phillips and kept a watchful eye in his mirror for rearward approaching hazards.
We gave the chase to the last bit of north wind buffeting our breasts and rolled back into the Trail Headquarters mightily ready for tea. The break was meant to fortify us for the final leg of the trip -- an excursion to the Indian mounds and stockades at Aztalan and a trip to Tyranena Brewery.
However, it seemed we were having such a jolly good time eating and socializing that enthusiasm to again take to the wheel could not be mustered. So instead we lollygagged about, sampling the Jenkins\u2019 wonderfully moist pumpkin bread, Troy Mayne\u2019s simply smashing cheddar-and-pickle sandwiches and other culinary contributions of cakes and cookies. After this bout of \u201cconsumption,\u201d we lingered or left as the case happened to be, deciding to save Aztalan, a place worth delving deeply into, for a future Rural Ramble.
A small party of us did, however, motor to Tyranena to hoist aloft a tankard on the tab of faithful-to-the-end Troy Mayne, who won two awards, for Best Dressed Cyclist and Best High Tea on the Wheel and whose 13-year-old son, Ellis, lifting an iced mug of beer of the soft-drink root variety, took the prize for \u201cMost Promising Newcomer\u201d both in cycling and in his newly-discovered knack for sinking the ball bearing into the hole in the "Shoot-the-Moon" game.
Final farewells and best wishes spread all round, we hesitantly ambled to our motorcars and hauled our steeds home. Thus was brought to a close a most memorable inaugural Rural Ramble.
Awards recap:
Door prize winner of a Union Jack purportedly flown at the Battle of Watery Loo: Mike Jenkins
Best of Show: Sarah Jenkins\u2019 Mercian lightweight (with a Francophile touch of hammered fenders, a mount previously owned by Jan Heine)
Best Cycle & Cyclist combined: Ric Greene and his black Falcon lightweight
Most Dedicated: Steve Granger
Best High Tea on the Wheel: Troy Mayne
Best Dressed Cyclist: Troy Mayne
Most Promising Newcomer: Ellis Mayne
Best British Pair: Tom and Kathy Huber
Best Sport: Mark \u201cCantab\u201d Sewell
\u201cMystery Bike\u201d Award: Anna Rooney and Earle Young
Best British Conversationalist: Billy Ketchum
Friendliest Bloke and Best Solo Cyclist whom we hope someday to get to know better: Ron Smith
Most Conspicuous by his Absence (before the ride, that is): Bob Allen, who took ill shortly prior to post time, but was with us in spirit. May we see him soon astride his marvelous miniature Moulton.
From: billydavid13@comcast.net <billydavid13@comcast.net> Subject: [CR] Speaking of Tweed Rides... To: "classic rendezvous" <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org> Date: Saturday, January 1, 2011, 9:09 PM
Hi all and happy new year. Back in the fall My wife Anna and i travelled about 135 miles from Chicago by car to Wisconsin to participate in the first London to Cambridge Rural Ramble organized by list member Peter Jourdain. We hadn't committed because of doubts about the weather, but it proved clear and surprisingly warm. We arrived about 20 minutes late but the group had yet to leave. The route was very nice w/ a few, fun hills and very little traffic. There were several surprisingly engaging points of interest. The group of many ages and all the popular genders mostly rode British 3 speeds, Peter rode a very appropriately spec'ed '30s 4 speed, i forget the make; sorry. Estimable list member Earle Young rode an on topic Gitane converted to fixed wheel. there was also an early '70s Falcon 10 speed nearly pristine and many others that i can't remember. It was a very congenial group and the pace quite pleasant. Along the way there was a stop at a bakery
which offered a choice
variety of snacks and a celebrated 4 pound eclair [not sure of the exact weight but it was formidable and delicious]. Afterwards there was a picnic provided by the better prepared members to which we did not contribute but whose wares we shamelessly sampled. Next year we'll bring a cooler w/ some choice British quaffs, and perhaps some victuals. There were free Raleigh patches and Certificates of Merit. It was a great time, well worth the drive. If Peter can be prevailed upon to organize one in 2011 we'll go regardless of the weather and hopefully bring some chums. Peter has some pics and perhaps will make them available to the list; it was an attractive bunch. Cheers to all. Billy Ketchum; Chicago, IL; USA.