Latest Gateway News
Sunday ride 7th April
Mid morning Sunday 7th, eight of us in the Delight café, Upminster Road South, Rainham. Excellent service, coffee and eats… Outside a fierce south south-westerly wind, with sunshine breaking through. Dave F led the ride from Bulphan, via Hornchurch Country Park, others joined on route. Sharon and Tracy at the Old White Horse, Les, a drive from Fobbing and a ride from Blackshots… Bob D from the Barrel Store at Purfleet. Good chat and banter as always (-: Reluctantly dragging ourselves out into the gusts, onward and over the railway and across Rainham Marshes. Blossoms scattered, everywhere the flush of spring green breaking through… Gearing down then up the embankment to the Thames. Today a high spring tide, the abandoned WW 2 concrete barges lashed by spume and spray, a … Read entire article »
A SUNDAY RIDE, 14th JANUARY 2024 TO MUCKING…
It wasn’t speed or distance we were seeking on Sunday but a steady roll along to the Mucking Wild Life Centre… Ably led by Sharon P, nine of us left Blackshots Leisure Centre at 9.45 ish… Through The Woodside estate, King Edward Drive, and the back ways of Chadwell. Cold but comfortable and relatively mild for January. Muckingford Road and a right turn down the evocatively named Blue Anchor Lane. One time the old … Read entire article »
New Years Day Trial run … On Sunday 31st December, 2023, 09.30 from Blackshots…
On Sunday 31st December, 2023, 09.30 from Blackshots… I’m taking a final check ride for the NY day ride on the 1st… Crossing via the ‘Harvester’ to North Stifford and on to the Mardyke, Davy Down. 99% chance of it being flooded in some short parts, but onwards… Passing the RSPB café at Purfleet, the Marsh Road and over Rainham Marshes to the Delight Café for swift eats. Back track but up and passing the concrete Barges – homeward… A Nice and steady – a slow relaxing ride, though you could get wet feet… (- : You may have other rides planned for this Sunday, but as always – All welcome. Cheers! 🙂 Jon Lane. M 07845 928 596 … Read entire article »
NEW YEARS DAY RIDE 2024… MONDAY 1st JANUARY 2024. MEET – 10 am – 10.15 am START – BLACKSHOTS LEISURE CENTRE GRAYS RM16 2JU…
Dear All… In 2007 Gateway Cycling Club was created and every new year since we’ve taken a jolly ride to Purfleet, the RSPB centre café The same to see in this new 2024… Meeting at Blackshots Leisure Centre RM16 2JU, at 10 am for a start at 10.15. This is a slow and steady family type of ride, all ‘off road’ on dedicated cycle tracks and paths… Onwards to Purfleet, we try and take in the Mardyke Valley Country Park, (Davy Down) although if it’s very flooded, (I’ll check it before…) we’ll opt for the ‘top road’, the cycleway above Lakeside… We’ll go via the back path to Watts Wood and cross over to the Tank Hill Road cycleway and from here, onward alongside the historic Thames… Rest at the RSPB … Read entire article »
UCI TRACK CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
Peter Watts sent an open invite to Gateway members to go and see the UCI Track Champions League finals at the London Velodrome in November. Unfortunately Peter could not attend but Tina, Alan Hale, Stuart Gooden and my I did go… Lisa and her husband were there somewhere but we didn’t see them, it was rammed! Racing started at 5 o’clock and we watched a number of full on races with the top professional track cyclists in the world taking part. The full results list can be seen here https://www.uci.org/article/winners-of-uci-track-champions-league-crowned-in-london/1Z1iC4JKvtH1z0v5TaheH5 … Read entire article »
JON’S CYCLING DIARY
A SUMMER SUNDAY RIDE – 13th August 2023… Yet another super Sunday ride – ably led by Dave F, Vic, Sharon, Andy and Les, departed Bulphan via Dunton Caravan Park, Laindon Centre and around Gloucester Park. The destination being ‘The Greedy Chef’, at Pound Lane, Bowers Gifford. Untroubled by the odd summer shower, it was perfect cycling weather…Being early for a change… I took a different route via Ockendon to West Horndon and the A127 cycle path of Arterial Road. First constructed in 1924, where our forbears had the wisdom to build in the broad cycle paths either side. Riding between the leafy trees and speedy traffic, it is functional and reasonably well surfaced. My thoughts – ‘We’d better use it before we lose it’. At Pound Lane junction a very … Read entire article »
Mid Week Ride 17th August 2023
Fifteen of us all told out and about for the midweek get together this morning plus Les who managed some photographic duties whilst on route elsewhere. Nice to see Richard E and Joe N with us after long illnesses. Weather was very nice again and another successful day out was enjoyed by all. … Read entire article »
Bobs Blog
For those unfamiliar with the clubs activities I would like to say just a few words about the longest continuously running club ride. This is now known as the midweek social ride run on wednesdays throuhgout the year only ever cancelled due to exceptually bad weather. The route is usually a 28 ml loop from Orsett to Berwich Ponds and back with a brunch stop at the excellent Puddledock Farm cafe. Occasionally someone will organise an alternative to a pub lunch in Kent which involves a ferry crossing to Gravesend. This ride has run continuously for many years and was originally known as the Airfield ride as the brunch stop was at the then excellent cafe at Damyns Hall airfield which was an interesting venue as aerial activities were often … Read entire article »
Gateway Ride to Hyde Sunday 13th August
We had a great ride out to Hyde Hall yesterday. It was Alan’s first trip there. He said it was very pleasant but not cheap, but nowhere is these days. On the way home down Lower Stock Road a motorhome had been, possibly, misguided by satnav and caused a huge traffic jam. Steve was on car park marshalling duty and managed to get some of them through and then we decided to leave. They may … Read entire article »
