September 2009
September 25
Miscellaneous Photos
A wonderful nineteenth century, three-directional sign made by Roots and Heinemann of Connersville, Indiana, as seen on The Old Stores in Fairstead:
Lloyd Heard won last Thursday’s ‘Run 4 Fun’ in a time only seven seconds off the record.
The River Stour in the Dedham Vale is a busy waterway!
Out the passenger window of a moving car I just managed to capture some cyclists out on a ride last Sunday, through East Bergholt:
September 18
Re~Cycle Container Loading
Re~Cycle’s latest container being filled with bikes and spares, ready for shipping to South Africa.
September 15
Ghost Bike
A ‘Ghost Bike’ has appeared in Colchester, presumably in memoriam to Daniel Andrew. It can be found at the top of Greenstead Road, by the Greenstead ‘Magic Roundabout’.
September 13
Ride & Stride
Yesterday was Friends of Essex Churches Trust annual ‘Ride & Stride’ day. The idea is to get sponsored for either walking or cycling to churches of your choice.
Naturally I chose to cycle, and stopped at twenty-six churches in North Essex/South Suffolk (yes, I did some “border hopping”!).
Of particular note: St. Mary’s in Little Bromley had the most delicious home-made cakes on offer!
I was told to “look up” in St. George’s, Great Bromley and was duly impressed by the double hammer-beam roof.
Interestingly the former bell-ringers hats are hung under the tower; the oldest date I could make out was 1825, but two beside it look to be even older.
Cycling through Bentley I saw this wonderful use of a trike (perhaps taking David Hembrow’s lead)… apparently this was his first time being chauffeured, and he seemed to be enjoying it!
September 6
Colchester Carnival
Had a great time watching Colchester’s first Carnival in ten years yesterday evening… lots of fun and colourful floats to be admired. The only one really out of place was Audi Colchester, which had a parade of no less than eight cars. What a commercial enterprise was doing with such a presence, I do not know.
Cycle Colchester was missing, and although bitterly disappointing, came as no surprise. A lack of volunteers was to blame, which is a real shame, especially given Colchester Cycling Campaign has over 150 members.
One of Cycle Colchester’s aims is to encourage more people to take to their bikes. This means it has a duty of being at events like the Carnival; there is no better platform to promote the cause of cycling than an environment such as that provided by the Carnival.
Besides the much-touted Highwoods route, you would be hard-pressed to notice a difference ‘Cycling Town’ status has made to Colchester and I for one could have done with a reminder of it.