Reasons for joining Addiscombe CC

[MJ_1993]

I first came out, hmmm noo wayyy. 4yrs ago. But rarely went out considering I was 12 and dad was generally (and still is) quite busy. returned in 2007 proper, because well if i'm perfectly honest to miss Islamic school. i got fed up there, especially when i found myself teaching the class as the teacher didnt know much. so after the rugby season closed, as a way of not going there I went out with addiscombe.

originally dad i think googled it and up came addiscombe cc. i think my first CR was the first one John Cz did, I think it was 4yrs.

tbh its just something to do. you'd be surprised at how many kids at school talk to me about bike riding and how they think its "well sick". the problem is largely the money. oh and cant we have stu or someone as a kinda Youth VC, even Toks will do , cos we seem a bit unorganised on that front.

in conclusion: i like the club. theres nothing majorly wrong with it, just a couple of minor pitfalls that need addressing.

[Roy Green]

Here's a few "reasons for joining" (perhaps more importantly, for staying), from someone a good few years (decades?) beyond the club's average age-range.
The push to try ACC, not surprisingly was through Andrew giving up his roll-ups in favour of a more healthy lifestyle. My main initial concern was that, still living mentally in '60s and '70s clubland and riding strictly solo, I just could not imagine even small club runs coping with today's road conditions. Small CRs? Blimey, the turnouts on my first runs, mid-2004, staggered me. ACC's have similar numbers as on my very first CRs as a teenager with a traditionally-run Manchester club, which published club run lists for the whole year, noting 11ses, lunch and tea stops. But we're much more sanely organised into dozen-or-so groups: my early ones with Stretford Wheelers would take command of Peak District passes with a snake of up to 100 riders. (Well there was only the odd Morris Minor to be bothered about then.)
I always believe that organisation on the day, on the road, there and then, is what counts most. That seems to work smoothly, due to the finely balanced chivvying from Coulsdon South by such as Monty, Alex, Amy, John Cz, Grahame and the other clubrun organisers. We owe them a lot. The other safety factor seems to be in numbers, as a bright yellow bunch seems to get the same sort of (maybe grudging) respect as a large lorry. Contributing too is general respect in our groups for motorists trying to get past (whatever our thoughts about some of 'em ) Perhaps we were too cavalier for our own safety in those bygone days (but hey, I'm still here ..)
Some neat ideas in there for revising the Club's organisation structures. But a small plea: let's not get too hung up on formality. The thing about club cycling that's kept me interested for so long is its great freewheeling style (even on a fixie).
I applaud the Amy-Andrew-a few others initiatives for clubruns somewhere different. My problem is I'm unlikely to hang on to such runs at my pace (J4F or 15sa group speed). I like the ideas recently trailed for slower-paced Kentish runs from somewhere like Lloyd Park. I know the near-Kent lanes quite well. So look out for one led by Senior before too long ...