velo club walcot

in may of last year betty and i relocated from london to bath to embark on a new and exciting chapter in our lives.  we had both been living in london for many years and decided that although we enjoyed life in the big smoke it was time for a change of scenery.  it was an idea we had been toying with for a couple of years. the then imminent birth of our daughter spurred us on to take the final plunge and move.
with both betty and i being big fans of the outdoor lifestyle closeness to the countryside was a key prerequisite, as was having continued easy access to city culture.  after having lived in europes largest city for so long we needed to smooth our transition into a slower pace of life and not incur too  much of a traumatic culture shock on ourselves.  bath seemed like the perfect choice.

for me personally where ever we decided to move to needed to have great cycling country.  over the previous few years we had been making occasional visits to bath to see some good friends chris, sarah and their two children.  chris was big into his cycling and whenever i took my bike with me he would take me out on rides in the beautiful countryside that surrounds the city.  it was making those visits that planted the seed in my mind to make our relocation choice bath and after some discussion a fair bit of persuasion on my part betty agreed.

by the time we moved to bath though the only people we had known, chris and sarah, had moved away about a year before.  this meant that although i was surrounded by all that great countryside i did not know the best bike routes.  i decided the remedy for this was to join a cycling club.  by doing that i would get to meet new people and ride with them through the countryside they know so well.

it was will from cadence bike shop, close to where we i live in the weston area of bath,
that first put me onto velo club walcot.  actually it was not just vc walcot's rides that he told me about but all the options available, ranging from the rides starting from cadence every saturday morning, through to bath cc and the sunday rides organised by vc walcot.  i settled on introducing myself at the next vc walcot ride which sets off from outside the guildhall in the centre of bath every sunday morning at 9.30am.
i suppose the rest is history as they say.  i have been on many of vc walcot's sunday rides since first introducing myself to them last june.  i have become a member of the club and i have even represented them in last years annual hill climb tt.  joining vc walcot has been one of the best things i have done since arriving in bath.  not only have i been able to gain much needed knowledge of fabulous cycling routes through them but more importantly it has given me the opportunity to meet like minded people who like me have a passion for riding bikes and enjoying the countryside.

i had never been a member of a cycling club before i joined vc walcot but i guess some clubs can be a bit intimidating and possibly take themselves too seriously.  not vc walcot, their friendly inclusive approach appeals to me and since joining them they have honestly been nothing but welcoming. in the last few days vc walcot have launched a new website which i would suggest reflects on a new figor and energy running through the club. what a perfect time for it to happen as well.  spring has sprung, the cycling season is now in full swing with flanders and roubaix just around the corner it is exciting times.  vc walcot have plans for lots of events this year.  to keep up to date with what is happening at the club check out the new site.  vc walcot, a real social network for cyclists.

vc-walcot.com