Well they still get a lot of riders, there were 108 this year!! Out on the course a few weeks age I spoke to one of the marshalls who rode the event back in the 50s and 60s on the 62 mile course over Clee and Clows Top. He remembers Bob riding but didnt remember which year. This marshall won the event the year before Ray Booty won he also has a certificate to show he averaged "better than evens" (over 20mph) in doing so. Rick
Cheers for that Rob. The course in the early 1960's started at Holt and went via Abberley-Clows Top-Cleobury-Clee Hill-Tenbury-Abberley-Stamford-Bromyard Downs-Ankerdine etc. A relaxin rollin 62m. Noteably they always had fields of 100 riders as well. Somehow couldn't see that happenin today!!
I rode the Speedwell Mountain 50 miler with Bob in 1974, I think it was. Bob was pestering for some clubmen to join him and at the tender age of 16, was beaten into submission and rode. That took in the joys of Clee Hill via the hairpins, Hopton Wafers, Stamford Bank, Clows Top and Clifton, if my fading memory serves me well. It was in the days of right-hand turns so the course was quite intricate and the exact course I can't really recollect.
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SO, I'm fat and slow, but you're ugly, I can change, can you?
Just been looking through the archives on the Beacon web site for their Mountain TT. Could anyone tell me what period of time people like Bob Short were competing in it?? Unfortunately the archive only goes up to the mid 1960's and I can't see any reference to him at this time. I know he did cos I remember him tellin me that he used to walk up Ankerdine, arguin with any spectators that shouted at him to get back on and ride. Having seen a map of the original circuit (69miles), and the 'warm up' loop of Clee Hill and Cleobury BEFORE you approach Stamford and Ankerdine, I doubt I would even be in a position to walk, let alone argue with anyone!! Cheers for any help
