Eight starters faced the timekeeper on a bright and blowy day near Bressingham.
We all struggled westwards towards Thetford, pursued and eventually integrated with the competitors in the associated medium gear and pre-1980 event. I gather Adrian Hills managed to qualify for all three events. I managed to get to the turn having caught Adrian and Alan Nye, and been caught by the two Peters, Holland and Hopkins and was settling down to enjoy the tail-wind home when the offside tyre deflated.
Having acknowledged the many offers of help that were made while I replaced the inner tube, I managed to complete the course.
Peter Hopkins was the winner with 1:18:11, and Ian Mackenzie took the handicap award with 53:21.
After the tea and cakes around the result board, several of us trundled across to the Cross Keys at Redgrave, where we met other members of the region.

Pictures have been uploaded to East Gallery

A change of venue from published, brought 11 members to E&Vs Café in Needham Market for coffee and cakes on a balmy day in February. We split into two groups, Andrew, Jane and Richard electing to wait for Mr Huffey to finish his repast to escort him to lunch.
The rest of us trundled through the springy Suffolk lanes displaying several new TA tops. Boy did they look good in the sunshine!
North about round Wattisham airfield, dropping down into Bildeston a hundred yards from the Kings Head, "Cyclists welcome, park around the back".
The other four arrived as we were admiring Alan Nye's Austin Ruby, and nestling his Thompson barrow on the back seat. Very cozy it looked too.
Then within to sample the Huffers (local dialect for large baps), soup and Landlady, one of the beers brewed on the premises.
Adrian and Jill were already in residence, then Geoff Morse toddled up from his son's Cycle emporium down the road followed soon after by Paul Willsher, now recovered from his tumble last week, descending a Welsh hillside on his barrow. As a result he opted not to ride the South Western 25.
As I was going back to my mum's in Sudbury, I accompanied Geoff who introduced me to some beautiful lanes to the south of Monks Eleigh.

A lovely day with all the right elements in good proportion.

More pictures in East Gallery.

The lunch was held on 1st February 2009 at The Manger in Bradfield Combust, south of Bury St Edmunds.

The festivities began at "Sweetmeats" cafe above the confectionery shop in Lavenham where several participants met for coffee and delicious pastries. The chairman attempted to lead the run back, but was soon hanging onto the back of the leading bunch.
At the hostelry we welcomed other members and friends with chatter going on until the 1:30 kick off.

Cross-toasting proved to be a thriving art-form as deeds both glorious and embarrassing were aired. The food was of the high quality that we have come to expect from this fine venue. Unfortunately the only trophy winner present was Peter Holland who, as he had won it the year previously, was returning the 25 trophy for engraving. This meant that we could get on quickly to the raffle, followed by a floral presentation in TA colours to our National Captain and a vote of thanks to Lunch Organiser and Regional Secretary Geoff Morse, who is also stepping down after this year.

The lunch was brought to an earlier close than normally with many an eye cast through the windows at the snowdrops and snow dropping in the neighbouring churchyard.
The Regional Captain has provided photographic evidence of his ride to Stowmarket, while the chairman ploughed his barrow through the blizzard to Sudbury, where his car refused to start. After another night at his mum's and some help from the RAC he managed to get to work in Norwich at 10:15 on Monday.

More pictures in East Gallery.

The venue for the 18th October was the Queen's Head on Maldon Quay. Elevenses meet at the Peartree Pantry in the parish of Hatfield Peverel. Mr Akers and I had discussed the loan of my Long-barrow and it seemed an ideal time to hand it over.
I felt that omens were going wrong when I trod on a hedgehog in my back gardem, Sorry Greta, I thought at first it was a clump of grass in the pre-dawn lack of light.
Tantrum on the roof and trike in the back of the car I headed off and realised as I entered Norwich that I had left the flying helmet and Mike Smith's Long Distance BAR certificates behind. Ca va, I pressed on.
After my whoosh down the A12 I got to Chelmsford and realised that things had changed little since I was at College there 40 years ago. For a start, it's a lot bigger! Still I recognised Victoria Road by the Station and found Regina Road and the Akers contingent. However the public car-park that Chelmsford District Council had promised me on the website wasn't and Roger had parked in the nearest option that promised an £85 fine to un-clamp your wheels when you got back. Assembling the barrow I found a nearby public car-park and apart from a mission to change notes into coins, we got re-located. By now it was 10:45 and the cafe was 9 miles away. Exiting Chelmsford may be OK in a car, but it's a nightmare on a cycle, but we managed to find the old A12 to Hatfield Peverel and eventually the cafe, so far out of town that we'd given up hope of finding it. But we'd missed them. Ferg and Roy had left at 11:15, bang on Ferg's schedule and we got there 15 minutes later.
A bash down the B1019 took us to Maldon where we met Alan Nye sporting his smart new Newton conversion. Ferg and Roy arrived soon after and we selected a couple of table overlooking the harbour as our base.
This really is a nice pub, the beer was good, the ham and cheese omelette was fluffy and delicious. The sun was shining and the company was top quality.
Ok, the weather is a bit of a lottery, but go there with the TA and you're almost there.
Roger and Emma on the long-barrow, Callum and myself set out to find a quieter route back to Chelmsford, missed the turn the Woodham Walters and ended up on the A414.
So we dived left into the lanes, no map and Martin's nose for a guide. I don't think it was too bad and must check exactly where we went. East and West Hanningfield came into it and then we approached the metropolis through Great Baddow.
A good start to my holiday, which will climax at Warwick for the Annual Reunion. Hope to see many of you there!

Mike will be reporting fully on the actual event.
Briefly all four entrants started and struggled around the course.
Martin began to feel the effects of those winter miles and was astounded to find himself still first on the road at the turn. The first of the supporting bike event caught him as he grovelled up the climb away from t'turn followed by Peter Holland who was grovelling a little faster (it's that kind of course, my friends, but still one of my favourites). Ian Mackezie caught me just before Garboldisham and hovered on the horizon for a couple more.
Drained, I rolled along to the HQ for lashings of tea and cake while outside the sun beat down. Ian and Peter both had other engagements and with none of the usual non-competitive members turning up Mike and myself set off for a webmasters clubrun.
Sadly both of us forgot our digital cameras so I'll have to do it all in words!
Trundling along via the Madgett's emporium (closed!) in Diss to Burston where we picked up the key to the museum and studied the exhibition of the longest strike in the world. It really brought home the contrast between the world less than a hundred years ago before the Great War, and also the similarities, bearing in mind recent accusations of social engineering in the classroom. Read all about it at www.burstonstrikeschool.org. Enough of this political stuff!
Across the Ipswich road and an inadvertent diversion took us down to National Bike Route 30 which wound pleasently by the side of the Waveney to the farm shop and cafe at Wortwell.
A generous teapot and breakfast later we sat outside with our ice-creams before retracing to Needham and then another leg of the route 30 to go through Hoxne and Palgrave to Roydon. The automatic braking system engaged as the Angel cafe came up on the port bow and we were angelically served up with more tea and a very refreshing lemon cheesecake. Last struggle up the hill to Bressingham, load trikes in cars and home!

A last minute call went out in the East to come for our traditional summer gathering on a Friday night at the Butt & Oyster at Pin Mill, haunt of yachtsmen on the banks of the Orwell estuary.
Adrian and Martin had decided that discretion was the better part of valour and, instead sacrificed the projected ride from London to Dunwich on Saturday night in favour of an evening eating and supping Adnams Ale in company with friends.
While Ferg was prospecting cafes in Bury St Edmunds in preparation for the pre-grass track gathering, Martin slipped out of work, and caught the train to Stowmarket. Alighting there I followed the old A45 route parallel to the A14. Unfortunately I appear to have missed the turning which would have saved me froom the confluence of the A14 and A12. As it was I turned up at a huge round-a-bout snarling with Friday evening motorists. Taking the A12 to Harwich in preference to the A14 to Felixistowe, though there's little between them, I found myself with artics whizzing past my ears. The first turning off couldn't come too soon and taking it I found myself in Copdock. A very pleasant run through Belstead and Wherestead took me to a cross roads with the A137 with the road ahead a "No Through Road", I was just about to set of to my left when I noticed the other sign "Except for bikes!". I followed a windy concrete track through to Felston, joining the main road a couple of miles from Pin Mill and found Ferg surrounded by tricyclists. Adrian, Jill and Rachel were there, with Roy Prockter, Paul Wiltshire and Brian . Food and beer was ordered and I joined the table. Conversations were running up and down the board before the meals arrived, picking up again with the empty plates, though it never died away. Andrew Pattle appeared followed later by John Purser. And so they began to drift back to their homes, leaving John, Ferg and myself till last. John gave the two of us, bicycle borne I'm afraid, a lift to Ipswich station, then I had the 7 miles ride home from Norwich before I crawled into my bed, very much in the early hours.
A good evening, thanks Ferg for organising it.

This section will be developed to inform members of goings on in the Eastern Region.

Although this is not a TA event certain members of the East Region have taken this event to their hearts. In previous years we have dined in the garden of the Angel in Debenham after Ferg has led us through the local lanes wet and dry. The main street has been glowing with cherry blossom and spring has been definitely in the air.

2008 was different. After dragging Ferg out of the excellent second-hand book-shop down to the cafe at the Teapottery for coffee and cake with Peter Lucas and Ian Charity and Dilys. Ferg then led Peter and Martin around the east of Debenham were we discovered a farm selling bottles of apple juice for a quid a piece.

Return to Debenham and the Angel. Dining inside this year to view the cast of Debenham's future production of "Oliver" carrolling the passers-by. After a baguette and a pint the racing men headed to the event HQ and then to the start.

Ferg entertained us by rolling his barrow in an effort to avoid a U turn, he has some flimsy excuse about putting his foot down on non-existent terra-firma. Ian Mckenzie led off as No. 1 did not start, Martin followed down the gift hill to the tight left hand bend and Alan Austin's video-cam. Up to the main road along the switch-back road into the wind coming straight from Siberia. Left heading along the lane that leads through Kenton to Occold (well named) and Ferg caught me for a minute, obviously I laughed too hard at his misfortune. From Occold south again to finish four minutes slower than last year.

Ferg was four minutes slower too and first timer Ian scooped his second win in successive events to claim the Stowmarket & DCC mug which was rapidly brought into use for holding his tea.

The course has everything that a tricyclist needs, plenty of bends and sharp climbs and home-made cakes and tea at the finish.