Axe Valley Pedallers was formed in 2005 as a community-based club, drawing members from Seaton and many surrounding towns and villages along the Axe Valley.
We aim to have a variety of rides to cover all abilities, ages from 18 upwards and have fun doing it.
Many of our rides incorporate a coffee/cake stop somewhere en-route, which, for many of us, is an essential part of the ride.
This year has been very disappointing, as so many racing and sportive and charity rides have had to be cancelled due to the coronavirus, but some dates for next year are already appearing on the calendar and we are just hoping to be able to participate.
For those that do not know, most "sportives" and charity rides are held over a choice of two or three distances to ride, such as thirty, sixty, or a hundred miles. They are not a race, just a personal challenge to complete the distance, and they are normally well marshalled with food and drink stops and many riders taking part.
The biggest charity event in this area is "The Nello", so called after the name of the founder some twenty years ago, and held annually to raise money for the Force Exeter based charity to help people receiving treatment for cancer, and in 2019 raised over £100,000 in the one single day with around 1500 riders taking part.
For a taste of such an event, go to YouTube and enter a search "The Nello 2019" where you can see a half-hour video of the event, which starts and finishes at Topsham.
The photo shows us gathering for a typical club ride last year, whereas this year, in the various stages of lockdown, we have been confined to much shorter rides, with just a maximum of six or two riders or even solo only,
Big events, such as the Tour de France - always a must-see on TV - were all postponed and crammed into a short period towards this autumn.
Here’s hoping for a happy and better 2021.