Dulwich Hill Bicycle Club

The Pennies are gonna happen soon; 16-24 Feb!!


I've begun a crazyguyonabike journal for the trip. I've called it The Land of Buck-Teeth and Banjos, which I hope you'll agree is humorous without being insulting. OK, so it's insulting, but I go out of my way to make up for it in a disclaimer.

I hope I'm not treading on anyone's toes by doing this - i.e. if you were thinking of setting up a journal yourself. For anyone who's coming touring while we're down there (Lindsay, James, Tim, Selga) and might like to be involved in contributing to this journal, let me know.

OMG, Huw is going to ride a penny!

Ok, make sure you only use wheels with high spoke count.

Good luck and enjoy the journey.

but I go out of my way to make up for it in a disclaimer.

your so thoughtful...

Starting a journal is good... I'll contribute.

OMG, Huw is going to ride a penny!

Yes, indeed!!

I'll contribute

What I could do is add you to the author list for the journal. Would you like to do that?

Before you go, why don't you all come over to my place and we can watch the classic Bucktoothed Banjo's film "Deliverance".

For a recap, see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esl2NNOtHQE

ps. can I join you on your next penny training day?

I can't get to evendale this Feb but riding a penny is on my list of things to do before I die.

Unfortunately, there may be no more training days until this time next year, when Al gets them out again for the Evandale virgins.

You MUST ride a Penny Farthing. More silent than a regular bike (no chain noise), just the swishing of long spokes through the air as you glide along, observing all from upon high.

Looks good!!! Though there are rules that we established last year for the amount of time you are allowed to spend updating the journal....

When was this secret Penny Training i missed out on??? Though i guess the century is usually enough training. Hopefully the spokes on the big Czechs have new spokes for me, i'll have to ask Al.

Anyway, i've been trying to work out where we'll be touring to. The plan is to head northwest, so after a bit of searching around, i've got a few places we should stop at. The Nut at Stanley (might be the furthest west we want to go), Cheese Factory at Burnie, The Promised Land near Sheffield (home of Tasmazia - worlds biggest maze, and a Pancake Parlour to keep up our pancake tradition). Deloraine is also a nice place to stop, and i'm sure there's plenty of other places along the coast, such as opportunities to see the little penguins. Lastly i wouldn't mind stopping at Cradle Mountain, but due to a lack of cheaper accomodation there, and distances i probably won't be allowed to include it, as it would require a 150km day of riding, which i'm sure includes some climbing.

Let me know your ideas and i'll try to plan a route.

More silent than a regular bike (no chain noise), just the swishing of long spokes through the air as you glide along, observing all from upon high.

You haven't heard a penny clanging across the railway lines, or the rear wheel bouncing as you take a corner at full speed, though i guess that's where the craziness of riding one comes in.

You haven't heard a penny clanging across the railway lines, or the rear wheel bouncing as you take a corner at full speed ...

... or the screams of pain as the Iron Thylacine tears another strip of flesh from your bum ...?

Long legs Huw.... how many inches will you be riding?

52" to 55" I think??

Al mentioned riding a smaller wheel for the century, and a bigger wheel for the racing. But I'm not totally sure what he has in mind.

Actually, Al said his brother was a bit poorly and everything was up in the air, since he might have to stay behind to take care of him. Does anyone know whether Al is any more certain whether he'll be able to make it down or not?

For racing you'd want the 55/56", and for me i prefer to ride the same in the century to get good leg extension, otherwise 52" would probably be good.

I might drop into Al's tonight because i need some spokes, so i'll find oout what the situation is.

Saw Al on Saturday and he said he was overloaded with work, on top of getting the pennies ready and his usual stuff, he was minding the shop while Johnny was away.

Let me know your ideas and i'll try to plan a route.

I've chatted briefly with Selga about it, but neither of us have any particular ideas. Cradle Mt does sound interesting to me . . .

I note that Lindsay, in his 2007 journal said that he wanted to go west in 2008.