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Pickwick Bicycle Club Magazine Volume 18 No.1 March 2021 12
various Pickwickian Clubs including The Dickens Pickwick Club; The Somerset, who meet in a shooting
Lodge, The City Pickwick Club (who had seven former Lord Mayors of London as Members!), The
Rochester (who assist with the Rochester Dickens Christmas Carnival), The Portsmouth, The Manchester
Club and also a Ladies Club in Surrey. There is also a male Rugby Club in Holland, and quite a few other
clubs around the world including the USA and Verona in Italy, along with a few others which I can't
recall. Our own member Boz (Ian Dickens) is also President of The Dicken's Fellowship Association,
which is the umbrella organisation for "all things Dickens" worldwide. I then met several of the members
of the Dickens Pickwick Club; I found we had a lot in common, although not bikes! But since joining, a
few other PBC members have also joined the Dickens Pickwick Club.
Where does the GS Lanterne Rouge fit into your story?
We formed it as a sociable cycling club 40 years ago for all types in the world of cycling; riders, ex-racers
and of<icials all by invitation only, open to forty-plus year olds and not registered to any organisation, but
to enjoy sociable cycling, with regular Tuesday and Thursday cafe rides and pub runs, along with
monthly Sunday club runs. In the early days we used to have "Away Days" to France and "Weekends" to
ride the foreign Sportives: Paris-Roubaix, Liege-Bastone-Liege, The Tour of Flanders, The Champagne
Randonee and many others. In fact we were playing out our fantasies, which we couldn't afford when we
were younger! We originally anticipated the life span of the club would be 8 - 10 years, but here we are,
nearly 40 years later and we're still "Zooming" about!
And finally, you have met a number of well known people within the Cycling Fraternity-
would you care to name some of them and say why you remember them in particular?
Yes, along with Mike Bunyan (Middlesex Dumpling), I was a 12-hour minder recently for Eddy Merckx,
I've met Sean Kelly several times, Mark Cavendish, Phil Liggett has been a personal friend of mine for the
best part of 50 years, Paul Sherwen (RIP), Ernest Colnago. I also met many cycling stars whilst working
on The Milk Race during the 1970s here in the UK of course, The World Cycling Championships in the UK
in 1981 and then the Tour Down Under in Australia for several years. Among former PBC members, Ron
Kitching, Monty Young, Eddie Taylor, Bob Thom, Rob Webb, Chas Messenger, Bob Chicken and of course
Dennis Donovan. All sadly passed on now to the great velodrome (and bar) in the sky!

Ron, it has been a real pleasure listening to Your Life in Cycling. Is there anything you
want to add as a message to the new Members of the Pickwick BC?
Be proud to be a Member of the world's oldest and most famous Cycling Club; to enjoy your time and
make friends, and they, in return will reciprocate and you will have their friendship for life.

Also, as a main claim to fame, I actually changed by one day only, the planned operation date of my
darling daughter, Deanna's birth, from 3rd to the 4th December 1987. She has never forgiven me !!
However, by sheer accident she has the same birthday as Deanna Durbin (a famous war time <ilm star)
who she was named after. Thanks to all the Club of<icials and organising team for our "150" celebrations
and be assured that the number "151" celebrations will be just as great. Wishing Mr Samuel Pickwick
good health and fortune as he enters his second year of of<ice (in fact, the only President to do so I think!)
Also to the committee and membership, those immortal words…… "Always look on the bright side”
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to "Talk" to you during this wretched "Covid Year".
Stay safe and well. With best wishes for 2021.
Regards, Ron Gray (Justice Stareleigh)

So, I now have to decide who is a candidate for the October magazine……….Editor