Silver Spokes give back with roadside cleanup
- Chris Abbott
- May 7
- 2 min read
Chris Abbott
Editor
The Silver Spokes Cycling Club appreciates Norfolk County’s many relatively quiet, safe and well-maintained roads for their cycling enjoyment.
The club ‘gives back’ to the county – and its communities – with an annual roadside clean-up project. This year the club focused on roads around Ramlin’ Road Brewery Farm north of Delhi on a very cold Saturday, April 26 morning.
“It went well,” said Silver Spokes member Rob Martin, one of a dozen club and family members who dressed warmly for the occasion. “We collected about 30 bags… and everybody still seemed to be in a good mood by the end of it – in spite of the cold weather. There’s so many different side roads, we kind of sent everybody in a different direction and tried to cover as much as we could.”
After about 1.5 to 2 hours of cleaning roadsides and ditches, the Silver Spokes wrapped up the event with lunch at Ramblin’ Road.
The annual cleanup has been a club project ‘a great many years,’ said Martin.
“It’s tradition - we’ve been doing this for a long time. And I think it’s about giving a little something back to the County, helping them to keep it as clean as we can. That, for me, is what it’s all about – giving back – because we are very fortunate out here. We have just loads and loads of well-maintained, quiet, (surfaced) roads… and it’s just a pleasure to ride around here. Friends of mine have said ‘this is like heaven out here.’”
The Silver Spokes cycling season typically kicks off in April, depending on weather. Rides continue through the spring, summer and fall. Last year they had about 70 active members.
Rides are scheduled almost every day of the week. Some start in the morning, some are evening rides, split between Simcoe & Hay Creek (two), Delhi and Courtland (one).
There are four levels in the club – casual up to sportif riders. ‘Riding in a Group’ tutorial rides are held in the spring for new group cyclists.
“My rides (early hours), we typically get maybe 8-10 people out. The evening rides are much better attended. Rides are two to two-and-half hours. My rides are a little bit longer, so we’re talking 50, 60, 80-km, depending…”
“Everybody is local, other than one or two. Delhi, Tillsonburg, Port Dover, Simcoe… or somewhere in between.”
The Silver Spokes were founded in 1939 by Albert Coulier as a racing club, said Martin. In recent years, with less races available, there has been a significant shift toward recreational cycling.
“Our No. 1 priority for the club is road safety – get everybody out and back again safely,” said 73-year-old Martin. “Because if that doesn’t happen, what else matters?”
For more information on the Silver Spokes – and their ride schedules – visit their website at silverspokescycling.com .
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