Changing Places event at Derby Velodrome

         I cycled to Pride Park for this event. There were a lot of groups and organisations represented there but the main focus of the day was (for me) the most important. It was eye opening and quite alarming to sit in the drivers seat of the cement wagon and realise how huge are the blind areas (they are not spots as car drivers call them). Although this wagon had extra mirrors beyond the statutory requirement, you still cannot see much along the nearside (or even immediately in front). Two bikes were placed at different positions on the nearside of the wagon and were completely invisible. This vehicle was also fitted with video cameras and it was only when they were switched on that the bikes could be seen in the display above the windscreen.

Now, no matter how much of a hurry I am in or how late for a meeting or train, I will never be tempted to cut through slow traffic containing heavy goods vehicles. Better to arrive late!

          We were given the chance to have glimpse inside the velodrome - still very much under construction. They hope to be largely finished by April 2014 when an Open Day for the public is promised.

          There was a “street velodrome” set up (cycle on a tight circuit round cones on the tarmac but turn on near vertical curved ramps at each end) and it was good to see youngsters in Derby Mercury kit fearlessly giving their all on that circuit. Local successors to Laura Trott, Victoria Pendleton, Jason Kenny, Chris Hoy and all the others?

Cycling films in Wirksworth

Jeremy Taylor informs me that the renovated 51-seater Northern Light cinema in Wirksworth will be showing two cycling films. A "Sunday in Hell", a film about the gruelling Paris-Roubaix race in northern France, will be shown at 19:30 on Thursday 28 November, and a second film "Janapar" at 16:00 and 20:00 on Sunday 1 December. The latter concerns the 12 000-mile ride without maps or guidebooks by 23-year old Tom Allen. En route, Tom's ride takes an unlikely turn when he falls in love with an Iranian-Armenian girl! Tom Allen will be present at the cinema to answer questions, after the screenings, and he will be selling a DVD and signing books. The cinema opens one hour before each performance and has a fully licensed bar and tapas snacks. Regular old-style tilt-up cinema seats are £6.50 (£5.50 seniors), armchair £8.50 and sofa for two including wine £25.00. All tickets must be purchased in advance, either on line www.thenorthernlightcinema.co.uk or by phone 01629 337513 (the box office is open Wed to Sun from 16:00 to 19:00).