# Short cycling tour of Essex - a triumph over heart failure



## Effyb4 (22 May 2015)

First, let me say that I had a double heart bypass 18 months ago and have heart failure following this. This means that I will never be able to go very far or very fast, but I love riding my bike.

I had been looking forward to this tour for weeks.I would love to do a longer tour one day, but thought this would be a good way of seeing how I like it. I planned a 3 day tour of Essex, starting in Thurrock and going to Maldon on the first day. The second day would take me from Maldon to Saffron Walden and the third day from Maldon back to Thurrock.

We packed up on Monday and neither of us slept very much before we set off on Tuesday. I had planned to start off fairly easily with a 30 mile ride to Maldon. At 8.30 am we were ready to go. The first part to Hanningfield reservoir we had ridden several times before and I was feeling good about this part of the journey. In fact we practically flew to Maldon, with the wind behind us all the way. We had a couple of short rest stops of 5 minutes or so and made it to Maldon before lunch time. We had lunch in a pub by the Hythe, where the Thames barges are moored up and then went to our B&B, which was in a converted pub.





Ready for the off. Patchy wanted to come too!




Fields near Basildon




Short rest stop at East Hanningfield




Thames barges at Maldon




I took a dress, so I wouldn't feel too silly walking around. 

Day 2 dawned and I was feeling ready for a slightly longer ride today of 36 miles. My legs had been a bit achy over night, but apart from that all was good. This was going to be the day with the most climbing. I was feeling really good in the morning and we made it to the Blue Egg at Great Bardfield for lunch. This is cycling mecca in Essex, as Alex Dowsett often pops in. Apparently he had just left. The wildlife was very friendly at the Blue Egg and we had a companion for lunch, who sat at our table.

The cycling became a bit tougher after lunch and it felt like it was up and down hill (and repeat) all the way to Saffron Walden. We had lots of stops at the top of hills, but I didn't have to walk any of them. Yay!!! At the top of a particularly tough hill (for me) I got off the bike and lay down on a grassy bank. It was then we heard a gun shot and hoped there wasn't going to be an angry farmer ask what we were doing on his land.




Chickens at the Blue Egg




At the Blue Egg




A visitor came for lunch

I was a bit nervous on the dawn of day 3. This was going to be our longest day at 50 miles and we were going to have to go up and down the same hills from Saffron Walden to Debden. The hills felt a lot easier with fresh legs and we were soon on our way past Stansted airport. The day was full of lovely country lanes and it felt really good going past some of the café stops that Jeff visits on his club runs. We passed White Roding and stopped at Norton Heath for lunch. There were a lot of other cyclists there enjoying a fried breakfast or apple pie and custard.

We seemed quite invigorated after our lunch stop and we felt we were nearly home when we passed Blackmore. We were soon through Billericay and at home. I really enjoyed our tour and look forward to a longer one soon.





Countryside near Stansted airport




The road home

The route is here if anyone is interested.
https://www.strava.com/activities/308827765
https://www.strava.com/activities/308827777
https://www.strava.com/activities/308827799


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## Drago (22 May 2015)

As a fellow dicky heart sufferer - though not nearly as serious as yours - I can say "Well done" with some feeling.


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## Mo1959 (22 May 2015)

@Effyb4 Well done. Sounds a great tour and love the pics. Thanks for sharing with us.


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## Keith Oates (22 May 2015)

Glad you enjoyed the short tour and that you are keen to do more but that means writing another blog to match this one and I hope the sunshine follows you again when you do the next tour.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## sight-pin (22 May 2015)

Nice post and nice going. Glad you had a nice time.


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## Elswick Cotterpin (22 May 2015)

Thanks for this, enjoyed the pictures and the write-up. I'm glad you enjoyed it. Congratulations on your achievement!


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## Sauce pot (22 May 2015)

Congratulations on your road trip. You should be very proud.


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## ScotiaLass (22 May 2015)

Well done!
I enjoyed reading your report


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## raleighnut (22 May 2015)

Nice one, well done


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## Lilliburlero (22 May 2015)

Well done, Effyb4


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## ianrauk (22 May 2015)

Good read. Thanks. And well done.
We popped into the Blue Egg (or should I say myself and 300+ others on the Great Escape Audax last saturday). There are some lovely cycling roads around there. Maldon is also a regular destination for us too.


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## SatNavSaysStraightOn (22 May 2015)

Congrats and well done. 
Hopefully you will be able to consider something a touch longer (in number of days) over the summer?


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## GlasgowFinn (22 May 2015)

Great read - well done.


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## Effyb4 (22 May 2015)

Thanks everyone for the comments. I had a great time. @ianrauk it was fantastic cycling country. In fact hubby said he will be back to do the route again at his speed (in one day) @SatNavSaysStraightOn I'm definitely planning a longer ride (maybe 7 or 8 days) at a future date, although I think the daily mileage will have to still be 30-50 miles.


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## SatNavSaysStraightOn (22 May 2015)

Effyb4 said:


> @SatNavSaysStraightOn I'm definitely planning a longer ride (maybe 7 or 8 days) at a future date, although I think the daily mileage will have to still be 30-50 miles.


that is a more than sensible enough target mileage. I rarely cover more than that unless I know I have very fit and healthy at the time, which with my record is not very often!


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## Nomadski (22 May 2015)

Enjoyed reading your report @Effyb4, sounds like you had a lot of fun! And congratulations on not letting past events hold you back from doing what you love.


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## Dayvo (22 May 2015)

Good write-up and lovely pictures of the Essex countryside: I remember some of those roads (on day 3) from my youth - I'm from Brentwood. 

Makes me yearn for a return (in time and location ).


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## Stonechat (22 May 2015)

Well done @Effyb4


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## jefmcg (22 May 2015)

Three cheers! You certainly have dealt with heart failure well. A mother of a friend had it recently, as the end stage of a syndrome that slowly took everything away from her. I didn't realise what you could achieve in that state.

Bravo!


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## Arrowfoot (22 May 2015)

Well done. Inspirational.


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## Effyb4 (23 May 2015)

Dayvo said:


> Good write-up and lovely pictures of the Essex countryside: I remember some of those roads (on day 3) from my youth - I'm from Brentwood.
> 
> Makes me yearn for a return (in time and location ).


 
There certainly is some beautiful countryside in Essex. Taking the photos was a good way of getting our breath back and having a little break.




jefmcg said:


> Three cheers! You certainly have dealt with heart failure well. A mother of a friend had it recently, as the end stage of a syndrome that slowly took everything away from her. I didn't realise what you could achieve in that state.
> 
> Bravo!


 
There are different stages of heart failure. I am lucky that I have stage 1. My heart is damaged and doesn't function as well as it should, but with the help of medication and exercising regularly, I am able to do most things. I just need to know my limits. I know that for people with more severe heart failure it can be difficult to do even the most basic things.

Thank you everyone I do appreciate all your lovely comments.


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## Pat "5mph" (4 Jun 2015)

Enjoyed reading your ride report and looking at the pictures.
Well done, thanks for posting.


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## jiberjaber (5 Jun 2015)

Excellent write up and ride, looks like you had ideal weather for it too 

Hopefully see you on the Essex lanes sometime


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## Stephen C (5 Jun 2015)

Great write up, I live close to Saffron Walden and you've reminded me to explore that area again, some cracking roads around there!


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## galaxy (21 Jun 2015)

Its good to see you have your bike to keep you happy.


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## Dave 123 (21 Jun 2015)

We all know too many people with nowt wrong with them who use a plethora of excuses of why they can't get off their backsides. It's great to read your story, thank you.


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## Paul139 (28 Jun 2015)

A very big well done and congratulations on completing your tour, you must be very proud of yourself. Glad you enjoyed some of my local roads.


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## Cathryn (29 Jun 2015)

Beautiful pictures, I love them. And you look really healthy! Congratulations on a great tour.


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## dellzeqq (4 Jul 2015)

Essex (he says for the umpteenth time) is a wildly underrated county - so thankyou for sharing

If you ever feel like doing the like again, do please consider going on from Maldon to Mersea, Harwich and then in to Suffolk. There's enough pleasure in it to make mileage more or less irrelevant.


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## Effyb4 (4 Jul 2015)

That sounds like a good route @dellzeqq I was planning on doing a slightly longer tour another time. I love exploring new places.

@Cathryn I am feeling much more healthy now and I firmly believe that the cycling is helping


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## beachy (22 Jul 2015)

Great write up, thanks and well done.


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