75-mile CTC SEG Reliability Ride, Wickford, Essex, 12/2/12
- Thread starter CTC_SEG
- Start date
Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
the ride is confirmed as on for all you silent majority turning up on the day
.........
Dear all,
I've just - well, a bit warlier - finished checking the most important roads.
There's a tricky patch (about 20 yards) on Swan Lane, Stock - just be careful, please. However, the bit I was most worrying about: Mill Road, North End, is as dry as dust (kind of).
All lanes are clear, and since there are no clouds anywhere to be seen, I doubt that there will be snow soon either.
So considering the fairly good conditions (except for the cold), please arrive early, if you Enter On the Line.
==> I am expecting a good turnout!
Please disseminate to your cycling colleagues - thanks.
Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow.
Regards,
Stefan
--
The SEG's 75 - 75 Mile Reliability Ride
### Sunday 12th February 2012 ###
### from 8:30 am ###
Start at Market Café, Wickford, Essex SS12 0AL
Contact: Stefan on s.eichenseher@googlemail.com
Entry form on www.essexcycling.co.uk
.........
Dear all,
I've just - well, a bit warlier - finished checking the most important roads.
There's a tricky patch (about 20 yards) on Swan Lane, Stock - just be careful, please. However, the bit I was most worrying about: Mill Road, North End, is as dry as dust (kind of).
All lanes are clear, and since there are no clouds anywhere to be seen, I doubt that there will be snow soon either.
So considering the fairly good conditions (except for the cold), please arrive early, if you Enter On the Line.
==> I am expecting a good turnout!
Please disseminate to your cycling colleagues - thanks.
Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow.
Regards,
Stefan
--
The SEG's 75 - 75 Mile Reliability Ride
### Sunday 12th February 2012 ###
### from 8:30 am ###
Start at Market Café, Wickford, Essex SS12 0AL
Contact: Stefan on s.eichenseher@googlemail.com
Entry form on www.essexcycling.co.uk
yikes what a testing day
late leaving for the ride to the start, not entirely awake, very cold still some ice about, freezinf drizzle started an hour out and was horrid, had solid ice on my glasses and over the gps, I slowed to pull over on the shoulder of a junction and went straight over on a huge sheet of black ice, not hurt but comic to get off it witht he bike, the route ws ok although a bit icey in places, thankfully the latter stages had been well grtiied which wa welcome
I arrived at the start at 9.20 for my 9am start, only three starters for 9.30, I passed three riders glumy climbing a series of hills on the approach to Wickford that I glady roared down, ha, I then got to climb them within 15 minutes of going down them
it was horrid, very cold, the small roads were highly suspect, some only had tyre tracks clear. After my early scrap with black ice, it was a horrid worry, very cold headwind and a constant fear of going fast and coming off
caught a bloke about to turn back, carring the route sheet in your right hand seemed to be in vogue, I felt very sensible with a gps and a cunning new route sheet holder made from a cd case the night before, the hinge caught some admiring glances as I changed stage, later a quick type caught us both and away they went, route sheets in hand, it was a constant complaint from the riders I spoke of losing the route, tsk
as the roads started to get better I got to a small humpback bridge quite quickly, slight right turn, and whallop the bike goes, a split second to think this is really going to hurt, lying in the road all on my ownsome wondering abouit an ambulance, got up slowly and carefully and reaslied that othan a torn right knee on the long with small scrap to same knee of leg, small graze of right elbow, front mudguard a bit bent but easily fixed, I was well chuffed, touch, I spent some time looking for the cause, a tiny patch of black ice that was almost invisble, only found it by rubbing my show here and there, horrible bloody stuff
arrived at the town hall at halfway with 45 mins to spare, bless the three old boys running it, I was the fifth to arrive! as per other years they forced bananas, mini mars, biscuits and two teas, I filled my pockets and felt much more cheerful until I realised the next contolrwas 15 miles away and closed in an hour
I set off glumy but felt much stronger and the roads were suddenly clear so I cracked on and made it, the young lady was inside the Leather Bottle along with people having roast dinner and having sharpners before the rugby, quite the wrench t leave and then realise the next control was 10 miles away and closed in 30 minutes, jeez
some swearing and away to try, nice road and ifelt good other then going up hills like a kitten, 15 minutes late but he's still there bless, in a garden centre carpark rather than the fox and something further down the road, all good and then the ride to the finish to some small applause from Stefan and the the garden centre (and Water Tower control) fella clapped politley which felt like a crowd of thousands cheering, some chitchat , Stefan bless him spots the torn knee and I get to tell my story in suitably heroic but understated terms, he then ask where I'm riding to now as I start to kit up whilce the others are all getting into cars, home I say modestly, heaks how far, 35 miles I say modestly to pleasant expressions of disbelief and admiration in equal measure
but the disbelif would be right, I was good for the distance but I was so late that it got dark sudenly earlier than I hoped and the little Essex lane were horrid, very hard to pick up the verge, dazzled but quite a few wagons bombing around with very very bright headlights, not fun at all, eventually a white line started up which was a great help and far later than I though street lights slowly started up
home, few, enough in the tank to go via the offie for some Polish medicine, kit minging, the wife says I look black with dirt, the gps was a life saver, the cd route sheet holder worked very well, the new 4:1 powder in the drink seemed to work wonders, for once the NV jacket wasn't too hot but just right
top speed 29.5mph, god knows where, proabl coming down the big hills around Chigwell near to home, the ones I crawled up at 7am, average speed 13.8mph, quite pleased wth that tbh, I thought it lower
so I know I can do the distance in fairly good order and the drink power is good stuff, well pleased
mind you, anyone that didn;t do this because of the roads was justified, it was touch and go and it might very easily have been worse than the one hard spill I had
and 142 miles for the day, cor
late leaving for the ride to the start, not entirely awake, very cold still some ice about, freezinf drizzle started an hour out and was horrid, had solid ice on my glasses and over the gps, I slowed to pull over on the shoulder of a junction and went straight over on a huge sheet of black ice, not hurt but comic to get off it witht he bike, the route ws ok although a bit icey in places, thankfully the latter stages had been well grtiied which wa welcome
I arrived at the start at 9.20 for my 9am start, only three starters for 9.30, I passed three riders glumy climbing a series of hills on the approach to Wickford that I glady roared down, ha, I then got to climb them within 15 minutes of going down them
it was horrid, very cold, the small roads were highly suspect, some only had tyre tracks clear. After my early scrap with black ice, it was a horrid worry, very cold headwind and a constant fear of going fast and coming off
caught a bloke about to turn back, carring the route sheet in your right hand seemed to be in vogue, I felt very sensible with a gps and a cunning new route sheet holder made from a cd case the night before, the hinge caught some admiring glances as I changed stage, later a quick type caught us both and away they went, route sheets in hand, it was a constant complaint from the riders I spoke of losing the route, tsk
as the roads started to get better I got to a small humpback bridge quite quickly, slight right turn, and whallop the bike goes, a split second to think this is really going to hurt, lying in the road all on my ownsome wondering abouit an ambulance, got up slowly and carefully and reaslied that othan a torn right knee on the long with small scrap to same knee of leg, small graze of right elbow, front mudguard a bit bent but easily fixed, I was well chuffed, touch, I spent some time looking for the cause, a tiny patch of black ice that was almost invisble, only found it by rubbing my show here and there, horrible bloody stuff
arrived at the town hall at halfway with 45 mins to spare, bless the three old boys running it, I was the fifth to arrive! as per other years they forced bananas, mini mars, biscuits and two teas, I filled my pockets and felt much more cheerful until I realised the next contolrwas 15 miles away and closed in an hour
I set off glumy but felt much stronger and the roads were suddenly clear so I cracked on and made it, the young lady was inside the Leather Bottle along with people having roast dinner and having sharpners before the rugby, quite the wrench t leave and then realise the next control was 10 miles away and closed in 30 minutes, jeez
some swearing and away to try, nice road and ifelt good other then going up hills like a kitten, 15 minutes late but he's still there bless, in a garden centre carpark rather than the fox and something further down the road, all good and then the ride to the finish to some small applause from Stefan and the the garden centre (and Water Tower control) fella clapped politley which felt like a crowd of thousands cheering, some chitchat , Stefan bless him spots the torn knee and I get to tell my story in suitably heroic but understated terms, he then ask where I'm riding to now as I start to kit up whilce the others are all getting into cars, home I say modestly, heaks how far, 35 miles I say modestly to pleasant expressions of disbelief and admiration in equal measure
but the disbelif would be right, I was good for the distance but I was so late that it got dark sudenly earlier than I hoped and the little Essex lane were horrid, very hard to pick up the verge, dazzled but quite a few wagons bombing around with very very bright headlights, not fun at all, eventually a white line started up which was a great help and far later than I though street lights slowly started up
home, few, enough in the tank to go via the offie for some Polish medicine, kit minging, the wife says I look black with dirt, the gps was a life saver, the cd route sheet holder worked very well, the new 4:1 powder in the drink seemed to work wonders, for once the NV jacket wasn't too hot but just right
top speed 29.5mph, god knows where, proabl coming down the big hills around Chigwell near to home, the ones I crawled up at 7am, average speed 13.8mph, quite pleased wth that tbh, I thought it lower
so I know I can do the distance in fairly good order and the drink power is good stuff, well pleased
mind you, anyone that didn;t do this because of the roads was justified, it was touch and go and it might very easily have been worse than the one hard spill I had
and 142 miles for the day, cor
142 Miles on a very cold and icy feb day
