StuAff
Silencing his legs regularly
- Location
- Portsmouth
Thanks to the work leave computer saying 'No' rather a lot, this was my first FNR since Brighton and the last of my year as well (unless the Christmas ride is on December 27th!). Happily, it was a very good one indeed. Thanks to the work hours moving forward a couple of months back, the post-work rush has become somewhat less rushing- from seven and a half minutes before to twenty two and a half now to make the fast train of choice. So, changing at work (luxury!) and round on the platform at 2132, six minutes before the service departed. Held up at Micheldever (after Winchester) and then again later on, so about fifteen minutes late into Waterloo, but not exactly a problem. Time enough to fill the bottles (downstairs water point open again, yay!) and make my way round to the NT in leisurely fashion to find ride leader Nick and a veritable flock of riders already in place. Splendid to see @StuartG again, and of course the rider of the night, the irrepressible Buffy. Though I bet Chris her human wishes Schmidt would come up with a WAG dynamo system to harness her seemingly huge reserves of canine kinetic energy!
Early stretch was predictably slow, even before Dan's unfortunate waymarking mishap. Lot of roadworks in the City meant a lot of gaps and hold-ups, and this was most definitely not like one of those 'super-speedy' rides Simon ran. Some were definitely finding it a bit of a struggle, though (on account of our breakfast venue not opening until 8.30) we were certainly not in a rush. Did a fair bit of waymarking, and it was usually quite a wait for TEC Martin. Did at least get a bit of good exercise racing back to the front (though, due to act of Garmin, the 1500 KOMs I got have disappeared into the ether
) Once past Romford and out of the London grot, we finally hit actual countryside. Our 'halfway' in Doddingshurst was at only 27 and a bit miles out of 62, and we were there just after three. Fantastic work again by those lovely people, the chocolate cake being a particular highlight. Though I naturally made an effort to sample as wide a range of the cakes as possible!
We were soon on our way again, at about 4.15. I was delighted to find, when waymarking a corner in Blackmore, that the splendid tea rooms there, which I visited on another (day) ride to Maldon back in 2011, were still open- on that very corner. We skirted round Chelmsford to the north, just about getting within its limits, (as with the Southend ride, a more direct route would just get us to the end too early) before going east as far as Terling. And then, the home stretch south/south east. Having had previous experience of Essex fords, I declined to get my feet wet again. Thanks to a controlled pace and those inadvertently helpful mishaps, we reached Maldon pretty much on time. Unsurprisingly, given our number, getting drinks and food took a little time, but the breakfast was well worth the wait. Nom.
Given the length of the schlep home, heading off to the nearest station was a priority, and a small peloton formed to make our way to Witham (same distance as Hatfield Peverel but more services). Though I (eventually) got Nick's suggested route on the Garmin- that breakfast wait was put to use- it didn't work very well for any of us, so after an impromptu tour of Maldon, we went for a play-it-by-ear Route One approach, which worked out well enough to leave plenty of time to make the 1110 service into Liverpool Street. Back there at noon, and after eventually escaping (had to lug the bike up stairs) the shortish hop to Waterloo wasn't too bad. Time enough to buy a sandwich before the one-an-hour actual train home (the Guildford line having engineering work, and no thank you to going on Southern if I can help it). Home at just after three, nap ASAP.
Thanks Nick and everyone else, and see you…sometime!
Early stretch was predictably slow, even before Dan's unfortunate waymarking mishap. Lot of roadworks in the City meant a lot of gaps and hold-ups, and this was most definitely not like one of those 'super-speedy' rides Simon ran. Some were definitely finding it a bit of a struggle, though (on account of our breakfast venue not opening until 8.30) we were certainly not in a rush. Did a fair bit of waymarking, and it was usually quite a wait for TEC Martin. Did at least get a bit of good exercise racing back to the front (though, due to act of Garmin, the 1500 KOMs I got have disappeared into the ether
) Once past Romford and out of the London grot, we finally hit actual countryside. Our 'halfway' in Doddingshurst was at only 27 and a bit miles out of 62, and we were there just after three. Fantastic work again by those lovely people, the chocolate cake being a particular highlight. Though I naturally made an effort to sample as wide a range of the cakes as possible!We were soon on our way again, at about 4.15. I was delighted to find, when waymarking a corner in Blackmore, that the splendid tea rooms there, which I visited on another (day) ride to Maldon back in 2011, were still open- on that very corner. We skirted round Chelmsford to the north, just about getting within its limits, (as with the Southend ride, a more direct route would just get us to the end too early) before going east as far as Terling. And then, the home stretch south/south east. Having had previous experience of Essex fords, I declined to get my feet wet again. Thanks to a controlled pace and those inadvertently helpful mishaps, we reached Maldon pretty much on time. Unsurprisingly, given our number, getting drinks and food took a little time, but the breakfast was well worth the wait. Nom.
Given the length of the schlep home, heading off to the nearest station was a priority, and a small peloton formed to make our way to Witham (same distance as Hatfield Peverel but more services). Though I (eventually) got Nick's suggested route on the Garmin- that breakfast wait was put to use- it didn't work very well for any of us, so after an impromptu tour of Maldon, we went for a play-it-by-ear Route One approach, which worked out well enough to leave plenty of time to make the 1110 service into Liverpool Street. Back there at noon, and after eventually escaping (had to lug the bike up stairs) the shortish hop to Waterloo wasn't too bad. Time enough to buy a sandwich before the one-an-hour actual train home (the Guildford line having engineering work, and no thank you to going on Southern if I can help it). Home at just after three, nap ASAP.
Thanks Nick and everyone else, and see you…sometime!
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