I arrived home from this at about 9.30 and am now full of steak & kidney pie, a Mrs. Wow speciality.
There's a definite inclination to complain about the weather, but we have had no cause for a month now. It was on 14th Feb that Annie and I braved the ice and the last of the melting snow on what was otherwise a gorgeous day, and every Saturday since had been perfect for cycling. Today was no different, and at 8.30 or soon after a Trice hove into view on the approach to Wickford station. It was Ben Lovejoy, not of, but aware of, this parish, accompanying us to the lunch stop.
We made sedate progress to Ingatestone where Erron, or most of him, awaited us. What a clean-cut young man!
Tea and cake and we were back on the road with the wind not terribly helpful but the sun on our backs. Much of this was a re-run of the SEG 75 and pleasant but uneventful. We had a call from Dasmoth just after we left Felsted and in another 45 minutes or so we were ensconced in the Red Lion, where I enjoyed my third jalfrezi in a week, washed down with a couple of Flanker's Tackles.
Ben headed for Elsenham Station after the pub, whereas the rest of us took to Skog Lane. Just north of Braintree most of Erron went on his way, and Dasmoth, Emily and I headed for Sible Hedingham and beyond. Pebmarsh, the Colnes and Great Tey cames and went and when we arrived at Coggeshall at 5.30 the Black Horse pub boasted that it was OPEN ALL DAY so in we went, welcomed by the landlady until we asked for food.
"We start serving at 6."
"We don't really want to wait - have you nothing quick?"
"Oh yes, we can get you something quick - at 6 o'clock."
We found a chip shop which almost instantly provided chips and tea. That gap filled, we parted company and I enjoyed a fine solo ride home: 34 miles of star-lit calm.
Total miles for the day: 106. Time on a train: 17 minutes. Time on a bike: 9h 38m 53s.
