Tom offered a 9:30am start and I took it.
Set off with Adrian Boswood , on the icy sections I took the lead then he leap frogged on the dry bits. He was on fixed, I on my usual recumbent. Once past the initial icy lanes and on to gritted for a while, Adrian pulled away.
I was enjoying riding in the freezing fog, all sounds muffled. I needed frequent wiping of my glasses to stop them icing up.
After a while I remembered there was an early control and stopped check where it was. Ah Great Leigh, about 3km up the road. Whilst stopped Aron passed. I soon caught him up and we rode together a while. He exclaimed that his feet were cold and he needed to push on to warm them up. I was once more alone in the fog.
The roads varied between dry and frosty, wet and icy, and wet and gritted. On my winter tyres I just pedalled on at a steady effort and wasn’t troubled by any of the surfaces. Clearly slower than usual, but most importantly staying upright whilst laid back.
Matching Tye was the second control and I guessed I was there when some houses appeared out the fog. E-Brevet done it was time to get to the half way cafe control at Thremhall for some hot food and drink to warm myself for the second leg. On a sharp right in a dip there was flooding but nothing too deep.
On the way to Takeley it lightly snowed and I took a picture of it settling on my beanie. At the cafe were Gavin Clark and Owen (manning) plus Aron the other rider I’d seen. The cafe was warm.
I wanted something hot, no baked potatoes but they could do me a full English. Full English it was with a hot chocolate. I undid my shoes to allow them to warm, cold foot instead of hot foot. I found out there were five of us on the road with one rider DNF.
After a pleasant 40 mins or so it was time to head out on the second leg back to Witham. The cold hit like a sledgehammer back outside. It really hadn’t warmed up all day. Still freezing fog. But first to Thaxted the fourth control. The roads along here were drier than earlier though the fog was still about, a bit of a pea souper at Broxted.
A short stop in Thaxted then onwards through Great Bardfield and on to Great Notley. About 11km from Witham there was flooding and slush about 4 inches deep. Then final leg and a walk along high street to the finish due to a fair and Christmas lights.
A beer (Giddy Goose) and burger chatting with Tomsk at finish then time to head home. The last two riders came in whilst I was there. All riders who finished back before dark.
GPS recorded average temperature of -2C and minimum -3C. Mesh base, winter weight merino, Rab alpha flash jacket, Rab green windproof. Buffalo fibre pile mitts. Ron Hill winter legs. Beanie for head. I took cap and buff for the promised sun that never came. Above combination kept me comfortable in conditions.
Had a flask of hot chocolate and custard donuts to consume during ride. Water bottles were more like slush puppies and the water ice cold but it didn’t completely freeze up and drinking possible all the way round.
A good day out and enjoyed an event / route that is new to me.
