Mid-Essex Mid-Week Nocturnal Series

[huggy]

Been looking at the location of Clare, is the idea an out and back? I am considering a return via. Sudbury > Lamarsh > Bures > Coggeshall but will see how things go....

The route Basecamp has suggested from Rayne is via Finchingfield to Clare, the return is via Gt Yeldham, Toppesfield and Blackmore End to Witham.  I'm happy to follow a wheel though, however, Lamarsh & Bures some may say is putting hills in the way for the sake of it 

[Oscar's dad]

Great Notley Country Park and Fairy Hall Lane. I'm banking on Dogger's turning up on his new soot bike with 2 spokes per wheel!   

[tippers_kiwi]

I can probably sort those wheels out by just touch the bike with my 18 stone hands 

[Oscar's dad]

Just as well I have healing hands. Mind you they are untested on bike wheels.

[Carlosfandango]

Unfortunately I'm working again tonight. Gonna miss riding with you guys again. Looks like a lovely evening. Have fun.

[Oscar's dad]

 

[Andy C33]

Good half pub run until derailleur couldn't handle the pace. Thank for everyone's help especially Tippers who bled for the cause. Didn't have to wait to long for the teem car, Mrs Andy C33 was surprisingly chipper, her only moan was being dazzled by the Witham peloton going the other way.
I proposed being picked up from the pub every Wednesday, this did not go down well.

[tedshred]

Glad you got back alright.

You missed another moderately paced ride on the way home. This time with added yob.

[Oscar's dad]

I proposed being picked up from the pub every Wednesday, this did not go down well.

The WAGs could run weekly rota and come out to pick us all up!  I'm not brave enough to suggest it though!  I mooted the idea of a WAGs Medal on the way back for services above and beyond.

[huggy]

Good half pub run until derailleur couldn't handle the pace. Thank for everyone's help especially Tippers who bled for the cause. Didn't have to wait to long for the teem car, Mrs Andy C33 was surprisingly chipper, her only moan was being dazzled by the Witham peloton going the other way.
I proposed being picked up from the pub every Wednesday, this did not go down well.

The good news is that apart from the moment of failure itself everything was captured on video, standby for another Pickled Egg Production... 

[Oscar's dad]

Did you capture me sneaking off for a wee?  A still of the repair attempt including tippers showing off his war wound ...

[tippers_kiwi]

Well, that was a big effort last night. I knew I was going to struggle to keep up with the pace being loaded with the pannier, a heavy bike and running on Marathon Plus', it started out OK but after a while it all caught up with me and I had to just drop back. While I agree it is good training I don't particularly enjoy the feeling that I am holding others up and that feeling of blowing a lung to try and stay in touch has it's limits 

I think I'll probably have to make sure I can get out early to get home and pick up the trek and/or try and meet you all on the road somewhere. I could probably have got home and back to Rayne for 8:15 last night in hindsight.

Anyway, other than all that moaning I did enjoy it. Trying to get Andy back on the road was interesting, it is the first truly ride stopping mechanical I have seen and also the first time I have seen a mudguard trying to make itself look like a folding tyre. The cut on my hand is pathetically small, just a puncture from the teeth on the chain ring but it bled out for rather good effect.

[The Retiree]

Glad to hear Andy C33 was dutifully collected by the team car and returned back to base safely!

Funniest part of the evening for me was when Oros said to myself and Tomsk 'there's no lights anywhere behind us we better ease off' after then cruising along at 5mph for nigh on 2 miles my phone starts ringing with OD sending out the SOS call.

Another swift paced affair and a shame we didn't make our intended destination but in OD's words 'the crap from Taiwan' let us down  I would go with your assessment Andy that it was your blistering pace that caused mechanical burn out 

The Three Bottles wasn't a bad boozer in the end and the pint of Three Bottles home brew went down nicely after just shy of 30 miles. You will all be pleased to hear that the slush fund is now building up nicely as we build towards a MEMWNS curry night.

Massive kudos for Tippers last night firstly for keeping going on the commuter at that pace and secondly bleeding for the cause

[The Retiree]

I also kept meaning to upload our bit of COR'ing from a few weeks back as we came into Tiptree here it is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeLCA1f4XaY not very exciting I know sorry 

[Oscar's dad]

I also kept meaning to upload our bit of COR'ing from a few weeks back as we came into Tiptree here it is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeLCA1f4XaY not very exciting I know sorry 

   Perfect, just what I wanted!  I will post it on the "CORing on improbable bikes" thread.

Back to last night, we should do that again, we were a gnat's cock under 7k from Clare.  I quite enjoyed the blast back down the main road, even with the yobs hurling abuse (same bloke 3 times!) 

tippers, if you ever want to leave your soot bike on my garage prior to an epic MEMWNS ride you're most welcome to.

[tippers_kiwi]

I also kept meaning to upload our bit of COR'ing from a few weeks back as we came into Tiptree here it is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeLCA1f4XaY not very exciting I know sorry 

tippers, if you ever want to leave your soot bike on my garage prior to an epic MEMWNS ride you're most welcome to.

Promise you won't respray it Ribble Blue? 

[Oscar's dad]

Nope, red is the new blue!

[tedshred]

It was good fun upping the pace and the mileage a bit but it might not work every week.

On the keeping up front, I can see the arguments on both sides for having or not having a set route but a route would allow for someone (me) falling behind a bit but probably only being a couple of minutes later at the pub.  I don't want to hold anyone up but my riding will certainly benefit hugely from trying to keep up.

As OD demonstrated so well last night, modern technology does allow us to shout a good few more miles down the road if there are any issues along the way.

[Oscar's dad]

We normally do have a route.  Last night's freestyle affair was a new departure.  My preference would be to publish a route beforehand.

[The Retiree]

We normally do have a route.  Last night's freestyle affair was a new departure.  My preference would be to publish a route beforehand.

What OD said Ted, last night was quite unusual and I think Huggy actually had a route to follow but didn't get a chance to publish on here, this week was the first I can recall where there was no published planned route, I would expect normal service to resume next week 

[tippers_kiwi]

Nope, red is the new blue!

Surly Not!

[Oaky]

My preference would be to publish a route beforehand.

Yebbut, you'd leave the details to the whim of Mr Garmin and ride something different on the night anyway!

[Oscar's dad]

My preference would be to publish a route beforehand.

Yebbut, you'd leave the details to the whim of Mr Garmin and ride something different on the night anyway!

Off pi55 

You may have missed the the fact that I offered an ETA to Tomsk last night what with you being in the colonies ... 2015hrs at The Swan crossroads, Rayne.  I got the Witham peloton there at 2014hrs!  A minute early   

[tedshred]

That probably explains the unscheduled 2 minute stop to admire a sculpture in Notley Village, we were ahead of schedule.

[Oscar's dad]

That probably explains the unscheduled 2 minute stop to admire a sculpture in Notley Village, we were ahead of schedule.

Mrs Hedges!