Author Topic: Essex Friday Night Ride to the Pub  (Read 134650 times)

Re: Essex Friday Night Ride to the Pub
« Reply #200 on: 27 March, 2009, 04:22:48 pm »
I cannot even begin to describe how weally busy I am.


"Do you have any idea how f*cking busy I am? "  ;D

Re: Essex Friday Night Ride to the Pub
« Reply #201 on: 27 March, 2009, 04:34:13 pm »
Owwwwww NOOOO!!!! Alec fucking Baldwin!?

He isn't as busy as me  :P

He's half dead for a start  ;)
Those wonderful norks are never far from my thoughts, oh yeah!

Oaky

  • ACME Fire Safety Officer
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Re: Essex Friday Night Ride to the Pub
« Reply #202 on: 28 March, 2009, 12:43:03 am »
I'm just back in from this.

I arrived, a little later than planned, at the Hurdlemakers (combination of setting off late and having to go back home when I realised i forgot my pump) to find wowbagger rebuilding his rear wheel in the company of delthebike.

A very pleasant evening, mostly in the company of wowbagger and delthebike, although we did meet up with TimC and V at the Fox and Hounds.  From there, we made straight for the Ferry Boat, owing to V being seriously under the weather.

Did a total of 33.99 miles (if only I'd looked at the mileage late on I'd have weaved a bit more across the road on the last stretch ;)).

No shepherding home was necessary, and no Laurel and Hardy songs were sung.  I didn't even get lost on the way back to Witham.

I did, however, manage to set fire to my glove.
You are in a maze of twisty flat droves, all alike.

85.4 miles from Marsh Gibbon

Audax Club Mid-Essex Fire Safety Officer
http://acme.bike

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Re: Essex Friday Night Ride to the Pub
« Reply #203 on: 28 March, 2009, 12:51:33 am »
Well, that was all a bit strange. I had communicated with Del to find out his plan, but he was leaving later than I felt comfortable with so I told him I'd leave earlier than that.

I headed out giving myself plenty of time to reach the first pub, but issues with my rear wheel (I hadn't done the spokes up tightly enough) demanded that I stop and do a bit of impromptu wheelbuilding. It was cold, I could have done with an extra layer and as I rode through mostly deserted lanes I watched a rainstorm sweep in front of and away from me.

I arrived at the Hurdlemakers to be greeted by Del who had actually followed precisely the same route as I had but had left even earlier then me! Mark turned up just as I was truing the wheel again but there was no sign of Tim or V. We had a quick drink, met some chaps who were planning a London to Paris charity ride, Mark set fire to his glove and we left for the Fox & Hounds. Tm & V were there, but poor V was looking decidedly under the weather and was shivering. We decided to head straight for the Ferry Boat and when we got there Tim & V, who had booked a room for the night, headed back home again V was feeling so rough. GWS, M'Dear!

Del, Mark and I then sat drinking uninspiring Greene King beer (it claimed to be Morland Original, but it tasted of Bury St.Edmunds) and ate nuts and crisps. I decided to get the train back and after some fiction from the overhead monitor it arrived to time. No guard came to sell me a ticket, which is the normal procedure on that track or so I believe, but a change of mind on my part and I alighted at Battlesbridge and took the shortest route home. Just as I  was in the last half mile, Del appeared, having ridden at least 6 miles more than I had.

This has the potential to be a really good ride but tonight circumstances conspired against us.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Re: Essex Friday Night Ride to the Pub
« Reply #204 on: 28 March, 2009, 07:50:21 am »
I was back in at 0030 and thought about posting but I had to get up at silly o'clock to take the dog out for his walkies.
Wow sent a text asking what time I'd leave and I said 1800ish. In the end I left at 20 minutes to thinking I'd catch him up somewhere along the way. Ho hum! The roads were wet and it was fairly chilly. The sun had just set and you could see the rain falling from a cloud front that I was following in my quest for beer.
I rolled up, without incident, at the Hurdlemakers at 1915ish and had a text chat with Oscars Dad. He sent a pic, which my fone cant use, and I had to ask what it was. He said that it was his new bike hanging up in the garage. The only answer to that was ha ha ha  ;D. Wow turned up 1945ish, got a drink, had a sip and disappeared to fix his wheel. I thought he wanted a snack but it was the wrong kind of Pringle.  ::-) Mark rolled up about 1955ish and complaining of cold hands experimented with fire. Unfortunately it didn't work and probably made things worse. Still a bit of glue and thread should do the trick. And doesn't a burnt Gore Windstopper glove  match so well with Rapha.  ;)
No sign of TimC and V (who isn't the Thai mail order bride I was led to believe  ::-) ) so we decided to head to the next pub, the Fox and Hounds at Cock Clarks, and do a ride by to see if there were any bikes there. There was and lo 'twas TimC and a not very well V. A quick drink and it was agreed to go straight to the last pub so V could get to bed. Nothing worthy of note happened on the way except that the decline down to North Fambridge is damn fast, 30mph without trying is good! The only drawback is the T juntion at the end of it, which this time had a single vehicle so we had to brake for it. At the pub it was clear that V wasn't any better and they elected to go home. GWS V  :-*.

A pint or two and we parted to go our separate ways.
Pictures are here, Clicky.

Re: Essex Friday Night Ride to the Pub
« Reply #205 on: 28 March, 2009, 08:54:14 am »
I feel that I must apologise to all EFNRttPers for the lack of pickled eggs during last nights meet  :o  :-[. I don't think that eggs, pickled or not, ever got a mention.  :'(
So on behalf of EFNRttP riders past and future I am sorry.  :-*

Oscar's dad

  • aka Septimus Fitzwilliam Beauregard Partridge
Re: Essex Friday Night Ride to the Pub
« Reply #206 on: 28 March, 2009, 09:01:14 am »

Oh dear, despite everyone's best efforts some plans are just destined to go wrong! 

Get well soon V, had someone offered you a pickled egg you'd have been right as rain in no time.

Fingers crossed for the EMERGENCY ride, looking good at this stage.

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Re: Essex Friday Night Ride to the Pub
« Reply #207 on: 28 March, 2009, 09:08:12 am »
I feel that I must apologise to all EFNRttPers for the lack of pickled eggs during last nights meet  :o  :-[. I don't think that eggs, pickled or not, ever got a mention.  :'(
So on behalf of EFNRttP riders past and future I am sorry.  :-*

When I asked the barmaid about food, in the Ferry Boat, I actually thought about pickled eggs. Does that count? I quickly scanned the shelves, saw none, breathed a sigh of relief and opted for nuts & crisps.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Re: Essex Friday Night Ride to the Pub
« Reply #208 on: 28 March, 2009, 09:19:02 am »
When I asked the barmaid about food, in the Ferry Boat, I actually thought about pickled eggs. Does that count?
I very much doubt it.
Still the night wasn't a total loss. Five of us got to take our bikes out and not just look longingly at them as they hang in the garage.  ::-)


edit: picasa pics now up.

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Re: Essex Friday Night Ride to the Pub
« Reply #209 on: 28 March, 2009, 09:28:09 am »
Indeed. When I was riding along just before the Flambirds Farm track, I caught sight of the moon: the tiniest sliver of silver just before it disappeared behind a cloud. And a little later, almost had a spectacular "off" as, instead of looking where I was going, I tried to identify the owner of the eyes which stared back at the combination of Solidlights and Hope Vision. My front wheel came close to falling into a crevasse.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Oaky

  • ACME Fire Safety Officer
  • Audax Club Mid-Essex
    • MEMWNS Map
Re: Essex Friday Night Ride to the Pub
« Reply #210 on: 28 March, 2009, 10:11:04 am »
...
Mark rolled up about 1955ish and complaining of cold hands experimented with fire.


Hmm .. there goes my chance to claim that it spontaneously combusted on account of the speed I rode up North Hill  ;D

Quote
Unfortunately it didn't work and probably made things worse. Still a bit of glue and thread should do the trick. And doesn't a burnt Gore Windstopper glove  match so well with Rapha.  ;)
...
:P
It's all the rage now, I'll have you know.  I believe Rapha will be bringing out a pre-burnt, messenger-cred version of the glove next season.  A snip at a mere £69.99 a pair.
You are in a maze of twisty flat droves, all alike.

85.4 miles from Marsh Gibbon

Audax Club Mid-Essex Fire Safety Officer
http://acme.bike

Oscar's dad

  • aka Septimus Fitzwilliam Beauregard Partridge
Re: Essex Friday Night Ride to the Pub
« Reply #211 on: 28 March, 2009, 11:57:52 am »


Still the night wasn't a total loss. Five of us got to take our bikes out and not just look longingly at them as they hang in the garage.  ::-)


edit: picasa pics now up.

Stop rubbing it in you git.  I think the item on the top of the agenda for the next ride should be how to get Del a mail order Thai bride.  He's clearly got a bit of a thing about them. 

Re: Essex Friday Night Ride to the Pub
« Reply #212 on: 28 March, 2009, 01:09:05 pm »
Stop rubbing it in you git.  I think the item on the top of the agenda for the next ride should be how to get Del a mail order Thai bride.  He's clearly got a bit of a thing about them. 
I would like a small eastern woman, nothing wrong with that  ::-). Having a bike hanging in the garage and not riding it is just weird!   :P

Oscar's dad

  • aka Septimus Fitzwilliam Beauregard Partridge
Re: Essex Friday Night Ride to the Pub
« Reply #213 on: 28 March, 2009, 01:39:16 pm »
Stop rubbing it in you git.  I think the item on the top of the agenda for the next ride should be how to get Del a mail order Thai bride.  He's clearly got a bit of a thing about them. 
I would like a small eastern woman, nothing wrong with that  ::-). Having a bike hanging in the garage and not riding it is just weird!   :P

It wasn't from choice.  Right now I am helping install decking in our garden.  Chances of riding me new bike this weekend are nil  >:(

Re: Essex Friday Night Ride to the Pub
« Reply #214 on: 28 March, 2009, 01:45:10 pm »
It wasn't from choice.  Right now I am helping install decking in our garden.  Chances of riding me new bike this weekend are nil  >:(
It's a shame you back on to a cul de sac. We could have ridden by larfin' and pointin'. Then made good our escape. ;D

rogerzilla

  • When n+1 gets out of hand
Re: Essex Friday Night Ride to the Pub
« Reply #215 on: 28 March, 2009, 01:45:45 pm »
Decking?  Isn't that a bit like shag pile carpet these days?  ;)
Hard work sometimes pays off in the end, but laziness ALWAYS pays off NOW.

Oscar's dad

  • aka Septimus Fitzwilliam Beauregard Partridge
Re: Essex Friday Night Ride to the Pub
« Reply #216 on: 28 March, 2009, 01:49:37 pm »
None of you are helping.  You can all fcuk off.  I'm not having fun.

Oaky

  • ACME Fire Safety Officer
  • Audax Club Mid-Essex
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Re: Essex Friday Night Ride to the Pub
« Reply #217 on: 28 March, 2009, 01:59:21 pm »
Stop rubbing it in you git.  I think the item on the top of the agenda for the next ride should be how to get Del a mail order Thai bride.  He's clearly got a bit of a thing about them. 
I would like a small eastern woman, nothing wrong with that  ::-). Having a bike hanging in the garage and not riding it is just weird!   :P

It wasn't from choice.  Right now I am helping install decking in our garden.  Chances of riding me new bike this weekend are nil  >:(

Maybe you could make one of these from the off-cuts



Then Son of Oscar can enjoy the deck with you instead of skulking in the garage ;)
You are in a maze of twisty flat droves, all alike.

85.4 miles from Marsh Gibbon

Audax Club Mid-Essex Fire Safety Officer
http://acme.bike

Oscar's dad

  • aka Septimus Fitzwilliam Beauregard Partridge
Re: Essex Friday Night Ride to the Pub
« Reply #218 on: 28 March, 2009, 02:09:04 pm »
Nice idea Mark.  Such design decisions seem some way off.  At the moment we are battling the rain whilst trying to bang metal posts into ground full of bricks.   We have had to hire a drilly thing. 

TimC

  • Old blerk sometimes onabike.
Re: Essex Friday Night Ride to the Pub
« Reply #219 on: 29 March, 2009, 04:28:15 am »
Thanks for the good wishes, all. V was not at all well, and much preferred to be in her own bed which was not all that far away, so that seemed the best course of action to me. She is better today, but far from 100%. I hope we'll be able to join another ride with you all sometime soon.

Oscar's dad

  • aka Septimus Fitzwilliam Beauregard Partridge
Re: Essex Friday Night Ride to the Pub
« Reply #220 on: 30 March, 2009, 04:39:04 pm »
Right then, whilst I still don't want anyone getting too excited (I am hoping to under promise and over deliver - for once) I believe we are safe to move to the next stage of planning the EMERGENCY Essex Pub Night Ride.  The next stage being picking a destination.

I believe simplicity is the key so propose a single pub as opposed to a multi-pub extravaganza.  My nominations would be: The Viper, The Hoop (Stock) or perhaps The Chequers (Goldhanger).  The last option might be too close to me and too far way for others.

Does anyone have other suggestions?

Re: Essex Friday Night Ride to the Pub
« Reply #221 on: 31 March, 2009, 10:32:54 am »
I fully endorse the Viper.

Oaky

  • ACME Fire Safety Officer
  • Audax Club Mid-Essex
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Re: Essex Friday Night Ride to the Pub
« Reply #222 on: 31 March, 2009, 10:40:45 am »
I'd love to join for this but I think I'll go all "TOKaMaK" on you and decline on the grounds of being off the beer in preparation for an event.

Have a good one though (all of those who go along, since obviously OD will decide to wash his hair/cat/decking that night after all).
You are in a maze of twisty flat droves, all alike.

85.4 miles from Marsh Gibbon

Audax Club Mid-Essex Fire Safety Officer
http://acme.bike

Oscar's dad

  • aka Septimus Fitzwilliam Beauregard Partridge
Re: Essex Friday Night Ride to the Pub
« Reply #223 on: 31 March, 2009, 04:58:55 pm »
I fully endorse the Viper.

I could cope with The Viper. 

Re: Essex Friday Night Ride to the Pub
« Reply #224 on: 31 March, 2009, 05:09:53 pm »
Devise your route then, and I'll join you somewhere near Chelmsford for the run to the pub!