Yet Another Cycling Forum
General Category => Audax => Topic started by: bhoot on 29 July, 2018, 12:55:24 pm
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We (me, fhoot, Huggy, Tomsk and Grey Sheep) rode this in the rain and wind (*) yesterday to check all was well in preparation for the ideal weather conditions you will get next week (maybe).
We started a little earlier than the calendar ride and made it to Burnham for a late breakfast. Excellent fare at the friendly and welcoming Cabin Dairy who now have a stamp (so no receipt trauma), and the chance to sit outside looking at the scenic River Crouch. After Tillingham control on Dengie we turned briefly into the wind (a foretaste of what was to come later) as far as Latchingdon and then northwards to Abberton where we enjoyed a good cake selection (Grey Sheep in particular being impressed with not one but two real gluten free choices). Next week we will be stamping cards there. Then a reasonably fast run via mostly very pleasant lanes up to Sudbury to The Cyclists Cafe there (new control for 2018, no need to go into town now). They were "closed" in preparation for feeding over 100 Dunwich Dynamo cyclists in the small hours, with large stacks of bananas in evidence. However were served ice creams, and invited to top up water bottles and use the toilet as needed. Should be a normal service next week.
After Sudbury the wind started to be a major pain, it was blustery and quite vicious passing gaps in the hedgerows. But we made it through to Great Bardfield to check out the Co-Op control there which was found to be satisfactorily stocked with essential Audax supplies such as ice cream, lucozade and chocolate milk. Another change of direction gave us an easier ride to The Compasses (or ACME spiritual home) at Littley Green and the first Essex energy drinks of the day. And from there a short ride back to Witham to finish up at the Spoons for food and more energy drinks.
If this ride has been on your "might do" list then do enter, it's a good route and (unusually for Huggy's rides) the trains from London are cooperating and running normally.
* Actually the rain part wasn't nearly as bad as the forecast, it started around TMNH and finished when we got to Stock, so around 40 minutes of heavy precipitation which had us reaching for jackets, only to discard them soon as the sun came out.
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Good ride, good company, relaxed ACME 'Club Run' style route-check :thumbsup:
Something of a meteorological theme park: damp roads, cool start; one heavy shower but with the thunder and lightning thankfully way off beyond North Hill, when we were on the top of the Ridge; warmed up nicely with some wind assistance from the Dengie up to Sudbury; sun and fair weather clouds, but a bit of a struggle back to Bardfield and a blustery cross-wind to Littley Green.
Met Anne Scott, retired Audaxer [and organiser] volunteering in the Essex Wildlife Trust cafe at Abberton, good to have a little catch up.
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As stated by bhoot and Tomsk we experienced 3 seasons in one ride and therefore feel that we have made the requisite weather gods sacrifice on the Helpers' ride to ensure fair passage on the calendar ride :thumbsup:
Entries are trickling in nicely and now total 70 across the 100 & 200k rides. I notice a few usual suspects for ECE'ing the 100.
Even if I do say so myself, I quite enjoy this Essex day out on the bike and with pizza at arrivée what's not to like :D
All joining instructions have been emailed out this evening to entries to date, postal to go in the morning.
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It's looking hot!
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It's looking hot!
Did we over do it with the sacrificial offerings to the weather gods??
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Luckily there was some cloud cover to take the edge off. Thanks for a great event - lovely route, good choice of controls and a nice bit of sunset riding after the Compasses to finish off.
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And Grant made sure there was veggie pizza left at the end 😀
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Great organisation!
* All but one of the recommended stops have stamps (no need to bother with receipts).
* All the keepers are very friendly. Worst of all was that the crew at Burnham had quite a backlog in the kitchen so had to make a choice between riding before the heat or having a proper breakfast. Thankfully they bought themselves out of that pit by serving gargantuan ice creams (Had I known 2 scoops were that big I would have just bought one)
* The length of the sections between each control was quite suitable for the hot weather of yesterday
Thanks and see you soon
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The weather was definitely well arranged. Almost too hot - I drank far more water than normal.
A slightly entertaining start when I punctured half a mile from the start of the Little event (just before the railway bridge on the way out of town, for those who waved to me). My mini-pump proved to be mini, but not actually to qualify for the name pump, so I limped back to the start and used the track pump in my car.
Then I headed for the only bike shop in town to get a new pump. They had various toy ones on display, but the only item that actually looked capable of inflating a tyre was a CO2 cartridge unit, so I am now in the 21st century in technology terms. That proved very useful when the tyre went down again after two miles. Following a careful inspection, I relaid the rim tape, and had no further issues - but was now an hour behind the field.
Fortunately time limits are quite generous (and, at intermediate controls, often a bit elastic), so I made Stock with five or ten minutes to spare. There were no other cyclists present, but it seemed unreasonable to visit the Dandelion & Burdock cafe without ordering the eponymous drink.
At the Latchingdon control, I saw my first fellow-riders since Witham. They were a bit put out that I was threatening their lanternes rouges title, but forgave me in the light of my punctures. By Maldon, I had caught one or two more, and was merely a tail-ender rather than being out on my own. Abberton was much busier, but I think mainly with 200 riders?
There's a lot to be said for events that finish downhill. I was glad of this one doing that. Thanks to all concerned.
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I use a Zefal hpx pump. You can fit them under the top tube with doodads if they do not fit your frame the way they are designed. Makes pumping up tyres easy.
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I use a Zefal hpx pump. You can fit them under the top tube with doodads if they do not fit your frame the way they are designed. Makes pumping up tyres easy.
[OT] Me too!
Never got on with mini-pumps!
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Great day out on this lovely route. 2nd time for me.
Snacked at the early controls to build up appetite for my pre-booked meal in Sudbury which turned out to be excellent. This lasted me all the way to the finish. Hot day but the breeze took the edge off things so, as long as you took on enough fluids it was fine.
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I've got an HPX pump, but I was, for once, riding a lightweight road bike instead of my usual tourer, so I thought I'd go the whole hog.
I do have a mini-pump that works. They aren't all bad, although an HPX is quicker of course.
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Huggy and Tomsk kindly held the traffic up for me at the start while I was starting my Strava on my phone, I still had to sprint though. I saw Jem and Andy ahead of me and planned to work my way through the field to catch up with them. At the same time Greysheep caught up with me, said a few words and then overtook. I spent the rest of the way to Stock trying to keep up with him.
The post office in Stock would only accept card payments of £5 or more, so 5 Galaxy chocolate bards and a bottle of strawberry flavoured water and I was on my way.
I was on my own now and misread the routesheet where it said "L $ Rettendon, S Hanningfield Rd." I didn't see the 'S' on the routesheet and the sign said 'South Hanningfield Road' which through me off. I did of course notice the 'S' when I was cycling back up the hill retracing the route. I enjoyed this section to Burnham on Crough and there was a little bit of a headwind as I approached the control which was a nice bit of breeze.
The Cabin Dairy was very busy and had a 20 minute wait for food, so I got a stamp and then bought a sandwich from the Tesco express.
I stopped at the Abberton Reservoir for something to eat and caught up with Jem, Andy and Grey Sheep once again. The tea and sausage sandwich went down quite well.
Then back on the road again to Sudbury. Around this time my rear casette which I had replaced the weekend before started making some funny noises and then eventually wouldn't let me cycle in the two smallest gears. It appeared that they had somehow worked themselves loose from the casette. Thankfully though the rest of the gears were working and this stage was quite lumpy so I didn't need them. (Mental note to fix them tomorrow.) The Sudbury control had on offer a cold a glass of Elderflower and a slice of banana cake but it was quite nice and needed.
After a quick stop at the CO-OP in Great Bradfield it was the final push back to Witham. It has to be said that the Pringles and Pizza at the arrivee were great.
Thanks to Huggy and everyone at ACME for another great event, see you all at the next one.
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Another memory.
Despite having no altercations with traffic all day, just before the railway bridge in Witham, probably a few hundred metres from the finish the passenger in a shiny merc yelled ‘pay road tax, you wanker !’ and then sped off.
Cockwomble.
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Another memory.
Despite having no altercations with traffic all day, just before the railway bridge in Witham, probably a few hundred metres from the finish the passenger in a shiny merc yelled ‘pay road tax, you wanker !’ and then sped off.
Cockwomble.
Ditto, and then within 10k of finish Psyclist and I were overtaken by a guy in a Disco on a very narrow lane who the proceeded to go slower and slower in an effort to annoy us. We had been very polite in letting him through so it was a bit of a WTF event. It was so pathetic I couldn't even really be bothered going into shouty mode. Clearly he had nothing better to do than *attempt* to annoy two slow middle aged riders. He wouldn't last a minute in London.
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Unfortunately there are some cockwombles around Witham with regard to cyclists, as I'm sure there are in many towns & environs. The ones that shout 'funny to them' abuse tend have a sudden evaporation of bravado when you catch up with them at the next set of traffic lights and look quizzically at them.
The more dangerous ones are of course those that either don't see two wheeled users of the road or just don't care and pull out anyway. That type of SMIDSY cockwomble tend to get a very loud shout directed at them, sometimes from the vantage point of lying flat out on the tarmac looking up :hand:
That said, incidents are quite few and it is generally pleasant to cycle the lanes around Witham (mostly when going away from town).
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Didn't see a topic for this years ride but have entered and am looking forward to it :thumbsup:
Saturday August 3rd: http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/19-298/
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The 2019 edition of the Essex R&R 200k and A Little Essex R&R 100k are on Saturday 3rd August. Strategically placed in the calendar to be a nice little leg spin before you all head off for Paris!
I plan to ride the route check on Saturday 27th July, if any helpers would like to join me on that day. The pace will be huggy pace, at least my pace will be, anyone else is free to ride at their own PBP training pace if they wish.
Helpers on the day will be greatly appreciated and customarily compensated for their efforts.
Sebo, thank you for digging up this thread and bumping it, look forward to seeing you on the 3rd :thumbsup:
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Happy to join you on Saturday after 09.00. Trains looking Ok for that day (at the moment). Not sure what pace 'huggy' pace is.
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Looking forward to it, I've even managed to coax a friend into joining me. The "booking food" option is excellent too. Roll on Saturday week!
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Steam train cancelled so I'm in. Not going to Paris but it's a chance to finish that much-coveted Essex SR, and keep the RRtY attempt rolling to boot.
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Did the 100km little Essex r&r with Big Saxon in relaxed manner with good control stops at Stock and Abberton Reservoir. We arrived back in good time quicker than last winter pace to the organiser's surprise. It was also good to briefly meet up with other rr Acme members at Abberton, Jibers, AndyC33, Sue and Martin. A bit of cor thrown in. Thanks to the 'Hoots on card stamping duty. It never rains when they help out at the Reservoir control.
See you in Paris Monsieur Huggy, I was impressed with your cloudy wheat ale (never judge a beer by its appearance) - the pizzas were spot on also.
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I'm sure this was on my results (as provisional) but has now disappeared. Anything I should worry about?
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I'm sure this was on my results (as provisional) but has now disappeared. Anything I should worry about?
The 200km event has not been finalised and submitted yet, pending a helper's ride to validate. It will be finalised this weekend when it will show as 'provisional' until the AUK Validation Secretary has done their bit.
Nothing to worry about.
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A fine day out in Essex, riding time 5 hours so The Straggler and me could enjoy the longer stops, got caught up with the 200s at Abberton so a lengthy queue, but good to meet the ACME faces before Paris, good luck to one and all. I believe Team MK will have three entrants at PBP, it will have to remain unfinished business for me.
Unlikely that anyone will be at Mildenhall after PBP, so it looks like the next Essex outing from Henham on 31st when I get to hear the stories. Would be nice to complete the whole ACME set next season, something to aim for.
Usual ACME hospitality before and after, no need for a route sheet and Raymond and me did not go off route once, that must be a first.
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The hall start/finish TLC Essex R&R 215km (https://audax.uk/event-details/10003-essex_rr) and A Little Essex R&R 107km (https://audax.uk/event-details/10004-a_little_essex_rr) events have a new home month this year having relocated to September (Saturday 16th), maybe a perfect leg reawakener after your epic PBP adventure or simply a relaxed tour around the early autumn Essex countryside.
More details in the linked AUK event pages. The ACME team will be pleased to welcome you to Witham :)
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i'll be riding the little R&R once more, most probably with little wheels this time
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Ill try for the Little event, but quite a lot going on at present.
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I shall be on hollibobs in Iceland, otherwise would definitely have been out there
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The rider formerly known as Big Saxon will be riding the mountains of Italy that week, following a diet of Latte, gelato, pasta and panettone
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Entered the 200 :thumbsup:
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This will complete an Essex SR Series for me :thumbsup: Looking fwd to it
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Are any of the ACME Herts branch riding the 100km (with a view to lift sharing)?
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Just booked my place on the 200.
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Route check of the 215km (https://www.strava.com/activities/9770720728) ridden today, I can confirm the roads are all still there even if some of them are a little worse for wear. Apologies in advance if I used up all the good weather!
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Entered the 100. My first event in 10 years. Should be interesting 🤔
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Entered the 200 - looking forward to it.
I love the Thames Estuary as an avid (re)reader of "Riddle of the Sands", "Magic of the Swatchways" and from Maldon in particular the wonderful estuary sailing of Shoal Waters http://shoal-waters.uk/home-page/about-myself/ (http://shoal-waters.uk/home-page/about-myself/)
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Lots of entries no doubt buoyed by the prospect of good weather!
If anyone would like to lend a hand in the hall at check-in any time between 07:00 and 09:00 or between 13:00 and 23:00 you'll be welcome, duties will include refilling of tea & coffee pots and squash jugs, shovelling pizzas in & out of the oven, check-in desk relief and general chat.
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Hope the event goes well and everyone has a great ride. I am a DNS as I have been feeling below par for a couple of days and don’t feel like sharing the grot around.
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Hope no wading through Papermill like I had to when I did it as a perm in Dec 2020!
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Warning: Long...
(https://photos.komoot.de/www/1v/1vnrxpqz9ra7b1siarwzzmmp8l4pslrp37-p397116865-full/18aa4ca3d9d?width=3072&height=2304&crop=false&q=70)
7 fixed bikes - 7!!! Out of a field of 40 finishers. That’s nearly 20% - I hereby propose a motion to rename this ride the fixed gear memorial, on account of its popularity.
The visual feast started early - driving through the morning sunrise. The sky was a muddled mix of mist and cirrus clouds painted vivid orange and red by the morning sun. Some soft aquamarine smudges of clear sky created a Turner painting amongst the concrete jungle of Brent Cross. Even tired Uber drivers slowed down and beamed at the beauty.
Essex is a very pretty rural county, full of interest to the cyclist. The countryside rolls over benign elevations. It was a joy to ride on fixed. For once, downhill was a simple matter of letting the bike go, and the legs spin.
I paid no attention to the thought of reservoirs as we have loads of them in London - but Essex reservoirs are something else. Rather than the constant thrum of Heathrow traffic - you can soak in the sounds of birds and reeds. Some sounds were rare enough to make the resident twitchers rise urgently from slumber, point binoculars and hands at invisible smudges in the distance, or along the sky line. And twitter urgently to each other in Latin. Or so it seemed.
Estuary Essex is peppered with lone buildings on high points. Behind is the vast sky of low country. The sea air is light and full of contrast. So the colours vibrate with vigour and yet they present scenes of stark contemplation. This is the stuff of Edward Hopper paintings, which surprised me in the land of Constable.
The roads into the river towns were busy on a sunny day - but they are magic places to visit. As a keen reader of estuary sailing authors, I reposed to the quaysides and took in the sounds, and smells of the Estuary. Little boats sat quietly in the channels and I played the ancient game of finding where land turns to sea and then to sky and back again. In the soft, misty light, it's hard to tell one smudge from another.
Riding uphill from Tillingham, the road opens and looks dramatically down on the Blackwater. This was another, "Oh, Wow", view. The Blackwater twinkling in the bright sun and the triangles of sailing boats moving slowly along it. Like colourful petals in a pond.
Into Maldon I was unexpectedly greeted by the banners and bonhomie of a festival. The quayside was filled with Thames Barges carrying their bunting and signal flags aloft. As I took the worlds worst picture of my bike, a couple riding bikes stopped to ask about the bike. We had a lovely chin wag, and it turns out they also ride fixed at times.
I was growing accustomed to bumping into the fixed riders at controls, but then a perfectly ordinary fellow, in his 70's, entering a shop said, "Nice bike. What gear inches?" - this is the secret handshake of our order. Essex is clearly the spiritual home of fixed gear enthusiasts.
On logistical matters - this was my first ride using e-brevet. I prefer riding slower, and lingering in places of interest. With e-brevet I can just keep trundling through smaller controls which gives me even more time to linger. It's ace.
I really enjoyed my day awheel in Essex. I had no idea it would be such a visual feast.
Thanks to the organiser and the merry band of ACME riders. It is a brilliantly run event, on a good route, with cossetting arrivee.
Hello to the riders that came and went - I saw LWaB OTP 3 times powering up hills like his trike was filled with helium. Some fella that had done 9 PBP's also leaving me for dead when I must have two decades youth on him! A bloke on a unique sjs cycles fixed bike that was about similar pace - redshift stem is the thing I recommended to reduce road buzz. Felsted at the Abberton control and many others. It was a tad hot at times, but much cooler than last week. A tiny hint of rain near the end but never a wet road. I didn't stop at the compasses, but I probably should have. The happy, raucous din from the garden was probably 50% audax riders enjoying their well earned cool pints.
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Great writeup Trundle, you have very nicely captured the atmosphere of the area and the towns that the ride went through. That was me on the sjs cycles fixed bike, I found the route absolutely perfect for fixed, nicely rolling, just enough hills, and nothing too steep, and such quiet roads in-between the towns. And perfect riding weather, dry all day, a lot of blue sky, but never too hot.
I have used e-brevet before on a few rides, but this is the first time I have done it without collecting receipts as a backup. It worked really well, and avoids having to stop and buy things just for the sake of getting a receipt, when you don't actually need them (I would probably still collect backup receipts for anything over 200k though!)
Cracking event - thanks to the organiser and helpers.
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I rode a while with Tom Jackson, one of two 9xPBP Brits. Not chatted with him too much before, despite moving in the same circles for quite a while.
I thought I was the only trikie doing the brevet but I started a bit late and may have missed somebody. Not a Nick unfortunately.
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I rode a while with Tom Jackson, one of two 9xPBP Brits. Not chatted with him too much before, despite moving in the same circles for quite a while.
I thought I was the only trikie doing the brevet but I started a bit late and may have missed somebody. Not a Nick unfortunately.
Not sure why I called you Nick - duly fixed!
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Thanks for the colourful write up, trundle, if only I could pin it to the top of this thread as the advert for the ride! I'll just have to provide a link (https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=108925.msg2841015#msg2841015) to your post each year to enthuse prospective entrants in to enjoying some R&R too :thumbsup:
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Nice to see you again Pete L.
There was another SJS fixed, belonging to Howdee but he was in the 100.
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Out of interest, those who rode fixed, what gearing did you use?
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Out of interest, those who rode fixed, what gearing did you use?
Still on my 66" PBP gear - a bit spinny for Essex, but the Parkes (currently on 75") doesn't have a rear rack and I needed to lug the ACME shop over to Witham in two large panniers.
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Out of interest, those who rode fixed, what gearing did you use?
I was on 74” for the 100+ECE
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There was another SJS fixed, belonging to Howdee but he was in the 100.
It was a Spa Audax Mono on 68"
Managed the mighty North Hill...just about
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Out of interest, those who rode fixed, what gearing did you use?
A rather twiddly 64" for me!
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70" for me on the 100km.
Made it up the never ending North Hill without walking.
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Out of interest, those who rode fixed, what gearing did you use?
And this is exactly how 12 pages of vigorous gearing debate begins ;D
I was on 70.5"
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Out of interest, those who rode fixed, what gearing did you use?
And this is exactly how 12 pages of vigorous gearing debate begins ;D
I was on 70.5"
;D ;D
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72” for me, riding the only small wheeled, fixed gear, folding bike in these lands.
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72” for me, riding the only small wheeled, fixed gear, folding bike in these lands.
photo?