Author Topic: Santa Special December 20th 2015 (Read 3600 times)

L CC · « **on:** 02 December, 2015, 03:39:23 pm »

This year's Santa Special will be extra special, as instead of fighting with Christmas Shoppers in Diss, you will head to the adjacent little known hamlet of Palgrave and some home made mince pies, hearty soup, and No2Daughter stamping your cards.
We promise not to be too smug if you get a headwind, as we wash dishes in the warm and dry. Any special requests (of a dietary nature) please let me know and I'll do my best to accommodate.

The start is an easy ride from Manningtree Station however, inevitably there are Works scheduled. The first train from Norwich arrives at 7:52 but if you let Andy know he will hold your card. Coming up from London the first train arrives at 9:07.

Weather is always a factor in a December 200 but this ride was developed for winter and uses roads which are mostly gritted whilst remaining low trafficked.

Fill your boots (hopefully not with snow) and get your entries in- £6.50 for a ride this well catered is a bargain!

Who's in?

Fidgetbuzz · « **Reply #1 on:** 03 December, 2015, 01:37:33 pm »

I am confused - AUK calendar shows Gt Bromley as start -- which I thought was too far to bother -- but local at Palgrave and I could well be up for this. Clarify please and sort out my confusion

LMT · « **Reply #2 on:** 03 December, 2015, 02:26:20 pm »

Palgrave is one of the controls.

Fidgetbuzz · « **Reply #3 on:** 03 December, 2015, 08:15:21 pm »

Ahh -- silly me -- still too far to go to start -- but might pop down for the goodies at palgrave

Chris S · « **Reply #4 on:** 03 December, 2015, 09:17:07 pm »

Quote from: Fidgetbuzz on 03 December, 2015, 08:15:21 pm

Ahh -- silly me -- still too far to go to start -- but might pop down for the goodies at palgrave

Is that allowed?

tippers_kiwi · « **Reply #5 on:** 03 December, 2015, 10:47:32 pm »

Looking forward to this one....

Fidgetbuzz · « **Reply #6 on:** 07 December, 2015, 04:53:04 pm »

Quote from: Chris S on 03 December, 2015, 09:17:07 pm

Quote from: Fidgetbuzz on 03 December, 2015, 08:15:21 pm
Ahh -- silly me -- still too far to go to start -- but might pop down for the goodies at palgrave

Is that allowed?

Well I was considering volunteering help , and assuming that would not be turned down .. ... maybe allowed to sample the goodies.

Choices are 1) Ride the darn thing 2) help at Palgrave 3) Stay at home.

Lets see what the weather forecast says.

Assasin · « **Reply #7 on:** 08 December, 2015, 08:48:40 pm »

Never had fboab caik.
Looks like th :)e slow trike will be there

L CC · « **Reply #8 on:** 09 December, 2015, 09:02:23 am »

Quote from: Assasin on 08 December, 2015, 08:48:40 pm

Never had fboab caik.

I'll get on to the cherry bakewells then!

Assasin · « **Reply #9 on:** 10 December, 2015, 09:50:35 am »

Just so you know - when we eat cherry bakewells Jane always picks the cherry off and feeds it to me.
So to save my waistline

it would be good if you could make some without cherries?
See you at the half way point. Be nice to hear first hand account of the desolation of our rival on PBP

inappropriate_bike · « **Reply #10 on:** 13 December, 2015, 06:49:22 pm »

Quote from: fboab on 02 December, 2015, 03:39:23 pm

The first train from Norwich arrives at 7:52 but if you let Andy know he will hold your card. Coming up from London the first train arrives at 9:07.

Hmm. Forecast is dry and warm-ish. Giving this some thought (if there's still space).

Is anyone else coming up from London on the train arriving at 9?

There are plenty of trains back in the evening so getting home looks fine, but I don't fancy a whole day as tail end charlie on my own.

Fidgetbuzz · « **Reply #11 on:** 16 December, 2015, 03:56:12 pm »

Apparently Chris and Fboab do not need extra help at their control - so will ride this - and sample the cake in due course. Gpx track downloaded OK - but can not get the route sheet download to open.

OrangeAndy · « **Reply #12 on:** 16 December, 2015, 09:55:58 pm »

After a few phone calls today I found the problem with the routesheet on the AUK site, this has now been fix (he says with fingers crossed.) I hope the attachments I'm emailing out to entrants are all ok.

OrangeAndy

Chris S · « **Reply #13 on:** 19 December, 2015, 11:03:14 pm »

There is a great deal of Baking and Simmering and Cooking going on in Diss this evening.

Hope you lot are going to be hungry!

rob · « **Reply #14 on:** 20 December, 2015, 07:30:13 pm »

In Suffolk this weekend, but I fear deserting the family on a pre-Christmas break would be bad.

Looked like a marvellous day for it.

Fidgetbuzz · « **Reply #15 on:** 20 December, 2015, 10:51:58 pm »

Now that was a cracking ride with excellent support at start/finish and especially the FREE grub at Palgrave. as I arrived Fboab was up to her elbows kneading the mixture ready to put another batch of cheese scones in to cook, ChrisS was taking orders and delivering , tea, soup and warm cheese rolls to the seated customers.. and I think it was Libby stamping our cards. Tables had big heaps of home baked goodies on -- mine had flapjacks, next door was mincepies, then there was stollen and sponges -- not sure what was on the other tables BUT it was all looking superb and tasted bloody good too.

As for the ride - curious .. when did you ever ride in finger less gloves on a 200 on Dec 20th? Wind assisted for first 75kms -- meant fast -- then 30 kms in to the wind to that GRUB ad then another 50 into the nasty headwind , before the turn for home. I rode with and was towed by Jonathan Greenway to Palgrave -- but opted to trundle on slowly on my own after the stop.

Thx Andy for the route etc -- and massive thanks to the Palgrave team -- made the whole ride one to remember for ever.

tedshred · « **Reply #16 on:** 21 December, 2015, 07:09:55 am »

Great ride, great hospitality so thank you to all involved

I have put a short report about the Essex peloton's ride up in the MEMWNS miscellany thread.

jiberjaber · « **Reply #17 on:** 21 December, 2015, 12:23:09 pm »

Good ride, thanks to the organisers and the team at Palgrave (and the start

). We were well fed and I don't think I could have eaten any more caek

Epic weather, we managed to miss the rain whilst treating ourselves to the golden arches in Sudbury...

Jack · « **Reply #18 on:** 21 December, 2015, 01:57:09 pm »

Quote from: Fidgetbuzz on 20 December, 2015, 10:51:58 pm

... Fboab was up to her elbows kneading the mixture ready to put another batch of cheese scones in to cook, ChrisS was taking orders and delivering , tea, soup and warm cheese rolls to the seated customers.. and I think it was Libby stamping our cards...

I would like to wholeheartedly add my thanks to the Palgrave team. They really put the effort in. Cheese scones are good, but freshly-baked and still warm was superb!

Much appreciated. Made the headwinds that followed that little bit more bearable.

jiberjaber · « **Reply #19 on:** 17 January, 2016, 07:38:02 pm »

Did anyone else take any photos during the day? There were a few cameras evident...

jiberjaber · « **Reply #20 on:** 17 January, 2016, 07:38:57 pm »

Did anyone else take any photos during the day? There were a few cameras evident...

Author Topic: Santa Special December 20th 2015 (Read 3600 times)

LMT

Chris S

Chris S

rob