ACME Anvil Winter Series

[Lightning Phil]

Upstream River Chelmer levels steadily been rising through the afternoon and evening and now at 0.59m.  At current rate low lying land could be flooded by morning, just another 10cm to go to make that become likely.  Will look again in morning to see where river level has got to.

This is even more addictive than checking weather forecasts !

2023-11-03T18:30:00Z   0.545
2023-11-03T18:45:00Z   0.548
2023-11-03T19:00:00Z   0.55
2023-11-03T19:15:00Z   0.552
2023-11-03T19:30:00Z   0.557
2023-11-03T19:45:00Z   0.558
2023-11-03T20:00:00Z   0.562
2023-11-03T20:15:00Z   0.566
2023-11-03T20:30:00Z   0.567
2023-11-03T20:45:00Z   0.573
2023-11-03T21:00:00Z   0.575
2023-11-03T21:15:00Z   0.578
2023-11-03T21:30:00Z   0.583
2023-11-03T21:45:00Z   0.586
2023-11-03T22:00:00Z   0.59

[Lightning Phil]

Dry sack with spare gloves, socks and top packed.  Winter boots readied for use.  Mrs JellyLegs is questioning my sanity having seen the forecast.

Wouldn’t be audax without some level of insanity.

[drossall]

okay, here are the route options if you are following a GPS device, I'm not doing a route sheet for all the options. They all go through all the controls.

Just to say thanks for all the short-notice work on these - much appreciated. I've got the flood avoidance route loaded. Does sound as though it might be needed!

[Lightning Phil]

Latest River Chelmer level reading currently 0.66m (says low lying flooding from 0.69m). Peak has (only) just been passed for now.

[bhoot]

No shows here I am afraid. Yes we are wimps but also have lots of Audax admin to do and it makes sense to do it whilst the rain falls!

[JellyLegs]

Dry sack with spare gloves, socks and top packed.  Winter boots readied for use.  Mrs JellyLegs is questioning my sanity having seen the forecast.

Wouldn’t be audax without some level of insanity.

No, it wouldn’t though today was up there on the my personal charts, not helped by me deciding to ride to the start and then further deciding if I was doing 170km then I might as well ECE to 200km.  It really wasn’t the day for that, especially after 2 months off the bike with a bug I couldn’t shift.  I was soaked to the skin and shivering before I even got to the start at 65 personal km and when my boots had refilled by the first control, I decided to catch a train home and dry out.  Ironically the sky had turned blue in patches and there were glimpses of the sun before I reached Marks Tey station but I think I made the right decision for me.  Hope you had a good ride, you shot past me at Little Totham before you then took a curious detour and passed me again as our routes converged.

[Lightning Phil]

I was just following the flood avoidance route which diverged from the main route as I found a couple of times. I don’t think there was any material difference in distance between the choices, though some may have run faster than others.  All good, and total distance 109.40km returning via Maldon from Danbury, which was fine.  Plus I didn’t hit the Papermill flood, confirmed to be present by other riders.

The rain did ease then stop by 1pm, there were indeed blue skies and some sun later on.  Nice to finish in the dry and I didn’t need to change into my spare layers in the dry bag (in my seat bag).

If you do get cold and wet, even when moving, that can be miserable.  I think you made the right choice for you, if you couldn’t keep warm, and were shivering.

[drossall]

I thought it was a great day out. Probably preferable to get the rain first and the sunshine later, rather than the other way around in last week's Emitremmus (sorry Phil). Occasional real gusts of wind, but we never seemed to get too much of a sustained headwind. And even when I decided to risk Papermill Lock, and came over the bridge to a proper flood, it didn't put too much of a dampener on things - I rode through and it didn't quite reach my hubs.

Thanks again to all concerned

[GavinC]

There were definitely moments of type 2 fun today but on the whole it was an enjoyable day 

Thanks Huggy and helpers 

[psyclist]

As ever, the forecasted weather was not as bad as expected. I was questioning my decisions on the ride over when the first batch of heavy rain started, but it passed quickly. For the most part it was light rain, and completely clear before lunchtime.

The winter series rides really are an ideal format for 200km rides at this time of year. My route across varies according to the conditions, I get a chance for a second breakfast at the spoons enjoying familiar company, and then get to ride with a great bunch of people on the event. A meal and a pint at the finish then make the ride home a straightforward little jaunt.

Oh, and e-brevet makes the validation so straightforward, and avoids unnecessary shop purchases.

Thanks Huggy and your merry band of helpers.

[Lightning Phil]

Probably preferable to get the rain first and the sunshine later, rather than the other way around in last week's Emitremmus (sorry Phil).

I agree, better to finish in the dry as it’s when you stop that you cool down.  Though last few years I’ve opted for a mesh base layer if it’s raining.  I find that works great at keeping any moisture away from your skin, and thus much warmer even if outer layers have some moisture in them.  I stayed comfortable all day yesterday, and that oft determines what type of fun you have.

[arabella]

Well, as Huggy mentioned at the send off, he'd kindly organised some wintry weather for the first ride of the winter series.  Though you could say he'd been distracted by watching too many gardening programms as the wintry weather had worn off by about lunchtime and been replaced by numerous "water features", including a nice paddle for those of us who followed the (original) Paper Mill lock section of the route.  Though not so deep as to reach our hubs, but definitely both feet in.
Generally, though, we had a nice jaunt around Rs and Rs
I can confirm that, as ever, wet woolly socks stay warm, even if I had to wring out a lot of water at the end.
Thanks Huggy and helpers 

[ElyDave]

I was just following the flood avoidance route which diverged from the main route as I found a couple of times. I don’t think there was any material difference in distance between the choices, though some may have run faster than others.  All good, and total distance 109.40km returning via Maldon from Danbury, which was fine.  Plus I didn’t hit the Papermill flood, confirmed to be present by other riders.

The rain did ease then stop by 1pm, there were indeed blue skies and some sun later on.  Nice to finish in the dry and I didn’t need to change into my spare layers in the dry bag (in my seat bag).

If you do get cold and wet, even when moving, that can be miserable.  I think you made the right choice for you, if you couldn’t keep warm, and were shivering.

Was that your P38 parked opposit my Faran when I left?  You must have sat down opposite me at the table - I was in the lightweight green wind/showerproof.  Decided not to ride the S40 as I haven't managed to work out how I can fit full mudguards yet, only managed RaceBlades so far.

I was chatting with Huggy about how nice the alternative route from Danbury was, and suggested that it become a permanent option.


 

There were definitely moments of type 2 fun today but on the whole it was an enjoyable day 

Thanks Huggy and helpers 

 

Definitely, I went for a 9am start, so an extra hour of rain.  It was OK up to the first control, but a pretty hard slog past Abberton and then from Maldon to Latchingdon, by which point the rain had stopped and i was starting to overheat, so put the heavy waterproof back in the bag, only to then put the light windproof on at Stock. 

Overall, I probably spent less time on the aerobars than any other recent ride, as the pads were absolutely soaked, and I was just getting soggy and cold elbows. 

[Tomsk]

The Stansted Airport Express routesheet and information is now updated on audax.uk. I've recently been in to see Thremhall café and they are once again aiming to provide some quick and easy options for lunch. I may get more information on what exactly, once we've ridden the route check and popped in the week before. As detailed in the info document, there are alternatives just a bit further on in Takeley, if you want to just say hi to the controllers and get stamped/tap the ebrevet and push on.

For those helpers at the start/finish, note it's the Mighty Oak Brewery Christmas Beer tasting again in Maldon, so I'll have a spin down there after setting everyone off.

[Lightning Phil]

Was that your P38 parked opposit my Faran when I left?  You must have sat down opposite me at the table - I was in the lightweight green wind/showerproof. 

I was chatting with Huggy about how nice the alternative route from Danbury was, and suggested that it become a permanent option.

I didn’t pay much attention to parked up bikes when I returned, but yes my bike was the P38.  I was also wearing lightweight green windproof, plus cycling cap (with smiley faces and hearts with eye on the side).

I started a little after 10am, and found out about the 9am start once on the road.  No doubt 9am start mentioned somewhere in Huggy’s ride info.

Agree Danbury flood avoidance was a nice route, slow through Maldon, but also more options for hot food if you need it on the final leg.

Maybe see you at the Stansted Airport Express if you’re riding that one? Hopefully under winter sun.

[Tomsk]

Stansted Airport Express helpers' ride on Saturday 25th November - keeping the Sunday free, in case of weather: especially if it's got a name, since we've had three named storms in the past month ...

Starting at 09:30 from the Battesford Court.

[drossall]

I keep trying to enter that and getting PayPal failures. Odd because PayPal works for everything else, but has failed on this one on several different days. I'll keep trying.

[Lightning Phil]

Is the description of a car park start / finish just a leftover from the pandemic years. I’m presuming it starts Battlesfield Court same as others in series?

[peter simplex]

Stansted Airport Express helpers' ride on Saturday 25th November - keeping the Sunday free, in case of weather: especially if it's got a name, since we've had three named storms in the past month ...

Starting at 09:30 from the Battesford Court.

Unfortunately, on the big day, Dec 2, the Greater Anglia Express gets no further than Ingatestone on the main line out of  Lazytown.  :-(  But that will no doubt delight the ECE community in the metropolis.

[drossall]

Oh that's an issue, because I'm not currently allowed to drive. Thanks for the heads up.

[tandemaniac]

Stansted Airport Express helpers' ride on Saturday 25th November - keeping the Sunday free, in case of weather: especially if it's got a name, since we've had three named storms in the past month ...

Starting at 09:30 from the Battesford Court.

I could be up for that, since I will be in sunny Devon on the day of the event.

[ElyDave]

e-brevet available? I might fancy giving it a try, assuming I'm not otherwise engaged by current domestic shennanigans.

[Tomsk]

Is the description of a car park start / finish just a leftover from the pandemic years. I’m presuming it starts Battlesfield Court same as others in series?

  Yup! Now corrected!

e-brevet available? I might fancy giving it a try, assuming I'm not otherwise engaged by current domestic shennanigans.

Huggy the e-brevet-meister is on the case. 

Unfortunately, on the big day, Dec 2, the Greater Anglia Express gets no further than Ingatestone on the main line out of  Lazytown.  :-(  But that will no doubt delight the ECE community in the metropolis.

  Makes a change though - it's usually Huggy's events that get the Greater Angrier treatment.

[huggy]

e-brevet is ready to go for the SAE, event number 23-342
There will be QR codes to scan at the Start, Thremhall and Finish.

[Tomsk]

e-brevet is ready to go for the SAE, event number 23-342
There will be QR codes to scan at the Start, Thremhall and Finish.

  Top marks and three cheers for Huggy!