ACME Anvil Winter Series

[jiberjaber]

Decision taken out of my hands. Currently sat in Bury St Edmunds a&e having been SMIDSY’d on this mornings ride.
Failure to stop at a roundabout.  Left hand side took the impact quite sore elbow and left groin/ hip.

Sorry to hear this Dave... GWS

[alotronic]

I can't come to the Compasses either. Catherine and Little Tippers are in London watching some Harry Potter show so I am in charge (or something that may resemble it) on Saturday evening, damn it!

Just be glad to know that seeing Harry Potter contributes a very small amount to my wife's income as she works for the theatre group that owns the theatre, so you are doing good work. Does that help swallow the cost of the tix?! No, I didn't think so ;-)

[ElyDave]

Possible left elbow fracture, orthopods will call tomorrow having reviewed.

Stable, weight bearing fracture of the pelvis. Hips and spine OK luckily.

Loads of bruising from left hip to knee. 

various damage to front half of the cruzbike.

I have a stick, can hobble, but it effin' hurts.  I asked how long to get back on the bike, pointing out Saturday.  I was told physically probably OK, but pain likely to be the barrier, 6-8 weeks recovery estimate.

[Tomsk]

 ^ Get Well Soon Dave.

[drossall]

Looks like there's the usual engineering works out of Liverpool Street. Don't suppose anyone's driving over from North Herts way? I'm trying not to steal the car again.

[tippers_kiwi]

GWS Dave! Homebrew should help with the pain 

[alotronic]

Just fashioned ridiculous 50km route from 3 compasses to Witham and back - best solution for me without trains is to drive to compasses, park, do 50ece to Witham and back, change of clothes, enjoy a drink. The extra pressure of a 300 wouldn't be conducive to a relaxing night, I am not as fast as wilkyboy... Mind you it's probably not quite as ridiculous as some of the Wednesday night rides post energy drink...

[jiberjaber]

Some road closures around Leez I noticed last night, including Littley Green. Might want to check any ECE plans - I did see a car coming along LG road so may be passable.

https://www.essexhighways.org/interactive-maps-and-live-travel-information/future-roadworks-map.aspx

[alotronic]

Cheers Jason, checked now...

[tippers_kiwi]

I can't come to the Compasses either. Catherine and Little Tippers are in London watching some Harry Potter show so I am in charge (or something that may resemble it) on Saturday evening, damn it!

Just be glad to know that seeing Harry Potter contributes a very small amount to my wife's income as she works for the theatre group that owns the theatre, so you are doing good work. Does that help swallow the cost of the tix?! No, I didn't think so ;-)

It makes me feel better but then, Mrs Tippers shelled out from her winnings so I didn't really mind before

I'm still looking likely to make the Compasses now although it will be a motorised manner after dropping teenagers off at various locations in the county.

[alotronic]

I can't come to the Compasses either. Catherine and Little Tippers are in London watching some Harry Potter show so I am in charge (or something that may resemble it) on Saturday evening, damn it!

Just be glad to know that seeing Harry Potter contributes a very small amount to my wife's income as she works for the theatre group that owns the theatre, so you are doing good work. Does that help swallow the cost of the tix?! No, I didn't think so ;-)

It makes me feel better but then, Mrs Tippers shelled out from her winnings so I didn't really mind before

I'm still looking likely to make the Compasses now although it will be a motorised manner after dropping teenagers off at various locations in the county.

Not uberdad, but Daduber - cool, see you there.

[psyclist]

Weather is looking rather pleasant for Saturday. A bit chilly first thing for those ECEing, but it should have warmed up a little by 10am. Strengthening tailwind for the latter half of the ride.

[Bikeabilityman]

Depending on whether I actually get any sleep tonight, I've got a 105 mile loop to Witham via Cambridge, then a more direct route back, to ECE it to 400, if I get the timings right! Witham is 82 miles away, so I'm always doing about 350 km anyway.

[tippers_kiwi]

Depending on whether I actually get any sleep tonight, I've got a 105 mile loop to Witham via Cambridge, then a more direct route back, to ECE it to 400, if I get the timings right! Witham is 82 miles away, so I'm always doing about 350 km anyway.

Having had a quiet year and being particularly short on miles more recently I'm back at the point where this kind of plan sounds absolutely bonkers....that however is what I love about Audax, the fact that someone is will to just churn out the miles and sees an extra 50k in the dark on top of 350 is a 'might as well' 

See you tomorrow!

[Bikeabilityman]

If there’s ice on the cars at 2am I might have a rethink, but I want to get 100 points this year so I need to make more of an effort in winter.

[ElyDave]

Have "fun" tomorrow guys

[wilkyboy]

Depending on whether I actually get any sleep tonight, I've got a 105 mile loop to Witham via Cambridge ...

I'll keep an eye out for you on my way down 

[wilkyboy]

Have "fun" tomorrow guys

GWS, Dave — very sorry to hear of your misadventure.

[jiberjaber]

Right - ECE entered, alarm set, bike fettled and water bottles prepared... beers open, tea in oven.  See you all at the 'spoons tomorrow morning. 

[huggy]

Organiser is almost all set...cards folded and labelled, signs printed and laminated, Winter Anvil Grand Slam badges and others packed, ACME jerseys & gilets to be sorted...

Going to be busy at the Départ - 96 entries so far with a few more online before midnight and OTL in the morning expected.  A fine weather forecast should ensure a good turn out 

[Nik's Nick]

OTL entries accepted then?  Excellent. I'm dragging a buddy along for the 50k of my pre-event ECE. Just need to persuade him to take the long route home.

And buy an ACME gillet..

[Shugg McGraw]

Thanks Huggy. Great event. One suggestion, can you begin the briefing note, "This rides starts at 10:00, not 09:00, you idiot ...".

[Tomsk]

Great weather and autumn colours. Wintry temperatures first thing for my ECE, though colder up around Saffron Walden than at 05:00 in Dunmow.

Reserving the back room in the 'spoons was a good move, cheers Huggy.

Helpers' Ride for the Stansted Airport Express on 17th November anyone? And anyone up for helping on the day at the start or finish?

[Oscar's dad]

Yeah good event hugster, we had a smashing time!

[wilkyboy]

Thanks Huggy, I enjoyed that 

6.30am start for a three hour ride to the start.  Just over five hours on the event itself, including a brief time when I was part of a four-fixie peloton   

Then off into the badlands south of Dunmow to bag some explorer squares and boost my ECE distance before the awards ceremony at The Compasses — I think it was a fab idea to align the two and a lot of riders ended their ECEs there 

Not me, though.  After the Compasses rendezvous, I set off for the run back to Cambridge for a three-pointer, but built in some more square-bagging and additional over-distance for a nice, but chilly, double-century 

EDIT:  write-up and a few pics on Strava here — https://www.strava.com/activities/1945266299

A mere ride in the park compared to Bikeability Man — he was out for a four-pointer yesterday, chapeau!