It seems that there is no helping some people.
Huggy the Navigator set us up with a flat and short ride out to the King Billy at Braintree last night. Whilst Huggy, the Hustler and I availed ourselves of an easy-paced trundle to the pub, Sister Carol and Tomsk, for whom the ride had been designed as a recovery from their efforts on the BCM, had other ideas. We came across Sister Carol just before we got to the pub. He was "recovering" with an 80k ride in the rain. Meanwhile, Tomsk was off being intrepid somewhere and putting up extra signage for his new 400. He eventually appeared at the pub nearer 10pm than the usual 9pm having doubtless ridden round half the county on his way there.
Our merry band was completed by Jiberjaber who had made his own way from Chelmsford. For those who follow Jiber's fashion guidance, he was in his late spring collection last night; specifically, 12-14 degrees with the possibility of showers in Gore.
First time at the King Billy for me. It's a gem of a pub and well named too. We sampled Arbor Gold (brewed in the pub), Tring's Brock Bitter and Nethergate's Mary's Ruby Mild. All of them were excellent but the Brock edged the Quaffers' Choice as the session beer of the bunch. The landlady even supplied us with popcorn. I say us but Tomsk inhaled the whole bowl before we had really noticed it arriving. Apparently it had been salad that evening at Tomsk Towers and he was in need of a top up. Fortunately, the Hustler and I managed to secure our own bowl for our table for two.
Talk was of the sterling efforts by the ACME peloton in Wales at the BCM, the ACME micro pub and various off topic nonsense. Later in the evening Huggy decided that we should have one of his grown up discussions about the future of ACME. He can explain the detail somewhere but basically it revolved around money, insurance and being responsible. Look at what happens when our resident mischief maker is stuck in Cardiff or Reading or somewhere out West.
Not only is the King Billy a gem but the ride back to Witham is basically downhill. I am not sure I really had to pedal at any point. I did have a bit of sympathy for Sister Carol as he set off into the rain for his lonely ride back to Colchester. I would have given him a lift but it's more fun watching him suffer
Next week it looks like ACME is heading to the wild west...
