Mid-Essex Mid-Week Nocturnal Series

[Oscar's dad]

Yesterday evening had a decidedly monastic feel to it.

Huggy managed to convince me there would be rain of biblical proportions to endure so I togged myself up with waterproof jacket, faux denim Rainlegs and winter boots, which all amounted to the cyclist's equivalent of a hair shirt.  Then of course there is my booze free November.  And no bugger turned up.  Abstinence, solitude and self flagellation.

The Friendly Fryer told me they shut their eat-in section at 9:30.  I got there at 9:26 and it had "just shut" - apparently.  So I had a bag of chips and a can of Coke sat in the bus shelter by the church in Maldon.

Still, it was a very pleasant ride.  40 miles, 542 metres of climbing (not entirely sure I trust my Garmin's ability to measure climbing) at a moving average of 13mph.  As I went through Wickham Bishops for the first time the GPS crashed and would only be revived by ripping the batteries out and re-installing.  Not sure whether the loopiness of the route caused the problem.

And it hardly rained at all.

[Oscar's dad]

Last night I found myself wondering what would happen if one was to combine my Classic North and South of the A12 route with my Loopy Hilly route and then added a few more kinks just for good measure.  The result is THIS 

A gnat's cock under 72 miles, as much climbing as I can muster, 4 fords and plenty of refreshment opportunities   

[Christophe]

Sorry I missed it last night. Got caught up at work so didn't get home till late. Well done for keeping it up anyway.

With regards to your Etrex crashing, I've had that a couple of times. Mine flashes up a message quicly saying something along the lines that the route is not compatible with the map on the unit. If you are using openstreetmaps but route is from toaster or the like then there may be  short section of road missing on your unit's map, causing it to have a spack attack. This also happens to very occasionally if I go off route and it tries to calculate an alternative.

[Christophe]

Last night I found myself wondering what would happen if one was to combine my Classic North and South of the A12 route with my Loopy Hilly route and then added a few more kinks just for good measure.  The result is THIS 

A gnat's cock under 72 miles, as much climbing as I can muster, 4 fords and plenty of refreshment opportunities   

Is that a map of the counties of Wales trasplanted over mid Essex?

[Oscar's dad]

I suspect you're right about my E30 Chris.  It had had a hissy fit earlier then just said "Garmin" on the screen with the logo.  None of the buttons worked so out came the batteries.  It behaved after that but then struggled once we got back to Wickham Bishops.  No major drama though.

Last night I found myself wondering what would happen if one was to combine my Classic North and South of the A12 route with my Loopy Hilly route and then added a few more kinks just for good measure.  The result is THIS 

A gnat's cock under 72 miles, as much climbing as I can muster, 4 fords and plenty of refreshment opportunities   

Is that a map of the counties of Wales transplanted over mid Essex?

Its been a boring morning. 

[Christophe]

As routes go, it's an OD classic! And 72 miles within the environs of Braintree and Maldon districts is most impressive!

Also having a boring day at work (despite the workload from hell) I've been pondering a route visiting the lost railway stations of East Anglia following a recent visit to Rayne station. Probably will try and stretch it to a 200km DIY. I think I need to consult my Essex railway walks book first. I'll let you know the outcome.

[Oscar's dad]

As routes go, it's an OD classic! And 72 miles within the environs of Braintree and Maldon districts is most impressive!

Also having a boring day at work (despite the workload from hell) I've been pondering a route visiting the lost railway stations of East Anglia following a recent visit to Rayne station. Probably will try and stretch it to a 200km DIY. I think I need to consult my Essex railway walks book first. I'll let you know the outcome.

That sounds excellent!  I need a 200 for my 2014 SR.  Perhaps we could tie it in with a visit to a hitherto unvisited GBG pub?

I too have an epic workload which I suppose I should get on with 

[bloomers100]

OD and monastic in the same sentence, I lol'd I did.

[Oscar's dad]

OD and monastic in the same sentence, I lol'd I did.

Bless you my son 

[Oaky]

THIS 

That'll smoke your eTrex, that will.

[Oscar's dad]

THIS 

That'll smoke your eTrex, that will.

[slipgate]

Well, it just seemingly crashed my new iPad!!! You must have been bored at work!

[Oscar's dad]

 

[huggy]

The nominations for the MEMWNS of the Year have been flooding in..........both of them.  Remember that you all have a vote and you don't even need to get yourself to a polling station on a Thursday - all you have to do is PM me with your nomination and your reasons for nominating.

Forget about the 9 Saturdays left for Christmas shopping there are less than 45* cycling days left before the Mid-Essex Chapter yacf Christmas Do
With that very much planted in your minds you are cordially invited to submit nominations for the 2013 MEMWNS of the Year trophy.  As tradition dictates nominations are secretly PM'd to the incumbent - that honour is mine until the evening of 6th December.

Please send the name of your nominee with at least 3 justifying reasons that person is worthy of the esteemed privilege of receiving the MEMWNS of the Year trophy at the Christmas Do.

The precedent has been set that the recipient does not in fact have to be present to have the honour bestowed upon them, however the trophy does need to be displayed in a prominent position in the abode of the winner.

NOTE: Nominating previous winners of the trophy should be avoided. Previous winners are - 2010 Tomsk, 2011 Oaky, 2012 Huggy

As a reminder of what is at stake here is the trophy in all its glory lovingly cuddled by Rudolph - musky pelt of destiny (or is it Morris the Moose?)


^*Correct at the time of original posting

[Oscar's dad]

I'm available on Wednesday evening.  Where shall we go?

[Wowbagger]

Can we please rename this thread the Mid-Essex Mid-Week Temperance Movement?

[huggy]

I'm available on Wednesday evening.  Where shall we go?

As far as possible (on metalled roads)

Can we please rename this thread the Mid-Essex Mid-Week Temperance Movement?

We could but we'd have to change it back again on the 1st December 

[huggy]

I'm available on Wednesday evening.  Where shall we go?

How about the Axe & Compasses for ~41 miles of tarmac fun.  A Witham departure of 7:30 would enable arrival at The A&C about 9pm.
Out & back routes something like these:
To The A&C
From from The A&C

[Oscar's dad]

 

[Oaky]

I hope to be able to join in this time.

I'll take a decision closer to the time whether the injured hand is up to grumping my way up NH or not and might modify my outbound route accordingly.  I probably won't quite be able to set off by 7:30 though (need to wait for the Brownies pickup to be done).

[huggy]

A slightly later departure can always be accomodated, such as 7:40 by the J&J, as can alternative route suggestions.

[Wowbagger]

I'm available on Wednesday evening.  Where shall we go?

How about the Axe & Compasses for ~41 miles of tarmac fun.  A Witham departure of 7:30 would enable arrival at The A&C about 9pm.
Out & back routes something like these:
To The A&C
From from The A&C

[Tomsk]

Sounds good to me  ....I'll head out about the same time, to meet you on Huggy's route around half-way-ish. Probably somewhere between Lt Waltham and Boreham?

[Oscar's dad]

Out & back routes something like these:
To The A&C
From from The A&C

Right then, own up,  who's broken Bike Route Toaster???   

[Christophe]

Right then, own up,  who's broken Bike Route Toaster???   

Probably you with your 72 mile criss cross Tour de Braintree last week.