Mid-Essex Mid-Week Nocturnal Series

[Wowbagger]

Are you ok, Del?

I am a few sips into my first pint of Preacher's. It's very good, in a Brewer's Gold kind of way.

[Wowbagger]

A very amusing evening, lacking only in Del.

I arrived at the Royal Oak, Hazeleigh, around 8.30 to find a rather spartan pub (I'd never been there before)with a few people playing darts. About 10 minutes after me OD, Oaky & Huggy arrived, we had another pint of Preacher's and then hied us to the Queen Victoria, where Wakering Gold (I didn't know there was a microbrewery in Wakering either). Several more pints were sunk, several avenues of conversation were explored, mostly the fact that OD's & Huggy's wives think they are in a gay relationship (it's easy to see why, to be honest) and then around 11 pm, I made my excuses and left, wobbling home by a reasonably direct route, although the dogs at Flambirds Farm were quite surprised to see a cyclist at this time of night.

I saw at least three foxes and a number of moths.

[Oscar's dad]

It was a fun night and something of a relief to be out on my bike again after a lay off that lasted most of February.  Although it was a bit chilly the weather was the nicest I've ridden in since before Christmas.

My quest to get round all the Essex Good Beer Guide pubs is proving to be quite an odyssey.  We've certainly drunk some good beer but in the main the pubs themselves have hardly been "go to" destinations.  The Royal Oak was a case in point, just a rectangular room by the side of the road with some beer pumps, dart board and a few friendly people . The Queen Victoria was better and busier but didn't really stand out . Nonetheless I shall press on.

We had a uneventful ride home; Huggy and I resisted the temptation to have a kiss and cuddle on parting.

[delthebike]

I'm fine but after my "possible" post I started to feel cold and shivery so decided to stay home. 

[Oscar's dad]

I'm fine but after my "possible" post I started to feel cold and shivery so decided to stay home. 

Look forward to seeing you shortly.  There are quite a few GBG pubs south of the Crouch so you'd better start hoovering the red carpet!

[chief]

Chief spotted 
Driving TCMT-H to work this morning we passed a gurning, orange clad, Chief who didn't appear to be enjoying his morning cycle-commute.  Nevermind, Chief, there must be more pleasant weather ahead in a few months 

Hang on a mo, that's me!  That'll be ice tyres, poor fitness and a bad case of wind  Oh and I'm not very good at mornings

Need to catch up with folks soon!

[Oaky]

Mr OD - I seem to recall you had a destination in mind for Wednesday ... where was that again?

[Oscar's dad]

Mr OD - I seem to recall you had a destination in mind for Wednesday ... where was that again?

The White Hart (pub and micro brewery), Stebbing. Very Tomsk friendly.

[Tomsk]

The White Hart (pub and micro brewery), Stebbing. Very Tomsk friendly.

  This means I could do Book Club and a [short] MEMWNS ride on Wednesday.

[Oscar's dad]

The White Hart (pub and micro brewery), Stebbing. Very Tomsk friendly.

  This means I could do Book Club and a [short] MEMWNS ride on Wednesday.

Smashing. 

What time do people fancy leaving Witham?

[Wowbagger]

A propos of the Great Wakering micro-brewery, it is run by an obnoxious former pupil of mine.

http://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/9057519.I___m_the_only_brewer_in_Southend/ refers.

[delthebike]

He's getting his own back after you told him he couldn't arrange a piss up in a brewery!
Stage one is complete!

[Wowbagger]

Actually, it wasn't a bad pInt, the Wakering Gold. Not as memorable as is Brewer's or Maldon Gold, but not too far off.

The Royal Oak had a number of Oakham Ales on: I've forgotten the precise description of the pint I had, but that was very golden and tangy.

It crossed my mind that if they did a Christmas ale, it should be called Oakham All Ye Faithful.

Edit: the ale I was drinking was Preacher.

[Oscar's dad]

Tomorrow night ... the Flitch Way ... just for a little bit???

 

[Christophe]

Tomorrow night ... the Flitch Way ... just for a little bit???

 

Erm. No

If I come I will be joining at the pub as will be at work till at least 6.30 and will cycle up from Shenfield

[Oscar's dad]

Tomorrow night ... the Flitch Way ... just for a little bit???

 

Erm. No

If I come I will be joining at the pub as will be at work till at least 6.30 and will cycle up from Shenfield

So we could do the Flitch Way on the return journey as well so you don't feel left out?   

Go on, where's your adventurous spirit?  Think of all those 19th century explorers paddling up the Limpopo to bring trousers and the Queen's English to the heathen hordes.  We once had an Empire you know!

[Wowbagger]

I used the Flitch Way a couple of months ago. I was amazed at how good the surface was.

Although it's been horribly cold, January was quite a dry month and February drier. I would imagine that the Flitch Way would be disappointingly navigable.

[Christophe]

So we could do the Flitch Way on the return journey as well so you don't feel left out?   

Go on, where's your adventurous spirit?  Think of all those 19th century explorers paddling up the Limpopo to bring trousers and the Queen's English to the heathen hordes.  We once had an Empire you know!

This is Mid Essex, not the middle of Africa. We're unlikely to encounter a tribe of pigme midgets with long necks, ear lobes down to their knees and large sharp sticks through their todgers. More like dogging chavs, lost farm hands and inebriated MEMWNS members dressed up as reindeer looking for a pub to tick off from his good beer guide.

[Oscar's dad]

So we could do the Flitch Way on the return journey as well so you don't feel left out?   

Go on, where's your adventurous spirit?  Think of all those 19th century explorers paddling up the Limpopo to bring trousers and the Queen's English to the heathen hordes.  We once had an Empire you know!

This is Mid Essex, not the middle of Africa. We're unlikely to encounter a tribe of pigme midgets with long necks, ear lobes down to their knees and large sharp sticks through their todgers. More like dogging chavs, lost farm hands and inebriated MEMWNS members dressed up as reindeer looking for a pub to tick off from his good beer guide.

You make it sound so dangerous    I might never leave the house again. 

[Christophe]

This is Mid Essex, not the middle of Africa. We're unlikely to encounter a tribe of pigme midgets with long necks, ear lobes down to their knees and large sharp sticks through their todgers. More like dogging chavs, lost farm hands and inebriated MEMWNS members dressed up as reindeer looking for a pub to tick off from his good beer guide.

You make it sound so dangerous    I might never leave the house again. 
[/quote]

Only beware of cyclists dressed as reindeer. They might try and throw a half filled piss jug at you while you're not looking!

[delthebike]

What time at the pub? I might be able to join in. (not the dogging chavs just the inebriation!)

[Oscar's dad]

This is Mid Essex, not the middle of Africa. We're unlikely to encounter a tribe of pigme midgets with long necks, ear lobes down to their knees and large sharp sticks through their todgers. More like dogging chavs, lost farm hands and inebriated MEMWNS members dressed up as reindeer looking for a pub to tick off from his good beer guide.

You make it sound so dangerous    I might never leave the house again. 

Only beware of cyclists dressed as reindeer. They might try and throw a half filled piss jug at you while you're not looking!
[/quote]

That only happens at Christmas!

What time at the pub? I might be able to join in. (not the dogging chavs just the inebriation!)

A wild guess ... between 8:30 and 9:00pm

[Christophe]

A wild guess ... between 8:30 and 9:00pm

Any time between 6.00 and 12.00 then.....

[Oscar's dad]

Mr OD - I seem to recall you had a destination in mind for Wednesday ... where was that again?

The White Hart (pub and micro brewery), Stebbing. Very Tomsk friendly.

^^^ Regarding the proposed plan for tonight, I have a proposed route for Withamites.  The outward leg includes an anti-dogging patrol around a corner of Great Notley Country Park and a crossing of the Flitch Way.  The return journey can, if we are minded, include a blast down the FW to Braintree railway station and then home.  Fear not, the surface on that section of the FW is excellent and better than the lanes some of us endured on Sunday.

The fruits of my labours can be found HERE, clicky

[Oaky]

Cool ... I have downloaded the route and will bung it on the GPS later today.

I did notice an absence of Flitch Way in it but the above explains that

I don't yet know when I will manage to set off from Witham - it depends on when I manage to get home from That London.  I'll let you know if I'm likely ot be meeting up with you or if I will be playing catch up.  I'll be on the Globe again (on account of , in no particular order, suitability for Flitch way, mudguards, dynamo and additional training benefit), so there's probably little chance of catching you en-route if you are on your road bikes.