Mid-Essex Mid-Week Nocturnal Series

[The Retiree]

As mentioned to Andyc33 (I think) last night, the Alehouse could be a good option later in the year when the weather looks iffy - with the option of training it back being open to most of us (apart from myself and Tomsk but we are hard Flandrian types).

^^ 

Compasses at Littley Green next week - DL is very keen that we use his route.

We may need to revise this as I know OD was keen to see the TT in it's place on the wall by the bogs and I'm not sure he will be in attendance next week!

[tippers_kiwi]

yes indeed, a great night out 

Thanks for entertaining my visit to the Ale House, I felt a sudden urge for beer after I got off the bike knowing how close we had been to Chelmsford on several occasions 

There was some good leg testing last night, I went a bit hard up the lower part of North Hill and paid the price higher up, it has been a while since I have been out that way and I was a little over confident after my Welsh adventures at the end of May.

The run back from Chelmsford to Witham was awesome, Carlos putting the marker down as we headed towards Springfield and we then blasted the straights back to HP, still couldn't shake DL on his Brompton, chapeau for that effort

[The Retiree]

The run back from Chelmsford to Witham was awesome, Carlos putting the marker down as we headed towards Springfield and we then blasted the straights back to HP, still couldn't shake DL on his Brompton, chapeau for that effort

Thanks Tippers my legs certainly knew about it this morning, great leg stretcher that was and I was glad to manage to get tucked in between you and Carlos as we approached the climb into HP sadly as Carlos went flying by and you pulled away it took every effort to keep within 4 bikes length of Carlos's wheel which probably slipped to 8 bike lengths once we hit the A12 cycle path between HP & Witham........

[Oaky]

Somebody wheeled this geriatric in in his Bath chair:-



then he bought a hat:-



Which may have been inspired by this:-

[Oaky]

The run back from Chelmsford to Witham was awesome, Carlos putting the marker down as we headed towards Springfield and we then blasted the straights back to HP, still couldn't shake DL on his Brompton, chapeau for that effort

Thanks Tippers my legs certainly knew about it this morning, great leg stretcher that was and I was glad to manage to get tucked in between you and Carlos as we approached the climb into HP sadly as Carlos went flying by and you pulled away it took every effort to keep within 4 bikes length of Carlos's wheel which probably slipped to 8 bike lengths once we hit the A12 cycle path between HP & Witham........

I'm glad I was ahead on my own in that case --- I doubt my gearing would have been conducive to staying on the backof that class of train!  (... and I thought I had a good run home!  ).

[Oscar's dad]

It was surprisingly chilly last night. I'm glad I had my socks with me.

[tedshred]

Best moment of the night:

Carlos's brother's mate to OD (under blanket but pre-hat) "so you're the oldest one of this lot ?"

Drawing a welcome veil over OD's unique sense of style, will the godfather be joining us next week or should we postpone the Compasses for another week ?

If so, andyc33 is upset about missing out on the seaside trips (DL may have oversold the fun we have been having) so what about heybridge or thereabouts in the hope of enticing Bobb and jiber jaber out as well ?

[Wowbagger]

Oscar's Dad an éminence grise? Fucking hell...

[tedshred]

Not certain the whole eminence grise thing works when you are wearing a traffic cone hat.

DL is the one pulling the strings while OD grabs the limelight in his dashing sock/sandal combo.

[Oscar's dad]

I'm not around next week I'm afraid, it's my monthly pilgrimage to Newbury [groan]. Don't miss out on going to The Compasses even though I'm not around, there will be many more opportunities for me to view the tea towel.

[Oscar's dad]

Oscar's Dad an éminence grise? Fucking hell...

Being of an inquiring mind I've just Googled éminence grise.  I like the reference as it harks back to the days of the Three Musketeers (*), stories that I have always enjoyed and who doesn't like a bit of beige ?   

This phrase originally referred to François Leclerc du Tremblay, the right-hand man of Cardinal Richelieu. Leclerc was a Capuchin friar who was renowned for his beige robe attire (as beige was termed "grey" in that era.) The title His Eminence is used to address or refer to a Cardinal in the Roman Catholic Church. 

Although Leclerc never achieved the rank of Cardinal, those around him addressed him as such in deference to the considerable influence this "grey" friar held over "His Eminence the Cardinal".

(*) If the BBC is to be believed there are four musketeers!  Who says the telly licence fee doesn't represent value for money?

[The Retiree]

I'm glad I was ahead on my own in that case --- I doubt my gearing would have been conducive to staying on the backof that class of train!  (... and I thought I had a good run home!  ).

We did think we may of seen your rear light way up ahead on the Boreham Road which I think also equated to the slight rise in pace...

Best moment of the night:

Carlos's brother's mate to OD (under blanket but pre-hat) "so you're the oldest one of this lot ?"

Where on earth would he have got an idea like that from.......     

If so, andyc33 is upset about missing out on the seaside trips (DL may have oversold the fun we have been having) so what about heybridge or thereabouts in the hope of enticing Bobb and jiber jaber out as well ?

I did tell him Ted that we didn't make it onto the yacht only viewed it far away in the distance! Heybridge sounds like a good plan next week with the current light evenings if everyone else is happy with that choice?

[Oscar's dad]

Of those who turn out regularly I think you will find Tomsk is our most senior member with me in second place 

[tippers_kiwi]

I just gave a man in a small Suffolk village quite a bit of cash for a shiny new Stainless Steel Croix De Fer frame which had a very large reduction in price.

Right....best I explain to Mrs Tippers

[The Retiree]

I just gave a man in a small Suffolk village quite a bit of cash for a shiny new Stainless Steel Croix De Fer frame which had a very large reduction in price.

Right....best I explain to Mrs Tippers

  I'll be thinking of you.......  however great news 

[Oscar's dad]

I just gave a man in a small Suffolk village quite a bit of cash for a shiny new Stainless Steel Croix De Fer frame which had a very large reduction in price.

Right....best I explain to Mrs Tippers

Great news!  There can't be many of us who haven't had a new bike in the last year 

Edit: who is the chap in Glemsford by the way?

[huggy]

Great news!  There can't be many of us who haven't had a new bike in the last year 

I haven't 
Vicky Vaya is going on 2 years old now, but in the grand tradition of Trigger's broom, with some new parts!

[Oscar's dad]

New parts don't count, you need a new bike!   

[Christophe]

New parts don't count, you need a new bike!   

I've found the best way to get round getting a new bike is to purchase a frame and use parts off an old machine. It looks to the uninitiated like you  are buying 'parts' rather than a new bike. Worked for me twice now . You then set about slowly replacing all the old parts with new. A new bike by stealth (although in stages over several months!)

Tippers is going about it the right way. A few hundred quid on a frame can be easily justified. A couple of grand on a new bike? No way

[Oscar's dad]

This was how Oscar the Orbea morphed into Son of Oscar the Ribble!

[Christophe]

This was how Oscar the Orbea morphed into Son of Oscar the Ribble!

 

[Oscar's dad]

This was how Oscar the Orbea morphed into Son of Oscar the Ribble!

 

So huggy has a Claud Butler busy doing nothing.  He buys a summer soot bike frameset and transfers all the bits over!  Simples!

[huggy]

This was how Oscar the Orbea morphed into Son of Oscar the Ribble!

 

So huggy has a Claud Butler busy doing nothing.  He buys a summer soot bike frameset and transfers all the bits over!  Simples!

I do need a lighter speed machine for when a certain French ride is over and done with, which I kind of have in the garage but about the only part of the Milano worth salvaging keeping is the frameset.  It'll be like building a new bike to get that back on the road 
Maybe, just easier to buy a complete soot bike...

[Oaky]

I just gave a man in a small Suffolk village quite a bit of cash for a shiny new Stainless Steel Croix De Fer frame which had a very large reduction in price.

Nice!

[Oscar's dad]

This was how Oscar the Orbea morphed into Son of Oscar the Ribble!

 

So huggy has a Claud Butler busy doing nothing.  He buys a summer soot bike frameset and transfers all the bits over!  Simples!

I do need a lighter speed machine for when a certain French ride is over and done with, which I kind of have in the garage but about the only part of the Milano worth salvaging keeping is the frameset.  It'll be like building a new bike to get that back on the road 
Maybe, just easier to buy a complete soot bike...

Fair enough.  So sell / give away the Milano and that makes room for a new bike!