Mid-Essex Mid-Week Nocturnal Series

[Oscar's dad]

By the way bobb, if you're heading to Witham let us know.

[bobb]

Any idea of what time they come through? And indeed finish in Colchester?

[cassin]

I'll be watching in Norwich with my Dad on the Thursday. Gas Hill, Gurney Road area. Then on the Saturday in London with the start being 5 miles from home.

[Domestique]

If I can blag a day off work on Friday I will ride over from Southend to Maldon and watch the ride pass through.
Any Maldonites rec a good vantage point?

[Oscar's dad]

Any idea of what time they come through? And indeed finish in Colchester?

According the the race handbook (downloadable off the interweb) they go down Spa Road, Witham (the end of my road) between 1251 and 1323 hrs.  The finish is between 1340 and 1424hrs.

[bobb]

Cool. I'll have a think about it. I reckon I can only realistically do one or t'other rather than both. If there isn't a train immediately after they go through Witham, they'll probably beat me to Colchester!

[Oscar's dad]

I think you're right. I suspect the finish will be more of a spectacle, I bet they'll pass my vantage point in a flash.

[Auntie Helen]

Having taken Poppy the puppy out in the bike basket for 2.8 miles today, I'm more inclined to come along to this event with dog in tow. East Hill (my main route into Colchester) is closed for cars on Friday but it was the same with the Tour series last year - bikes were allowed to cycle up there and were then right where the action was. I need to do some more investigation, but hopefully will find a good vantage point.

Didn't realise the finish is thought to be so early. My husband is working in Castle Park doing cycle training during the event so he'll miss it, unfortunately.

[bobb]

Where abouts in Colchester is the finish? And which station is nearest? I don't know Colchester very well at all. When I got the train there avec bike to cycle to Mersea a while ago, it took me longer to get out of the place than it took me to cycle to Mersea!!

[Auntie Helen]

Hmmm, can't find much detail about the finish except it's near 'Castle Park' which is a pretty large area. I know James had found a route somewhere so I'll ask him when he's free.

Trains from Chelmsford stop at Colchester main station - if you go to any of the others you'll need to change, which is a bit faffy. There's a good route from the station which goes directly to Castle Park and is just over a mile. Will you be walking or cycling?

[Auntie Helen]

I now see it says 'East Hill' for the end. There is a big park that runs alongside East Hill (Castle Park) so I imagine that will be the best place to be.

The Tour of Britain 2010 – The Race – Stage 7 Finish

[bobb]

So it's basically near the castle then?

I can find that OK. I might go and have a look around the castle before hand as I haven't been there for years....

Edit: £5.70 to get in    Balls to that, I thought museums were supposed to be free...

[bloomers100]

Due to the effort I'm having to use down here in Devon I think I will not be cycling Friday. Most likely to train and brommie to colchester for finish.

[bobb]

I think train is the way to go (not that I can cycle at the moment anyway)

Oaky is being somewhat optimistic IMO.

I'm looking at train to Bury St Edmunds, see the start, ride to an intermediate point, see them come through there, and ride to Colchester and catch the finish.

Basically he's gunna have to be riding at the pace of the race!  

As it turns out, it looks like I'll be having a meeting in either Colchester or Mersea on Fri morning, so I may even be able to scab a lift  

Edit: Do we a have a full list of Colchester attendees?

I think we have:

bobb
Auntie Helen
bloomers100
Oaky

Anyone else?

[Oaky]

Basically he's gunna have to be riding at the pace of the race!  

I was hoping just to hop on the back of the HTC Columbia guys and get towed round that way.  I don't think they'd be too bothered if I promised not to contest any sprints

Actually, it's about 1/3rd of the pace of the race ... my route is ~50 km to their 150km, but it might be closer to half pace on moving average, given the disruption to roads/route due to the race itself.

It is probably optimistic, but I'm still going to give it a go .

I think we have:

bobb
Auntie Helen
bloomers100
Oaky

Anyone else?

Tomsk is attempting the flying spectatorship ride too.

[Oaky]

Oh and chief was interested at one point but might be out again - I don't remember his last word on the subject...

[токамак]

I've just got back to work after two weeks holiday and I've got a load of catching up to do - so I'll be taking a short break and watching them come through Braintree before heading back to the office.

[bobb]

It lives!

[токамак]

It was a pretty manic 2 weeks. I've been on Italian television and everything.   

[edit] if you got onto Facebook more often, or even at all, you'd know all about it! 

[Oscar's dad]

It was a pretty manic 2 weeks. I've been on Italian television and everything.   

[edit] if you got onto Facebook more often, or even at all, you'd know all about it! 

I'm on Facebook, shall we be friends???

[токамак]

I'm on Facebook, shall we be friends???

Request sent

[Oscar's dad]

I'm on Facebook, shall we be friends???

Request sent

Gotcha!  One day you you must explain your FB user name.  I thought токамак was obscure enough, how wrong I was!  I'm also intrigued by your Italian trip.

[bobb]

Does anyone want to be my friend?  

I promise to actually bother to look at Facebook occasionally in future  

[Oscar's dad]

Does anyone want to be my friend?  

I promise to actually bother to look at Facebook occasionally in future  

Go on then, I believe you can get some sort of link from my YACF profile.  You're not going to lead be astray are you?

[Oaky]

I'm on Facebook, shall we be friends???

Request sent

Gotcha!  One day you you must explain your FB user name.  I thought токамак was obscure enough, how wrong I was!  I'm also intrigued by your Italian trip.

I just had a look and it's the Russian phrase that tokamak is short for (it's russian for toroidal chamber with megnetic coils or something like that)