Mid-Essex Mid-Week Nocturnal Series

[Oaky]

Mark, would it be easier if we met you at the station?

It would buy a few extra minutes of valuable "Compasses" time!

[Oscar's dad]

Mark, would it be easier if we met you at the station?

It would buy a few extra minutes of valuable "Compasses" time!

What time at the station?

[chief]

Oaky mentioned the 19:07 up there somewhere   

I did a quick route around the surrounding areas at lunch time and can confirm that some of the roads are flooded let alone the offroady-woady bits.  Tarmac and Wherry seem to be a good compromise for Wednesday evening

Which of the routes is the Witham contingent likely to be heading on toward the Compasses? Down Chippin' hill and past the Vic' or maybe toward the Notley's on Braintree road?  Either way, I'll do the opposite route toward Witham and hopefully grab your attention with Wilma shining fourth 

[Oaky]

Indeed -- my usual train arrives at 19:07 (i.e. 10 past, realistically).

I'll go with the flow regarding route.

[Oscar's dad]

I thought we could head out past Square and Compasses.

[Oaky]

I thought we could head out past Square and Compasses.

Nice, simple and direct.   

BTW, chief:  You should hear me coming -- I've still got the Marathon Winters on!   I guess it's possible you'll get stereo, if OD is still wearing his

[chief]

I'm pleased I don't have them fitted as well, we'd end up with the nick names of Snap, Crackle and Pop

I'll be leaving a little bit later than planned as I need to fit some new brake pads to the dawes before departing.  Still should be in good time to meet you on route ok

[Oscar's dad]

I still have my Winters fitted to Claud but will be bringing Son of Oscar so Snap will be doing a solo act. 

Mark, The Current Mrs R and I went into London last Friday on the train and I clocked your studded rubber, I gave it a bit of a feel - very nice.

I shall be bringing some maps tonight 

[Oaky]

Mad Jack McMad's Mad Stout(*) was superb!

Met OD at Witham station, and after a small amount of faffing to transfer the final pieces of my cyclist disguise into place (Hope1 from bag to bars, gloves, headband and he**et etc.)

Felt quite perky and no-exactly-grossly-unfit on the way out, and once we'd met up with chief, and worked our way through his "off-road" short-cut, even felt up to sprinting up the final hill towards the pub.

The ride  back was different though ... it started OK but later on I was thoroughly beasted by OD.  I spent long portions of the run-in wondering why I was so much slower and struggling to keep up!

I might try to blame the Marathon winters, andthe weight of my bike+work stuff in pannier, but to be honest,  I think I'm just much less fit than I was last year.

(*) Actually called Green Jack's Lurcher Stout, but ... well...

[Oscar's dad]

I enjoyed last night     Thanks to all   

Essex Mountain Rescue have a Facebook page!  I have joined their group and am enquiring whether they do t-shirts.  I was impressed to see they have a helicopter pilot   

[Wowbagger]

Many of their men come from the Canvey & South Benfleet Highland Regiment.

[Oscar's dad]

It's a bit like the chump who used to write into Wogan, he lived in Norwich, his house was called Atlantic View.

[chief]

An excellent evening last night though I didn't realise dominos was such a loud sport 

I'll post this just to intrigue everyone that couldn't make it there 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7493547.stm

[Oscar's dad]

Lovingly handcrafted from genuine fake wood and now mounted on the side door of the garage (*)



(*) Global HQ of Oscar's dad Inc

[Auntie Helen]

And there is a t-shirt for the Essex Mountain Rescue!

[Oscar's dad]

Cool, where can you get them from?  Do they sell them in The Range?

[Oaky]

Anyone planning to go out to play tomorrow night (10th March)?

Venue is the Viper at Mill Green.

(I also just yesterday realised that the following week will be St Patrick's day - venue for that is down as the Willows at Cressing).

[Tomsk]

Should be ok for tomorrow night. 

[chief]

Yep, I'll be there 

[Oaky]

Yep, I'll be there 

Are you going to go straight from Chelmsford station, or go home first?

I'm still deciding on a route.

[chief]

I can get the Mrs to take me home, get changed and then drop me back at Chelmsford station from 19:00 onwards if you are thinking of departing from there?

[Oaky]

I can get the Mrs to take me home, get changed and then drop me back at Chelmsford station from 19:00 onwards if you are thinking of departing from there?

I'm just looking at train times ... I'd probably be looking at 19:40 by the time I get there (well, I could be there by 19:00, but my bike would still be in Witham  )

EDIT: if my train to Witham is on time, and if I manage to get my biek unchained and down to the platform in double quick time, I might *just* make it onto a train getting to Chelmsford by 19:27, but it's probably best if you don't count on that.

[Oaky]

I can get the Mrs to take me home, get changed and then drop me back at Chelmsford station from 19:00 onwards if you are thinking of departing from there?

I'm just looking at train times ... I'd probably be looking at 19:40 by the time I get there (well, I could be there by 19:00, but my bike would still be in Witham  )

EDIT: if my train to Witham is on time, and if I manage to get my biek unchained and down to the platform in double quick time, I might *just* make it onto a train getting to Chelmsford by 19:27, but it's probably best if you don't count on that.

Well,  after dismissing the idea out of hand last night I decided (on the prompting of an SMS from chief) to hop on the train with my bike this morning and jump out at Chelmsford, chain it there and carry on into London.  As a result I will now be at Chelmsford station, raring to go at almost exactly 19:00

[I decided yesterday that to buy myself enough time for the "CHM manoeuvre" I'd have to get a much earlier train from WTM so decided to forgo evening pub-time in favour of morning Acorn-time.  As it happens when I got chief's SMS it was too late to get the earlier train so I did the manoeuvre anyway on my normal train and just made it to work on time using the ~15 mins slack I usually have in the journey time. That was despite NXEA delaying the train into LST]

Hmmm... looking above, it's acronym city!  Oh well.

[Oscar's dad]

Tonight Matthew ...

I'm going to be ...

... in Leeds!

Enjoy.

[Oaky]

Tonight Matthew ...

I'm going to be ...

... in Leeds!

Enjoy.

   We'll have a Jake the Snake in your honour then.