ACME Anvil Winter Series

[huggy]

And so concludes another successful ACME Anvil Winter Series of events, it never ceases to impress me how we manage to attract so many from hibernation to ride the Essex roads, not least that everyone seems so happy to embrace the various weather challenges, especially this year!
Tomsk's Stansted Airport Express was worst weather affected with it being run over two weekends, although the Helpers enjoyed a very pleasant day out the week before. 75 entries with 32 validations 
The Essex 3R's also wet weather influenced with some late rerouting offered for flood avoidance which will probably become the new route for future editions. 84 entries with 44 validations 
Ted's Kelvedon Oyster is always the pearl in the shell. It also had some rerouting instructions barked out at the pre-departure briefing due to an icy downhill section, most reported no issues and high levels of enjoyment. 140 entries with 98 validations 
The Knights Templar Compasses completed the set, the notable challenge this time being the perennial absence of train service from London. Fortunately, despite heavy rain in previous few days the roads were not too submerged, except for one report of local knowledge taking our first rider back along a Writtle cycle track which was knee deep  , the ACME Arrivée Sock Dryer^TM worked well for more than one finisher! 118 entries, 94 validations

Thanks all for coming out to support our Winter events and the (usually) complimentary comments and reports of enjoying them. Judging by the number of Grand Slam shiny badges awarded this year they truly are coveted and valued when earned.

[drossall]

Pleased I made it to the Knights Templar with a lift from a clubmate. We both rode round on single-speed (fixed in my case). He made it impressively up Market Hill. I walked

Phil was right about the possibility of flooding, but happily it mostly only came half-way across the road, or else was very shallow. Weather only really closed in in the last hour.

[Lightning Phil]

Sounds like you need the market hill bypass route.  It’ll save you 40% of the ascent that Market hill represents but more importantly completely avoid its chevron grade.

[sparklyfish]

Drossall, here's the market hill avoidance route that me and Phil used: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45543171

It's just following the NCN really (hah, an NCN that doesn't take you over an unnecessary hill!). A little bit of walking is usually necessary - near the quayside there's a little bit of footpath that is too narrow to politely cycle. You get to see the river, which I like. Then on the way out of Maldon it's the quieter road towards Mundon/Latchingdon.

No verbose ride report from me due to laptop sadness! Lovely day out, thanks for organising team ACME and great to ride together L Phil. Like Owen, I got rather soggy on my way home... suspect I'll be in my old winter boots all week! But kept a decent pace and was home just before 8pm.

[arabella]

The Market Hill avoidance route also happens to be on the route sheet - which I recommend to you for the extra information 
Nice to see everybody twice and even 3x in some cases as we kept popping up at controls.

[sparklyfish]

doh, I'd forgotten that the market hill avoidance route was on the route sheet! I used it a couple of years ago for its BCQ proximity and then stuck with it...

[drossall]

Drossall, here's the market hill avoidance route that me and Phil used: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45543171

Thanks. I did that one on a previous event, but decided not to this time because, in Maldon, it runs into one-way systems when you're trying to get back onto the more westerly route for the Knights Templar. Didn't consider going out of town before cutting across.

Then I missed the roundabout turn for the western bypass...

No great issue though. We got round just fine, with a little walking on the hill for me

[Lightning Phil]

North Street, Mill Road, Cross Road will get you on the B road exit from Maldon if you want, with no one way systems getting in the way.