Author Topic: Mid-Essex Mid-Week Nocturnal Series  (Read 1718786 times)

Oscar's dad

  • aka Septimus Fitzwilliam Beauregard Partridge
Re: Mid-Essex Mid Week Nocturnal Series
« Reply #400 on: 03 November, 2009, 04:04:33 pm »
The route there is 19 miles (see bikehike.co.uk - Course Creator)

Do you have a more direct return route then?

Yes, sorry, forgot to mention that!  14.2 miles and not a gnat's cock more!

Re: Mid-Essex Mid Week Nocturnal Series
« Reply #401 on: 03 November, 2009, 04:07:36 pm »
The route there is 19 miles (see bikehike.co.uk - Course Creator)

Do you have a more direct return route then?
bikehike.co.uk - Course Creator is a little shorter.

Auntie Helen

  • 6 Wheels in Germany
Re: Mid-Essex Mid Week Nocturnal Series
« Reply #402 on: 03 November, 2009, 04:08:49 pm »
I'll give that return a go then, as long as you can face hanging around for me. Mind you, if it's flattish I shouldn't be quite so slow. Did 20 miles today at an average of 13mph so that's an improvement.

I have some excuse, perhaps. I've done 10,192 miles so far this year, which has taken me 35 days, 17 hours, 18 minutes and six seconds in total. That's five solid weeks on the bike...
My blog on cycling in Germany and eating German cake – http://www.auntiehelen.co.uk


Auntie Helen

  • 6 Wheels in Germany
Re: Mid-Essex Mid Week Nocturnal Series
« Reply #403 on: 03 November, 2009, 04:10:54 pm »
The route there is 19 miles (see bikehike.co.uk - Course Creator)

Do you have a more direct return route then?
bikehike.co.uk - Course Creator is a little shorter.
Thank you Mr TheBike. I'll go with whatever route young Oscar's Dad has but your route is wonderfully flat ;)
My blog on cycling in Germany and eating German cake – http://www.auntiehelen.co.uk


Oscar's dad

  • aka Septimus Fitzwilliam Beauregard Partridge
Re: Mid-Essex Mid Week Nocturnal Series
« Reply #404 on: 03 November, 2009, 04:11:16 pm »
I'll give that return a go then, as long as you can face hanging around for me. Mind you, if it's flattish I shouldn't be quite so slow. Did 20 miles today at an average of 13mph so that's an improvement.

I have some excuse, perhaps. I've done 10,192 miles so far this year, which has taken me 35 days, 17 hours, 18 minutes and six seconds in total. That's five solid weeks on the bike...

I cruise at 13mph so we'll be fine.

We could follow Del's suggestion as the road thru Boreham is the old A12 and then just carry on to Hatty Pev.  But it's a dull ride and best avoided.

Edit: and there is a hill just before Hatty  :P

Re: Mid-Essex Mid Week Nocturnal Series
« Reply #405 on: 03 November, 2009, 07:00:21 pm »
Look forward to seeing everyone at St Anne's castle for 7ish then  :thumbsup:

OD, I'll PM you my mobile phone number, would be nice to get a call/text, currently its just used to listen to a loop of the Hitchhiker's guide.

Oscar's dad

  • aka Septimus Fitzwilliam Beauregard Partridge
Re: Mid-Essex Mid Week Nocturnal Series
« Reply #406 on: 03 November, 2009, 07:06:40 pm »
It that the O2 test line 9790?

Re: Mid-Essex Mid Week Nocturnal Series
« Reply #407 on: 03 November, 2009, 07:14:17 pm »
OD, I can be at yours whatever time you wish, so let me know when.

I would myself prefer to avoid off-road parts and take lovely tarmac paths where possible.

I'm still hoping for a bikehike route...  ;)

Afraid I can't get on with that new fangled bikehiked thingy, but regarding the gridleways after Howe Street...

There are two sections, a short one and a much longer one.

The first starting at the bottom of Humprey's farm lane will be tougher with the down and up hill bit to deal with it.  However the road does run parallel so that might be a better option.  We can all wave to each other through the trees  :thumbsup:

At the top of the hill we then come back onto the road and turn right to continue onto stage 2 which eventually brings us out at the north part of Woodhall Hill Lane.  This section of offroad is either flat or a gentle downhill and very nice to ride.

If you you didn't fancy stage 2 then you could carry straight on and then turn left and meet us in the Pig and Whistle car park which is naturally on route anyway:

http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=90818

Eitherway plenty of options so we can decide tomorrow night  :thumbsup:

Re: Mid-Essex Mid Week Nocturnal Series
« Reply #408 on: 03 November, 2009, 07:15:16 pm »
It that the O2 test line 9790?

Indeed it is!  thanks for the tip off on that, you've made a lot of geeks happy :-*

Oscar's dad

  • aka Septimus Fitzwilliam Beauregard Partridge
Re: Mid-Essex Mid Week Nocturnal Series
« Reply #409 on: 03 November, 2009, 07:42:24 pm »
I forgot I'd told you about Hitchikers. I'm not sure if it is a free call!

The route sounds fun. I have just put some narrow nobblies back on my hack bike. I fancy a muddy winter (nothing to worry about Helen!)

Auntie Helen

  • 6 Wheels in Germany
Re: Mid-Essex Mid Week Nocturnal Series
« Reply #410 on: 03 November, 2009, 09:05:03 pm »
I think where the option is to stay on a 'real' road rather than off-road I'll go for that; I'm not so keen on off-road as it's so bumpy and I have issues with traction. I see from the Bikehike route that there's usually an alternative so if you can point out where I should go I'll meet you where the paths rejoin.
My blog on cycling in Germany and eating German cake – http://www.auntiehelen.co.uk


Tomsk

  • Fueled by cake since 1957
    • tomsk.co.uk
Re: Mid-Essex Mid Week Nocturnal Series
« Reply #411 on: 04 November, 2009, 09:11:31 am »
    Enjoy your ride tonight everyone! I shall be having an interlecktewal evening at my (mostly female   :D) book club. Plus tons of tea and cake, naturally. Which I won't burn off on the 1 mile ride there & back. CU next week, all being well.

Re: Mid-Essex Mid Week Nocturnal Series
« Reply #412 on: 04 November, 2009, 01:11:46 pm »
Slight change of plan. Myself and токамак will meet you lot at St Anne's Castle at 19:00  :)
Those wonderful norks are never far from my thoughts, oh yeah!

Oscar's dad

  • aka Septimus Fitzwilliam Beauregard Partridge
Re: Mid-Essex Mid Week Nocturnal Series
« Reply #413 on: 04 November, 2009, 01:13:41 pm »
Slight change of plan. Myself and токамак will meet you lot at St Anne's Castle at 19:00  :)

Terrific.  We will have to find a pot hole big enough to fit us all in!  :thumbsup:

Auntie Helen

  • 6 Wheels in Germany
Re: Mid-Essex Mid Week Nocturnal Series
« Reply #414 on: 04 November, 2009, 02:03:04 pm »
It'll be waaaaay too early for me to have my evening meal before I set off this evening (I'm leaving home at 5:15pm) so will need to eat something other than dessert at one of the hostelries. Anyone know if either/both do food and if it's reasonable (by 'reasonable' I mean vast quantities, not too fussed about the presentation)?
My blog on cycling in Germany and eating German cake – http://www.auntiehelen.co.uk


Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Re: Mid-Essex Mid Week Nocturnal Series
« Reply #415 on: 04 November, 2009, 02:11:33 pm »
It'll be waaaaay too early for me to have my evening meal before I set off this evening (I'm leaving home at 5:15pm) so will need to eat something other than dessert at one of the hostelries. Anyone know if either/both do food and if it's reasonable (by 'reasonable' I mean vast quantities, not too fussed about the presentation)?

St Anne's Castle

Any help?
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Auntie Helen

  • 6 Wheels in Germany
Re: Mid-Essex Mid Week Nocturnal Series
« Reply #416 on: 04 November, 2009, 03:22:43 pm »
Oooh good cheap food there! Will you all be there long enough for me to eat a lasagne or something, chaps? Or will we be moving swiftly on to the next location?
My blog on cycling in Germany and eating German cake – http://www.auntiehelen.co.uk


Oscar's dad

  • aka Septimus Fitzwilliam Beauregard Partridge
Re: Mid-Essex Mid Week Nocturnal Series
« Reply #417 on: 04 November, 2009, 03:24:37 pm »
Oooh good cheap food there! Will you all be there long enough for me to eat a lasagne or something, chaps? Or will we be moving swiftly on to the next location?

I think the schedule will accomodate you re-fuelling.

Auntie Helen

  • 6 Wheels in Germany
Re: Mid-Essex Mid Week Nocturnal Series
« Reply #418 on: 04 November, 2009, 03:35:57 pm »
Oooh good cheap food there! Will you all be there long enough for me to eat a lasagne or something, chaps? Or will we be moving swiftly on to the next location?

I think the schedule will accomodate you re-fuelling.
No schedule could accommodate a complete Auntie Helen refuelling; I shall just have a splash and dash. Which sounds like a loo trip.
My blog on cycling in Germany and eating German cake – http://www.auntiehelen.co.uk


Re: Mid-Essex Mid Week Nocturnal Series
« Reply #419 on: 04 November, 2009, 03:56:49 pm »
Oooh good cheap food there! Will you all be there long enough for me to eat a lasagne or something, chaps? Or will we be moving swiftly on to the next location?

If we absolutely have to I reckon we could squeeze down an extra pint to bide some time. ;)

Auntie Helen

  • 6 Wheels in Germany
Re: Mid-Essex Mid Week Nocturnal Series
« Reply #420 on: 04 November, 2009, 04:11:47 pm »
Oooh good cheap food there! Will you all be there long enough for me to eat a lasagne or something, chaps? Or will we be moving swiftly on to the next location?

If we absolutely have to I reckon we could squeeze down an extra pint to bide some time. ;)
I wouldn't want to force you to drink when you'd rather not, Tokamak ;)
My blog on cycling in Germany and eating German cake – http://www.auntiehelen.co.uk


Oscar's dad

  • aka Septimus Fitzwilliam Beauregard Partridge
Re: Mid-Essex Mid Week Nocturnal Series
« Reply #421 on: 05 November, 2009, 12:01:29 pm »
I judge last night to be another classic.  

Myself and Auntie Helen departed the garage door at 1803hrs, just 3 minutes behind schedule and made good time to St Anne's Castle.  On arrival disaster nearly struck!  AH was badly in need of her din dins yet was informed by the landlady that they weren't serving food.  AH looked suitably crestfallen so the landlady trotted off to see if her husband could be persuaded to open the kitchen.  Success!  About 10 minutes later a plate of lasagne, chips and peas was plonked in front of our intrepid 3 wheeled friend.  This was my second visit to St Anne's, I wasn't that impressed on my first visit. I am much more impressed now!

bobb, TOKaMaK and chief turned up so after a pint and a chat we set off for Writtle and The Wheatsheaf.  chief's route was a triumph!  I will shortly study my GPS track to work out exactly where we went as it was a complete hoot.  The group parted company twice.  Myself and chief hit the muddy, leaf strewn bridleways whilst the rest of the gang stayed on the tarmac.  chief and Oaky are mates and clearly chips off the same block as chief (on his Dawes road tourer  :o ) set off down the bridleways like his arse was on fire; leaving me on my MTB shod with nobbly tyres panting to keep up.  chief and Oakly would do well to remember that I only have one set of lungs and can only cough them up so many times - gits  ;D

The Wheatsheaf is looks and feels like someone's front room.  I love pubs like that.  It's not a big place and was significantly less empty once the five of us had barged in with all our clobber.  The drinking was good 1 ...



... and some important decisions were made.  Firstly, there will be a S24O in January.  Secondly, the Christmas do will (unless there are violent objections) be Shenfield to Chelmsford with eating at The Duck as per bobb's recce.

AH and I were keen not to hang around too long as we both wanted to be back at a reasonable hour so we left bobb and TOKaMaK at the pub and set off home with chief in tow.  We parted company with chief after a short while and AH and I forged on alone.

My route home was nearly as triumphant as chief's outward leg.  We were completely reliant on the GPS route I had plotted and the trusty Garmin didn't let us down.  We went over bridges, through gates and down very narrow roads.  It was only once we got close to Terling that I had any idea of where we were.  It was adventure of the highest order.

As planned I was tucked up in bed well before midnight.  My cold which had benefited hugely from the fresh air and exercise came back with avengence and shortly after hitting the pillow my head was full of snot.  Consequently I have decided to place myself on light duties today and postponed this morning's customer meeting  :thumbsup:

A great night and many thanks to all that attended - you're all top chaps and chapesses  ;D

1 I am mightily impressed by the number of pubs that will serve tea without batting an eye lid.  This is a complete revelation and the tea drinking pioneers, of which we now have two, should be applauded  :thumbsup:

Oaky

  • ACME Fire Safety Officer
  • Audax Club Mid-Essex
    • MEMWNS Map
Re: Mid-Essex Mid Week Nocturnal Series
« Reply #422 on: 05 November, 2009, 12:17:06 pm »
...
The group parted company twice.  Myself and chief hit the muddy, leaf strewn bridleways whilst the rest of the gang stayed on the tarmac.  chief and Oaky are mates and clearly chips off the same block as chief (on his Dawes road tourer  :o ) set off down the bridleways like his arse was on fire; leaving me on my MTB shod with nobbly tyres panting to keep up.  chief and Oakly would do well to remember that I only have one set of lungs and can only cough them up so many times - gits  ;D
...

It's good for you!  :)  At the very least you have a GPS track so you know where to look for your lungs.

Glad to hear that a good time was had by all.  I had to make do with an hour on the turbo, being confined to quarters to look after the acorns.  (I did manage to watch 3 episodes of Black Books whilst riding though but this may have been counter productive since it "forced" me to crack open some red wine once I'd showered - at least I managed to drink at a lower rate than Bernard, Fran et al. in the DVD, which is surprisingly hard to do - I've come a cropper watching BB with a bottle of wine close at hand more than once before).

I am definitely up for the next one, which I do believe is back to the Norton.
You are in a maze of twisty flat droves, all alike.

85.4 miles from Marsh Gibbon

Audax Club Mid-Essex Fire Safety Officer
http://acme.bike

Oscar's dad

  • aka Septimus Fitzwilliam Beauregard Partridge
Re: Mid-Essex Mid Week Nocturnal Series
« Reply #423 on: 05 November, 2009, 12:22:16 pm »

I am definitely up for the next one, which I do believe is back to the Norton.

A ride which will be conducted at a gentlemanly pace!

Oaky

  • ACME Fire Safety Officer
  • Audax Club Mid-Essex
    • MEMWNS Map
Re: Mid-Essex Mid Week Nocturnal Series
« Reply #424 on: 05 November, 2009, 01:26:10 pm »

I am definitely up for the next one, which I do believe is back to the Norton.

A ride which will be conducted at a gentlemanly pace!

Hmm... Don't think I have time to grow the appropriate moustache.

You are in a maze of twisty flat droves, all alike.

85.4 miles from Marsh Gibbon

Audax Club Mid-Essex Fire Safety Officer
http://acme.bike