Some of our number made it over to Dunmow on Saturday for Tomsk's winter perm extravaganza. Bobb, Tomsk, Tippers, the Hustler, Jiber and I were there from MEMWNS and we had a few other regulars from the Essex peloton like Alotronic, Raymond, Wilky Boy, Fboab and ChrisS. There were others there that Tomsk will know but I don't know their forum names.
First winter perm for me and first ride around the Dick Turpin's Day Out route. As has often been said before, it is a good winter route with plenty of warm fires and Essex Energy Drinks available at regular intervals as needed. We had the weather with us (not that this stopped some of our number from fuelling up anyway). It also gave our amateur historians, Bobb and the Hustler, the opportunity to show off what they had learned about Dick Turpin from the Horrible Histories song "Angry Highwayman". I should point out a serious discrepancy in the route sheet, Tomsk has Dick being born in 1707 whereas the sign outside his birthplace has him born in 1705. Actually, thinking about it, it is more likely that they are wrong
With over a dozen riders waiting at the start, it felt more like one of Tomsk's x-rated events than a January perm. When you arrive at a ride and the rest of the field seems to be kitted out with PBP gilets and worn carradices, you know that it won't be a gentle meander through the lanes, and so it proved. The pace at the front was fairly relentless from the off with the ever exuberant Jiber often leading the charge. I selflessly opted to shepherd everyone along from the back of the field
Despite the pace, we all arrived pretty much as one at the first few controls. We did string out a bit more on the way to Debenham but were all there within a few minutes of each other. The group split there with one section opting to try the (closed) chippy, while the remainder of us went for the platinum option of standing outside the Co-op in the car park eating cold food.
Not long after that I had my first in-event visitation in a long time. Luckily my wingman was on hand with patience, tools and assistance (I had managed to lose my tyre levers somewhere round the ride which is sod's law). This meant that we suddenly had the luxury of going at our own pace (well, strictly speaking, mine) rather than trying to keep up with audax royalty.
By the time we eventually wheeled into the mecca of East Anglia's audax scene that is the Sudbury McDonalds, everyone else was ready to leave. At this point, in an act of solidarity, Bobb opted to have another coffee and ride with us back to Arrivee.
There always seems to be a point on rides when you wonder what the hell you are doing and think this may be your last long ride. On this ride that seemed to go from about Saffron Walden to Sudbury for me. From Sudbury on it was fun again though. It was particularly amusing watching Bobb and the Hustler trying subtly to moderate their speed so they didn't spit me out the back.
Hopefully Huggy will be back with us on some rides soon and we are all looking forward to the junior Dogger's arrival so that DL can make his long-awaited debut.
Tippers, meanwhile, is trying to lure Jiber and I into his RRTY nonsense by tempting us with an ECE to the Brazier in February...