This is almost passée now, but I've been pretty busy this week.
So on Friday last week, at about 11am, bobb and I set off North from Chelmsford, bound for Mildenhall. The wind was blowing all over the place but we managed to dodge the rain.
We stopped in Finchingfield briefly and debated whether to get lunch there or ride on to Steeple Bumpstead.
We opted for SB as it was officially the half way mark. Unfortunately we arrived during a power cut and the pub couldn't do us any food,
so it was a liquid lunch with a salted bar snack.
We pushed on, resolving to stop at the next place with a shop - we passed through Sturmer, Kedington, the Wattlings, Thurlow, the Bradleys, Cowlinge, Lidgate, Dalham, Gazeley, Red Lodge, and Worlington before eventually finding a shop with food for sale - in Mildenhall!
After smashing down some processed junk we could now focus our efforts on getting our tents up at the school site. Just as we rolled into the camping field it started to piss it down, so we waited under a big tree drinking Stella until the rain had cleared.
With a break in the weather we got the tents up pretty quickly and just in time for the next downpour! This was the view from my tent:
With our paraphernalia ensconced, we decided to
look round the town hit the pub. And not long after taking a seat near the window we saw delthebike ride by looking quite determined to get to his campsite. We were slightly surprised and almost concerned not to see Wowbagger appear after him, as we knew they were riding up together. As it happened Wow had stopped and was getting some cash out. We managed to hail him down and agreed to meet later for dinner.
And it was curry.
On the Saturday my main plan was to watch the ladies racing and stay sober and not injure myself. Bobb had no such inhibitions and so was shortly on the beer and trying out a wobble bike for the first time!
By the evening he was riding it like a pro.
We surmised that it might actually be easier drunk.
Sunday was the day for me to race, and at the Chelmer camp we were up early for a group workshop to make sure everyone had a suitable bike.
My first event was the keirin heats, and in my first race on the grass I managed to come 3rd - which put me in the Repechage. I went no further. It is pretty bloody hair-raising in the bunch trying to hold it tight round the bends, and I went wide several times. But, I really enjoyed it and was well up for more action in the other events.
Meanwhile...
And later, some more YACF'ers you may know.
Obviously, when you get a bunch of YACF'ers together - silliness ensues!
On Sunday night there was some crazy roller action in the hall. I could hardly bare to watch at times when it looked inevitable that someone was going to come flying off, but aside from a couple of dented wheels, no one was hurt!
I raced again on the Monday, and particularly liked the team pursuit event, even though we didn't progress from the heats - I think having a clear track and familiar riders around me allowed me to enjoy it more!
After packing up it was time to head over to Bury St. Edmunds for a train back to Essex. It was a beautiful evening and we rode along a wide deserted county road at a leisurely pace almost all the way.
Then we hit the A14. It was getting late and we couldn't arsed turning back to try and find an alternative route, so we rode down the hard shoulder (with lights on) for the mile or so until the turn off for Bury. I didn't enjoy it, with the traffic thundering past, but there was plenty of room between us and the traffic.
We got a a train to Ipswich and changed for the Essex line, only to discover that trains were stopping at Manningtree, with a replacement coach service between there and Witham! Fortunately, being late on a bank holiday Monday hardly anyone was travelling and the coach driver let us put our bikes in the luggage hold. I eventually got home just after 11pm, had some dinner and went to bed.
A bloody great weekend.
Roll on 2010!
