We need a write-up, it was an excellent weekend!
I’ll get to it over the next few days.
OK, here's a write up, if anyone wants to add to it please feel free. I confess the age old yacf tradition of writing up adventures seems to have gone by the wayside, with me at least. I tend to post random photos on social media as the opportunity presents and then don't bother with a write up which is a shame.
Due to Oaky's work commitments getting out of hand we were 45 minutes last leaving Witham which was to have ramifications as the evening wore on. Our first major lump of COR was the Flitch Way along which we rattled at a good pace as the light faded. The FW drops down on to the B1417 and you're supposed to get back on it by the old station (can't remember it's name), if you get it wrong you end up in the traveller's site... guess what we did? Within about a minute we had an enthusiastic escort of yapping dogs. We stopped, began to turn round and a "resident" appeared with a can of beer plus his life partner. Expecting the worst I immediately apologised for the intrusion and informed the gent that we about to fook off smartish. However, our new friends didn't want us to run the gauntlet of dogs
"They'll bite you boss!" so opened up their private gate back on to the FW. More apologies plus heartfelt thanks
"No problem boss!" and we were off into the dusk!
Once we got to Dunmow it was obvious that we might not make the Three Willows in Birchanger for last food orders at 2100hrs. Tomsk and Elliot were already there and suggested we abandoned the COR, stuck to the tarmac. Henceforth Oaky and I went into time trial mode.
At one point I pulled over to let Tomsk know of our progress and Oaky went on a ahead. A mile or three up the road I passed him stopped by the roadside mentioning something about a cyclepath. My Wahoooooooooo said the pub and food was very close so I insisted we press on, bugger the cyclepath which would no doubt slow us down. Wahoooooooooooooooooooooo indicated a roundabout was a few hundred metres away, which isn't normally a problem, I didn't realise it was the massive M11 / A120 / Stansted Airport double roundabout thingy. I know this roundabout of old having gone round it many times in a car which is fine so long as you get in the right lane. Going round it with a car and caravan measuring 12m in length is more exciting. Going round it in the dark on a bicycle is too exciting and I'll try not to do it again. Anyhow, we made it to the pub with about 15 minutes to spare and our lives intact. Dinner, pints of beer (4 for me) plus chat was had - all very pleasant.
The bivvy site I had earmarked was very close, about a 15 minute ride, and we found it just as psyclist had described. Tarps, bivvy bags and tents were set up...
Whether it was the 4 pints, or perhaps the slug of whiskey in my Horlicks, the lateness of the hour or simply the uneven ground but I managed to stumble against my tarp ripping away one of the guy points. Naturally Tomsk had a nappy pin with which to effect a temporary repair.
The next morning dawned fair and we were happened across by a couple of dog walkers. One, a posh lady was unfazed by our presence unlike her small dog who she reassured in strident tones
"Yes I know [insert name of dog], we don't normally come across men camping on our morning walk do we!?! Never mind, let's press on, have a lovely day chaps!" Some of us did what bears do in woods, there was actually a neighbouring wood, stoves were lit, wood was gathered for Oaky's stove, and we took a few moments to enjoy our rather picturesque surroundings...
All packed up, we set off. As we had spent the night by the side of the bridleway the COR started straightaway and was pretty unrelenting, it was clear early on that Oaky was going to win all the points as he was doing incredibly well on 28mm slick tyres and fixed gears! It was Saffron Walden for a 'spoons breakfast then to Bicicletta for nice coffee. Opposite the coffee shop was a haberdashery where I bought needle and thread to repair my tarp; in fact I made two visits as on the first I accidentally bought blunt tapestry needles
...
One of the great things about riding with Tomsk are the random facts he comes out with:
Back in time a bull escaped from the Saffron Walden cattle market and went on the rampage causing chaos, apparently it didn't enter a china shop.
The glove makers of Saffron Walden rarely if ever caught the Black Death which led to them attaining a hallowed status. Modern science now reveals that it was the lavender oil which they used to work the fine glove leather repelled the fleas which transmitted the plague.
Dick Turpin was captured when the postmaster of Dunmow (I think) recognised his handwriting.
Highwaymen earnt their dandy reputation as they were often Royalist noblemen from whom the Roundheads had confiscated their lands and fortunes.
Tomsk really should write a book!
A text was received from Nick saying he had set off from Ongar and was now in hot pursuit along our route. We attempted to make life easier for him by stopping for beer at the Red Lion Steeple Bumpstead, tea and Eccles cakes in Clare, diverting for some bonus COR to the outskirts of Sudbury and then more beer at the Henny Swan. Oaky booked us in for dinner at the Lamarsh Lion whose food cut off was 2000hrs so we advised Nick to abandon the COR and adopt TT mode as Oaky and I had done the previous evening. Nick arrived at the pub with a generous amount of time in hand looking very fresh when considering the hard day he'd had.
Again our bivvy site was close by, supposedly, but it turned out the spot I'd eyeballed in Google Earth wasn't suitable to we cast about for an alternative. The found a scrubby wood which wasn't great but adequate...
The next morning the routine established the previous morning was repeated: bears, woods, stoves etc. Then the peloton set off for a final short (for some of us) if hilly leg back to Witham...
My guts weren't feeling great, so I opted out of breakfast at Witham 'spoons.
All in all it was a splendid adventure made all the more splendid by the splendid company - thanks all
