Mid-Essex Mid-Week Nocturnal Series

[Oaky]

[...]The next mid-Essex ride I can do is Wednesday 21st October but I can do a Pompey ride on Wednesday 30th September.  This is not good      

OK ... anybody .. any advance on 21st Oct?  I can currently do 30.09.2009 and each Weds onwards,
with the 30th being "good if I was out" ;-).

So, I suggest a planning session is held in my absence and I will just fit in with whatever plan you come up with.  The other day Bobb mentioned a Christmas do so perhaps this can be factored in.

What do we think?

in terms of planning session location, I'm happy to do almost anywhere ... given that many potential regulars are either Witham, Chelmsford or Southend based, maybe somewhere in the Hanningfields, Cold Norton/Roundbush-ish or Battlesbridge-ish areas might maximise attendance (rideable for all of the above and near to Shenfield for an all-lines bail-out?

In fact, how about Stock?  Maybe the Hoop?

OK -- first attempt at planning session.   I will be heading for the Hoop at Stock on Wednesday 30th September, armed with OS maps, good beer guide, calendar and various supporting materials (e.g OD's original publist upthread, and other suggestions).

If at least two other folks turn up, we will devise TEH SHEDJOOL.

One definite feature of TEH SHEDJOOL should be a christmas do.  This should be somewhere with food, that can take and advance booking of smelly cyclists and be near to a mainline station...  Shenfield is the obvious branching point for the folks on different lines... any other thoughts?  (The Square and Compasses is an obvious location ... although nearer to Witham/Chompsford than Shenfield).

Since I can't do the following week, if nobody else turns up this wednesday, I may just pretend they did, gimp up some fake photos and schedule that one for here.

[Oscar's dad]

Nice one Mr O, well done for taking the planning task on.  If no-one turns up then feel free to assume the role of Benevolent Dictator.  By the way, I insist that we go to the worst pub in Essex that you linked to at some point!   

Regarding the Christmas do.  Personally I'd like to try somewhere other than the Square & Compasses simply cos we went there last year and we as a family go there often.  Me, Del and Twinkle Toes enjoyed the food at The Hoop so perhaps you could check out that option on Wednesday.  Other suggestions would be fab as well. 

An opportunity was missed last year as we didn't turn up in Santa hats and reindeer antlers etc which was a crying shame bearing in mind He was present (albeit in civvies).  I'm sure Del has a pixie costume he could wear and if you are in the habit of wearing a pink hat 365/24/7 just dangle some tinsel around the brim.

Anyhow, best of luck with the planning.  I look forward to the results.

[delthebike]

It won't hurt to have a look here, Clicky, top of the page, for a list of pubs that the Southend section of 40+ go to. If you go to Forty Plus cycling Front page  you'll find other Essex sections and their list of pubs, although not all in Essex let alone mid  Essex.

I think I'll be able to make it to the Hoop on Wednesday.

[Oaky]

It won't hurt to have a look here, Clicky, top of the page, for a list of pubs that the Southend section of 40+ go to. If you go to Forty Plus cycling Front page  you'll find other Essex sections and their list of pubs, although not all in Essex let alone mid  Essex.

I think I'll be able to make it to the Hoop on Wednesday.

Excellent.  I'm willing to argue that even without any other attendees that will make us quorate (since OD has already issued his "proxy vote" above), so come thursday we should have TEH SHEDJOOL. 

Anyone else coming?  Tokamak, bobb?

I'm flexible in when I will be leaving Witham, initial plan is to follow the earlier pattern and head off from here at about 6:30.

Depending on whether anyone else is coming via Witham the we can eithe rstart at the station, or at my house.  PM me for location if desired.

[EDIT:  On the night, there may well be an election for "yACF Mid-Essex Christmas Do Organiser".  I intend to nominate ODfor this prestigious role on the night and, if I do turn out to be Norman No-Mates in the pub, vote him into it by an overwhelming majority )

[chief]

I shall be there Wednesday evening though possibly quite late - as well as having to get back from London, I'm trying to complete 400 miles this month and only need a further 35.11 miles.  Plan will be to do a longer route to the Hoop and then a more direct route home to allow for beerage consumptionage  ) )

[Oaky]

I shall be there Wednesday evening though possibly quite late - as well as having to get back from London, I'm trying to complete 400 miles this month and only need a further 35.11 miles.  Plan will be to do a longer route to the Hoop and then a more direct route home to allow for beerage consumptionage  ) )

From your office to Stock avoiding main roads should be almost exactly 35.11 miles.

HTH,
Mark

PS See you Weds night then.

[Wowbagger]

Another time somewhere like the Hoop would be ideal for me to join you in a rail-assisted fashion. Prittlewell to Billericay is only about half an hour. This week, though, I'm aiming to be in Dorset the following day.

[cpjmathieson]

I may be able to make my first  of these rides this wednesday...what's involved where do we meet, place time etc...any ideas on route yet??

cheers

Chris

[delthebike]

I may be able to make my first  of these rides this wednesday...what's involved where do we meet, place time etc...any ideas on route yet??

It should be a DIY so meet at the Hoop around 2000 - 2030 via any route that suits you.

[cpjmathieson]

I may be able to make my first  of these rides this wednesday...what's involved where do we meet, place time etc...any ideas on route yet??

It should be a DIY so meet at the Hoop around 2000 - 2030 via any route that suits you.

Cheers Del..is it a case of ride to the pub meet up , have loads of drink and make your way home again then??

[Oaky]

I may be able to make my first  of these rides this wednesday...what's involved where do we meet, place time etc...any ideas on route yet??

It should be a DIY so meet at the Hoop around 2000 - 2030 via any route that suits you.

Cheers Del..is it a case of ride to the pub meet up , have loads of drink and make your way home again then??

If anyone else is interested in cycling from Witham (I have one other possible via PM at the moment) then I'm happy to lead the way from here.  In the past, we've met at the station, although I'll probably PM my details out in order to set off from my house (at least one person may be driving to here and then cycling ).

I'd hope to set off around 6:30 which would mean around 8:00/8:30ish at The Hoop.

[Oaky]

A note on the MEMWNS

Since the series is still in it's infancy (actually I'd say it's still in nappies ), we don't have a tried and tested tradidtional format yet.  The idea is born of Oscar's Dad's forays to the South coast where he's participated in a few of the Pompey yacfers wednesday night pub rides.

On a couple of previous ones, we've had two separate contingents descending on the chosen pub form opposite directions (Witham and Southend), meeting up and going home there separate ways afterwards.

We have decided to put a list together of somewhere in the region of 12 pubs (intended to be visited one pub per week, to forestall the repeat of a previous comment ), which we'll publish here.  Given the varied locations, there may be a mix of pure cycling and rail-assisted cycling, so I guess once we've got a schedule together, we can coordinate via the thread who is going from where.   There should fairly often be at least two of us coming from Witham (once OD sorts his work/life balance out ).  sometimes that'll be pure cycling other times, I guess we'll be rail-assisted in order to enable us to visit some further afield locations.

Cheers,
Mark

[Oaky]

Any other takers for the trip to the Hoop tomorrow night? ...bobb?... Tokamak?

So far I think we have

myself (riding from Witham with poss. 1 other)
delthebike (riding from Southend?)
chief (riding from Howe Street)
Chris.M (not sure where Chris is riding from)

Cheers,
Mark

[Oscar's dad]

Mornin' all

I was reading the CAMRA mag last night and the Wheatsheaf in Writtle has just been awarded pub of the year by the Essex CAMRA chapter / coven / bunch of pissheads / or whatever you call a local CAMRA group.  I didn't know whether this was already on the list of possible haunts.

Have fun tonight!

[cpjmathieson]

Any other takers for the trip to the Hoop tomorrow night? ...bobb?... Tokamak?

So far I think we have

myself (riding from Witham with poss. 1 other)
delthebike (riding from Southend?)
chief (riding from Howe Street)
Chris.M (not sure where Chris is riding from)

Cheers,
Mark

Not sure if I'll be attending tonight, feeling a bit rough...however if I do I'll be cycling from Romford 

[токамак]

It's unlikely I'll be out tonight also. Need an early night and not to drink beer.

Wheatsheaf would be good for another time...

[bobb]

I probably won't make it - I too need to be up early in the morning....

[Wowbagger]

Is it time to start an "Essex Let's Get Pissed Every Night and Get Our Bikejournal Accounts Moving" thread?

[cpjmathieson]

I won't be able to make it still don't feel well  sorry!!

Have a few beers for me 

[Oscar's dad]

Is it time to start an "Essex Let's Get Pissed Every Night and Get Our Bikejournal Accounts Moving" thread?

Good idea.  Lets all give up work (some of us appear to have done this already  ) and ride to pubs full-time.  It gets my vote 

[Oaky]

Is it time to start an "Essex Let's Get Pissed Every Night and Get Our Bikejournal Accounts Moving" thread?

Good idea.  Lets all give up work (some of us appear to have done this already  ) and ride to pubs full-time.  It gets my vote 

I'm in ...   errr...

[delthebike]

Not going to the Hoop  .
Hope m_o and chief have a good time and pick some good pubs for future MEMWNSes.

[Oaky]

Not going to the Hoop  .
Hope m_o and chief have a good time and pick some good pubs for future MEMWNSes.

We certainly did, along with Auntie Helen (therefore we were three and hence quorate ).

Will write more tomorrow - did just shy of 38 miles, and Auntie Helen experienced nutty's slimed bottom (but not in the traditional "falling off" manner).

[Oscar's dad]

Not going to the Hoop  .
Hope m_o and chief have a good time and pick some good pubs for future MEMWNSes.

We certainly did, along with Auntie Helen (therefore we were three and hence quorate ).

Will write more tomorrow - did just shy of 38 miles, and Auntie Helen experienced nutty's slimed bottom (but not in the traditional "falling off" manner).

Excellent, I look forward to reading the outcome of your deliberations.

I'm glad Auntie Helen made it - the more the merrier.  A question to the floor: is traversing Nutty's Slimed Bottom on 3 wheels not cheating?  Should we not make Auntie Helen have a go on two wheels so she has an adequate opportunity to go swimming?

Actually, I've just thought.  If we can find a way of getting people running we've got our own triathlon     

[Auntie Helen]

Well I'm not doing any running, I can tell you!

Not only did I ford Nutty's Slimed Bottom, I in fact remained stationary (track standing, if I may) for about a minute whilst a slighty inebriated Mark tried to find the camera feature on his phone whilst shining a Tesco Cree searchlight upon me, thus making me completely unable to see ANYTHING but a very bright light, whilst hearing the gurgling of the water over my rear mech. Or something.

I was delighted to attend the MEMWNS, especially as I don't entirely qualify due to:

(a) not living in Mid-Essex but in North-East Essex (there be dragons there!)
(b) using an internal combustion engine to travel 45 miles as part of the journey
(c) drinking tea all evening (plenty of it too!) and nothing alcoholic
(d) boring the pants off Mark (fortunately not literally) about wanting a pudding and when it finally arrived, jeering at it for its pöshness when all we cyclists want is stodge and lots of it...