Odd.
Adam managed to forget to bring his phone too...
As Friday approached, I found myself developing an increasing patch of uneasiness about this ride – a bit like an oil stain one tries to make vanish with solvents, but all that happens is the stain spreads bigger and bigger. Not so much because the prospective participants in this ride were dropping like flies for one reason or another as the week progressed, nor because I had secured a train ticket and bike rezzie – I was prepared to forego the cost of that.
What disturbed me were the weather prospects (never mind the forecast) in addition to the meteorological display of wet and wind it was my misfortune to encounter on the afternoon of the ride. Between them, they caused me to think seriously about a no-show. I really, really do not enjoy being cold and wet and far away from home without a cast iron (and warm and comfy) exit strategy in place.
So, when I left my (warm and dry) home in the drizzle at 23:00 to meet with the Gang of Not Very Many at London Fields, I found myself slightly questioning my sanity.
And doing so again, 500 metres from my warm dry home, when I stopped in a bus shelter to put on some oh-so-groovy waterproof overshoes on the basis that starting a long ride with wet feet was a bit of a cr@p idea.
Adam was already at the Inn on the Park when I arrived. ‘Teef shortly followed, but we had to hang around for a while for StuAff, who was engaged in what (once he had explained to us) sounded like the Venice-Simplon alternative tour of the railways of West Sussex.
The drizzle stopped, the stars came out, and we were “On our way”™ shortly before 01:00 am to do business with the badlands of NE London which, if I am honest, were dispatched with considerably more ease than is usually the custom on the Dun Run. No one threw insults or beer cans – at this time of night there were precious few folk about. Our progress through Epping was unimpeded. At the Shell garage at Waltham Abbey (a traditional DR stopping point) we took refreshment, and by the time we passed through Epping itself and taken the B181 to North Weald the night was ours.
And that is how it stayed.
A waning moon remained with us for much of the night, at times hiding coquettishly behind a veil of mist, at other times clear, with an escort of stars sparkling around it. I commented that it looked like a moon from an illustration in a kids nursery rhyme. The pace was progressive (though Stu may contest this) and we made good time (some of us chasing rabbits) to what would usually be the half way stop roundabout Great Waldingfield. On this occasion we elected to refresh ourselves courtesy of the 24 hour Tesco in Sudbury – and that turned out very well.
We left Sudbury shortly before 06:00 at which point dawn started to paint a palette of colours across the sky. From reds, to oranges to peach to gold, the sky was ablaze with hue in contrast to the muted silhouettes of trees, spires and steeples sandwiched between the layers of mist at ground level. I hope that some of the pics taken will do justice to that which we witnessed. I confess to being very chuffed to have seen this dawn.
Needham Market came and went, and for me, what followed was the hardest part of the ride. I have always struggled with the last 25 miles or so of the Dun Run, not sure why – I have ridden longer distances on other occasions, and the terrain on this section is not exactly taxing…. who knows…. maybe something do with wanting to get it over and done with…
We arrived at the Flora café in Dunwich close to 11:00.There was an Audax control doing its thing outside. We acknowledged each other. We had some food and drink. Several passing people (cyclists, walkers,bird-watchers) approached us and chatted, asking where we had cycled from / to – and some (regular cyclists) were amazed at the concept of night-time cycling.
For me, it was exceptionally nice to spend a couple of hours occupying The Flora’s outdoor tables in the sunshine, just chilling until we had to make a move for a homeward bound train.
I think, without fear of contradiction (this is the 5th time I have ridden overnight to Dunwich) last Friday night’s ride, in your company was the best.
Cheers guys.
Now, I really do need to get my head down.
And I'm really glad I didn't bottle this ride
