I left home 3am-ish, and enjoyed not having the headwind I had going to Kelvedon. Arrived at the Buntingford garage just before 6, so went in for a mocha and pain au chocolat meal deal (first food of the day). Had the same chat with the guy who manned the garage on my previous return leg about Audax and the points. He can't understand why I get badges or medals, and that the points can't be used for anything else like shop loyalty points. The second stage was more interesting: quieter well maintained roads and narrow, gravelly potholed ones, but it was getting lighter, and there were picturesque buildings en route. At 100km I was on the outskirts of Gt Dunmow, wishing I was on a Tomsk Audax. I used to shun Witham starts, but a 'spoons start is a crowd puller. I arrived just before 9 (9:45 last year), so enjoyed a leisurely veggie brekky and two coffees.
Shunned the 9:30 start to let the food go down, and rode with team Tomsk, when the Straggler had stopped faffing. The six of us rode mostly as one pack, four on fixed (great when on the front as they ensure a group steady pace). I was introduced to the Castle (posh?) pub for lunch (I ride by it on my way to/from Witham), enjoying a lovely mushroom soup (with two delicate quarters of bread) and their own beer. We finished just after 4, not my fastest 100, but it wasn't a race, and I couldn't fault the company (just the lack of flaps 😉).
After a leisurely (the Straggler ate quicker than me) veggie burger meal deal with a pint, I left just after 5:30, on the same route home. The Essex lanes aren't as nice in the dark. A different route I took to Kelvedon has better roads but I think is slightly longer and hillier. Got to the Buntingford garage at 9:45 (roughly 1/2 hour slower), so shunned a stop, as I was hoping to be home by midnight. More traffic on the A507 than in the morning, and the fact there's more climbing, makes this section a chore. I stopped a few times to rest, cheering up when I could see the M1 traffic (still over 10 miles left, but it feels like I'm nearly home). A front puncture on the MK roads about three miles from home put me on a downer, as I didn't want to fix it or walk. I managed to ride upto about 1/2 mile away, then walked, arriving just before midnight. Teethgrinder wouldn't be happy doing 223 miles in 21 hours, but then I assume he isn"t having leisurely pub stops.
Ran a hot bath, and had a nice sleep in it. Eventually went to bed at 2am.
Great route, Huggy (nice it's slightly altered from last year), and the company wasn't too bad ☺
