Author Topic: Wuffingas by the main roads  (Read 1665 times)

arabella

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Wuffingas by the main roads
« on: 16 January, 2010, 09:33:25 pm »
Explanation - my mental tag for this route is Wuffingas, (one spelling of) the name of the Saxon tribe dominant in E Anglia and from which Redwald came.

I thought I'd write up this ride just so everyone else knows what they were missing; though I think weather-wise, in spite of all the hand wringing, I preferred today's weather to that on the Dean 300 in March 2008, though admittedly there were 6 hours more of the Dean. 
The preparation went swimmingly.  Instead pf spending the evening before finally making those waterproof overmittens (using the ends of the sleeves of a now defunct raincoat) I spent it surfing the net.  I did at least get as far as working out a mainer roads route just in case (I couldn't be bothered with the pretty version).

I'll start with what I wore.  That way next time I want a ride in chilly weather I know what works.
Wooly socks (hand knitted by yours truly so no elastic)
Shoes
Overshoes
Wooly tights with the feet cut off
Winter trousers ie fluffy inside (unpadded)
Long sleeve vest
Short sleeve top for the pockets
Sports jersey
Windproof for an extra layer
Raincoat
High viz (extra anti wind chill)
Fleece hat with peak and ear covers
Fluffy (ski) gloves

Legs 1/2 and 1: Ipswich - Leiston - Halesworth
Weather not too bad, slight headwind.  I wondered if the overshoes were too much as it wan't raining and they were a bit tight - given that (as usual) I'd bought a couple of sizes bigger than my actual shoe I've still no idea how anyone with reasonably chunky calves manages to zip them up.  Leiston came and went with a cashpoint to prove I'd made the dog leg.  I then scoffed a very squashed and probably by the sell-by date bar of some sort.  Luckily old age seemed to have improved it as I don't remember its friends being that edible. In the interests of avioding lanesy bits (just in case) I took the A12 for a bit north of Yoxford.  It was rather less busy than the A1214 in the rush hour, though of course the traffic was faster.  There seems to be two bookshops in Halesworth.  One day I may actually get the chance to visit them.

Leg 2: Halesworth to Attleborough.
Without a doubt this was my favourite leg.  I saw another cyclist. "Oooh, someone as mad as I am .. oh hello Malcolm".  It was Malcolm Howlett (another Suffolk audaxer).  Then another.  And another.  I started to suspect these might be the Norfolk Nippers.  Then a gang of four.  "hello.  hello.  hello.  hello.ROGER!"  (Fidgetbuzz.  So it was indeed the Norfolk Nipppers).  A whole stream of other Nippers followed, some of whom I may even have recognised.  Lanterne Rouge was a lady with helmet askew.  By the time I thought of encouraging words she was out of earshot. 
On I went.  The next bit of fun was a 'flood', just after crossing the A14.  There was a sad-looking transit van going no further.  I  nipped past the apparently dithering motorists and followed a tractor through.  The flood was about 20 yards long and covered the bottom half of my cranks (fortunately not the dynohub as I'm not sure if they like being fully immersed.)  There was an even deader looking car at the other end.  Alas this meant for the rest of the day I would have wet feet - no point putting on my dry socks as the wet shoes would only do for them.  In the event, it
wasn't a problem - wooly socks are warm even if wet and my feet warmed the water.  They weren't to wrinkled after either.  Then on through the rain to Attleborough. 

Leg 3: Attleborough to Sudbury.
My attempt to leave the gloves somewhere very warm at the cafe didn't alas dry them, so I put on a spare pair - non ski and pretty cold for a long time.  This leg had lots of nasty headwind and went really slowly until (wait and see).  I stuck mainly to the scenic (original) route on this bit as there wasn't an easy alternative (unless you like REALLY big roads for KM after KM).  As usual I missed my cunning (ha ha ha ha) short cut through East Harling.  I
asked confirmation of directions and wsa told that Barningham (the next place I could think of was a bit of a way (well, it is on foot, which she was).
The A143(?) Stanton - Ixworth was slightly worse than the A12 had been but still not too bad.  I didn't have any Packenham pie in Pakenham and then ... (most exciting bit of the ride) ... my tyre got soggy. Inevitable really, given what had been washed into the roads.  Naturally this was one of the times it WAS raining (about 1/2 the time). At least it was still daylight. I leant the bike against a telegraph pole and set too.  Remove wheel.  Loosen tyre.  Remove inner.  Remove offending shard of sharp stone.  Insert new inner.  Put tyre back in place.  Put wheel back.  Pump it up.  Ah.  By this time my fingers had decided to migrate to warmer climes and had gone south (Morocco I think).  Thus try as I might I couldn't get the pump to attach to the valve and pump it up.  Eventually I gave up and used my other spare inner which had a super long valve and no problem - except of course by then my fingers had gone further south (probably Cameroon) and I couldn't get the glove on.  As the spare gloves were by then equally soggy in any case I went back to the nice roomy ski gloves.  Wee pinky on the left still refosed to co-operate, eventually I at least got it inside the glove (so numb I wondered if I could have damaged it and still not noticed).  Then shot off again, legs marvelously revitalised by the enforced rest.Or perhaps the headwind had reduced.

Leg 3: Sudbury to Ipswich.
I wimped out and went to MuckDonal's.  I didn't notice their vaunted salads mentioned anywhere on the menu.  Nuff said. The A134 was busy.  The A1071 less so (my final bit of main road bashing, I have a much nicer route but couldn't be rsd, I'll save it for when I have company to enjoy. My usual return cashpoint had no paper.  I went to the local co-op instead.

The end.  To much mashing into the wind means my knees are complaining.  I have a hot water bottle up my jumper to ensure I don't get chilly.  etc. 
Any fool can admire a mountain.  It takes real discernment to appreciate the fens.

Halloween

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Re: Wuffingas by the main roads
« Reply #1 on: 18 January, 2010, 12:24:22 pm »
I was one of the group leading Fidgetbuzz to Halesworth when we passed you. With the wind behind, you looked to be bowling along very comfortably.

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