Author Topic: Fenland Friends/Yorkshire via Essex [Flatlands Reversed] 600 8th September 2018  (Read 43967 times)

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Full = warmer :)

I like the ACME lot, but not that much.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Tomsk

  • Fueled by cake since 1957
    • tomsk.co.uk
We've used the Branston ones before, [just beyond Lincoln], they're ok.

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Looking at travel options... Getting there on Friday evening will be easy - I'm going to get the train up to Gravesend then use the ferry to Tilbury and ride the 32 miles to Dunmow.

Will then get the train home on Sunday. What's the best/nearest station to Dunmow for trains back to London? Looks like Stansted Airport, but that's about twice the price of going from Stansted Mountfitchet, which is a bit further away - about the same distance as Bishop's Stortford. Which would be the nicer ride - Dunmow to Mountfitchet or Dunmow to BS? Any other options worth considering?

ETA: Stansted Airport website says folding bikes only on the Stansted Express. Arses. And Cross Country trains are booking only, apparently. Looked at trains from Braintree, but it seems there are planned engineering works on the Sunday so it's a replacement bus service as far as Chelmsford. Seems the best option might be to ride back from Dunmow to Chelmsford and get the train from there. Or maybe, depending on how I feel, ride all the way back to that London...
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Bernster

  • ACME (Herts Branch)
Bishops Stortford is easy in that you pretty much just follow the B1256 via Takeley - maybe not the most exciting/scenic road, but after 600k, I'd just be looking to get home. It's never been super busy when I've used it, as the through traffic takes the A120. Others might be on shortly with a preference for a more laney route with less traffic to Mountfitchet.

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Bishops Stortford is easy in that you pretty much just follow the B1256 via Takeley - maybe not the most exciting/scenic road, but after 600k, I'd just be looking to get home. It's never been super busy when I've used it, as the through traffic takes the A120. Others might be on shortly with a preference for a more laney route with less traffic to Mountfitchet.

Ta. I don't care about scenic, I just don't want to have to slog along a busy main road (especially not at the end of a 600), so the B1256 sounds ideal.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

I'll be in the same boat.
Looks like ~15k from Gt Dunmow to Bisho Storto and train from there to Liverpool St then west for me.
£16.20 for a ticket and they seem to run every 15min.

Redlight

  • Enjoying life in the slow lane
It's an easy ride to Bishops Stortford and I think more trains stop there than Mountfitchet on a Sunday.  The road is pretty quiet as all of the through traffic now uses the A120.  There's a hideous roundabout crossing the M11 but traffic lights help.

You can take trains on the Express out of peak hours if they aren't looking/not being bolshy.  I've certainly done that on the way to some of Tomsk's rides.  It may be harder coming back though.

I'm currently planning to ride up on Friday night but my planning hasn't got any further than that and may well turn into a train to the airport.
Why should anybody steal a watch when they can steal a bicycle?

I've been suffering with a virus for a few weeks which seems to be passing but is causing no end of ulcers in my mouth so quite a bit of discomfort, other than that I seem to have purged it. Based on the struggle I had with Phil W the other week and the fact I have spent a holiday mainly eating and drinking with little else I suspect I might be towards the Lantern Rouge end on this event.

Reminders from previous editions.....
- It gets VERY cold over night when you are coming out of summer temps
- Sleaford McD's like to crank up the Aircon and Music to try and stop you snoozing (apparently it is a family restaurant even at 3-5am)
- Lots of the fen roads look the same, don't lose your marbles in the mists morning haze

Looking forward to seeing a big field out on this one.

bhoot

  • MemSec (ex-Mrs RRtY)
It's an easy ride to Bishops Stortford and I think more trains stop there than Mountfitchet on a Sunday.  The road is pretty quiet as all of the through traffic now uses the A120.  There's a hideous roundabout crossing the M11 but traffic lights help.

You can take trains on the Express out of peak hours if they aren't looking/not being bolshy.  I've certainly done that on the way to some of Tomsk's rides.  It may be harder coming back though.
Definitely more trains to/from Bishops Stortford - it's a pretty good service as long as there are no engineering works.
Regarding the Stansted express trains - yes in theory no bikes ay any time (other than folded).... but in practice, we have never had a problem southbound getting on at BS after events. Northbound we have encountered more problems, but have still managed it early in the morning, however expect to be refused at busier times.
Cycling to/from BS station there is a neat little cut through that someone showed us and saves a bit of time/distance https://goo.gl/maps/j7x6291DfYA2 - you can squeeze your bike through the barriers at the eastern end of Warwick Road.

wilkyboy

  • "nick" by any other name
    • 16-inch wheels
Following on from Tom's email about the diversion after Whittlesey, I've update the GPS files to follow the diversion (as of 18:30 on 1 September).  It adds on about 1800m and looks like a nice alternative  :thumbsup:

You can download the GPS routes and stuff from here — clickety.
Lockdown lethargy. RRTY: wot's that? Can't remember if I'm on #8 or #9 ...

cyclinggeezer

  • Cyclinggeezer
That will be the same diversion route for Yorkshire via Essex riders. assuming of course the road closure is not one you can get through.

Worth noting for next year the new city centre Lincoln Travelodge will be open on the east west link, very close to the High Street. This is en route for Y via E riders before they control at McDs. Book early


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Bairn Again

Following on from Tom's email about the diversion after Whittlesey, I've update the GPS files to follow the diversion (as of 18:30 on 1 September).  It adds on about 1800m and looks like a nice alternative  :thumbsup:

You can download the GPS routes and stuff from here — clickety.
thanks Nick

Lee Killestein

That will be the same diversion route for Yorkshire via Essex riders. assuming of course the road closure is not one you can get through.

Worth noting for next year the new city centre Lincoln Travelodge will be open on the east west link, very close to the High Street. This is en route for Y via E riders before they control at McDs. Book early


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I rode through it this morning on a DIY. It was about 2am though. I don’t think I’d have got away with it in daylight hours though!

Tomsk

  • Fueled by cake since 1957
    • tomsk.co.uk
Following on from Tom's email about the diversion after Whittlesey, I've update the GPS files to follow the diversion (as of 18:30 on 1 September).  It adds on about 1800m and looks like a nice alternative  :thumbsup:

You can download the GPS routes and stuff from here — clickety.

Thanks wilkyboy, the diversion will be a pleasant change from the long, straight, endlessly long-wavelength-rippling Ramsey Road. I wonder if they're going to sort out the subsidence and not just the surfacing? I can tell you that driving along it at any speed is a weird experience!

Following on from Tom's email about the diversion after Whittlesey, I've update the GPS files to follow the diversion (as of 18:30 on 1 September).  It adds on about 1800m and looks like a nice alternative  :thumbsup:

You can download the GPS routes and stuff from here — clickety.

Thanks wilkyboy, the diversion will be a pleasant change from the long, straight, endlessly long-wavelength-rippling Ramsey Road. I wonder if they're going to sort out the subsidence and not just the surfacing? I can tell you that driving along it at any speed is a weird experience!

A bit like cycling along the river route into Lincoln, I felt queasy after riding that!

One of the velomobile riders starting from Essex mentioned that somewhere (he couldn't remember where) was having a street festival and we'll have to walk through it, does anybody know where and what time of day that is?

Tomsk

  • Fueled by cake since 1957
    • tomsk.co.uk
One of the velomobile riders starting from Essex mentioned that somewhere (he couldn't remember where) was having a street festival and we'll have to walk through it, does anybody know where and what time of day that is?

You mean other than the Whittlesey one I mentioned in the email? Any ideas?

Also I've been notified by a keen eyed rider of a couple of minor glitches on the route sheet:

Section 6c] Line 10, the sign obscured [Ferry Lane] is actually the LANGRICK turn two lines before. The Boston $ L is ok [Punchbowl Lane].

Section 7a] Line 3, R @ RBT $ SPALDING is the A16 not A15.

Not sure what was in the email as I'm not riding with the Essex start, I know about the diversion at Whittlesay due to the road closure, and the mention of a street festival was followed by "but I can't remember where" by John (who is starting at Essex), just nothing has come from Cycling Geezer about a festival, so it may be over by the time the Sleaford possy pass through?

Ian

cyclinggeezer

  • Cyclinggeezer
For Y via E riders you will pass through Whittlesey on the way south in the morning going to control at Chatteris.

On the return leg in the evening to control at Whittlesey the chances are it will be very very quiet.

However Fenland Council web site says the festival takes place on Sunday 9th starting at 10am when hopefully you will be well on the way to Boston, Lincoln, Goole, Gainsborough or Sleaford


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Thanks for the clarification - see you Saturday!

Bernster

  • ACME (Herts Branch)
That will be the same diversion route for Yorkshire via Essex riders. assuming of course the road closure is not one you can get through.

Worth noting for next year the new city centre Lincoln Travelodge will be open on the east west link, very close to the High Street. This is en route for Y via E riders before they control at McDs. Book early


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I rode through it this morning on a DIY. It was about 2am though. I don’t think I’d have got away with it in daylight hours though!

I rode through the Ramsey Road blockage at about 5.30am on Saturday on a DIY, although the surface wasn't great and it was quite well blocked off by barriers. Had I known about the closure, I'd definitely have planned a diversion.

In other news, they've finally done something with the road surface through Swinefleet - not before time as it was one of the roughest bits of road I've ever ridden!

Tomsk

  • Fueled by cake since 1957
    • tomsk.co.uk
In other news, they've finally done something with the road surface through Swinefleet - not before time as it was one of the roughest bits of road I've ever ridden!

That's a quality stretch of tarmac now.  :thumbsup:

From what I could looks like a headwind going out and tailwind on the return in?

From what I could looks like a headwind going out and tailwind on the return in?

Still early. It'll change, but currently looking like mostly a WSW.

Eddington: 133 miles    Max square: 43x43

Tomsk

  • Fueled by cake since 1957
    • tomsk.co.uk
From what I could looks like a headwind going out and tailwind on the return in?

Still early. It'll change, but currently looking like mostly a WSW.

There will be wind. In the Fens it has teeth. Sorry, but you have to be prepared.