So, here's my write-up (sorry for the delay).
An early start of 8:00am at my house was planned for those coming from Colchester so that we would have plenty of time for our breakfasts at the Station Café. Mow and Gary arrived and, with James and I, set off on the shortest route to Manningtree.
We ordered our food and people gradually arrived, most falling foul of the jobsworth platform manager chappie who seemed to take exception to our bikes (there had never been a problem before). Mind you, the huge area for cycle parking on the western side of the station was something I hadn't previously noticed and it was rather more sensible for us to park our bikes there.
Eventually 23 of us had arrived. We were still awaiting Redflightuk who we knew had set off, so stood out the front whilst I tried to find someone who knew his phone number. Tomsk took the opportunity to fix his slow puncture that he'd developed on the way over by bike from Dunmow.
At 10:30 we decided we'd have to go without Redflight, and various Tandem fettling being complete (changing saddles, as well as stokers), we set off through Manningtree towards Mistley, past the swans and then up the first hill of the few.
The group kept fairly well together, with James and TimO acting as Tail End Charlies with Emily & Dasmoth (on the tandem), Ian, Jane, Marco Stefano and others doing duty as waymarkers. We pootled through Little Bromley, then down to Little Bentley where we joined the NCN51 towards Harwich.
The rain had been off and on through the morning but now decided to be a bit more on, with rather grey-looking clouds visible. Several of us had on waterproof trousers but not everyone had them and it could be chilly with the wind.
We rode through Stones Green and then arrived at Beaumont, the edge of the Tending Plain, whereupon we turned round so as not to fall off the plain (downhill) and then have to cycle back up it again. We made our way from Beaumont to the edge of Tendring (the village) and then arrived at Weeley as the heaven's opened, with a few short hills right at the end.
The Homestead Caravan Café at Weeley is a surprisingly pleasant place for tea and cake. I had warned them we were coming and they were very helpful - in fact I think they may have had more staff in than normal. There was a good choice of tasty cakes and the tea was very reviving, especially as several of us had got wet and a bit chilly. There is always the amusement of attempting to find the loos in the adjacent caravan and camping shop.
We set off with ominous clouds looming but fortunately our route took us to the south of them. We cycled from Weeley down some lovely quiet country lanes to Great Bentley, where we had been on a previous WARTY last year to play cricket. We continued to Frating, then entered the very long and thin village of Great Bromley (about two and a half miles long, and pretty much just one road). As we passed my house James peeled off from TEC duties to let the dog out and see to the chickens, and our neighbour Andy the Audaxer popped home for a warmer jacket. He caught us up very rapidly on the final 4 mile stretch through Ardleigh and Dedham Heath to Langham and the Shepherd & Dog pub.
Fortunately the rain had mostly held off for this section and so we weren't quite as cold. The Shepherd & Dog did a good job of feeding us although some of the more complicated meals took a fair while. Suddenly producing 23 different meals must be slightly challenging. But the food and beer were good and we were all able to sit together in one of their rooms. James arrived about five minutes after the rest of us, having sorted out Lucy the Weimaraner.
Lunch was fairly leisurely, after all we only had another 17 miles to go, albeit a bit hillier. When we set off again I relinquished the leading role to Dasmoth and Emily and trundled along in the middle chatting with my German friend Gundi who cycled large portions of the route no-handed.
We made our way from Langham to the bottom of Boxted, then Great Horkesley, past Westwood Park where the road surface is a bit dodgy, round towards Boxted again with views over the Stour Valley. I told everyone that the views are normally lovely but with heavy clouds and a bit of drizzle people seemed somewhat underwhelmed. At this point Tomsk set off back home towards Dunmow as we were at the most westerly part of the route.
We had the speedy descent of Cook's Hill followed by the rather evil climb up the other side, which wasn't helped by a car coming the other way. Marco Stefano on fixed found himself caught out by the car and had to walk a bit, as did a few others. No doubt Wowbagger with his super stoker would have passed me on this hill, as he did on many others, if I hadn't had such a good head start.
We then crossed the A12 again and headed into Dedham. On the hill out of Dedham I offered two options for the route - one shorter but more hilly, one a little longer but a little gentler. The group divided itself roughly in half and Dasmoth & Emily led the hilly lot whilst I trundled up to Dedham Heath with the less hilly inclined.
We were all reassembled at the station within ten minutes of each other and as some gradually disappeared on trains (Woofage being the lonely soul who got the train further away from London) the rest of us drank tea and ate CrinklyLion's cake in the Station Café whilst awaiting Clarion and Butterfly to come and collect Superstoker.
It was a great ride overall, just a shame we didn't have better weather (this afternoon, for example, is lovely with blue skies and little fluffy white clouds). My friend Andy the Audaxer commented on how good everyone was at waymarking and acting as TEC and not leaving people behind. The gentle pace may not have suited everyone but it was good to all ride together and have a chance to chat to different people. It was lovely to see Mrs_o again who was clearly much fitter than the last time I dragged her cycling around Boxted.
Woofage and I were discussing some of the amusing place names near Ipswich - he knows of a California, and there's a Gibraltar just up the road from Westerfield/Witnesham. I feel a "California to Gilbraltar" ride may be on the cards before too long...
