Witham 200k DIY by GPS (inc. SEG 75 route) - 24th March

[Oscar's dad]

As much as I can sanity check the route on bikeroutetoaster it is here, where you can download the GPX & TCX tracks and the cue sheet.

 

[Andyf]

I am in !!!! Grandma's booked to look after the wee bairns, there's normally safe street parking out-side our house plus we could probably have 1-2 cars on our drive if anyone wants.
I can be your Bacon buttie helper O.D. I Have made a few in the past

[Oscar's dad]

Just so I can get an idea of the number of bacon butties required (I might do porridge as well) who is likely to turn up for this ride?

[huggy]

Looking like perfect cycling weather for Saturday 
By my reckoning the rider list is currently:- Huggy, OD, Oaky, Old Git, Andyf and possibly Christophe

[Andyf]

Just so I can get an idea of the number of bacon butties required (I might do porridge as well) who is likely to turn up for this ride?

I would like a Poached egg & smoked salmon on a toasted muffin with a little drizell of Hollandaise sauce please

[Oscar's dad]

Just so I can get an idea of the number of bacon butties required (I might do porridge as well) who is likely to turn up for this ride?

I would like a Poached egg & smoked salmon on a toasted muffin with a little drizell of Hollandaise sauce please

You can $%& off!  You'll get what you're given 

[Christophe]

Kippers, Full English, coffee and toast with honey. Oh and a doggy bag with home made flapjack and couple of peanut butter and jam rolls.

Cheers

[huggy]

As we're putting in special orders I'll have 2 poached  free range eggs on thick homemade bread toasted to an even light brown colour, generous portion of baked beens (Heinz, none of that value rubbish) with 3 rashers of bacon from Jimmy's Farm on the side and a large black coffee made with beans lovingly ground by our host.
Oh, and a pitcher of ice cold freshly squeezed orange juice on the table would be fantastic too. 

If this could be ready for 8am with polished cutlery and crisp ironed napkins laid out on the breakfast table then we should be ready to depart between 8:30 and 9am.

[Oscar's dad]

You can all $%& off!  You'll all get what you're given 

[Andyf]

Lets have bottle of something chilled and sparkling as well, Laurent-Perrier will do..... or we could get a bottle of Lambrini from the Coop 

[Oscar's dad]

Lets have bottle of something chilled and sparkling as well, Laurent-Perrier will do..... or we could get a bottle of Lambrini from the Coop 

I refer the Honourable Gentleman to my previous responce. 

Or perhaps you'd like to bring a bottle 

But not Lambrini 

[huggy]

There's a very pleasant smell wafting up the stairs this afternoon....it could be the in-ride fueling flapjacks that TCMH has baked 
How many extras should I put in my seat post bag for distribution at the breakfast meeting?

[Oscar's dad]

There's a very pleasant smell wafting up the stairs this afternoon....it could be the in-ride fueling flapjacks that TCMH has baked 
How many extras should I put in my seat post bag for distribution at the breakfast meeting?

I'll have my flapjack liberally entrusted with diamonds, 24 carat gold and wrapped in genuine £50 notes please 

[huggy]

There's a very pleasant smell wafting up the stairs this afternoon....it could be the in-ride fueling flapjacks that TCMH has baked 
How many extras should I put in my seat post bag for distribution at the breakfast meeting?

I'll have my flapjack liberally entrusted with diamonds, 24 carat gold and wrapped in genuine £50 notes please 

You'll have yours wrapped in a plastic sandwich bag, same as mine!  It is Tesco's finest sandwich sandwich bag though!!

[Oaky]

I will be there - I'm not sure if I'll manage the entire 200km, but I'm going to give it a go.  (I've had a stinking cold all week, so may end up bailing out early and heading straight home at some point...  we will see).

[Oscar's dad]

Yay!  You can have a bacon butty and a big wet kiss for being such a brave soldier!

[Oaky]

 

apart from the kiss, that is...

[Oaky]

8:00 at your place, OD?

[Oscar's dad]

8:00 at your place, OD?

0800 hours is kissy time.

[huggy]

A good day out - sunny and warm once the mist burnt off.

OD and me set off for the full 200k ride with pace setters Christophe, Oaky and Andyf peeling off at different stages muttering something about home life 
This ride was to finish the business with the CTC SEG 75 Reliability Ride that OD and I got to the start of and thought better of it when the snow came down just before the start; the revist of the route was bathed in warm sunshine and after a brief stop at the Wickford Market Cafe we were off again.  The ride was largely without incident except for a couple of dubious encounters with cars and one good samaritan stop to help a stricken cyclist with a broken chain.
Lunch was taken in Thaxted at The Swan Hotel, at the top of one of the hills looking over the small town.  With water bottles topped up we set of for the second 100k.
An early evening flapjack (kindly supplied by TCMH) stop and drink in Ingtatstone, lights turned on (I was fortunate to still have a rear light as it had jumped off twice and run over once; fortunately damaged sustained was just a flat battery and cracked mount) and we were off again to Wickford.  A quick wardrobe adjustment at Wickford Market carpark to mark the end of the SEG 75 route and the final leg started.
The second visit to Brock Hill proved quite a challenge!!  With second wind kicking in from earlier flapjacks a fairly brisk (at least for the end of a 200k ride) ride was enjoyed back to Witham.

Thanks to OD for sticking with me for no other reason than for the enjoyment of a long ride and to perform as chief chearleader 

The GPS track of the ride can be seen here.

[Oscar's dad]

It was a brill ride and provided me with some useful tips which I hope will help with my SR campaign.  The biggest thing I learnt was if I eat normal food rather than energy products my guts are much happier.

The company, as always, was fab - thanks chaps. 

Now, those that have ridden with me before will know my navigational abilities are pants, even with the help of a GPS.  Yesterday appeared to enhance my reputation as a complete liability    It looked like I had plotted the SEG 75 route backwards    However, I have compared the original route sheet with the route I plotted and wish to defend my reputation cos control 3 was the Town Hall at Great Bardfield and Control 4 was The Leather Bottle, Pleshey.  It looks like the SEG 75 route did in fact cross itself to make a figure of eight.

Now, it needs to be pointed out that Huggy did a pretty top job on the navigational front and we had a smashing ride so in no way am I being remotely critical. 

[huggy]

Now, those that have ridden with me before will know my navigational abilities are pants, even with the help of a GPS.  Yesterday appeared to enhance my reputation as a complete liability    It looked like I had plotted the SEG 75 route backwards    However, I have compared the original route sheet with the route I plotted and wish to defend my reputation cos control 3 was the Town Hall at Great Bardfield and Control 4 was The Leather Bottle, Pleshey.  It looks like the SEG 75 route did in fact cross itself to make a figure of eight.

That just confirms my navigational abilities to be what I know them to be, or at least my memory failure for why I plotted my route in the way that I did 

[Oscar's dad]

 I think between the two of us we'll never get lost 

[Oaky]

I think between the two of us we'll never get lost 

Mornington Crescent Great Yarmouth.

Do I win anything?

[Oscar's dad]

I think between the two of us we'll never get lost 

Mornington Crescent Great Yarmouth.

Do I win anything?

You can have my tooth ache if you want.  Ouch