Maldon - 100 miles "for food" - 30th July

[Origamist]

Hello. I saw you lot on my way back from Maldon this morning, on Mill Road. I was the girl on the Trek with oil all over her face (a strong look, I think you'll agree). Hope you had/are having a good ride.

I think I spotted you - you were going in the opposite direction - I waved at you as we crossed.

Thanks to Abs for organinsing and doing a sterling job generally (we'll forget about the bit at the beginning!).

The half way cafe was very nice - make sure no one tells Martin that a fellow patron knocked his bike over!

Food at Maldon was well worth the wait and the partial ride back (bailing at Shenfield) was great.

Weather was very nice - warm, but not sweltering and a light wind.

There was minor crash (beware fiddling with the fork lock-out when a kerb is close by), but the guy in question carried on like a trooper.

Only a couple of minor mechanicals and we were rolling along at an av mov speed of 15mph - not too shabby.

Thanks to one and all!

 

[Origamist]

Did you go to the same place as last time, in Heybridge Basin?

Yes - lots of tables and wasps outside.

 

[patheticshark]

I think I spotted you - you were going in the opposite direction - I waved at you as we crossed.

Sounds likely - there was lots of smiling and waving, which was nice. I wasn't actually supposed to be there; my intention was to ride to Southend and back this morning but it was early and I got confused and went down the wrong road, and I do Maldon and back fairly regularly (I live in Stratford, so my regular routes tend to go out that way) so I just kept going. Sounds like you guys had more fun though; mine was more of a get to Maldon, turn around and come back affair. By the way, not sure if you've been but the Blue Boar Hotel is the main outlet for the Maldon Brewery and has tasty food too; it's my usual watering hole when riding down there with others. http://www.blueboarmaldon.co.uk/

 

[ianrauk]

Another great ride. And a great turn out considering the late announcement of the ride. So we had, Myself, HaloJ, Martint238, User3143, 139NI, Alberto, lilolee who joined us at the tea stop at Blackmore, philk56 & son Elliot, origamist, simgsxr. SteveVW & getting up at 4.20am to join us, StuAff.


A nice speedy ride was had with just the one mechanical which we managed to eek out to Blackmore and very little faffage which meant arriving at both Blackmore and Maldon near as on time as dammit.


I remember seeing patheticshark.. big smile on her face as we all said hello.

On the way back people split and I made my own way back to home.

118 Miles for the day at a +15mph avg...thanks all for making it a great ride.

Route map here

 

[HaloJ]

Back myself, 10 minutes later than I'd announced to Andy due to the police closing Holloway Road whilst the football match kicked out.

115 miles in total at a +15 average. Fabulous weather and fabulous company. Great road train on the return leg with all of the Central London folk taking a turn at the front into the mild headwind. Slight altercation as we approached the city with a pair of Eastern Europeans threatening violence with a handy club like plank of wood he kept in his boot. Twat.

Such a beautiful ride and I've already suggested we run it one more time this year. I was thinking December to start and finish the year with the ride. Next ride is going to be on the 20th August can't quite remember the destination. September with as yet no date will be the Olympic Road Route once more.

Thanks all for a fantastic day!

This is my Garmin data, sans cadence as for some reason it packed up but including heart rate data.

http://connect.garmi...ivity/102833885

Abs

EDIT : Some highlights of the ride for me were

• seeing house martins flying above us. Something we don't see often in North London we just have lots of swifts
• Steve's face when I told him that dandelions were in the same family as daisy. I was going to carry on about thistles being there as well but thought he looked too stunned.
• Demi-bonking on the way into Maldon. Not had that happen for a while. It took until a bit after lunch for me to find my legs again.
• Seeing my second red admiral butterly of the year.
• Will telling a driver off for pulling out on us.
  

 

[139NI]

Fab ride - Cheers to Abs for organising.

Weather, people and route - super

Summation of the day for me,,

1) 110 joyous miles.

2) Potential violent confrontation involving 2 eastern europeans.

3) Dude pulling out on us from minor road, then contesting our right of way when spoken to.

4) McDonalds, complete with McFlurry for dinner.

What a day, Forkin'hell..

W!

 

[martint235]

The half way cafe was very nice - make sure no one tells Martin that a fellow patron knocked his bike over!

Too late! Although I hadn't realised until Abs said "Who's bike was knocked over?" and handed me a bar end that had fallen out! It also explained the chain being on the small chainring!!

 

[StuAff]

Another cracking ride. Splendid company, great tea stop, great lunch stop, excellent weather, and an excellent route. And even I wasn't slow, though my average was 'only' 14.4 (OMG, 5% slower! ). Doing the return leg was definitely the right call, I felt up to it beforehand and I was comfortable with the pace. Made it back to Waterloo in plenty of time for the faster 7pm train, thanks Will for the last bit.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/102861715 for the outward and http://connect.garmi...ivity/102861693 for the return leg, total mileage for the day, including to and from the station this end, about 110.
Thanks one and all.

 

[philk56]

Finally got back (yesterday evening, not today!) after yet more punctures and other problems. I think these tyres are doomed for the bin. Despite that a very enjoyable ride and 110 miles, so mine and Elliott's first century.

Without wishing to make an Oscar-winning speech a big thanks to Abs for oraganizing and helping at at the cafe stop with my BOGOF special offer on punctures. Equally big thanks for SteveVW and simgsxr for patiently guiding us back via Hertford and the supply of inner tubes and malt loaf. After the third puncture I was ready to throw the bike into the river we were cycling alongside but we got it sorted. And good to meet everyone else.

 

[rb58]

Gutted to have missed this, but I think I made the right call. I did a round trip to Whitstable with a friend who is a recent convert to road cycling after years of mountain biking, and my ankle is now seriously sore. Two long rides in two days would have been too much.

I've pointed Paul at CycleChat and FNRttC and I'm pretty sure he'll be along to some fairly soon.

Cheers

Ross

 

[Alberto]

Another excellent ride, thanks very much Abs for putting the routes together and taking us all the way back into London. Very glad I met some new faces and had a chance to explore a little bit more of the English countryside. Perhaps even one day I will end up drinking tea on the half way stops ! Definetely I will order fish & chips and not burger next time!

Hopefully will see most of you on the upcoming night/100 miles rides

Alberto

 

[simgsxr]

As said previously, thanks Abs for another superb day out. Great company, weather & food, what more could we want? 103 miles for me a bit more for Steve & an impressive display of how to crash land in a ford (the water variety) Although battered (more than the fish he consumed at lunch) he carried on for the next 40 miles. Congratulations to Phil & Elliott for their first 100+ miles.

 

[stevevw]

Crash? What are you talking about, my bike was dirty and needed a wash plus I was hot so went for a swim.

 

[simgsxr]

 

[martint235]

Great pics. That was a fantastic day out. One of the other highlights was cycling across London Bridge on the way in. Very little traffic and the whole London skyline under bright blue sky.