Dunwich dynamo

[mustang1]

So today is the day (uhm, night?).

Anyone who was going, but now not going, or vice versa? I am thinking of chickening out and am trying to get my brain to shut up so i wont think about it right now. I will just turn up at hackney and take it from there.

 

[JhnBssll]

So today is the day (uhm, night?).

Anyone who was going, but now not going, or vice versa? I am thinking of chickening out and am trying to get my brain to shut up so i wont think about it right now. I will just turn up at hackney and take it from there.

I didn't get my act together in time so am considering it for next year. I've signed up for another 100 miler later this year and will try and get some fitness back over the next 12 months.

Bit jealous of those going to be honest, it's as much a party as it is a bike ride from what I've been told so should be fabulous fun, and the weather couldn't be much better for it I look forward to hearing how you get on

 

[nonowt]

Bike ready - now off for a quick 20 minute snooze.

The plan is is do half a 'mo: Hackney to The Bell at Great Bardfield and then back home to Hackney. 90 miles. If you see me say hello.

Have a good ride all!

 

[mustang1]

I didn't get my act together in time so am considering it for next year. I've signed up for another 100 miler later this year and will try and get some fitness back over the next 12 months.

Bit jealous of those going to be honest, it's as much a party as it is a bike ride from what I've been told so should be fabulous fun, and the weather couldn't be much better for it I look forward to hearing how you get on

I did not get to dunwich. I stopped about 30km into the ride and turned back. Everything was ridght, body ok, time ok, legs fine, my brain was in gear too, until it wasnt and i just stopped and turned around.

But everything was fun until then, lovely people, great atmosphere and spooky darkness. The way back was actually more spooky as i was riding alone. Still a great ride and still happy that i went a short distance.

Bravo to all who got to the beach!

 

[JhnBssll]

Well done for getting out, I've not gotten that far recently!

 

[nonowt]

@mustang1 as above, well done for getting out and for knowing when to bail. Better to decide that at 30km than 60!

My ride went well. 3 of us set off at 19.45 into the hot evening. Seemed a lot quieter than 2018 and 2019 but that might be partly down to setting off earlier (and in 25°c heat). We flew along despite the headwind. It was lovely riding through from Moreton to Dunmow in the dusk with the smell from the fields.
Got to Great Bardfield at about 22.30. Pub was fairly quiet. Had a (terrible but very welcome vegan sausage bap) and a pint and a half of beer. By the time we were ready leave it was filling up with about 20-30 cyclists in the food queue and many more passing by.
Set off back to London at about midnight feeling slightly disappointed not to be continuing on to Dunwich. The temperature had dropped now (mainly due to the breeze) so we donned the (too) few extra layers we had. Predictably a few riders followed us so we had to stop twice and tell people them turn round. After that it was the 3 of us alone in the dark with a beautiful nearly full moon for company. We travelled at a slower pace now due to the total darkness and occasionally poor roads. We startled a few deer, avoided a hedgehog and other than had the lanes to ourselves.
At some point we came across a road closer and detoured 200 metres through what I'm guessing was the grounds of a boarding school, as a very unfriendly guy told us, "this is private property! There's two hundred boys here -obviously they're inside now- but you're not allowed through here!" He was very annoyed - I guess they're plagued by roaming gangs of pedophile cyclists...
On from there down into the more familiar lanes of Blackmore, Stapleford's Abbot and Chigwell. We we're still doing well but any incline was starting to feel challenging. Happily a long down hill roll into the bright lights of Wanstead set us up for the last couple of miles along the Lea Bridge Road and home. Rolled into Hackney at 3.30 and happily tucked up in bed by 4.

 

[mustang1]

@mustang1 as above, well done for getting out and for knowing when to bail. Better to decide that at 30km than 60!

My ride went well. 3 of us set off at 19.45 into the hot evening. Seemed a lot quieter than 2018 and 2019 but that might be partly down to setting off earlier (and in 25°c heat). We flew along despite the headwind. It was lovely riding through from Moreton to Dunmow in the dusk with the smell from the fields.
Got to Great Bardfield at about 22.30. Pub was fairly quiet. Had a (terrible but very welcome vegan sausage bap) and a pint and a half of beer. By the time we were ready leave it was filling up with about 20-30 cyclists in the food queue and many more passing by.
Set off back to London at about midnight feeling slightly disappointed not to be continuing on to Dunwich. The temperature had dropped now (mainly due to the breeze) so we donned the (too) few extra layers we had. Predictably a few riders followed us so we had to stop twice and tell people them turn round. After that it was the 3 of us alone in the dark with a beautiful nearly full moon for company. We travelled at a slower pace now due to the total darkness and occasionally poor roads. We startled a few deer, avoided a hedgehog and other than had the lanes to ourselves.
At some point we came across a road closer and detoured 200 metres through what I'm guessing was the grounds of a boarding school, as a very unfriendly guy told us, "this is private property! There's two hundred boys here -obviously they're inside now- but you're not allowed through here!" He was very annoyed - I guess they're plagued by roaming gangs of pedophile cyclists...
On from there down into the more familiar lanes of Blackmore, Stapleford's Abbot and Chigwell. We we're still doing well but any incline was starting to feel challenging. Happily a long down hill roll into the bright lights of Wanstead set us up for the last couple of miles along the Lea Bridge Road and home. Rolled into Hackney at 3.30 and happily tucked up in bed by 4.

Thats a lovely write-up. Yes, the way back was dark dark dark and I rode alone. Luckily i had some good lights and the I'm sure i saw a few animal's eyes (probably foxes) light up in the bushes.

 

[nonowt]

Thats a lovely write-up. Yes, the way back was dark dark dark and I rode alone. Luckily i had some good lights and the I'm sure i saw a few animal's eyes (probably foxes) light up in the bushes.

Thanks! I was very glad of our serious 1500 lumin front lights and the mapping on my gps unit which showed the line of the road. The GPS proved very useful on tight corners! It's surprisingly difficult to follow the road line along those pitch black lanes even with the powerful lights. Unfortunately neither the lights nor gps could prevent me falling into an overgrown ditch during a comfort stop

 

[mustang1]

Thanks! I was very glad of our serious 1500 lumin front lights and the mapping on my gps unit which showed the line of the road. The GPS proved very useful on tight corners! It's surprisingly difficult to follow the road line along those pitch black lanes even with the powerful lights. Unfortunately neither the lights nor gps could prevent me falling into an overgrown ditch during a comfort stop

Uh oh... hope you didn't get too bruised with the fall !!
IDK how many lumens I've got but I was rocking two Exposure Stradas, one of those Garmin bluetooth lights (amazingly powerful) and a flashing lezynne some-small-light. I'm embarrassed* to say I still have not figured out how to use the GPS properly (I really don't like the Garmin GPS and the Wahoo was on battery saver mode so I the backlight was off! but I didnt have the map loaded onto it anyway).

* I'm not really embarrassed, I just don't care about maps too much although it would be really helpful if I did.

 

[nonowt]

Uh oh... hope you didn't get too bruised with the fall !!
IDK how many lumens I've got but I was rocking two Exposure Stradas, one of those Garmin bluetooth lights (amazingly powerful) and a flashing lezynne some-small-light. I'm embarrassed* to say I still have not figured out how to use the GPS properly (I really don't like the Garmin GPS and the Wahoo was on battery saver mode so I the backlight was off! but I didnt have the map loaded onto it anyway).

* I'm not really embarrassed, I just don't care about maps too much although it would be really helpful if I did.

It was more of a comedy pratfall than anything, so I was fine.