FNRttC FNRttC 2nd October to Southend-on-Sea 2009
- Thread starter dellzeqq
- Start date
Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
Auntie Helen
Ich bin Powerfrau!
- Location
- 47906 Kempen, Germany
So... my first fnrttc.
I'd chewed over coming on one of these rides for ages, but I'm one of those people who doesn't do well staying up late at night, so wasn't sure it was a good idea. I concluded in the summer that doing a ride to Southend was the best plan as my folks live in Thundersley (at the top of Bread & Cheese Hill) so I could go and crash at their place afterwards.
When I discovered the next Southend ride was on the 2nd October I thought this might be a problem, it being my 16th wedding anniversary, but James appeared willing to come along on a night ride so we decided to go for it.
We drove to my parents' place (they were actually away) on Friday afternoon and chilled out in the afternoon, did a bit of bike fettling and then set off to Benfleet Station for the train to London.
The c2c trains are less trike-friendly than the National Express ones we have at Colchester. We managed to shoehorn my trike in, however, and ran the gamut of usual Essex-people comments, such as 'sick bike' or 'how much is it?'
James has borrowed Ianrauk's GT Legato bike (Ian has his trike in return) so he was on a more normal form of transport which fits more easily onto trains.
We arrived at Fenchurch Street and were met by ChrisKH and Sig Silverprinter. Sig duly handed me her cake (I appear to be Sig's Cake Carrier on London to Southend rides, but I owe her that at least for causing her to cycle into a hedge last time we rode together, plus she had to come and rescue Delthebike and I when we had got lost...)
We cycled through a surprisingly busy London to HPC. I was having a slow day evidently which didn't bode well for the overall ride, as I'm hardly the quickest cyclist anyway. Still we arrived at HPC nice and early and said hello to people as they arrived.
I was most surprised to discover that I knew probably 75% of the riders already. It's a good feeling when you realise that you've become part of a community like this, even when never having done a night ride. It was good that I wasn't the only recumbent, with User3143 on his Catrike (not that I ever saw him cycling along really as he's twice as fast as me), Arallsopp and of course Tim Hall on his Pino with Pippa as the brave stoker.
It was quite a chilly evening and after standing around at HPC for half an hour I put on an extra - my last - layer. Still as soon as we set off it warmed up.
I'm not a big fan of London at the best of times (Berlin is a MUCH nicer capital city!) and this opinion wasn't altered by our ride out. London's so mucky with unpleasant motorists, pedestrians giving us some unusual ango-saxon phrases with regularity, glass in the gutters, plastic bags blowing about the road, potholes, taxis... And on this route London seemed to stretch out for ages. Still, it was fun being in such a large group. A taxi driver said to me "why are there so many bikes on the road?" and I wanted to reply "why are there so many cars on the road?" but instead said "we're going to Southend." I love the nonplussed look of car drivers when hearing that we're cycling fifty miles. Fifty miles? That's impossible!!! Ignoring the fact that the mouseketeers cycle FAR further anyway...
Well soon enough we were passing through yet another Bromley (I live in Great Bromley in Essex, Ianrauk and Arallsopp live near Bromley in Kent) but this one was rather seedier, being Bromley-by-Bow. We stopped for a bit for a general catch up.
Eventually we shrugged off the urban sprawl of London as we pootled towards our tea break at Junction 31 services. For the last couple of miles before the services I found myself chatting to Mike E. At one point I heard someone behind me say something and I said to Mike, “who's that, it's a familiar voice” and he said it was Aperitif. Yikes, I was at the back of the peloton!!!
And at the back I stayed, my slow day hitting me with a vengeance. As lovely as it is to chat with Mike, Aperitif and Adam/Flying Dodo, it must be a pain for them to have to trundle along at my speed, especially up the hills.
As we approached a roundabout just before J31 I saw a huge line of cyclists going right round the roundabout – they had clearly missed a turn, but it was an amusing sight.
We arrived at J31 and I cycled my trike directly into the building (with Mike E holding open the doors for me in a very gentlemanly fashion). In due course we joined the long queue for food and tea and the purchased choc chip muffin was joined by a slice of Sig's cake, one of Arallsopp's brownies and one of my Ritter Sport Chocolate Squares, not to mention Pippa's sweeties. A healthy food stop, clearly.
I loved the way that bikes were strewn everywhere:
And lots of cyclists sprawling on strangely-coloured plastic chairs:
We carried on after a fairly long stop and now it was more countryfied with dark lanes.
After our architectural diversion I found the territory was getting more and more familiar, and when we reached Pitsea it was all my old stomping ground (stomping with car rather than bike, however). Soon we were approaching Bread & Cheese Hill. I was at the back again but Adam very gallantly cycled behind me the whole way up. I have no idea how he managed to go so slowly on a two-wheeled bike but he did it!
It was downhill from that point and I enjoyed the ride along the 'no cycling' section of the sea wall. We have a chum who lives along there in Old Leigh and he said he was woken up in the morning by something unspecified - I suspect it was a bunch of tired cyclists.
The sun was rising as we approached the cafe and I was glad to have my breakfast and a much-needed cup of tea. James and I decided to ride home the quick way (along the A13) and rolled up at my parents' house at 9am.
We had a sailing supper in the evening at Burnham on Crouch and were slightly late (due to oversleeping) but when we arrived we had some good food, The award ceremony followed. Each year someone is awarded a toilet roll – and this year I was the lucky recipient. Not just any toilet roll, but a toilet roll in a toilet roll holder with a combined nautical and cycling theme. It is now fitted to the bike:
The little sailing chap's legs go round when you pull the loo roll...
I'd chewed over coming on one of these rides for ages, but I'm one of those people who doesn't do well staying up late at night, so wasn't sure it was a good idea. I concluded in the summer that doing a ride to Southend was the best plan as my folks live in Thundersley (at the top of Bread & Cheese Hill) so I could go and crash at their place afterwards.
When I discovered the next Southend ride was on the 2nd October I thought this might be a problem, it being my 16th wedding anniversary, but James appeared willing to come along on a night ride so we decided to go for it.
We drove to my parents' place (they were actually away) on Friday afternoon and chilled out in the afternoon, did a bit of bike fettling and then set off to Benfleet Station for the train to London.
The c2c trains are less trike-friendly than the National Express ones we have at Colchester. We managed to shoehorn my trike in, however, and ran the gamut of usual Essex-people comments, such as 'sick bike' or 'how much is it?'
James has borrowed Ianrauk's GT Legato bike (Ian has his trike in return) so he was on a more normal form of transport which fits more easily onto trains.
We arrived at Fenchurch Street and were met by ChrisKH and Sig Silverprinter. Sig duly handed me her cake (I appear to be Sig's Cake Carrier on London to Southend rides, but I owe her that at least for causing her to cycle into a hedge last time we rode together, plus she had to come and rescue Delthebike and I when we had got lost...)
We cycled through a surprisingly busy London to HPC. I was having a slow day evidently which didn't bode well for the overall ride, as I'm hardly the quickest cyclist anyway. Still we arrived at HPC nice and early and said hello to people as they arrived.
I was most surprised to discover that I knew probably 75% of the riders already. It's a good feeling when you realise that you've become part of a community like this, even when never having done a night ride. It was good that I wasn't the only recumbent, with User3143 on his Catrike (not that I ever saw him cycling along really as he's twice as fast as me), Arallsopp and of course Tim Hall on his Pino with Pippa as the brave stoker.
It was quite a chilly evening and after standing around at HPC for half an hour I put on an extra - my last - layer. Still as soon as we set off it warmed up.
I'm not a big fan of London at the best of times (Berlin is a MUCH nicer capital city!) and this opinion wasn't altered by our ride out. London's so mucky with unpleasant motorists, pedestrians giving us some unusual ango-saxon phrases with regularity, glass in the gutters, plastic bags blowing about the road, potholes, taxis... And on this route London seemed to stretch out for ages. Still, it was fun being in such a large group. A taxi driver said to me "why are there so many bikes on the road?" and I wanted to reply "why are there so many cars on the road?" but instead said "we're going to Southend." I love the nonplussed look of car drivers when hearing that we're cycling fifty miles. Fifty miles? That's impossible!!! Ignoring the fact that the mouseketeers cycle FAR further anyway...
Well soon enough we were passing through yet another Bromley (I live in Great Bromley in Essex, Ianrauk and Arallsopp live near Bromley in Kent) but this one was rather seedier, being Bromley-by-Bow. We stopped for a bit for a general catch up.
Eventually we shrugged off the urban sprawl of London as we pootled towards our tea break at Junction 31 services. For the last couple of miles before the services I found myself chatting to Mike E. At one point I heard someone behind me say something and I said to Mike, “who's that, it's a familiar voice” and he said it was Aperitif. Yikes, I was at the back of the peloton!!!
And at the back I stayed, my slow day hitting me with a vengeance. As lovely as it is to chat with Mike, Aperitif and Adam/Flying Dodo, it must be a pain for them to have to trundle along at my speed, especially up the hills.
As we approached a roundabout just before J31 I saw a huge line of cyclists going right round the roundabout – they had clearly missed a turn, but it was an amusing sight.
We arrived at J31 and I cycled my trike directly into the building (with Mike E holding open the doors for me in a very gentlemanly fashion). In due course we joined the long queue for food and tea and the purchased choc chip muffin was joined by a slice of Sig's cake, one of Arallsopp's brownies and one of my Ritter Sport Chocolate Squares, not to mention Pippa's sweeties. A healthy food stop, clearly.
I loved the way that bikes were strewn everywhere:
And lots of cyclists sprawling on strangely-coloured plastic chairs:
We carried on after a fairly long stop and now it was more countryfied with dark lanes.
After our architectural diversion I found the territory was getting more and more familiar, and when we reached Pitsea it was all my old stomping ground (stomping with car rather than bike, however). Soon we were approaching Bread & Cheese Hill. I was at the back again but Adam very gallantly cycled behind me the whole way up. I have no idea how he managed to go so slowly on a two-wheeled bike but he did it!
It was downhill from that point and I enjoyed the ride along the 'no cycling' section of the sea wall. We have a chum who lives along there in Old Leigh and he said he was woken up in the morning by something unspecified - I suspect it was a bunch of tired cyclists.
The sun was rising as we approached the cafe and I was glad to have my breakfast and a much-needed cup of tea. James and I decided to ride home the quick way (along the A13) and rolled up at my parents' house at 9am.
We had a sailing supper in the evening at Burnham on Crouch and were slightly late (due to oversleeping) but when we arrived we had some good food, The award ceremony followed. Each year someone is awarded a toilet roll – and this year I was the lucky recipient. Not just any toilet roll, but a toilet roll in a toilet roll holder with a combined nautical and cycling theme. It is now fitted to the bike:
The little sailing chap's legs go round when you pull the loo roll...
Aperitif
Meme bar
- Location
- ...I don't have much idea - really.
Ha! Another fine reportage from "Bog roll Helen" 
You're not a pain to ride beside - so get primed for the next one. You're doing your best - that's good enough. Happy Anniversary anyway - you must have married an 'older man'
- although, credit where it is due, James was often seen drafting his faster missus escorting you (wishing he could unfurl the spinnaker and let rip 
).
Happy to be an allsort, if it takes allsorts... (not 'arallsort' - he's unique
)
You're not a pain to ride beside - so get primed for the next one. You're doing your best - that's good enough. Happy Anniversary anyway - you must have married an 'older man'
- although, credit where it is due, James was often seen ).Happy to be an allsort, if it takes allsorts... (not 'arallsort' - he's unique
)
Andrij
Über Member
- Location
- Thulcandra
Tony said:
And that was just my face!
Auntie Helen
Ich bin Powerfrau!
- Location
- 47906 Kempen, Germany
I think James and I have concluded we're more of a daytime ride sort. We may do another fnrttc one day (probably the Southend one again) but the disruption of normal sleeping patterns isn't so good for us - or doggie.Aperitif said:Ha! Another fine reportage from "Bog roll Helen"
You're not a pain to ride beside - so get primed for the next one. You're doing your best - that's good enough. Happy Anniversary anyway - you must have married an 'older man'- although, credit where it is due, James was often seen
drafting his faster missusescorting you (wishing he could unfurl the spinnaker and let rip).
Happy to be an allsort, if it takes allsorts... (not 'arallsort' - he's unique
By the way, James isn't an older man - he's my toy boy!
StuAff
Silencing his legs regularly
- Location
- Portsmouth
Aperitif said:...you strayed in - the electric fence is now activated - another prisoner!
Nice smooth ride Adrian - you're a 'natural'. And I liked the choice of wayfinders...Andrij a Pillar of Heracles (bet you thought I was going for Hercules there?
Both of them were fast movers once the pointy bit duties were discharged - returning to their nesting positions until next asked...Andrij's afterburners providing enough warmth on a mild night, as well as throwing into my thoughts that "Whoosh whosh" noise of the helicopter rotor blades in that film about the Vietnam War...'Cycleclips Now' or something like that - as his legs powered downward.
It's like crack remember...
I liked wayfinding too as well
Definitely more than happy to do that again.I can only agree about Adrian's sterling efforts. Didn't lose me, but we gave it a go (just kept on heading east and got there in the end..). Extra bottles will be going in the bag in future...
StuAff
Silencing his legs regularly
- Location
- Portsmouth
mike e said:Don't take this the wrong way Stu but I'd sooner see Claudine at a roundabout or junction then yourself...
Flying Dodo
It'll soon be summer
Well, this FNRttC had more drama than normal! The sight of Simon leading us off from HPC and going straight in front of a moving taxi was not a good sign (so you can tell he wasn't well), so it was a good job Adrian & Andrij knew the way as well.
Somewhere around Bow, a car went straight over a glass bottle in the road (not the one pre-filled with a yellow liquid by another yob), and I was amazed no-one behind me got any punctures. Is it just me, but did all the police officers we saw around there just seem to be standing around like spaced-out zombies, staring blankly at each other?
Despite Simon's valiant pre-ride briefing, it did seem that any shouts of "stopping" coming from the front, only got repeated up to about 3 rows back, so I think a penalty system should be imposed.........
Although I must apologise for the long stop in Fobbing - I'd assumed Simon had stopped where he did, for another important architectural/historical lecture, but hadn't told him the tail end had arrived, which is why I got curious looks from across the road when Simon rang me. Oops. I made sure I shouted out loudly in future.
At one point I got told by someone in a car that I was sick, so I told him I wasn't, but then I remembered in youth-speak that's a compliment. D'oh.
As I get told off by my wife if I mention how fast I go down a hill, I've decided to start a new trend. I managed to get as slow as 3.1 mph drafting Helen up Bread & Cheese Hill, although as I'm a very gallant chap, I turned my front lights off, so as not to blind her in her mirrors.
It's the last part of the ride that I enjoy the most, and this time did not disappoint. As mentioned above, the wind whistling the ropes of the boats and clanking windchimes was very ethereal. Along that stretch of path, I found the wind could get you moving forwards from standstill up to around 7 mph, and then further along, zipping along the Esplanade, we realised just too late that there was a speed camera, so could only get to 30 mph by the time we passed it. Respect to those who cycled back in that headwind though.
Somewhere around Bow, a car went straight over a glass bottle in the road (not the one pre-filled with a yellow liquid by another yob), and I was amazed no-one behind me got any punctures. Is it just me, but did all the police officers we saw around there just seem to be standing around like spaced-out zombies, staring blankly at each other?
Despite Simon's valiant pre-ride briefing, it did seem that any shouts of "stopping" coming from the front, only got repeated up to about 3 rows back, so I think a penalty system should be imposed.........
Although I must apologise for the long stop in Fobbing - I'd assumed Simon had stopped where he did, for another important architectural/historical lecture, but hadn't told him the tail end had arrived, which is why I got curious looks from across the road when Simon rang me. Oops. I made sure I shouted out loudly in future.
At one point I got told by someone in a car that I was sick, so I told him I wasn't, but then I remembered in youth-speak that's a compliment. D'oh.
As I get told off by my wife if I mention how fast I go down a hill, I've decided to start a new trend. I managed to get as slow as 3.1 mph drafting Helen up Bread & Cheese Hill, although as I'm a very gallant chap, I turned my front lights off, so as not to blind her in her mirrors.
It's the last part of the ride that I enjoy the most, and this time did not disappoint. As mentioned above, the wind whistling the ropes of the boats and clanking windchimes was very ethereal. Along that stretch of path, I found the wind could get you moving forwards from standstill up to around 7 mph, and then further along, zipping along the Esplanade, we realised just too late that there was a speed camera, so could only get to 30 mph by the time we passed it. Respect to those who cycled back in that headwind though.
redflightuk
Guru
- Location
- going round in circles
Evening everybody, had a great time on the ride. It was nice to meet everybody and put faces to names. I'd only met TC1 before a few weeks ago. Didn't realize the streets of London were so busy at that time of night, anyway it wasn't too long before we had the roads almost to ourselves. The J31 food stop soon arrived and as i was getting my lock out i realized all the bikes were being taken inside.
Food and drink purchased i chatted to Mike e, Claudine and Auntie Helen (thanks for the chocolate Helen).I nearly put another layer on when we came out of the services but once we were moving again i soon warmed up. It didn't seem too long before we hit the path along the wall and then breakfast. After i'd eaten i had to dash off quickly to catch the 8:26 to liverpool st and then ride to K X to catch another train to Knebworth. I arrived at the stables at 11:00 turned Red out in his field and got stuck in to stable chores. Took Red out for a ride late afternoon but started falling asleep in the saddle so i turned back put him back in his stable fed him and headed home. I arrived at 18:30 ish made a cup of tea sat down and fell asleep. Woke up at 3am with an almost full mug of cold tea.
Thanks again everybody and see you all soon
happy riding
john
Food and drink purchased i chatted to Mike e, Claudine and Auntie Helen (thanks for the chocolate Helen).I nearly put another layer on when we came out of the services but once we were moving again i soon warmed up. It didn't seem too long before we hit the path along the wall and then breakfast. After i'd eaten i had to dash off quickly to catch the 8:26 to liverpool st and then ride to K X to catch another train to Knebworth. I arrived at the stables at 11:00 turned Red out in his field and got stuck in to stable chores. Took Red out for a ride late afternoon but started falling asleep in the saddle so i turned back put him back in his stable fed him and headed home. I arrived at 18:30 ish made a cup of tea sat down and fell asleep. Woke up at 3am with an almost full mug of cold tea.
Thanks again everybody and see you all soon
happy riding
john
ttcycle
Cycling Excusiast
Ah yes - a quick one- Arallsop- thank your wife for the lovely brownie (thanks for offering me the last one - sorry 'Teef my fault you didn't get one but that almondy goodness was nice, very, very nice)
RedflightUK - yes I misheard your name at the start -doh!
Simon - hope you are better soon!
TC1 - It was you with the camera...I'll remember that for next time!!
Nice pictures everyone!!!
RedflightUK - yes I misheard your name at the start -doh!
Simon - hope you are better soon!
TC1 - It was you with the camera...I'll remember that for next time!!
Nice pictures everyone!!!
Arthur
Comfortably numb and increasingly fixed.
- Location
- Gillingham, Kent
Another marvellous ride - seven hours of serenity, despite the best efforts of some of the people we passed in the streets. Two little things that really stick in my memory were the whistling and clanging of wind-blown rigging as we rode along the sea wall and watching the London Plane leaves gently falling from the trees as we cruised along the embankment.
A few pictures...
View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1Q5BEwjdEE
A few pictures...
View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1Q5BEwjdEE
arallsopp
Post of The Year 2009 winner
- Location
- Bromley, Kent
Lovely work, once again Arthur. Thanks for that.
