StuAff
Silencing his legs regularly
- Location
- Portsmouth
That was a really dull evening, in the good ways. Perfect weather (after non-Maldon, I'm hoping the next wet one isn't for quite some time...), a near-total absence of mechanicals (one puncture in the first group), one retirement at the halfway…and a lot of happy smiling faces at the end. So, definitely not dull in any other way!
Pre-ride routine was back to abnormal. Usual train to Eastleigh ran at usual time in usual way. Usual work finishing on the dot. Usual making the 2138 train (quiet, a few unmasked morons), which (actually unusually) was slightly late into Waterloo. With Costa being closed, no point loitering there, so I went straight over to the NT. Very much not quiet, sadly…Due to the ongoing restrictions, we were running two groups of thirty (minus last-minute drop-outs and no-shows). Ross's group left at 2345, I was in ride leader Kim's group leaving half an hour later, the idea being to minimise if not prevent interaction between the two on the road and at half way. For the first time in what seemed like quite a while, @mmmmartin was back. @Domus ventured Down South again. And, for the first time in…how long is it? Sandra!!! Thanks (but no thanks) to all the palaver, Kim's safety talk was largely drowned out.
We left ever so slightly early (we were likely to be slower than the first group, and easier to slow down than speed up if need be). Large quantities of glass needed a warning on the first turn, but tyres remained unharmed. First part was, despite usual London late night traffic, uneventful. We did have the near-obligatory ride leader nav error (been there, done that…) in Woolwich, when Kim turned off the path alongside the river somewhat early. A large part of our group decided to clamber up and down steps rather than use the ramps immediately adjacent…Normal service then resumed. The call of nature stop at McDonalds (very few yoof at the underpass). Into Kent, the stretch of 50 mph dual carriageway being thankfully quiet, and ditto the Dartford bit (there's a Sainsbury's distribution centre that gets a lot of artics going back and forth, but we seemed to get through in a lull). As ever, once through Gravesend it was somewhat of a relief to leave suburbia behind for a bit of countryside.
Such was our pace that we arrived at the Strood Emporium of Cakey Goodness not only at the expected time, but we crossed paths with Team Ross, who were on their way out. Tim (solo this night, and he went for a century ride in the morning…!!) had as ever done the business RE catering. We weren't exactly short of choice, though nor were going to leave that many leftovers. He even kept the Victoria sponge to one side, so @wanda2010 got there first! I naturally did the carb-load for the breakfast sprint (two rolls, flapjack, two bits of bread pudding, fruit cake, and the last of the Victoria)…Martin was feeling the pace somewhat so withdrew to give Tim a hand clearing up.
On leaving the hall, there was another very minor nav error before we stopped by the Soviet sub for photos in the dawn light. Through Rochester and Chatham, and then back into quieter roads. The Sittingbourne Avoidance was as prosaic as ever (though, at least, Not Sittingbourne), and on to Faversham. Loo stop, and one last carb load, at the Sainsbury's. And then, The Best Bit. The sprint. Found the secret to getting the best out of a Brompton (three, actually) on that stretch…have someone on a road bike giving them a pull all the way
TBF, Mr Orange did try and take the lead position a couple of times, but I wasn't having any of that Nearly four and a half minutes down on my best time (a decade ago, mind) but still just under 24 minutes, 17 mph average.
Made it to the Waterfront at about 8.15, and Team Ross had been waiting for them to open. Due to You Know What, a restricted takeaway menu, but the breakfast bap and a large cup of tea still hit the spot. I took my leave and went for the next fast train into St Pancras (Victoria-Waterloo is always a pain, even when the anti-vac numbskulls aren't marching on parliament), where the bike spaces became very crowded once Sandra and others made their way down the train at the next stop. Making the next Waterloo train proved Im Possible, so the noon train it was, followed soon after by a nap.
Thanks everyone. Brighton? Might as well, I've paid for the halfway food already
Pre-ride routine was back to abnormal. Usual train to Eastleigh ran at usual time in usual way. Usual work finishing on the dot. Usual making the 2138 train (quiet, a few unmasked morons), which (actually unusually) was slightly late into Waterloo. With Costa being closed, no point loitering there, so I went straight over to the NT. Very much not quiet, sadly…Due to the ongoing restrictions, we were running two groups of thirty (minus last-minute drop-outs and no-shows). Ross's group left at 2345, I was in ride leader Kim's group leaving half an hour later, the idea being to minimise if not prevent interaction between the two on the road and at half way. For the first time in what seemed like quite a while, @mmmmartin was back. @Domus ventured Down South again. And, for the first time in…how long is it? Sandra!!! Thanks (but no thanks) to all the palaver, Kim's safety talk was largely drowned out.
We left ever so slightly early (we were likely to be slower than the first group, and easier to slow down than speed up if need be). Large quantities of glass needed a warning on the first turn, but tyres remained unharmed. First part was, despite usual London late night traffic, uneventful. We did have the near-obligatory ride leader nav error (been there, done that…) in Woolwich, when Kim turned off the path alongside the river somewhat early. A large part of our group decided to clamber up and down steps rather than use the ramps immediately adjacent…Normal service then resumed. The call of nature stop at McDonalds (very few yoof at the underpass). Into Kent, the stretch of 50 mph dual carriageway being thankfully quiet, and ditto the Dartford bit (there's a Sainsbury's distribution centre that gets a lot of artics going back and forth, but we seemed to get through in a lull). As ever, once through Gravesend it was somewhat of a relief to leave suburbia behind for a bit of countryside.
Such was our pace that we arrived at the Strood Emporium of Cakey Goodness not only at the expected time, but we crossed paths with Team Ross, who were on their way out. Tim (solo this night, and he went for a century ride in the morning…!!) had as ever done the business RE catering. We weren't exactly short of choice, though nor were going to leave that many leftovers. He even kept the Victoria sponge to one side, so @wanda2010 got there first! I naturally did the carb-load for the breakfast sprint (two rolls, flapjack, two bits of bread pudding, fruit cake, and the last of the Victoria)…Martin was feeling the pace somewhat so withdrew to give Tim a hand clearing up.
On leaving the hall, there was another very minor nav error before we stopped by the Soviet sub for photos in the dawn light. Through Rochester and Chatham, and then back into quieter roads. The Sittingbourne Avoidance was as prosaic as ever (though, at least, Not Sittingbourne), and on to Faversham. Loo stop, and one last carb load, at the Sainsbury's. And then, The Best Bit. The sprint. Found the secret to getting the best out of a Brompton (three, actually) on that stretch…have someone on a road bike giving them a pull all the way
TBF, Mr Orange did try and take the lead position a couple of times, but I wasn't having any of that Nearly four and a half minutes down on my best time (a decade ago, mind) but still just under 24 minutes, 17 mph average. Made it to the Waterfront at about 8.15, and Team Ross had been waiting for them to open. Due to You Know What, a restricted takeaway menu, but the breakfast bap and a large cup of tea still hit the spot. I took my leave and went for the next fast train into St Pancras (Victoria-Waterloo is always a pain, even when the anti-vac numbskulls aren't marching on parliament), where the bike spaces became very crowded once Sandra and others made their way down the train at the next stop. Making the next Waterloo train proved Im Possible, so the noon train it was, followed soon after by a nap.
Thanks everyone. Brighton? Might as well, I've paid for the halfway food already
😍
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