StuAff
Silencing his legs regularly
- Location
- Portsmouth
At time of writing, this was going to be the last FNR of the year- Shoreham cancelled (though talk on Friday night of postponing) due to the rail strikes. [EDIT: now confirmed, off, no new date. Boo!] Oxford-Cambridge scheduled for 14th, also off. And Tim pulled the Birmingham-MK one due the week after (no recce). After a rather unpleasant start to the evening for me (a work 'colleague' stole both my Hope Vision One lights from the cycle store at work, thankfully ride leader Mark lent me one for the night), it turned out to be a cracker.
Aforementioned thieving aside, usual post-work routine. I made the 2138 train of choice OK despite the shock, and it got into Waterloo on time. SMSd Mark RE the light problem, and a perfect solution was quickly offered- his own V1. Bottles filled on the concourse, where @CharlieB was conducting his own usual routine of coffee & a fag, round to the NT where I was naturally one of the first there. Ride leader soon turned up, and I fettled the borrowed light. Phew. He wanted it back in the morning, so offers of replacement lights welcome- there's a listing in the wanted section. Most gratified to see, after a four-year absence, @ianrauk (we've been feeling blue without the blue man). He's done his own write-up in the 'your ride today' thread. 27, I think, the final headcount, including a couple of newcomers.
Rolling on the dot of midnight, despite a chap on a Trek Domane (nice!) having issues with his tyres, not for the last time as it turned out. Despite a couple of minor mechanicals, early pace was strong and steady, through Bermondsey, Deptford, and Lewisham. A minor navigational mishap in Eltham. We get to Swanley (woman in car on otherwise deserted road objecting to us for some reason), and our progress came to an abrupt halt. That Trek had tubeless tyres. Some people swear by tubeless tyres, our TECs (Ian and Ross this night) would have been swearing at them. For some reason (tyres made of cheese, lack of sealant, rubbish sealant, all the above…pass) there was a refusal to inflate. An inner tube goes in, and immediately goes down as there's no rim tape- you don't need it for tubeless, until you need a tube…. After half an hour waiting near the fittingly named Mark Way (yes, I do, yes, I did, and yes, we were following his!), on we went. Good job we'd sorted out the problem there, as the street lights promptly disappeared. A short stretch of climbing towards Eynsford, then the (initially up to 12%!) climb out of it. It's still gravelly, potholed, and rather nasty, but no walking required for me this time, thankfully. 12% descent on next stretch as we dropped down towards Ightham, where some walking was required due to road closures.
At 4.35, somewhat later than planned, we made our halfway (ish) stop at the splendidly named Golden Green, where @Trickedem and his better half had established a southern outpost of their Emporium of Cakey Goodness in the village hall. Tim knowing his target audience, there was bread pudding, and victoria sponge, and lemon drizzle (yes, all of the above, two bits of the bread pudding. And two rolls. Burp). Forty or minutes later, we were on our way. On through East Peckham, Collier Street, and, in the early light, Marden (pause to see if the toilets were open-no- and look at the PLUTO exhibit).
The last stretch was familar, and progress again steady Headcorn (past the splendid White Horse pub), Smarden, Bethersden, Great Chart, and into Ashford barely later than planned, just about 8.15. Cafe Grace, a very short distance from the station. Excellent breakfast, decent service, good price. Then the short hop round to the non-International side of the station and the HS1 service into St Pancras, bike in doorway. Back at Waterloo in time for the 1100 train, the land of nod just after one. Thanks Mark et al for a great job, the Deckers for culinary excellence…here's to the next one. Whenever that is!
Aforementioned thieving aside, usual post-work routine. I made the 2138 train of choice OK despite the shock, and it got into Waterloo on time. SMSd Mark RE the light problem, and a perfect solution was quickly offered- his own V1. Bottles filled on the concourse, where @CharlieB was conducting his own usual routine of coffee & a fag, round to the NT where I was naturally one of the first there. Ride leader soon turned up, and I fettled the borrowed light. Phew. He wanted it back in the morning, so offers of replacement lights welcome- there's a listing in the wanted section. Most gratified to see, after a four-year absence, @ianrauk (we've been feeling blue without the blue man). He's done his own write-up in the 'your ride today' thread. 27, I think, the final headcount, including a couple of newcomers.
Rolling on the dot of midnight, despite a chap on a Trek Domane (nice!) having issues with his tyres, not for the last time as it turned out. Despite a couple of minor mechanicals, early pace was strong and steady, through Bermondsey, Deptford, and Lewisham. A minor navigational mishap in Eltham. We get to Swanley (woman in car on otherwise deserted road objecting to us for some reason), and our progress came to an abrupt halt. That Trek had tubeless tyres. Some people swear by tubeless tyres, our TECs (Ian and Ross this night) would have been swearing at them. For some reason (tyres made of cheese, lack of sealant, rubbish sealant, all the above…pass) there was a refusal to inflate. An inner tube goes in, and immediately goes down as there's no rim tape- you don't need it for tubeless, until you need a tube…. After half an hour waiting near the fittingly named Mark Way (yes, I do, yes, I did, and yes, we were following his!), on we went. Good job we'd sorted out the problem there, as the street lights promptly disappeared. A short stretch of climbing towards Eynsford, then the (initially up to 12%!) climb out of it. It's still gravelly, potholed, and rather nasty, but no walking required for me this time, thankfully. 12% descent on next stretch as we dropped down towards Ightham, where some walking was required due to road closures.
At 4.35, somewhat later than planned, we made our halfway (ish) stop at the splendidly named Golden Green, where @Trickedem and his better half had established a southern outpost of their Emporium of Cakey Goodness in the village hall. Tim knowing his target audience, there was bread pudding, and victoria sponge, and lemon drizzle (yes, all of the above, two bits of the bread pudding. And two rolls. Burp). Forty or minutes later, we were on our way. On through East Peckham, Collier Street, and, in the early light, Marden (pause to see if the toilets were open-no- and look at the PLUTO exhibit).
The last stretch was familar, and progress again steady Headcorn (past the splendid White Horse pub), Smarden, Bethersden, Great Chart, and into Ashford barely later than planned, just about 8.15. Cafe Grace, a very short distance from the station. Excellent breakfast, decent service, good price. Then the short hop round to the non-International side of the station and the HS1 service into St Pancras, bike in doorway. Back at Waterloo in time for the 1100 train, the land of nod just after one. Thanks Mark et al for a great job, the Deckers for culinary excellence…here's to the next one. Whenever that is!
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