FNRttC Friday Night Ride to the Coast 18th March to Southend-on-Sea 2011

[dellzeqq]

My intention is to let the ride grow a bit this year. I reckon that if people have paid twelve quid to join up then they will turn up unless the weather is horrible. I also think that if people have paid to join then it's not fair to exclude them from succeeding rides.

I've still got a few cheques to take over to the CTC on Monday, but I've spoken to the membership department and they'll make sure that the names are logged - so I reckon that this will be a pretty big ride. Chris has got an upstairs room he can use, and he's willing to take on extra staff (they're darn quick anyway), and the village hall at Stock is big, so I've no worries about the refreshments. I did think after the 89 strong October 2009 ride that I'd probably been a bit conservative with the numbers, particularly on the Southend rides (setting aside the constraints of Junction 31), so if we break the 100 mark I'll be quite chuffed.

As we know the destination cafes can all handle big numbers, and the addition of Planet Sweet to the roster of halfways stops gives us more capacity on the Brighton runs. Andy's can be tricky, and even though our last visit showed what can be achieved with a bit of pre-ordering, I think 100 would be pushing it. The Cabin Cafe is clearly not up to taking 100.....

 

[Aperitif]

Maybe Andy will need to push the boat out then...

A few patio heaters would do the trick!

 

[Flying Dodo]

As we know the destination cafes can all handle big numbers, and the addition of Planet Sweet to the roster of halfways stops gives us more capacity on the Brighton runs. Andy's can be tricky, and even though our last visit showed what can be achieved with a bit of pre-ordering, I think 100 would be pushing it. The Cabin Cafe is clearly not up to taking 100.....

True, plus of course with warm nights (hopefully, so we wouldn't even need any patio heaters), there's always the option to stay outside, out of choice, rather than necessity. For one of the Whitstable rides last year, there was a fair number just standing outside Andy's, chatting most of the time.

 

[ianrauk]

Hooray... thanks to the ever wonderful, ever accommodating Mrs Ian... I am now joining the Southend Peleton..(and back)

 

[rb58]

Nice one Ian. It's those three magic words - 'see', 'you' and 'later' that must have done it. Although looking at the long range weather forecast it could be a challenging night!!

 

[Tim Hall]

Today I scored a replacement hub for the Pino. The Queen Mother could well be riding!

 

[deckertim]

That is true, as I seem to normally miss most of the Southend rides. It is only 53 miles after all.

Is the new route 53 miles? Just trying to work out if I am going to cycle up to London or use the train.

 

[frank9755]

I'm coming too

Might ride back - will see how I feel

. Would be quite fun to see the proper route back in (as opposed to the A13 which we ended up on last time) in daylight.

 

[ianrauk]

I'm coming too

Might ride back - will see how I feel

. Would be quite fun to see the proper route back in (as opposed to the A13 which we ended up on last time) in daylight.

I take it that after we left you at the Dartford Crossing?

 

[Aperitif]

Going back via the bird sanctuary place is a nice route Frank - and you get to see the concrete barges too - along with lovely wide-screen views of the approaching London skyline.
Last time, topcat Dave led us out - we went through the bird sanctuary as the crow flies, ate cake in their café like starlings, then ducked out the other side.
No idea about the route - I'm a Basildon magnet. It attached itself to me last time and I just couldn't shake it off. Even the locals don't know how to get out of there.

 

[dellzeqq]

Nice one Ian. It's those three magic words - 'see', 'you' and 'later' that must have done it. Although looking at the long range weather forecast it could be a challenging night!!

if you take Metcheck at their word. I reckon the cat's got more idea than they have.

 

[rb58]

if you take Metcheck at their word. I reckon the cat's got more idea than they have.

Last night Metcheck was forecasting the end of the world for that night, including snow and 28mph winds, but now it seems to have changed its mind considerably. I'd stick with the cat.....

 

[dellzeqq]

I looked last night as well, and started coming up with Special Plans. Like staying at home.

 

[rb58]

I'm coming too

Might ride back - will see how I feel

. Would be quite fun to see the proper route back in (as opposed to the A13 which we ended up on last time) in daylight.

I may go back via Bata-land and the Tilbury Ferry this time. More entertaining than the Dartford Crossing I find.

 

[frank9755]

I take it that after we left you at the Dartford Crossing?

Yes!

Sig then led us through the nature reserve which was very pretty, and pointed us in the right direction.

Then me, Abs, Martok, Luke, Davy, Becs and possibly one or two others were set loose in East London without a clue between us of how to get back, or even a map. We were drawn to the A13 like flies to a magnet. Did a mile or so of fast paced stuff down the main carriageway (which I enjoyed but think I was in the minority) then we had to duck off as cyclists were banned.

We ended up following the blue superhighway for what seemed like a hundred miles, crossing lots and lots of junctions. Eventually we got to somewhere we recognised, and rolled through Docklands. Then we decided to go to 'Look Mum', which I hadn't been too before. Abs managed to navigate us to it using her 'carpet bombing' technique of riding down every street in a systematic pattern until we stumbled into it.

We came back from Maldon the other week down a long, interesting-looking-in-an-urban-sort-of-way road through Romford, etc, which I would quite enjoy seeing in daylight. I've lived in London for 20 years but spent very little of it East of Aldgate.