FNRttC Friday Night Ride to the Coast - Burnham-on-Crouch 26th October

[StuartG]

I didn't think it was quite as cold as the forecasts may have suggested, I was perfectly comfy in two layers.

Don't you hate people like that?

The last two rides have been all about the weather. With lessons learnt from Whitstable I decided you can't have too much clothing when temperatures descend to only two totties in Brentwood. I added my new Merino to make five on top and two (unfelt) ones below the belt. My theory was if you keep the the core warm the appendages will look after themselves. So it was for my (double socks and thick overshoes) feet. Two pairs of gloves got me to Stock. But on the descent from Stock a third pair were required to reconnect thumbs.

That made that glorious part of the road very special. Unlike summer where you feel the rush of the air as you speed between hedges, below trees and become one with the environment - this winter ride had me perfectly insulated from it see only through a pair of very cheap Lidl glasses. Bit like watching it on TV. Except they don't have anything so wonderful even on BBC4.

The ferry was special, perhaps not the wait. The other disappointment was the disappearance of the helicopter gunships over Romford. These, if you had not been following the news, have been replaced by silent drones. Afghanistan is the government code word for Romford and those mysterious flashes were merely their early morning calls on the local riff-raff and not, as earlier suggested the low temperatures causing electrostatic discharges between Davy's thighs.

I know this because I examined them closely on my very first visit to LMNH. Of which said ...

 

[thom]

Thanks all and Simon in particular for the great ride. I only managed to remove my mitts indoors so the pictures I have appear to be off the bike ones. Adrian, you're safe for now.
It was a shame the cold discouraged outdoor investigation of Burnham on Crouch but the post boat regrouping point does indeed have al fresco potential for a warmer ride and the ride just after, through Salt Marshes, land reclaimed and past ancient Saxon churches is pretty nice before the part on busy roads into Southend.
Oh and that was the first time I saw a shooting star on a night ride.
Fingers crossed the forthcoming Brighton ride will be a dry one.

 

[TimO]

You can see me putting down my reflective arm bands on the table there, which I promptly forgot to then pick up, until on the other side of the river. Simon, did you manage to find them for me? If so, a thousand thanks, if not, I'll have to get another set!

 

[martint235]

You can see me putting down my reflective arm bands on the table there, which I promptly forgot to then pick up, until on the other side of the river. Simon, did you manage to find them for me? If so, a thousand thanks, if not, I'll have to get another set!

I've got an Evans one and a Hornit one you can have Tim. I'll bring them to the old cars run if you're on that one.

 

[Andrij]

The meet and greet at the Arch was in full swing - a mixture of some new and some familiar faces - all wrapped up and ready for the Bollards, Bump and Bungalow warnings. There was no The Claud which was a big disappointment although the compensation was in the form of McWobble - huzzahhhh - who has recovered enough to do his first FNRttC in four months since breaking his ankle. Brilliant to see you back on two - very smart - wheels. TimO, Martint235, Ianrauk and Flying Dodo were named as the TEC team with All Up Wallnuts at the rear.

And... ?

Nice write-up )except for the omission) and pics, as always.

 

[Mice]

And... ?

Nice write-up )except for the omission) and pics, as always.

How could I be so thick?! How could I forget? To be fair I'm amazed I remember anything at all but I do remember you - and how fab it was to see you, and how we discussed doing the Silly Hilly Highgate Hampstead Hijinks once your bike is ready. And you were definitely part of the Andrij, TimO, Martint235, Ianrauk and Flying Dodo were named as the TEC team with All Up Wallnuts at the rear.

So sorry...

Mice

 

[martint235]

How could I be so thick?! How could I forget? To be fair I'm amazed I remember anything at all but I do remember you - and how fab it was to see you, and how we discussed doing the Silly Hilly Highgate Hampstead Hijinks once your bike is ready. And you were definitely part of the Andrij, TimO, Martint235, Ianrauk and Flying Dodo were named as the TEC team with All Up Wallnuts at the rear.

So sorry...

Mice

I should 'fess up at this point and point out I was actually a TEC more of a lurker

 

[ianrauk]

I was actually a little disappointed that the cold shooed away the usual saturday morning 'entertainment' in Romford and Brentwood.

 

[Paulus]

I was actually a little disappointed that the cold shooed away the usual saturday morning 'entertainment' in Romford and Brentwood.

Other than the Bunny Girl and her friend in Brentwood, just a few yards before the stop to regroup, The Bunny seemed to take delight in showing her nether regions to the passing cyclists and motorists

 

[ianrauk]

Other than the Bunny Girl and her friend in Brentwood, just before the stop to regroup, The Bunny seemed to take delight in showing her nether regions to the passing cyclists and motorists

Damn.... missed that...

 

[dellzeqq]

The badger! THE BADGER! We were going down Old Stock Road at about fifteen miles an hour, and a badger runs out of the hedge on the left hand side, runs in front of my bike, and then tries to outrun me down the road about two feet in front of my wheel for what seemed like an age but was probably three to five seconds. It then shoots right into the hedge. So........my thoughts go something like....'cat...rabbit....really big rabbit.......shoot, badger......wow, badgers are big.......why is it doing that.......STUPID BADGER......brake gently.........wow, shoot man, that was scary'.

Anybody got any idea about the flashes of light?

 

[Andrij]

Static discharge from Davy's thighs?

 

[dellzeqq]

the fox was a pretty close call. And the deer - skidmark time!

 

[User10571]

Static discharge from Davy's thighs?

Those were precisely my thoughts.
I shared them with Lisa.
She gave me a funny look.


Fair enough. It was her first FNRttC.
Hopefully not her last.

 

[User10571]

.....The fox that ran right in front of User10571's wheel when recceing the Cooling variation for Whitstable. ......

That was sooooo effin' close that all I could think of was 'Forget the brakes. Don't even bother. This is it. Game over. Meantime, you're gonna fly, boy'
Thankfully, it never came to that