FNRttC Friday Night Ride to the Coast - Southend on Sea 7th November
- Thread starter dellzeqq
- Start date
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Arthur
Comfortably numb and increasingly fixed.
- Location
- Gillingham, Kent
Another excellent night with perfect weather conditions, especially with the rain holding off until 20 minutes after we were comfortably seated at The Rose. Whoever sold their soul to the devil in order to arrange that has my eternal gratitude.
A few shots taken en-route...
Thanks to Simon, the TECs, the Waymarkers and to everybody else who, in many different ways, have made these rides so damned enjoyable. I'm going to miss them. The screwed-up sleep patterns, not so much.
A few shots taken en-route...
Thanks to Simon, the TECs, the Waymarkers and to everybody else who, in many different ways, have made these rides so damned enjoyable. I'm going to miss them. The screwed-up sleep patterns, not so much.
Aperitif
Meme bar
- Location
- ...I don't have much idea - really.
Perfect, Arthur. Thank you.
mikeee
Well-Known Member
- Location
- City of Culture
Many thanks to all concerned from Anna and myself.
Another fantastic Friday night ride for myself, and for Anna a night of many first's!
First night ride
First big group ride
First time riding in London
Indeed pretty much first time visiting London
I actually did have a first as well, it involved the toilets at Stock and someone who shall remain nameless!
Another fantastic Friday night ride for myself, and for Anna a night of many first's!
First night ride
First big group ride
First time riding in London
Indeed pretty much first time visiting London
I actually did have a first as well, it involved the toilets at Stock and someone who shall remain nameless!
arallsopp
Post of The Year 2009 winner
- Location
- Bromley, Kent
It was great seeing you Mikeee. Been way too long and you've been missed.
For absolute clarity, I refer to the opening, rather than closing component of his post.
For absolute clarity, I refer to the opening, rather than closing component of his post.
Aperitif
Meme bar
- Location
- ...I don't have much idea - really.
Traditionally, haven't buffs been Frank's responsibility?
Splendid to see Frank (but not in the buff - it was a public place after all!) Thom - looking as cool as a John Lewis penguin, with the urbane hipster beatnik look (I took no photos and trust that Olaf/Tim H quality images will be forthcoming from all quarters as the day unfolds..
) Olaf looking cooler than Franz Beckenbauer, Des O looking cooler than Des O and all the ladies and gentlemen who gathered at Al Barone's for a chinwag...degenerating into a chindribble as the day wore on. Pippa G, Katsura, Tim Hall, User10571, Des O, Mike E, Adrian - that is a class act, a multi-disciplined cycling squad from the early days...of course, Simon. Susie, Andrews B and Br, Charlie, Mick, Chris, Steve, Claudine,Stuart, Jenny, Sonia, Steven, Rachael, Adam, Clive, Olaf...damn it, there's not enough time, beer or money in this world! And, not having done many rides recently, it was the usual pleasure to catch up - albeit briefly. Apologies to anyone I didn't recognise or speak to (I'm naturally rude - it's nothing personal).I'm lucky to know you all. Thank you. (And why didn't I take my damn camera - I have had so many thoughts..!
) And, following Adrian's mention of trendy lost property above, who didn't notice that epitome of sartorial mathematics, the lush Michael 'Bigplus' Adu? Get those photos posted now, please! Ta.
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Aperitif
Meme bar
- Location
- ...I don't have much idea - really.
The jacket is Tim H's
He had a bad day. Crack, buff and jacket. That man needs a beer.
He had a bad day. Crack, buff and jacket. That man needs a beer.
The jacket is indeed mine. Its lack made going out last night more complicated. @User, how can I get hold of it?
thom
____
- Location
- The Borough
2.46 am
11.23 am
5.34 pm
I left about an hour after the cactus incident on a Barclay's bike, a couple of minutes after Frank, who then passed me on Tooley St as we retraced the route of 18 hours earlier before wobbling our separate ways.
It was good get in another stint of way-marking at random road corners at 3 am, freezing my nuts off. I hope it won't really be the last time.
Thanks Simon.
5.34 pm
I left about an hour after the cactus incident on a Barclay's bike, a couple of minutes after Frank, who then passed me on Tooley St as we retraced the route of 18 hours earlier before wobbling our separate ways.
It was good get in another stint of way-marking at random road corners at 3 am, freezing my nuts off. I hope it won't really be the last time.
Thanks Simon.
ttcycle
Cycling Excusiast
What a finale of a ride, looked so much fun.
Rolled in to the Rose Cafe after seeing Tall Martin cycling up to the station, saw Sig and Mikee, both missing in action for a long while. Hope to see you both on a ride again soon and glad Anna had a fantastic time.
Huge breakfast was had, Ian was cleaning his shoes as the muck and trauma from the pathway was still evident. Even Clive was cleaning his S-works outside.
Ian, Andy A, Clive, Rimas and myself started the cycle back to London for the pub or home when bikes, shoes and everything had been cleaned to an acceptable standard.
Moving along the seafront the tide was out and the sun left silver trails on the sand. Boats in the distance reminded me of the first time I rode my first FNR to Southend. We came in via Leigh on Sea on the pathway with the ghostly boat poles clanging as a throng of cyclists pedalled by, lit by half light as the sun was trying to burst through the sky.
Clive's letstakeamortgageoutonyourbike Spesh was making odd clunking noises when he was riding out of the saddle but after dislodging some dirt from the pathway into Southend it seemed fine. Shame, looked like the frame was my size.
We pushed on to Hadleigh where Ross was waiting for us after seeing family and we were off again. I'd love to describe the beauties of the SMRbtL but we are talking about the Southend ride..
There was a stop at a picturesque petrol station where we asked Clive what his weight saving options were ie remove the gears, having two bottle cages were excessive and those brakes who needs those?
Everyone believes the myth that Southend is a flat ride. The route back was lumpy but I must have felt this more on the fixed. My legs didn't fall off and my knees are fine, so we're all good but if anyone tries to tell you it's flat...hit them over the head with a chainwhip.
As with all hills, you go up and then down as Ross will tell you as he rode fixed too, of the pedal controled spinning marionette legs. I'm sure it was funny to watch.
There were A roads, headwinds, sidewinds, artistically placed glass and detritis, close passing cars, road kill, all the fine things a cyclist could want.
Grays urban roundabouts were the epitome of Essex's natural wonders. There was no mouseketeering, no-one got lost.
We rode through a smart little village where they were preparing for remembrance day but its name escapes me but this is close to where Andy got a puncture. We cycled back and found him with tools out the Orange-mobile perched against the wall. It threatened to rain and drizzled as we waited for Andy to put the Marathon Plus back on. No tyre levers were used...
Machine up and running and then we popped out into another main road with the accompanying traffic buzz. I am very sorry to report that I have no mudguards, beware to those cycling behind me. There was this stretch of road that was covered in muddy water, our bikes got covered in it and Ian got mud splashes on his jacket as he was behind me. All that babywiping earlier- you should have seen his shoes. Thankfully, he didn't kill me.
Before long, after much picturesque surroundings, we were back into Greater London as signalled by red double decker buses.
A stream of papers rolled by artistically in the gusts of wind behind an open removal van in Dagenham. Fittingly, it was a copy of The Sun.
We lost Rimas for a short while just after the road that drops and passes the greenway and he emerged a short while later with streaming, itchy eyes which was hindering his cycling.
We dropped into Beckton and up and along. A headwind greeted us on our way towards the ferry as we were on the incline to get onto the fast moving road.
Cars filled the roads along the ferry route and after a short wait we got onto the Woolwich Ferry to be carried onto the proper side of London, saaarf.
Ross and Ian headed off to get home and Rimas turned off shortly after as he wasn't feeling 100% (hope your eyes are sorted ourlt R). Andy and I were left to head to All Bar One in choked up roads with intermittent road works. After constant filtering and at times being stuck behind cars through Greenwich, Deptford, Bermondsey and Lindon Bridge , we finally hit upon a mass of tourists and pedestrians at Tower Bridge which was fun to get through and speedy as you can imagine.
We got to ABO and I sat, ate and awarded myself with a cocktail. Good to see more people who I hadn't seen for years such as DesO propping up the bar and so many it would take too long to name them all.
It's been a pleasure to ride the FNRttCs with you all over the years, gutting that I wasn't able to ride the night section of the last one. We certainly went out with a bang didn't we. Sad as I am, I hope we can create new challenges and memories on future rides.
Thank you, all of you, for being part of a such a wonderful ride and big, big thanks Our Leader. Sheds a little tear*
Rolled in to the Rose Cafe after seeing Tall Martin cycling up to the station, saw Sig and Mikee, both missing in action for a long while. Hope to see you both on a ride again soon and glad Anna had a fantastic time.
Huge breakfast was had, Ian was cleaning his shoes as the muck and trauma from the pathway was still evident. Even Clive was cleaning his S-works outside.
Ian, Andy A, Clive, Rimas and myself started the cycle back to London for the pub or home when bikes, shoes and everything had been cleaned to an acceptable standard.
Moving along the seafront the tide was out and the sun left silver trails on the sand. Boats in the distance reminded me of the first time I rode my first FNR to Southend. We came in via Leigh on Sea on the pathway with the ghostly boat poles clanging as a throng of cyclists pedalled by, lit by half light as the sun was trying to burst through the sky.
Clive's letstakeamortgageoutonyourbike Spesh was making odd clunking noises when he was riding out of the saddle but after dislodging some dirt from the pathway into Southend it seemed fine. Shame, looked like the frame was my size.
We pushed on to Hadleigh where Ross was waiting for us after seeing family and we were off again. I'd love to describe the beauties of the SMRbtL but we are talking about the Southend ride..
There was a stop at a picturesque petrol station where we asked Clive what his weight saving options were ie remove the gears, having two bottle cages were excessive and those brakes who needs those?
Everyone believes the myth that Southend is a flat ride. The route back was lumpy but I must have felt this more on the fixed. My legs didn't fall off and my knees are fine, so we're all good but if anyone tries to tell you it's flat...hit them over the head with a chainwhip.
As with all hills, you go up and then down as Ross will tell you as he rode fixed too, of the pedal controled spinning marionette legs. I'm sure it was funny to watch.
There were A roads, headwinds, sidewinds, artistically placed glass and detritis, close passing cars, road kill, all the fine things a cyclist could want.
Grays urban roundabouts were the epitome of Essex's natural wonders. There was no mouseketeering, no-one got lost.
We rode through a smart little village where they were preparing for remembrance day but its name escapes me but this is close to where Andy got a puncture. We cycled back and found him with tools out the Orange-mobile perched against the wall. It threatened to rain and drizzled as we waited for Andy to put the Marathon Plus back on. No tyre levers were used...
Machine up and running and then we popped out into another main road with the accompanying traffic buzz. I am very sorry to report that I have no mudguards, beware to those cycling behind me. There was this stretch of road that was covered in muddy water, our bikes got covered in it and Ian got mud splashes on his jacket as he was behind me. All that babywiping earlier- you should have seen his shoes. Thankfully, he didn't kill me.
Before long, after much picturesque surroundings, we were back into Greater London as signalled by red double decker buses.
A stream of papers rolled by artistically in the gusts of wind behind an open removal van in Dagenham. Fittingly, it was a copy of The Sun.
We lost Rimas for a short while just after the road that drops and passes the greenway and he emerged a short while later with streaming, itchy eyes which was hindering his cycling.
We dropped into Beckton and up and along. A headwind greeted us on our way towards the ferry as we were on the incline to get onto the fast moving road.
Cars filled the roads along the ferry route and after a short wait we got onto the Woolwich Ferry to be carried onto the proper side of London, saaarf.
Ross and Ian headed off to get home and Rimas turned off shortly after as he wasn't feeling 100% (hope your eyes are sorted ourlt R). Andy and I were left to head to All Bar One in choked up roads with intermittent road works. After constant filtering and at times being stuck behind cars through Greenwich, Deptford, Bermondsey and Lindon Bridge , we finally hit upon a mass of tourists and pedestrians at Tower Bridge which was fun to get through and speedy as you can imagine.
We got to ABO and I sat, ate and awarded myself with a cocktail. Good to see more people who I hadn't seen for years such as DesO propping up the bar and so many it would take too long to name them all.
It's been a pleasure to ride the FNRttCs with you all over the years, gutting that I wasn't able to ride the night section of the last one. We certainly went out with a bang didn't we. Sad as I am, I hope we can create new challenges and memories on future rides.
Thank you, all of you, for being part of a such a wonderful ride and big, big thanks Our Leader. Sheds a little tear*
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redfalo
known as Olaf in real life
- Location
- Brexit Boomtown
The red buff looks like mine.
ceepeebee
Veteran
- Location
- Some imaginary Flanders
Not sure why I didn't take many photos, but here's a few.
srw
It's a bit more complicated than that...
That was fun. It turned out that @rvw is actually good at daytime drinking (which I secretly knew all along) - she realised on the train back to London that her incipient headache was more about dehydration than anything else, so we finished off the rest of our isotonic zero-cal drink, and hit the booze with vim.
The ride was memorable. I like that route to Stock (even without the ford) more than I do the other routes I've taken - even though to a middle-class lad from the outer reaches of the western home counties the ride out through the shuttered shops and nightclubs of East London is a little dispiriting. I don't think I've ever seen such a concentration of community churches and banners for community churches as I have in West Ham - there's an interesting cultural study there for someone. I love the inventiveness of their names, and I wish I could remember some of them. The uphills through Rayleigh were somehow less uphill than I remembered, so we spent a bit of time spinning on too low a gear, as the change down to the granny ring is still a bit rough (new chain and cassette).
The cinder path was closed, but not closed enough for @dellzeqq, so we ploughed on through the mud of a utility trench. The Rose's service was as quick as ever, even if it's really too small for such a big ride. The Stock stop was welcome, the ladies' pee stop a useful addition for the lady behind me (and for me, as I was able to pop into the field next door and hear what I think were frogs calling).
I do suspect that the story of Roddy Llewellyn, Princess Margaret and the Stock Windmill wasn't entirely true.
The ride was memorable. I like that route to Stock (even without the ford) more than I do the other routes I've taken - even though to a middle-class lad from the outer reaches of the western home counties the ride out through the shuttered shops and nightclubs of East London is a little dispiriting. I don't think I've ever seen such a concentration of community churches and banners for community churches as I have in West Ham - there's an interesting cultural study there for someone. I love the inventiveness of their names, and I wish I could remember some of them. The uphills through Rayleigh were somehow less uphill than I remembered, so we spent a bit of time spinning on too low a gear, as the change down to the granny ring is still a bit rough (new chain and cassette).
The cinder path was closed, but not closed enough for @dellzeqq, so we ploughed on through the mud of a utility trench. The Rose's service was as quick as ever, even if it's really too small for such a big ride. The Stock stop was welcome, the ladies' pee stop a useful addition for the lady behind me (and for me, as I was able to pop into the field next door and hear what I think were frogs calling).
I do suspect that the story of Roddy Llewellyn, Princess Margaret and the Stock Windmill wasn't entirely true.
