London and Home Counties Cycle Chat Rides 2009

[Sig SilverPrinter]

Waterloo would be good for me as I work in the area so can get train/cycle there.
Stevevw- can't you get a train to liverpool st then cycle across this would take 15mins max as i do it evey day
Auntie Helen-i live near romford if you wanted to drive to mine we could get a train to liverpool st and i could help with the trike or we could cycle all the way which is about 17 miles

 

[Auntie Helen]

Hi SigSilverprinter. Thanks for the offer - I, too, could get a train to Liverpool Street from Colchester but I'm not keen on the entire train experience, especially going from Liverpool St to Waterloo (by bike, presumably). It really is too much effort and the NCP would probably cost less than the train ticket anyway. I'm still thinking of options though.

 

[DJ]

Hi SigSilverprinter. Thanks for the offer - I, too, could get a train to Liverpool Street from Colchester but I'm not keen on the entire train experience, especially going from Liverpool St to Waterloo (by bike, presumably). It really is too much effort and the NCP would probably cost less than the train ticket anyway. I'm still thinking of options though.

Just another suggestion as to what you could do! Drive to Greenland pier which is in Surrey Quays and take the bike on the fast ferry to the London eye , you would then be about 1/4 of a mile from waterloo, it would cost around £4.50 each way (I think) sorry I will check! cheaper and easier than trains/parking and there is loads of free parking right next to Greenland pier!

 

[Auntie Helen]

Ho ho, sounds an excellent plan (assuming they allow Trikes on the ferry).

It appears that my husband is working in London that day now so I'll have to arrange for the dog to be looked after but that shouldn't be too much of an issue.

 

[BigonaBianchi]

You could put your hand up for the February ride - no-one has taken it on yet. How about a stint around Hanningfield (built by my grandfather, no less!)

February ride??...edookate me...

Your grandad built that?? Cool...I ride around it at least once a week...

 

[Auntie Helen]

If you look at the first post in this thread there's a series of dates - first Sat of each month - with names beside them of people who are offering to lead the ride. The Feb ride (7th) is currently nameless, so looking for a leader, so it could be you!

 

[BigonaBianchi]

so it could be you!

...do i need a ticket though?

...ok...I might do this...hmm...the route...how far is good ? Perhps a Billericay station start?....there's gonna be some A roads to deal with...I could link two of my loops and do like a figure 8 ...ending back at the station...or Ingatestone ??

Something like this maybe??



It's about 35 miles ish...has some nice country lanes, and some safe(ish) A roads..goes around the reservoir and has an easy start finish point at Billericay station.
There are also trains en route at Brentwood and Ingatestone...there's a few nice pubs although I have only ever visited one...honest. No huge hills...I think Noak hill is the most painful...but we could do the loop so we ride down it instead!...there's an annoying 'hill' going into stock from Billericay....and another going up into Brentwood from Herongate...there's a cool downhill run through little bastar...erm...Burstead.

If the weather is nice (well you never know)...we could extend the ride a bit...but if it's cold and damp I reckon this will be enough.


Are you chaps and chapesses all fast roadies though?? I'm more of a cross between a plodder and a cruiser...not big on speed races me...

I'd be thinking of a civilised start time...say 11am??

 

[Auntie Helen]

That looks good. Is it hilly though? I'm not good with hills!

On the last ride we averaged 12mph and it all seemed to work very well, although some could no doubt have gone faster.

It's a good plan if there's a place to stop 2/3 of the way through for some victualling.

As for A Roads, we did a bunch of A roads in London last time so I expect the Billericay ones will be OK!

For those who will come by car (me, and probably a few others), is there somewhere suitable to park?

 

[stevevw]

...ok...I might do this...hmm...the route...how far is good ? Perhps a Billericay station start?....there's gonna be some A roads to deal with...I could link two of my loops and do like a figure 8 ...ending back at the station...or Ingatestone ??

Are you chaps and chapesses all fast roadies though?? I'm more of a cross between a plodder and a cruiser...not big on speed races me...

I would say around the 50 mile mark would be good with a Tea stop half way ish and a 10 to 15mph average. On the last ride we waited for those that got caught in traffic etc. nobody was dropped we all stuck together.

Oh and parking would be good for those that have to use the car.

If you decide to organise a ride let me have the link to your post and I will add it to the list on the first post here.

Steve

 

[Auntie Helen]

I'm happy with the 35 miles meself but am willing to go up to 50 if necessary.

My husband has reminded me that his brother lives in Billericay near the station so I have somewhere to park, at least, and I think there are other free parking areas in Billericay. In fact my husband might come along too, so that would be two trikes (and, rather stupidly, two cars as we can't fit both trikes in one car!)

 

[BigonaBianchi]

Parking...well there is the station car park...not sure about costs on that though, but being a Saturday it might be less or even free...there is another car park behind Waitrose supermarket on the high street...you're supposed to buy something but just tell the ticket bloke you forgot your ticket and you'll be let out...or there is an expensive pay and display on the high street as well...or you could leave the car in the car park at Lake meadows (pay display..or free if you fancy a swim!)

To be honest I'm happy with the 35 miles but if most want more then thats cool. We could perhaps go out via Galleywood..or up to Ongar...

...Hills...depends on how you define a hill...it's not totally flat, but there are no monster hills....I usually do the loop on the karge cog, dropping down to the middle occasionally, but never needing the smallest.

I have no idea where there is a 'cafe' on this loop...I never use the things. I know there is one at Lake meadows but thats at the start/end of the ride....must be one somewhere in ingatestone or Brentwood I suppose.

 

[Origamist]

I'm up for the ride on the 24th January, not because Tea1 Slurper is organising it, but because of the Christina Rossetti connection...

 

[Auntie Helen]

Somehow I doubt we'll be bursting into song whilst huffing and puffing trying to keep up with User1314!

 

[Origamist]

Somehow I doubt we'll be bursting into song whilst huffing and puffing trying to keep up with User1314!

Right, I'll have to lose a few Xmas lbs in the next couple of weeks!

 

[Auntie Helen]

Well I'm almost certainly going to be at the back again so don't fear you'll get left behind! You'll be in front of me!