Should I move my ride?
Well folks, the next official CC ride is the 2nd May Manningtree to Tiptree one by moi.
The problem is, as hinted at before, our local train company has decided that no-one who lives further out of London than Billericay could possibly wish to travel by train any weekend this year. They are doing engineering works almost constantly for the next month or so.
What this means is that, despite the swap with Peter for April at which point May seemed engineering-works-free, there is now a problem with the ride for May.
Trains are running between Ingatestone and Manningtree but not from Liverpool Street to Ingatestone which has replacement buses (which don't allow bikes). This is a journey of 22 miles.
The only options appear to be:
(a) Cycle from London to Ingatestone and then get a train
(
Cycle from London to Manningtree and expire in a heap when you get there
(c) Come by car and warm the globe
(d) Move house to live in North East Essex.
The fourth option is, of course, the sensible one all round, but probably not practicable in a four week timeframe.
So what do folks think we should do? Postpone the ride to the summer when there just might be some trains? Do it anyway with a reduced number of people (I know some can probably still make it by car or because they live north of here)? As there are still a couple of free dates the postponement might be a good option. Or are you all such desperate mile munchers that you'll happily cycle to Ingatestone for the train?
