Well today I decided to mosey over to Harwich to scout out where I need to go on Sunday night to catch the ferry for my German River Tour.
One of the jobs on my 'to do' list has been to put my mudguards back on in readiness for the trip (and German rainstorms) but I hadn't quite got round to it. Never mind, the sun is shining and the sky is blue.
I had looked on the OS map and seen a possible cycle-only shortcut between Harwich and Wrabness which would mean I could avoid the A120 for more of the route. I decided that it would be wise to go the direct route there and to try out this alternative on the way back.
So, off I set, pootling onto the NCN51 which goes to Harwich (although not to the ferry port, at least not directly, so I was planning to leave it at Wix). Within about five minutes there were some spots of rain. Never mind, I thought, they will stop soon. Indeed they did, but had left enough water on the road to make my mudguard-free front wheels a bit of a pain. Every time I went through a small puddle the water is flung up into the air and then lands on my head, chest, arms... my fluorescent yellow jacket now had enough muddy brown spots to give me a distinctly dalmation-esque look.
At Wix I turned onto the A120 for the final seven miles. It's a fast road, although single rather than dual carriageway at this point. With the tailwind I found I was flying along, doing 20mph most of the time, going up to 25mph, still doing 18-19 up the hills. My usual speed would be between 12 and 15 so this was rather exhilarating, especially when large lorries went past.
I followed the road signs to the ferry terminal and found myself alone there, rather like the Marie Celeste. No people around at all. I found a waiting area which was open but there was no-one inside. I couldn't see where pedestrians/cyclists were supposed to check in, unless it was where the cars do, but gave up looking. No doubt I will be able to find someone to help me when I turn up at 9pm on Sunday along with hundreds of cars and lorries.
So... now to find the sneaky back route from the ferry port to Wrabness. My Satnav had the route (and I had a backup OS map in my bag) and so I wended my way towards the petrol refinery, or whatever it was. A security chappie showed me where the path was and I set off along it. Unfortunately it was very rough ground and another random chap who appeared told me it's like that all the way. It was at this point that the heavens opened and I decided that wet, rough ground and my lack of mudguards wasn't a good combination. So I turned round and retraced my route to the A120.
The rain was getting heavier and heavier, it was almost like hailstones. I had sandals and shorts on so it was a good test for my clothing choices for my tour - I wasn't cold, just wet, and those raindrops stung! However a previously unsuspected problem appeared... because of my vanity about cyclists' tan I have eschewed gloves since the sun arrived so that my hands are the same colour as my forearms. However, I quickly discovered that in monsoon rain conditions the grip shifts aren't easy to grip without gloves. I couldn't change gear at all, as much as I tried, as my hands just slipped around the grip shifts. A single-speed Trice isn't the easiest thing in the world to ride around roundabouts and on fast roads, I can now inform you.
I sheltered under a shop awning for a few minutes as the worst of the rain came down but could see blue sky behind the raincloud and soon enough the rain was just spitting so I set off again on my singlespeed Trice (on the big chainring at the front, somewhere in the middle on the back, so about gear 23 out of 27 - which is quite a high gear!)
As I zoomed down a hill on the A120 I held my right hand up into the slipstream to help it to dry (wiping it on my clothes didn't help as they were soaked). In due course I had enough grip to change gear again, which was a relief.
I didn't entirely retrace my route home, I did a detour to Wrabness to see the other end of the footpath I hadn't taken. This was a much nicer route than the A120 into a headwind as it didn't matter if I was rather slower. Which, of course, I was. I was also absolutely covered in mud from the front wheels, I could feel it on my face and had to periodically wipe my sunglasses clean. The strong headwind made things a little chilly at times and despite the sartorial disaster I would have appreciated some socks with my sandals. But after 10 minutes or so (including some uphills) I had warmed up and things were back to normal.
There were a couple more showers on the way home but nothing too bad and I couldn't get any muddier than I actually was so wasn't an issue. The other end of the footpath to the petrol refinery at Harwich seemed as bumpy/unmade as the Harwich end so it's probably a good thing I didn't perservere with that one.
When I got home (after 33 miles in total) I had two cups of tea and also finished both portions of chocolate cake. One was James's, of course, but I felt I deserved it more...
So, I shall retrace the Wrabness route to go to the ferry on Sunday night, but will then join the A120 for the final 4 miles rather than trying to go off-road with fully loaded for touring kit. And hopefully before then I will manage to find out where I check in for the ferry.
, on a club run we went through tatton park on this bit of bumpy off road, I was getting some air and doing about 15-19mph, nearly slipped when my front wheel locked, we where beating the MTB's!!
