Dave 123
Legendary Member
- Location
- Cambridgeshire alps
For a change of scene we put the tandem on the car and drove to Ashdon in Essex. Before we'd parked up we were involved in a sportive. 100 yards into our ride they turned left and we headed on to Saffron Walden. From Walden we headed out on the Debden road, rising steadily out of town. After 10 miles we could spy Thaxted church spire and the windmill
After a quick down we went up by the white houses^ to the foot of the church
We heard music and bells.... it was the Thaxted Morris Men. We stopped and watched
On the next dance some young lads joined in, that was nice to see.
We stopped at the bottom of the hill to see the the Guildhall. It was in receipt of some tender loving scaffold care
We then took the road to the Bardfields. Some Essex boys on road bikes were giving it "she ain't pedalling on the back" as they came by..... soon followed by a downhill section where we gave them a demo of her pedalling on the back! We didn't hear from them again.
We stopped at The Blue Egg cafe for lunch. A CTC ride from Bishop Stortford was using it as a control point for a ride.
We had a sausage roll each and half shares in this
Fig seed was being picked from teeth for the remains of the ride.
On further south for a mile or so before heading east and then turning for home. Through Wethersfield and on to Finchingfield
The last 15 miles of the ride had plenty of little nasty hills to contend with.
Almost 37 miles, the sun making an appearance in the last mile or so.
Another Red Kite seen, that's 2 in 2 days.
https://www.strava.com/activities/1471168078
After a quick down we went up by the white houses^ to the foot of the church
We heard music and bells.... it was the Thaxted Morris Men. We stopped and watched
On the next dance some young lads joined in, that was nice to see.
We stopped at the bottom of the hill to see the the Guildhall. It was in receipt of some tender loving scaffold care
We then took the road to the Bardfields. Some Essex boys on road bikes were giving it "she ain't pedalling on the back" as they came by..... soon followed by a downhill section where we gave them a demo of her pedalling on the back! We didn't hear from them again.
We stopped at The Blue Egg cafe for lunch. A CTC ride from Bishop Stortford was using it as a control point for a ride.
We had a sausage roll each and half shares in this
Fig seed was being picked from teeth for the remains of the ride.
On further south for a mile or so before heading east and then turning for home. Through Wethersfield and on to Finchingfield
The last 15 miles of the ride had plenty of little nasty hills to contend with.
Almost 37 miles, the sun making an appearance in the last mile or so.
Another Red Kite seen, that's 2 in 2 days.
https://www.strava.com/activities/1471168078
. Off we went on a roundabout route on her favourite lanes. We stopped at Hillend to admire the views over Longdon Marsh before we crossed it. Then at Clive's I suggested a coffee. These stops are part of a full cyclists' test tho'. The shorts seemed to be fine but we still have some adjustments to make to Mrs 26's riding position. 29 smiles on a day that felt like Spring. 
and was a bit tired as I hadn't slept much Friday and Saturday night 
) and the last emergency flapjack and another Wispa down the neck.
