Southend, 10 April 2016

I left at about half past 2, just after the item where a member of the audience asked for something blue and white in a north-facing garden patch in Cornwall on GQT (BBC Radio 4).  The weather looked deceptively tempting; certainly better for a cycle ride than staying indoors.  So on goes the long-sleeve base layer, a cycling t-shirt and a summer long sleeve cycling top.  I knew hat I would be out late, even expecting to come back when it's already dark.  Therefore I've taken my splash-proof cycling jacket and packed it tight on top of the rackbag.  And yes, it was certainly colder than I expected.  Summer knee-covering shorts with very long socks - effectively no leg skin showing - I thought to myself that in the long of the ride, I will get sufficiently warn that I won't feel the cold in the legs.  No, not in the legs, but at the side of my thighs, every time a gust of wind showed that it was actually windy.  Evidently, when riding through town one would not get much of this, and until you get to Watery Lane towards Battlesbridge, there is a long stretch of "town": first Southend, then Rayleigh.  I had my knee support on also, as always; and whilst their purpose was to support the knee in stabilising its direction of movement, they also keep the knees warm.

[My aim was to do part of the journey that I would be doing next year in March.  OK, surely once I figured the route I could actually give it a full trial run: 200km / 126 miles up and the same down.  Possibly 2 DIY-Audax rides.]

The afternoon kept sunny without any clouds, thus really makeing me feel the cold, whenever I just coasted along.  There wasn't much of this though.  As I realised that the cold would creep in, I just adjusted the gears to keep my pedalling comfortably.  Up to the Turnpike, and I decided to go along the cycle route crossing each car lane to get to the turn up to Rettendon, but there I then chose to use the road, rather than the already very delapidated cycle path.  At the top, just leaving at the other end I saw the rest (presuming there were more out to 11ses) of the SEG's on their way home.  In order, but streched over a couple of 100 yards: Martin Fuller, Jon Collins, Chris Spicer, Lynda Collins just being overtaken by Ian Mather and a bit behind, I thought the old man would wind up the lot.  But just as I decended to Rettendon Common there was Martin Pipe struggling up the hill.  I greeted them all, and they must have wondered seeing a strange face out on the road.

I took the turn for East Hanningfield, and though I did this just recently in the dark, it was quite interesting to see how much different, or longer, it looked than just on the map.  Second exit at the RAB led to Bickenacre and I took Moor Hall Lane to cut short towards Danbury.  The last time I rode on this strech I recalled was in the opposite direction (and about 8 years ago) with a lot of folk who are now retired from cycling due to age and other such related ailments.

Getting up to Danbury I did not remember to be such a long strech of up and more up.  Anyway, I took the wrong turn, which in fact was the turn I knew at the point where the road started, but at the time I thought it would end up in a different location.  So I turned right at the RAB to go a bit more up and then down and up again to reach the turn for North Hill.   There I then decided that I finally would have to put on my warm-keeping cycling jacket, lest I'd be a cycling icicle at the bottom.  Now, lucky there were no speed cameras on the way down.  Well, at least I did not see any signs for any.  Dare-devil approach means hands tight on handlebar, but no intention to use brakes: 57.7km/h (35.85mph).  Any hairy moments? No, none.  At Papermill Lock cars are parked in such a way that on-coming traffic is on my side of the road - they don't slow down, so why should I?

I went left at the TJ towards Terling, but then used an unmarked road (left again) through Hogwells to hit the B1137.  Left and after half a mile right to Little Waltham via Russel Green, followed by Chignall Smealy and down to Chelmsford.  When in Little Waltham an overcast was building up, I could pretty quickly feel that I also got warmer whilst cycling along.  But as soon as I was back in Chelmsford a cold gust told me that I am in for headwind all the way home.

There I took the NCR1 along the river until I got to the Army and Navy RAB.  So, I should get off the bike and push it through the underpass to get out towards Gt Baddow?  No way.  For me there was no question, for others it might have been an issue of confidence.  But the way that this RAB is laid out now, I had no trouble getting round and out on Baddow Road. 

I have no idea what those planning guys are thinking, but as a person I have the same attitude, whether I go by car or by bike: there is a road through town, I use it.  I am not going to massively prepare hours beforehand what the best (based on what criteria?) way is to get through, e.g. if and where are there cycling routes.  I happen to be aware that there are some, as I have been told by our Chelmsford-based CTC members, but I don't care, when I just want to cross another town on my route.

So, through Gt Baddow, and just crossed Essex Yeomanry Way (the road coming from the Army and Navy RAB to the A12 Tfl), and deciding, whether I should use that way via Howe Green and the old A130 back home, or ... yes, it's more interesting via Sandon, Butts Green and back through East Hanningfield.  I dithered, but then quickly ditched the idea to do the Creephedge loop via Tropical Wings to the Turnpike.  I took again the road rather than the cycle path down to the Turnpike.  Luckily, at this time on a Sunday afternoon there are less cars around. 

I like going on the road, because it leads to a nice judging game, when sometimes cars waiting to get onto the round about see the sudden unexpectyed accelaration - taking in the speed from coming down the hill - of a cyclist just after a car has passed the turn.  Whilst my aim is to cut over to the second RAB along, most cars turn the second exit to use the new road towards South Woodham Ferrers.  Anyone who aims to go on the new A130 after the second RAB will have to accelerate first to catch me up.  Due to the direction that I take I am as close to the centre of the first RAB, whilst aiming for the outside on the joining road and then immediately for the exit to Battlesbridge.  So far I have yet to see a car overtaking me during this manouvre.  Crazy? - Thrilling! ... Other folk spend lots of money to get drunk and/or all sorts of palpitations.

So, back through Watery Lane, and quite evidently car drivers' attitude to cyclists is worse than north of the river Crouch.  I am not so worried about the speed of over taking, as long as you give me the distance.  Basically allow for a swerve, if need be - I am not obliged to cycle in the gutter or go through potholes.  IMO, the average car driver has not got sufficient an understanding of the size of their car to judge how close they are to the curb.  If you observe the car in front, they will hardly ever go closer than 1.5 ft to the curb, but they have no problem overtaking a cyclist at less than half a foot.

Crownhill, and my lowest chainring would not go in; next Bridge Water Drive, same here.  I had a nice dash along the Chase and final hill - normally not an issue, but then I felt it as such - up from Fairfax Drive to East Street crossing.  I like shooting around the corner showing car drivers that I am just as impatient as they are, when I can accelerate faster round a corner than they can (law of physics: I can lay into the bend AND accelerate - a car can only accelerate once they leave the bend).  So I drifted off to the left onto the cycle path and slowed down immediately, 'cause I was knackered.  I took every turn of he pedal in its stride, joined the road again at he top, because after crossing the Tfl there is a narrow joining cycle path just after the bus stop off the main road onto the parallel shared pedestrian/cycle path.  There was a stretch of actual cycle path along the Civic Centre, but where this changed back to sharing with pedestrans I joined the road again.  Left at the Tfl and then indicating to turn right down Chichester Road.  There is a large cycle-waiting-box at the Tfl, but no real way how cyclists would get there other than wiggling through the waiting cars.

Sometimes you wonder where people are looking - I indicated to go into Whitegae Road and paid close attention to the folk and whether they would see me, but the oncoming pedestrians with their buggy were walking straight into the road.  Any faster and a collision would have been inevitable.

On the last couple of miles I felt my saddle moving... or so I thought, where I put it down to a subconcious illusion, as the one most painful part of my body was a spot on the left cheek of my back side.  (It reminded me of the French Ride - PBP 2007: pain in the backside, just this spot, pain in the lumber, pain in the neck and my knees were doing their own thing.)  I got off the bike at home and truly, the saddle was moving.  Out with the tools and fixed, and as I was at it, I re-adjusted my handlebar as well.  It had moved down a fraction, when I had to do an emergency break and I was leaning into it.

Feeling pretty exhausted I afforded myself a hot bath, lit some candles, as I didn't like the bright ceiling lights and had one and a half hour of relaxation in the bath.

Final stats: I had a brief look at the watch immediately when I got home: 19:17.  This makes it about 4 3/4 hours; OK, perhaps 5, but the speedometer tells me: Dst: 96.793km, Max: 57.7kmph, Avg: 20.6kmph, Time: 4:42:48 (effective cycling time - without stops); and I hadn't stopped anywhere for long: putting my jacket on took about two mins.  The stats are in kmph, because I ride/train under the rules of Audax (long-distance cycling organisation).  So, I can't complain with 60.14 miles in 4:42 at an average of 12.8mph, since I would not call myself really fit.