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  • Followed through on the Great Bardfield plan laid out up thread. 3 of us set off at about 19.45 (from Clapton not LF). I thought the ride was much quieter than 2018 & 2019 but that could be due to the earlier start (set off after 9 previously). There was a distinct lack of unusual rides and riders too (tandems, homemade contraptions, etc.).

    The riding was lovely and we able to maintain a good pace. Nice to ride lanes at dusk that I'd previously only ridden in the dark. Sad to see The Star at Dunmow closed. Got to The Bell around 10.30. Again it was quieter than previously but it was also well organised, so maybe that made it seem less crowded. Had a horrific (but very welcome) vegan sausage bap and a pint and a half of delicious pale ale. By midnight it was filling up with the queue for food was 30+ long. It was also getting slightly chilly, so we donned our inadequate extra layers and set off. It felt weird not to be doing the whole so we decided not to retrace the route and instead turned off route (accidentally taking 4 or 5 other riders with us). Once they we back on track and we rode off into the cold black. A few close encounters with deers, hedgehog and a really unfriendly ( a closed road caused a 200 metre detour through a boarding school, "This is private property! There's two hundred boys here -obviously they're inside now- but you're not allowed through here!" ...I guess they're plagued by roaming gangs of pedophile cyclists... ) finally got home around 3.30. A really special night. Hopefully do the whole ride next year.

  • There was a distinct lack of unusual rides and riders too (tandems, homemade contraptions, etc.).

    There was a good number of creatively illuminated bikes, and a half bike half recumbent thing. Also a lady who finished it on a pashley, wearing sandals and a skirt. Didn’t see many teens or <25s.

  • The pink Pashley Princess received a spontaneous round of applause when being unloaded from the removal truck at Millwall. Was a lovely moment of recognition. Well done rider!

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