2010-05-22 Sat 8am - Southend Seaside Jaunt (Because Long Rides are Fun)

southend what a town that is
an undercurrent of menace at every corner !

great riding though, once again a pleasure to be a part of a londonfgss ride
at times it seemed like enid blytons famous (4)5 swooping through dappled country lanes and thanks to skully for the lashings of ginger beer

The first thing that I felt upon arriving at South End was concern for the elderly folk, I'm not sure that fifty odd London cyclists are best suited to a town where Bingo is considered an extreme sport.

...an undercurrent of menace at every corner !

I got a bit of that. For me South End by day seemed a little exposed, the sun light exposing all the cracks in what appeared to be a slightly tired town. I thought that it needed a good hoover.

Thank you all for a most wonderful and satisfying day yesterday. It was great to meet everyone.
And extra special thanks to those who provided the necessary salty and sugary snacks, and those that hung back, kept me laughing and assured me the hills wouldn't be the end of me!
Sorry I scuttled off at the end... visitors were arriving and booze in Victoria park beckoned. Hope to bump in to some of you on the roads, and north drinks when I make it up there.

I am so proud of my bike! It made it with no problems. I'm going to pamper it today.

Thank you all for a brilliant day. Sorry if I was a bit like an excited puppy. I was loving my gears.

The next forum ride will be fixed.

Here is some data/info on the route etc.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/34212688

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/34212684

who was the guy on the gorgeous geared mercian?
i kept on talking to him but didnt introduce myself.

MAN that was a great day! I Had such a great time and with, as usual, an absolutely great group of people.

Thanks so much to all the people who made it happen.

Sunshine, undulating country lanes, fields abloom, bloody windmills for god's sake, the seaside, chavettes, The National Dish, friends and pushbikes... classic.

who was the guy on the gorgeous geared mercian?
i kept on talking to him but didnt introduce myself.

He just posted. It is so beautiful.

aha!
superprecise!
not that your bike isnt beautiful jay :)

Cheers Joe! which one were you again I met a couple of Joes...?

lo-pro joe :)

Orange Argos?

indeed

That's a hot whip you got there, though I'm sure it hurt like hell! You made it to the beach right?

yeah, made it to the beach :)
didnt hurt too much, just the bloody hills!

that is my enduring quote of the day, I kept hearing you saying 'these bloody hills are killing me!'
glad you made it Joe, stirling effort - please don't do Dunwich on the low-pro though!

i wont!
im going to steal some gears from a friend :)

Nice to meet you Joe.

indeed, you too.
and everyone else :)

Lovely time thanks. Feeling a little bit charred from the sun today

now if only we could have found some bibbed volunteers to go out for a swim in the Thames Estuary...

Bright sunshine, bright people. There was some good riding out there. Good to meet a few new faces though I feel like I have no idea which face fits which 'forum name'

Whoever seems to think I organised this ride, I didn't. We is like citical Mass innit. I'm just a loudmouth.

I just want to ask ... the girl (I'm sorry I never got your name) who lost her pal Marissa somewhere between the beach and the station ... you have now regained contact i hope?

@ spybot, please potatochop the massive extruding uncut steerer on my bike, thanks.

Not sure why I did that, but I've never photoshopped anything before, that was quite fun. Sloppy job, and I'm not sure if I left too much on...

I was a little surprised you took it like that on a forum ride, what with many people averse to such things.

Who was I talking to about adobe elements? used and abused...

1 Attachment

Sorry to anyone who i endangered with the flying water bottles seen in the above photo.

Whoever seems to think I organised this ride, I didn't. We is like citical Mass innit. I'm just a loudmouth.

Very erudite loudmouth. That's me, the German (we're good at organizing), to whom you explained 'Southend - hotrod centre of the UK' when I swore at some motorists just before we hit the seaside.

Thanks for putting up with me and Vicky laughing like goons, getting us lost, taking an age to set off after the pub stop and performing awesome uturns. Beer plus tandem is awesome, and the run along the resevior was even more awesome than last year.
Best day ever, great weather, great riding, awesome people.

I felt like an ass on the train shuffling that mofo around.

Swizzz that was a wicked day!!!!