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@pastry_bot
oof.
I've just had my first breakfast but I think I might have another two after I've written this.
It's been good reading all the ride reports, although I'm still not sure why everyone cares how long it took...for me the 'spirit' of the DD was never about racing but I guess there will always be some who will treat it as a challenge, which inevitably leaves its mark on others.
The ride out for me was 'interesting'. Since vaguely agreeing to ride back at the pub a couple of weeks ago - which is all tricitybendix's fault - I'd barely considered the ride there before Friday. It was definitely worse than riding back. I did have a good roll with FixedCheese and posse and also the party peloton for a while but lost them somehow, probably going too fast for my knees. I got isolated a couple of times and probably rode half of it alone, which was fine until my knee gave me grief about 40 miles from the end. At that time I wasn't sure if I would ride back as I was in a fair amount of pain, and all alone. But I stopped and ate and then just as the sun was coming up I got a second wind and 'powered' (relative term) into Dunwich with conker. That was when I saw 6pt, Friday, bendix, and BRP riding back which gave me a massive boost and I knew I would turn around and follow in their tracks.
Saw Fox briefly at Dunwich but basically got off the bike, bought some mars bars and then set off again, solo. About half a mile later I bumped into Fussballclub, who was planning on getting the train, but the wily old coot decided that riding back sounded more fun. For this we were rewarded with a puncture not 5 minutes later. :)
The rumoured headwind was almost ever present but really not too bad, nowhere near as strong as people were suggesting earlier in the week. I did get good use out of the drops though, and it was strangely rewarding fighting the wind. We stopped plenty of times and were constantly battling our energy levels, and we never really exceeded speed of bonk by any great margin, but we made steady progress. I must admit that at times I thought I was going crackers as 50 miles of almost identical B road was doing my head in...
We were also lashed by fat, cold, stinging rain around Epping/Ongar, which helped wake me up, and was nice to break the tedium. The sun came out again, steam was rising off the roads, and spirits were lifted once more. As the others have menitioned Epping Road was pure, concentrated, shiteola. I cursed that suface loudly, often...we got lost around Epping and rejoined it from the side somewhere. Cue pissing around in the lanes/hills around the M25 for 40 minutes ;)
I think we arrived at London fields sometime around 6ish. Ludwig was great company and I'm so glad he rode with me - thanks Ludwig! I think the sight of him laughing at my crumpled, forlorn figure at the side of the road was what kept me going. But the highlight of the day was when some girl at a bus stop around Epping called out "Nice shoes, luv!" Overshoes, lol.
Well done to everyone who made it. Extra well done to those who rode back. You are all bonkers...