2011-07-16/17 Sat/Sun - Dunwich Dynamo DD19

Still shattered today...it all feels a bit like a dream! But of what I can remember:

• making awesome glowing wheels thanks to Iain
  
• dressing to out-Rapha Prancer (limited team jersey, shorts, jacket and hat) and FAILING miserably
  
• being utterly frustrated for the first half by the awful hi-viz/roadie style dangerous riding, not being able to overtake to stay with my group of riders and then not seeing red lights for a few miles was terrifying
  
• the beautiful moon and how pretty everything looks in the dark, bobbing like a madwoman when a bat flew around my head
  
• the nodder who said "Excuse me, I think you'll find your back light is not visible enough and you need to move it" in a very condescending tone... Oh I'm sorry hi-viz bike police!
  
• bonking really early on and thinking "HTFU woman you're riding to Berlin in less than two weeks", shouting at myself in delirium scaring the shit out of OLC!
  
• making sure I kept spybot and Fox in sight to keep me going at this point (thanks for the good pace)
  
• riding with SE's lot for almost the whole way then - massive thanks to Chainbreaker, OneLessCardigan, Sumo, OldSkoolRacer and Hovis for making me laugh and push through the pain (the goddamn tandem, the dancing, the groans at every hill!!!), you were all amazing and I couldn't have done it without you
  
• literally boiling to death when I put my softshell on AND why did I bring a rucksack? WHY?!?
  
• the sketchy muddy gravelly bit where I did the mother of all skids at the bottom of a really steep hill causing quite a few nodders to gasp but managed to stay on
  
• really wishing I was riding fixed on those last few hills, gears felt **SO **inefficient and I couldn't really push hard and lost my pace at every one
  
• having absolutely no idea where we were going and praying after the last B road that we were nearly there
  
• finally getting there and repeatedly saying to forum strangers "I feel lost now, I don't know what to do!", I walked round for ages and then at last made it to the pub where upon seeing Skydancer's beaming smile, it finally sunk in I'd made it!
  
• oh and how could I forgot the sweltering coach and chatting absolute nonsense to myself and poor laner. Sorry!
  
  

Massive thanks to Katie and John for the coach, Leo for letting me have my first Boris Bike ride (never again) and being a hero, the SE/S lot for pushing me through my disappointment and annoyance at myself for lack of energy and not being as quick as usual, Ed and Dan for lending me things and to all the other forumengers who were so friendly and lovely to meet. The ride back from Smithfields felt so painful and then suddenly at a light I realised my legs were incredibly bent as my saddle had slipped right down! Phew.

This has given me the confidence I need to push all the way to Berlin and if anyone wants to join me part of the way, please do: http://www.lfgss.com/thread68463.html - riding with great people is such a good feeling!

Now off to do a Tour-de-London handing out CVs at every bike shop I can think of, wish my knees luck!