^^That in mind. A really enjoyable day in the saddle yesterday with Bigpaintbrush. 85 miles of unpopulated Essex roads. We headed out via Hackney - Epping, rolled a couple of hills and had a half a cake each and some tea at the green hut.
Then out via Theydon Bois to pick up the steady ascent which we had previously endured in a rainy haedwind on the Phoenix Easter Classic a few weeks back. Very different yesterday, enjoying the sun and chatting casually as we ascended from Abridge to Hainalt Forest Park. A couple of fortunate 50 50 direction choices later and we were lost in the back roads between Romford, Chipping Ongar, Brentwood and Chelmsford.
Nana and peanut butter sarnies on a bench by a little church then pushed north with the breeze in our faces. I got a bit of a bonk on into the breeze up a long, steady, shallow ascent which really took it out of me, BPP had to be pretty patient for a couple of miles. But we rounded for home, drunk our weight in sugary drinks and picked the pace up for a beautiful, wind assisted return to Hackney for a couple of pints. By the time I made it back to my house in Bethnal Green I'd gone 90 miles, which is further than I have ever personally been before.
^^That in mind. A really enjoyable day in the saddle yesterday with Bigpaintbrush. 85 miles of unpopulated Essex roads. We headed out via Hackney - Epping, rolled a couple of hills and had a half a cake each and some tea at the green hut.
Then out via Theydon Bois to pick up the steady ascent which we had previously endured in a rainy haedwind on the Phoenix Easter Classic a few weeks back. Very different yesterday, enjoying the sun and chatting casually as we ascended from Abridge to Hainalt Forest Park. A couple of fortunate 50 50 direction choices later and we were lost in the back roads between Romford, Chipping Ongar, Brentwood and Chelmsford.
Nana and peanut butter sarnies on a bench by a little church then pushed north with the breeze in our faces. I got a bit of a bonk on into the breeze up a long, steady, shallow ascent which really took it out of me, BPP had to be pretty patient for a couple of miles. But we rounded for home, drunk our weight in sugary drinks and picked the pace up for a beautiful, wind assisted return to Hackney for a couple of pints. By the time I made it back to my house in Bethnal Green I'd gone 90 miles, which is further than I have ever personally been before.