• No worries, Stu. It would have been nice to ride with you to Ongar. Next time!

    Really enjoyed the company. Given that we didn't ride back (as a group), we should perhaps have had another pub stop. Very dehydrating day. I certainly didn't drink enough.

    Loved the surprise of coming past the corner where I was stationed as a marshal for the CCH Bulmer Road Race last year.

    Some other snippets--forgot to mention a puncture just after Ballingdon Hill. Totally avoidable, I should have checked the tyre, as the small flint that had been embedded was clearly visible.

    There was a sign at the top of Roding Lane that said '10mph top speed, skid risk'. At first, I worried there might be loose chippings on there, which would have meant very careful walking, but there was nothing of the sort, so either relating to water on the lane or a sign that should have been taken down a long time ago.

    Generally extremely good driving, only one or two close passes. The two or three times someone absolutely roared past I happened to be stopped by the roadside, mostly in a layby. Only one instance of poor driving, when a driver going the other way misjudged a corner and crossed the centre line.

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