You are reading a single comment by @Wrongcog and its replies.
Click here to read the full conversation.
London Fixed Gear and Single-Speed is a community of predominantly fixed gear and single-speed cyclists in and around London, UK.
This site is supported almost exclusively by donations. Please consider donating a small amount regularly.
@Wrongcog
Based on my enjoyment of the lanes I rode two days ago to Cambridge I set off in the same direction this morning with a view to heading up to Stansted Airport and back down via the more modest airfield of North Weald. I have no interest in planes at all but there's something about the weird hinterlands surrounding air strips which I have always found evocative and for the sake of planning a route these points seemed logical.
I was solo which was nice in its way for two thirds of the day but I have to admit I do miss the company at times. I'm also slower and lazier on my own - I find it hard to stay motivated. I also stop a lot more often, not being distracted by the pace and the chatter of others leads me to think of my stomach and my bladder or that weird rattle which probably needs investigating lest it kills me.
The clouds were supposed to part around mid day but as it was they never did and in the brisk headwind it was veritably chilly. I didn't take off my top layer once. This made food and drink tricky; I only have one bidon mount so carry my other bottle in my jersey pocket alongside my food - all of which was tucked up nice and tight under my rain top.
I felt a bit wobbly up near Stanstead and lost control of my crib notes so instead of circling the airfield from the top I ended up arriving at the south end. I then took a punt on a road thinking it would lead me back to where I needed to be and got in a right pickle. I cheekily rode round a barrier into a car park and headed off in the direction of the terminal only to attract a bit too much official attention. There are times when I am happy with my enormous dark beard (it compensates for my utter lack of head hair nicely while giving me the mysterious appearance of one of Aladdin's 40 thieves)... this was not one of them. Needless to say I backtracked quite quickly.
Back on route and this time with the breeze at my back I started to clock up some miles and tucked in nicely. I was feeling woozy and hungry but didn't want to stop as I was rattling along. I eventually picked up some familiar lanes which I'd ridden previously on the London Phoenix Easter Classic. And then came the smell... I'm usually home from a Sunday roll by about 1 so I rarely experience this. Almost as if they'd conspired to do me in, every other house on my route started to smell of roast lunch. I could even begin to ascertain what progress was being made by the chef. Smelling vegetables over the rich gravy tones indicated imminent noshing, the herby, meaty smells from some houses promised that the inhabitants had a little time to sink a couple of beers. I needed food!
Through my wobbliness I saw a garage appear along the road - the main word which leapt at me from the canopy was 'Energy', which seemed promising so I stopped. In total today I ate a slab of ginger cake, two Nature Valley Sweet & Nutty bars, a pack of Rowntree Randoms, two Trackers and a Cadbury's Fruit & Nut. The latter of which was hoovered up on the forecourt of that crappy filling station.
Needless to say I didn't break any records out there but I still had a good blast back to Leyton from Chingford - as urban as they are I really like those roads, they're a good chance to rinse out what's left of your legs.
Pre ride breakfast: Thai chicken & noodle salad.
Post ride nourishment: Two massive burritos.
Random inappropriate earworms: The Wind of Change by Scorpions, Rehab by Winehouse and All Night Long by Lionel Richie. Don't ask me how they get in there - they just do.
TLDR: I rode to Stansted and back for a laugh, nearly got arrested as a potential Jihadist and ate a shitload of food.
Strava: http://app.strava.com/activities/59222629