2013-07-20 Sat/Sun - Dunwich Dynamo DD21

Or Moreton, they have a busy looking pub but no queue at the bar

Or the ship? It was 30C in the beer garden

Loinz update pls.

Rolled in around 5.20.
Dipped feet in the sea.
Started to queue.
Loaded up the bike.
Bacon Roll.
Bus.
Sleep.

Waited in Bermondsey for bikes to be unloaded.
Cycled home.
Drank beer in the park all afternoon.
Went to Nandos ate a whole chicken.
Passed out at 11pm woke up at 12.30 this afternoon.

Great to meet and ride with people.

I can confirm JB is a bona-fide roadie

nice ride that

lots of forum caps and jersies spotted. Particularly enjoyed the bats and the badger and riding with my fellow grupetto's. Road surface was lovely esp. compared to some of the Surrey roads. That 'free tea and coffee' stop with 24k to go was very welcome, tea and two sugars have rarely tasted so good [a big thank you to the genorosity of the people running that particular spot, it was very much appreciated.

Lovely to exchange greetings with Tim and catching up with shinny, slamm and fixed cheese at the beach.

Would deffo recommend hiring your own coach again. The grumpies had hired a 25 seater which worked out at 31 notes each. The bus arrived at the beach at 9.30, ten minutes to load the bikes and we were off, made the whole thing a lot more pleasant

But then you have to spend the next few hours on a coach full of grumpies. Sounds awful.

Was there anyone that didn't sleep on the coach though?

@Ramaye

Yarp, but it saved us from having to watch the rollapalosers 'aquatic team' take to the waters

#WestSideStoryOnBikes

I saw a load of people in forum caps - I shouted stuff about skids at some of you—none of you c*nts obliged (booo). Special mention to the ladies jersey wearer who gave me the deathstare for asking for a skid at about 160k. Fun times.

Who was the jersey wearing guy who borrowed Jay Gee's spoke key? Hope your wheel held up.

That key is cursed!

Also three guys on the bus back.

One of you had a winter is coming tattoo - I really liked that.

Route passes a few hundred yards from my house in NE London, but decided to cycle to the start point for the full experience, and to pick up a map. Unfortunately got stuck in big group of cyclists just outside London Fields and got carried along the start of the route ... so 120 miles, no map. Luckily able to follow others the whole way, joining different groups.

I first heard about the DD browsing on this forum when I started cycling a year ago, and could barely keep up with an hour's cycling lesson. It sounded mental, so I resolved to do it this year. Did it in 7.5 hours, slowed down to keep alongside people who knew where they were going at some points, pushed myself to keep up at others. Brilliant route, definitely doing it again. Many thanks for fantastic job by all who organised signs/maps/food stops/coaches etc. I guess next year's target will be to cycle there and back, which might be more pleasant than sitting in a hot crowded coach crawling through London traffic for hours!

I'm starting to feel really paranoid about anybody who tried to communicate with me now.

FWIW if anyone attempted to chat to a blonde in a ladies jersey with a black cap-not-hat with "CHAPEAU" under the peak and got a weird/no reaction, I promise I wasn't thinking of killing you, ignoring you, or bothered in any way by your presence. I'm just very deaf and was also hallucinating a bit by about 2am so friendly conversation was taking a shade more effort than usual. I do sincerely apologise to anybody who felt slighted but at least it meant I didn't have to share any of my replacement jelly snakes with anyone.

Was there anyone that didn't sleep on the coach though?

Not sure I slept for 38 hours, early Sat start, coach was hot and traffic sucked balls. On the other hand, the random next to me on the coach had great sleep, infact he kept trying to use my shoulder as a rest.

#akward

All the way I thought 'Damn my feet hurt, these shoes aren't as stiff as I thought...' turns out I wore the wrong shoes and didn't notice until I took them off back at home. Black Adidas = Black Adidas

@bothwell

Ya gave me the 'fack aff ya wee gadgie' look when I jokingly asked ya for one of your jelly snakes at about 3am :^]

I needed them. All of them.

( sorry :-) )

Was there anyone that didn't sleep on the coach though?

Urgh! I didn't/couldn't. 6'3 and cramping up in all kinds of poses - the sloping ridge by the window and kids height headrest should be highlighted for specific death threats.

I'm starting to feel really paranoid about anybody who tried to communicate with me now.

FWIW if anyone attempted to chat to a blonde in a ladies jersey with a black cap-not-hat with "CHAPEAU" under the peak and got a weird/no reaction, I promise I wasn't thinking of killing you, ignoring you, or bothered in any way by your presence. I'm just very deaf and was also hallucinating a bit by about 2am so friendly conversation was taking a shade more effort than usual. I do sincerely apologise to anybody who felt slighted but at least it meant I didn't have to share any of my replacement jelly snakes with anyone.

If I had seen you I'd have given you a hug....

... But you were probably avoiding me

I'm starting to feel really paranoid about anybody who tried to communicate with me now.

FWIW if anyone attempted to chat to a blonde in a ladies jersey with a black cap-not-hat with "CHAPEAU" under the peak and got a weird/no reaction, I promise I wasn't thinking of killing you, ignoring you, or bothered in any way by your presence. I'm just very deaf and was also hallucinating a bit by about 2am so friendly conversation was taking a shade more effort than usual. I do sincerely apologise to anybody who felt slighted but at least it meant I didn't have to share any of my replacement jelly snakes with anyone.

I saw you leaving as I was arriving, didn't wave or say hello as you had eyes fixed dead ahead with a hard glazed look that said "conversation, if entered into, would be short, to the point and probably very sweary".

Two names to faces: Chung and Ludd, but I definitely DAS'd a few people and took the wheel of a couple of chaps riding fixed (one on a bright Weigh, perhaps?)

I spent most of the morning unable to see as I'd had to take my glasses of in the mist. Made it a bit like being drunk as well as incredibly tired.

Respect to any of you doing it with just bananas/jam pieces, I ate around a pack of shot bloks and all the sweets I could find (+6 bananas in flapjack form).

Looking forward to next year now, even though my back is one big painful mess today. I really, really wish I didn't have to pack up all my earthly belongings in the next two days.

You forgot me... Is it cause you didn't get a hug??? Sorry dude but you were cycling and cycling and hugging is dangerous...

I got DAS'ed a few times by riders passing my group through the covered section of Epping Forrest part. I was quite annoyed at the time since I found that section a little scary. I'm on a geared bike, and you want me to skid, really?

I was slightly disorientated - I could not tell if I was going up or down, even with the rear lights flashing in front of me. It was at this point I remember thinking I should have worn a helmet. About ten minutes later we passed an ambulance attending to a cyclist on cyclist crash. Both parties looked okay, except there was a helmet cracked on the floor. Now I'm thinking I really should have warn a helmet.

I saw three ambulances during my trip. I think the second one was from the incident mentioned earlier.

As for spots - I saw JAH Tim setting off as I was in the coach queue at London Fields. Whilst in the queue I could swear I saw EEI whizz by me to on his Scissor - I don't think he was DD'ing perhaps seeing people off or just passing by.

I saw Oliver and Skully helping in the hall at Sible Headingham. Plus one other familar face, nodded at each other - but we have not met properly - was that you Skydancer?

Said hi to Noiser at the hall as well just as he was setting off again. Saw tom and co with their camping gear on the beach. So impressed with how much they carried with them. Then met a group of four forumungers in the coach queue, sorry didn't catch your names.

I meant to take more photos along the way, but that did not work out as planned. Still not got around to uploading my pics.

Whatever your unpronounceable forum name is Douglas...

Gon' be warm

idiot.

A nice ride out with various people, until about 90 miles in, where it suddenly seemed much harder. I felt I couldn't eat or drink enough, and that last ten miles through drizzly Westleton was proper grim, like.

I was adamant about swimming, like last year, but then I saw the beach and noticed my uncontrollable shakes and decided against it.
Waiting for coaches in the freezing cold was a cunt.

Massive props to Howrad for his fixed abilities (hope you've recovered o.k), and to Doctor Cake for the armwarmers. Rapha: Nice but pricey. Nice one Skully at Sible Hedingham, very genial with the (short at that time) queues. Good to see you again briefly Dicki, I spent over 5 hours stopped at various places with various people so thought we might bump into eachother more often.. walkie talkies next year!

Was there anyone that didn't sleep on the coach though?

Me! I had excruciating numb-but. It was torture. didn't sleep till 8 that night, after more than 48 hours without...

idiot.

Hang on, which one were you chainbreaker? I met people but mostly missed names. Rapha? saw you at the start and the end?

Good meeting you Watok! Sorry I didn't see you again