2013-11-16 Cambridge via Duddenhoe End

Such a great ride, much thanks to the leaders! It's a shame so many people went down but it was well worth it, for me at least.

Brilliant to see everyone again, I really was reminded how fun forum rides can be!

All the shit that happened after was great too.

Thanks for the kind words, but the laurels must go to Ludd.

Organising and chaperoning such a well attended ride with a quiet, easy charm, and a gracious pint proffered when I arrived with my rear guard platoon.

A cracking day out, thanks everyone for your humour and company.

Oh, and thanks Bernie for sorting out that golden-toothed bully in a chav-mobile in Walthamstow, in such a civilized way.
Nice to meet so many nice people today.

What a great ride to day tiring but good, with a great group of people .

.... (though we lost 5 at the end of bethnal green road :/ )...

I think i resemble that remark! One of our group led us on a short cut, the rest of us rebelled but by the time we had got back on-route there was no hope of us catching you all up. With 2 retiring at High Beach, Glen & myself carried on; it started raining, we had a run of mechanicals in short space of time. By the time we got a rhythm and a good speed going it got dark with 25 miles to go. More rain, Garmin failed, our computers packed up with the cold so didn't know how far we had to go. Riding slow in the dark, wrong turns and going round in circles for a bit we got back on track for last 15 miles. Got to the DNA path, took wrong turn at the end and i hit the concrete in the centre of the bus-track, over the handlebars. More riding around in the dark, asking for directions and getting vague answers in return. Got to Cambridge station at 7:30pm. Yes, 7:30pm, i know.

Thanks to Ludd for trying to wait for us to get back on to the main group, the route was great in the daylight but just a little bit scary in the dark! Thanks also to Husy & Indra for leading me up to the starting point. Everyone was friendly there, a real good bunch and hopefully next time i'll get to ride with you hehe!

Oh, and thanks Bernie for sorting out that golden-toothed bully in a chav-mobile in Walthamstow, in such a civilized way.
...

Would like to have witnessed this. I love a civil sorting out.

Thanks for letting me join your ride.

I was a bit apprehensive - I had a very bad virus at the end of August and apart from a quick spin last Sunday I hadn't touched my bike since.

Hence lack of fitness and pot belly.

Thanks for stopping so often - helped ease me back in. I'll now start to train properly again.

Full respect to all the guys on fixed with no brakes - I know it's illegal but you handled your bikes really well.

My bum does hurt though......

Full respect to all the guys on fixed with no brakes - I know it's illegal but you handled your bikes really well.

I've got three braking mechanisms....

1. skids
   
2. footjams
   
3. riding into things
   

What about falling over? Don't forget the falling over.

Would like to have witnessed this. I love a civil sorting out.

I think it was a bit of a waste of time, but leaning on his door, smiling as I got into his personal space, to have a chat, drove him to distraction.

What about falling over? Don't forget the falling over.

that's more of a breaking mechanism

I've got three braking mechanisms....

1. skids
   
2. footjams
   
3. riding into things
   
   

All three were demonstrated by the brooklyn within minutes. Especially the running into things.

A good ride. A quicker pace than I'm used to but my legs weren't complaining (and still aren't this morning) and the knuckleduster prize at the end made up for Team Special Needs arriving well after the main group.

Definitely up for a repeat ride as long as I get an hour's head start or the rest of you are riding BoBikes OR mr "I was just cruising" from Clapham to the start, swops legs with mine - LOL

Bernie, you are a gent/diamond/platinum and I love you loads. Still.

Hope to see my team mates on another ride before too long.

^^thats why I hazz it!

A few more photos...hopefully compressed enough for everyone.

Cheers again to Ludd, Bernie, and the yacfers...

Such a great ride, just woken up with the whole left side of my body aching but it was well worth it.

As well as the leaders much thanks to Sven and Theo too.

Thanks for letting me join your ride.

I was a bit apprehensive - I had a very bad virus at the end of August and apart from a quick spin last Sunday I hadn't touched my bike since.
It was good to have you there - I enjoyed our brief chat early on, and it was handy to have such a brightly coloured rider in the group so I could be sure I was following the right bunch! Hope your recovery continues apace.

that's more of a breaking mechanism

What news from A & E?

A few more photos...hopefully compressed enough for everyone.

Cheers again to Ludd, Bernie, and the yacfers...

Good work there Vanneau - the photos as well as your dogged determination to get to the Maypole!

I think i resemble that remark! One of our group led us on a short cut, the rest of us rebelled but by the time we had got back on-route there was no hope of us catching you all up.

Epic stuff John, thanks ever so much for reporting back, as I'd been worrying about the welfare of your group since failing to find you in Hackney - I guess it was the sneaky short cut that meant I couldn't find you when I headed back. Hope to see you on another ride some time!

...Definitely up for a repeat ride as long as I get an hour's head start or the rest of you are riding BoBikes OR mr "I was just cruising" from Clapham to the start, swops legs with mine - LOL...

Yeah that was rather rubbing it in a bit wasn't it. Sorry about that. Not really the legs though mostly the bike.

Great ride. Always enjoy the rolling countryside around there fixed. Cheers to Ludd for the fine leading and for the bloke who shared out the que sheets. Saved me getting lost after waiting for ages after Duxford.

Didn't help me getting from the pub to the station and following the wrong set of lights. Doh. Still no harm done, arrived in time to wait for the train.

the que sheets

Que?

cheers all around for a great ride.

special mention to Ludd for excellent work as a race leader.

Que?
I know nothing By the way Oliver, that route up the Narroway, along Powerscroft and over Millfield is perfect - thanks for that!

Here are a few photos I took yesterday, none of them are very good.
Untitled by 40 skid patches, on Flickr

Untitled by 40 skid patches, on Flickr

Untitled by 40 skid patches, on Flickr

Untitled by 40 skid patches, on Flickr

Untitled by 40 skid patches, on Flickr

Untitled by 40 skid patches, on Flickr

Untitled by 40 skid patches, on Flickr

Untitled by 40 skid patches, on Flickr

There are a few more in the set thatI didn't post but again they're not very good.

Also total biggest rep for sumo giving m his sandwich about 5 miles Ito go, really need to work on my energy levels on long ride. Thank you again and I owe you big time!