Essex Afterworkers

Dan - I'd be keen to join for that Kent run on Monday. BOOM.

Awesome. Start time and location TBD once we know who is up for it...we'll sort something mutually convenient.

Also, if we have some ditherers I reserve the right to edit the route to take out a few of the bumps or shorten it slightly. Should be a nice spin for people though. Would be a shame to lose riders if they're anxious about the route. The important thing is to get out there and get some air in our lungs.

List!

1. StoneBendix
   
2. Dumps
   

Also, if anyone is keen for a moderately paced spin around Surrey on Sunday morning, drop me a PM. Going out with a chum. We'll both be fixed, so nothing too hilly. Say 40-50 miles?

/non-afterworker chat

1. StoneBendix
   
2. Dumps
   
3. Cafewanda
   
   

Fully admit to being a wimp of the highest order, but willing to give this a go depending on location and start time.

You'll be fine, I promise. It might be that we cut out one of the hills to save some miles to give us a bit more time to take it easy. We'll see.

Once I've got an idea of who is coming and where they work we'll mutually agree a start place and time.

CW is a wimp... a marathon running wimp. :)

Its going to be like the St Margaret's ride all over again isn't it? A lady joined us who warned us that she was (in her own words) "weak" and worried about keeping up with us. Ok, she wasn't the fastest but she blitzed us on the hills. Turns out that she won the London Triathlon this year. Weak my arse!

Dan - you are a love. And you will get some rep for being so accomodating/considerate/encouraging - although this is a)starting to sound a bit like grooming and b) stupid rep police was giving it all that I've got to spread it around before giving it to stonehedge malarky. Harumph.

Oh, and having checked my diary, pretty much all week is planned for next week except tuesday - if the majority are good for monday rather than tuesday you should go with that, innit.

You're all safe. I save my grooming for the internetz. Oh wait!

About 18 months ago I was the person posting on ride threads saying I was worried that I wouldn't manage to keep 15mph up and worrying that I'd be lost in the hills when the forum dropped me. If it wasn't for words of encouragement from Braker (of all people), Skive and various others I'd still be mashing slowly around the countryside by myself...

HatBeard you alive still? Happy New Year matey. 0T for a bit - How's the running going? I'm doing a marathon this year but not chosen one yet, Fleet half at the end of March and am very unfit at the minute.

Back OT - Stonehedge. I'll consider myself blessed if I do 1/8th of the St Margaret's lady :-).

Any more for any more?

I'll check wind conditions in the morning and consider adjusting the route accordingly.

Dumps & Wanda...how much time do you have tomorrow evening? Would you like to chop ten or twenty miles off the route? I'm easy either way.

Stonehedge as long as I'm indoors for midnight, I'll consider myself a good'un as I have a running track session on Tuesday night with the running club. Where are you leaving from? I leave work about 5.20pm (More London) @ London Bridge.

I'm still undecided whether to use gears or the SS. Oh sod it, SS it will be.

I live ten mins from London Bridge and will be setting off from home.

How does 6pm from London Bridge (by the needle thingy near Evans) sound to everybody? I'll redraw the route accordingly and post it here tomorrow morning.

I'll be riding fixed I think. Gears obv welcome though.

BTW, I spoke to 6pt and Laner who did this route a few months back. They agreed with me that it doesn't feel like their is much climbing. There are some lovely descents, almost a shame to be doing them in the dark.

Bring the best lights that you have!

Excellent! Will meet you at the needle by Evans for 6pm. Good heads up re lights. I'll be the short, black female on the yellow Fuji.

Could you wear a red carnation too just in case? The verbal challenge is "Bermondsey looks lovely at this time of year"...the correct response is "Indeed, reminds me of a Balkan Spring". Those who do not comply might be bikeradar and therefore unable to ride.

Dumps? Ok with you?

:-). Given the foot/bike traffic at that hour I'll probably just look nervously at any likely candidates and smile nervously in their direction, whilst asking myself what the hell was I thinking :-).

We've met anyway...briefly. I gatecrashed the end of a ladies drinks at the Roebuck a few months back and introduced myself.

'Heaves a sigh of relief'.

Yay!

Lights: I Hope Vision 1, I Cateye Opticube/1 small, bright, Cree-type jobbie from the FE. Three rear lights as (my) standard. Freshly charged + plus spare batteries.

I'll ring the royal observatory and warn them that Kent is going to be illuminated for a few hours.

Can you tell I'm panicking slightly? :-) Dunno why, cos I do night rides with CC.

Will ingest one large alcoholic beverage to quieten my nerves. I'll be fine tomorrow. Nerves always gets me before any event.

I'd be panicking if I was going on a ride with me.

Finished the alcoholic drink so nothing is worrying me right now :-)

Just redrew the route cutting out the flat bit to save us some time. Was about to post it here but realised that Rosie's route deliberately took the long way round to avoid Ide Hill in all its 17% lovelyness!

Might think this through again.

That wasn't deliberate, I just like the b2027.