LondonSkaters Speed Team - Speed Skating & Rollerblading Club in London

andyman · Joined: 05 Apr 2006 Posts: 1945 Location: Suffolk

I have printed off a couple of the route instructions and will TRY and get a map

dan_b · Joined: 15 Jun 2004 Posts: 2417

I got an ordnance survey 1:50000 from borders in case of emergency, because it was there.

andyman · Joined: 05 Apr 2006 Posts: 1945 Location: Suffolk

Just confirmed with Sol we are a go!

Mikey-two-Names · Joined: 24 Feb 2004 Posts: 4070

Hope you guys are having fun! If I'd been a bit more organised I could have made it with the rain cancelling all my lessons. Instead I went for a 33miler with the Dulwich Paragon, which was tremendous fun!!!! Extremely wet and cold, but no matter as I was dressed for it.

Rick · Joined: 25 Feb 2004 Posts: 5888

Started quite cold. 4 degrees when I got up. Sprinkled first rain drops at 9:21 and the rained quite a lot during and after our stop in Witham. Andy broke off a while later to take a train back from Braintree though it was pasuing the rain at that time. I continued to the end of the road by which time the heavens had opened again and I was having some difficulty with the cold feeling in my left hand. Met Andy at Braintree station and we went back to London from there. The heavens really opened while we were on the train back so I hope the others are okay. They could still be out there Shocked

Mikey-two-Names · Joined: 24 Feb 2004 Posts: 4070

Yes, the combination of the wet and the cold overwhelmed my overshoes even after the much shorter distance I did. My left foot was really painful when it warmed up again. Next time I'll be sure to have the winter boots on, silly me!!

Ray · Joined: 30 Mar 2004 Posts: 806 Location: Dagenham

Yes it was cold ands wet Sad

but great fun especially when it stopped Very Happy

After Andy and Rick left us Dan, Sol and I carried on - we stopped for lunch at Littley Green - to give the weather a chance to improve, sadly it didn't take it. In fact we were now heading south and the wind which was getting up was in our faces driving the rain straight at us. But Dan kept on going with Sol in his wheel tracks. We decided to head straight for Billericay going through Chelmsford. Just before Stock Dan got a puncture. He repaired this in the rain with a cool efficiency. Then it was the final slog up to Stock and down into Billericay. All in all about 53 miles in the most atrocious conditions. We felt a real sense of achievement as we put the bikes back in the cars and headed home.

dan_b · Joined: 15 Jun 2004 Posts: 2417

The rain after Rick peeled off got quite intense, and so when we stopped for lunch somewhere around Littley Green we decided to start cutting bits off. Then after about ten minutes cycling when we resumed we decided to cut much more ruthlessly, so straight back to Chelmsford and Billericay, accompanied by hard rain and a headwind that made the downhills feel like uphills. About 80km all told, but I've done 100s that felt like less effort

Christophe · Joined: 26 Feb 2004 Posts: 1621

Well done guys.
You are all very mad indeed!! Thumbs Up

sol · Posted: Sat Dec 08, 2007 7:14 pm Subject:

I can honestly say it's the maddest thing I've ever done! 80km on a bike I've never been on before in diabolical weather conditions towards the end. Wind driving rain onto our faces, nearly blinding me; pedalling hard to get DOWN hills never mind up them! And coming back via mainish roads with traffic whizzing past was a bit on the scary side. Confused

sol · Posted: Sun Dec 09, 2007 6:56 pm Subject:

I went to bed at 9 and slept for 12h last night Laughing