Essex and East London

Just a thought. Should we discuss with the tractor driver about drawing up a booking sheet for tow outs? I guess some attendees will be leaving Sunday evening given the forecast for Monday. Maybe have time slots on the sheet,

Just insert name and pitch number. Circulate sheet tonight and tomorrow?

What a good idea to have a booking sheet it will save a lot of hassle. Could we suggest please, that those of us who are parked up in the field use our vehicle registration number as we don't have a pitch number.

Great idea - we need to leave Sunday early evening 😃

Hello. Has anyone found a fluorescent yellow helmet rain-cover please. Lost this morning (Good Friday).

If you are taking a car to the social tonight, pleasd consider offering a lift. I have 4 spaces left on my second run, after Tony+Janet

Stop press ig is around 2 miles to the hall. There is plenty of parking

Please bring a glass or mug with you.

If anyone is going to the International at Veere and has space to take the Tandem Games kit with them, that would be really helpful. I can bring it back, but cannot take it out (the current Mrs Harmer has been very clear on that). Please speak to me this evening. Phil Harmer.

As I mentioned last night, please do consider dropping in at the Blackbird Cafe in Chapel Row, RG7 6PD today. They kindly put on an extra member of staff for us yesterday. The food and cakes are delicious! They will be serving hot food until 2pm today, and will close at 3pm. The EM, EMP and EL routes alll go through Chapel Row. You can find it as you turn south by the Bladebone Inn.

Warning: EM, EMP, EL rides flooded beteween Ufton Green and the A4. It is about 300m long and 1 foot at it deepest. I suggest change route to get to the A4 at Padworth

The Padworth route is all dry. Aim for Padworth Common up at the top, then from there head down to Padworth.

The West routes all go via Adbury ford (see attached screenshot of route). We drove over this route this evening. The water has receded below the ford now and it is entirely passable. Beyond the ford, the road has a lot of muddy debris on it. The ford route is 3.7 miles from the campsite to Sandham memorial chapel. There is an alternative route - see my next post

The alternative route is 5.2 miles from the campsite to Sandham Memorial chapel. Whilst there are still potholes, the road is clearer.

Janet & John Roberts lost a roll-up tool kit today - black & sized like a glasses case. It likely dropped off their bike near the Honesty Cafe, Greenham Common. If you see the tool roll, please let Janet or John know.

There were twenty days of rain in March in the Wiveliscombe area so I think we were extremely fortunate that we had good weather on our ride. There was no rain and we even had some sunshine for the eight tandems and three solos. It was a testing start to the day for some, as locating the car park in Wellington proved to be the first challenge. When planning a route there is always the pressing question of ‘when and where will there be toilets?’ It is not a trivial matter when considering both the more mature age of many of the cyclists plus the fact that there has been a 50% decline in the number of public toilets available in the UK over the past decade. 

We cycled from the car park along paths and quiet roads, past the ponds at the back of the sports centre and out into the lanes. It was a gentle start through Westford with lots of daffodils and lambs to convince us it truly was spring. After a short descent to lull everyone into a false sense of security, we climbed very steeply up to the common at Langford Budville. From here until we reached Wiveliscombe it was down and up on repeat. The hard work of the ‘ups’ was rewarded with beautiful views across to Exmoor in one direction and the Quantocks in the other.

Wiveliscombe provided a chance to regroup for those who had opted to take a short cut. We left Wiveliscombe via Langley Marsh and around the back for the last steep climb on the route, to the top of Pitsford Hill. The back lanes to Ash Priors Common were muddy and in some places still partially flooded. We had lunch at The Allerford Inn at Hillfarrance and by the time we arrived via Halse and Oake, everyone was very hungry. After lunch it was only a shortish ride back to Wellington. Everyone felt they had worked hard on the ride although James said it was good preparation for the route he has got up his sleeve for next month. You have been warned!
Rob & Sally

Hello everyone,

Apologies if this isn't the right place to post, but we're Yorkshire tandem riders based in Hebden Bridge, and we are looking to give away our vintage tandem to someone who will ride, appreciate and care for her https://tandem-club.org.uk/forSale?cmd=view&id=1215

the advert and photos are on the 'for sale' board, and I'm happy to answer any questions/chat about old tandems. as I say, it's a case of free to a good home

photo