Wednesday 10th September

On a lovely sunny and warm morning I decide to take my `Claud Baby` out for a spin to Blackmore for a cuppa and then decide where to go from there. So leaving home at 09.30 I sped out to North Ockendon and then carefully rode for a couple of miles along Fen Lane which had recently had those horrible loose chipping laid. Then once through Bulphan and over the A128 I headed for Dunton. To find the roundabout over the A127 unusually quiet, so I was shocked when halfway round I suddenly found myself on the bonnet of a car! Then dumped onto the road followed my a lot of pain! Amongst the chaos that followed I heard a woman voice saying `I didn`t see him` that explains everything I was a victim of SMIDSY.
My main injuries were fractures  to my left shoulder, right heel and a few ribs also on my right side. Things could have been much worst if I hadn`t been wearing my helmet!
                                              

I came home on Nov 5th, ribs were much better, left arm in a sling to support my fracture shoulder, and I`m using one crutch to get about on because of my heel fracture. I`m now looking at Spring 2015 to get back cycling again in my Essex lanes.

Funny thing my `Claud Baby` was hardly damage, as this photo was taken after the accident!

Saturday 16th August

I found it a bit chilly around the old knees at first as I set off on the Rory at 6am but I soon warmed up, with the Sun playing peek-a-boo with the clouds and for much of the day too. My destination? Was either Paper Mill Lock or Heybridge Basin, both I`ve not been to in some years. So taking my normal route out through Bulphan, Dunton to Billericay and Downham was uneventful. At South Hanningfield I found a flooded road but rode through without even getting my feet wet, unlike another cyclist who got soaked but then he didn`t have mudguards! I made my way to Bicknacre and on to the B1418 and once over the roundabout a very short stretch on the A414 before turning into (this always makes me smile) Tom Tit Lane! I was now heading for Paper Mill Lock, so through Woodham Walter and into lanes I`ve not ridden along for many years. Including Totfts Lane which this morning was rather wet, muddy and had some nasty loses stuff on the bends. I came out on North Hill Little Baddow and rolled down to the River Chelmer and Paper Mill Lock. To find the Tearooms opens at 10am and it was now only 09.15! Not to worry I had a cereal bar and a chat with a man and his dog, and set off for home with 33 miles already done.

Paper Mill Lock and Weir 

After a few more lanes I rode for about a mile on the B1137 and then back into the lanes heading for Russell Green. Passing the old RAF Boreham Airfield, which was once a USA Wartime Airfield, and then a test site for Ford Motor Company but these days the Essex Police have their Helicopter parked here.
                                                            

Outside the entrance to the old RAF Boreham Airfield we remember those that died for us.

Once over the A130 I took that lovely (but short) tarmac bridleway to Little Waltham, then made my way to Broads Green and Chignall Smealy to Good Easter. At Chalk End it was time for another cereal bar before I hit the A1060 for a (mostly downhill) couple of miles. Back into the lanes at Boyton Cross and Roxwell which still has paintings on the road from the Tour De France! After Cooksmill Green I had a busy A414 to get over to make my way to Blackmore and Megarry`s Tearooms for a well earned cuppa and scones! My mileage was now 58, so taking my normal route back through Doddinghurst, South Weald and Upminster to reach home at 14.45 with 75 miles done. So another enjoyable day in the saddle in my Essex.                                                           

Sunday 27th July

A 06.30 start and once again I was on the Rory and I knew where I was going too! First to Maldon for a cuppa and then to Woodham Mortimer for the annual Essex CTC Summer gathering. It was warm and overcast as I sped through Bulphan to Dunton and Billericay with hardly any traffic on the road, plenty of cyclists though! Ramsden Heath to South, West and East Hanninfield`s led me to Bicknacre, where I decide to use the A414 which is normally too fast and busy for me. But this morning there was nothing on it, in fact only 8 vehicles past me on the 3 miles stretch. Entering Maldon (one of the two oldest towns in Essex, the other being Colchester) by Spital Road and then along the High Street to reach The Hythe at 09.30, to find the tide was out!

After a cuppa I set off at 10.45 and headed out to Mundon and Purleigh to arrive in Woodham Mortimer and the Hurdlemakers Arms at just after 12 o`clock. It was nice to meet up with old faces from the Essex CTC again, but I decide not to stay too long and was back in the saddle by 13.30. I made my way back to Bicknacre to retrace my outward route back to West Hanningfield then on to Stock to reach Billericay and Little Burstead. I decide to have a short cuppa stop at Langdon Hills and with just over 8 miles to home I was indoors by 16.30 with 70 miles done. I had sunshine a spot of rain, cloudy sky`s and good company in Woodham Mortimer, so another enjoyable day out  in Essex.

Saturday 12th July

I was on the Rory and on the road by 6am, wasn`t sure where I was going only knew it would be around the 45/50 miles mark. As during the week I wasn`t too well, so I just needed to stretch the old legs a wee bit. It was dull misty morning with drizzle at times. Nothing excting happen on route through the lanes to Billericay except for a few kamikaze rabbits and one magpie that decide to either try to hop or fly into my front wheel! I`m glad to say I managed to avoid them all. I made my way to Mountnessing and Ingatestone then through Fryering which is said to be the most expensive village in Essex to buy a house in! Then on through Loves Green and Little Oxney Green to Newney Green where at last that drizzle finally stopped, shame the sun never came out. Just before Roxwell I picked up the Tour De France route so rode and read the road on my way through the village as the writing was still on the road. Outside the village I rode over 3 cyclists painted on the road! I continue on to Willingale and stopped for a cereal bar in Fred`s bus shelter and also to chat to another cyclist who was lurking in there. I`ve often been asked why I call it Fred`s bus shelter? Well for a start it is a bus shelter, but with a small memorial plaque on the wall put up by Fred`s club mates after his death. I can remember sitting here with Fred`s many times.

From here I took my normal route home through Blackmore to South Weald and Upminster, I was back indoors by 11.40am with 54 miles on the clock.

Sunday 22nd June

I was up by 4am but  didn`t leave home until 06.20 and once again I was on the Rory and once again without a clue where I was going! I suppose I`m lucky that I know my Essex without the use of a map or those sat nav thingamajigs. Anyway it was lovely sunny and warm out but I was struggling some on the lumpy bits especially in South Weald, but it was good to see those potholes filled in along Sandpit Lane at last! Now I don`t normally do this but there was hardly any traffic about so I took the A128 all the way to Chipping Ongar. Then back in the lanes again I passed through Moreton and Matching Green to Matching Tye and Sheering. Then over the M11 to lower Sheering where I briefly went into Hertfordshire! But not for long.

Then on through Little Hallingbury and over the M11 again to those lovely cattle grids in Woodside Green with its ancient common land which cattle roam freely. The National Trust have owned this land since 1935. Then onto Hatfield Broad Oak for a wander around the 15th century St. Mary the Virgin church. I continue on through the Rodings, White, Abbess and Beauchamp to Willingale but not stopping here, as I pressed on to Blackmore and Navestock Side to Coxtie Green. Followed by a short climb up to Weald Country Park for coffee and biscuits, then a look at the Fallow Deer and a short walk through the parkland. I only had another 10 miles to do and I was back indoors by 2pm with 66 miles done.

The 15th century St. Mary the Virgin, in Hatfield Broad Oak

Sunday 8th June

A lovely sunny and warm morning greeted me as I set off on the Rory at just after 6am with no idea where I was a going! I took the lumpy route out to Brentwood and then onto the B1002 to Ingatestone and Margaretting then into Wantz Rd which eventually led me to Writtle. After s short stretch along the A1060 I turned onto Chignall Rd and headed for Great Waltham. At Howe Street I turned into Parsonage Lane and over the River Chelmer and under the A130 and made my way to Littley Green and Willows Green. To find a lovely stretch of newly laid tarmac nearly all the way to Rayne Station. Where I stopped for a cuppa but found I was too early as the Booking Hall Cafe didn`t open until 09.30 and it was only just after 9am! Never mind I had some iron rations and had a look at the railway carriage. 

Then I set off again through Duckend Green to Great Saling which had a teashop that was open, but I was enjoying myself so much cycling along these lanes I`ve not been down for many years that I really didn`t want to stop. I also passed Andrews Airfield which I knew had a cafe but again I didn`t stop here either. A short stretch on the B1256 and then over the A120 to reach Felsted and the village shop for a bottle of water and an ice cream! Then onto North End where I met loads of speeding cyclists coming towards me it was a Sportive and I had them for many miles on these narrow lanes. On through Stagden Cross and High Easter to Four Wantz to reach Willingale and Fred`s bus shelter for my iron rations. From here it was my normal route back through Blackmore and Doddinghurst to South Wealds and Upminster to reach home at 14.45 with 78.34 miles on the clock. A most enjoyable day in the saddle was had, plus I topped up my suntan!

At either end of Great Waltham village there was an old cycle chained up to the sign, also there was a large banner beside the road, advertising something to do with a cycle event on Monday 7th July?

Tuesday 20th May

I`ve been meaning to visit this 120 acre Thurrock Thameside Nature Park that Sir David Attenborough  opened last year, for sometime now. So a 09.30 start saw me on my `Claud Baby` on a sunny and warm morning out through Bulphan to Horndon on the Hill which is probably best known for its Woolmarket which was built in the 1500`s. But a Philip Conrad Vincent once lived in this village, the inventor of the Vincent motorcycle.I had a nice downhill stretch now to the A13 and a bridleway that  would take me over this busy road and then a set of traffic lights over the A1013. I turned into Butts Lane for a short distance then into Mucking Wharf Rd and over the level crossing from here the road surface became  a bit rough. Once through the entrance to the Park the road surface was even worst with a number of  `false teeth rattling` cattle grids to overcome, though there was a gate to use and I did! It wasn`t long before the River Thames came into view along with the Essex Wildlife Visitors Centre.

After a cuppa and walkabout I set off for home retracing my outward route back to North Ockendon then taking a short but rough bridleway to St. Magdalene`s churchyard to look at St. Chedd`s Well. A natural spring where its said the pilgrims on their way to Canterbury stopped here. There`s been some work done on it since I was here last a new seat and I don`t remember that small pump being there?

From here I was only a few miles from home which I reached at 13.00 with just over 27 miles done, but a very enjoyable ride was had.

Saturday 12th April 2014

After faffing about this morning I finally managed to get out by 7am, and once again I was on the Rory for a mooch around the lanes. A chilly start greeted me (though it never really got warm all day) so a climb up through South Weald was called for, just to warm myself up. Then on through Blackmore, Norton Heath to Willingale where I picked up part of this years Tour De France route. Which is badly in need of some resurfacing work before the big day! Four Wantz led me to High Easter which I reached at 09.30 with 28 miles on the clock. I pressed on to High Roding and Great Canfield to Hellman`s Cross, where I stopped for my iron rations.
Then made my way to Taverners Green and White Roding to Matching Green and saw the sun come out, but only for a few minutes before it disappear again! Onward to Little Laver and Clatterford End to Fyfield and once again to Willingale, to have a stop in Fred`s bus shelter for more iron rations and a chat with a couple of cyclists. From here I retrace my outward route to reach home at 3pm with my longest ride of the year (so far) of 71 miles. 

Photo`s taken at Hellman`s Cross

The `Peace Oak` which is a war memorial, I found this very unusually.

The Whipping post & Stocks, also this was the site were in 1683 a witch was burnt.

Saturday 8th March

After months of riding my Raleigh around the local lanes I decide today to `blow the cobwebs away` and get some decent mileage in on the Rory. So I set off at 07.30 heading toward Billericay and onto East Hanningfield where I stopped for a newspaper and also to have a think ( yes that did hurt thinking) where to go from here. Maldon wasn`t too far away, but would probably be on the chilly side with the wind coming off the River Blackwater, so I headed for Butts Green instead. Where I stopped at the gardening centre for a coffee and some yummy bread pudding, my mileage at this point was just over 26 miles so  decide to head for home from here.
This saw me going through Sandon and Stock to Margaretting and onto Ingatestone and Mountnessing where I had a much needed iron ration stop. Then Swallow Cross led me to Doddinghurst and South Weald were the sun came out at last and stayed out all the way home. Which I reached at 14.15 with my longest mileage of the year so far of 59 miles.

 

Butts Green gardening centre coffee shop which as very friendly staff and some very yummy bread pudding!