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!
