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.