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.