Sunday 21st February

 This morning was my first ride out since November 17th 2020 and only a short one and on the Raleigh and all on local roads! Found loads of new potholes, the snow & ice and freezing temperature we had from the 7th to the 14th  didn`t help. And I still found some flooded roads which I didn`t fancy cycling through not knowing what's under the water! So just 7.60 miles done on a lovely and mild spring like morning.

                                         

                                                      The Green South Ockendon  

  

September 20th

 Thought it was time for an update!

So all my rides out have been on the Raleigh and all on local roads so mileage is less than 30 miles. Mostly early morning at weekends with only a couple of mid-week outings, no hospital appointment so I can`t put blame them on that for not getting out. Though I have been unwell a few times mostly silly colds.

Sunday September 20th I set off at 7am cloudy but warm still and of course on the Raleigh with a destination of Bulphan. As during the week on the 15th the some of Bulphan villagers had a small Memorial Service near the playing fields. This was for Spitfire Pilot Officer Gerry Langley age 24 who was shot down on the 15th September 1940 just outside this village. I couldn`t get to the Memorial Service on the day, so I thought I would take a look at the new Plaque on Sunday.

So I took my normal route out along North Road and those horrible New Chicanes but they are okay on an early Sunday morning I`m glad to say. Fen Lane led me to Bulphan where after I had taken some Photo's I had a chat with another cyclist. 

Retracing my outward route back to the Harrow Bridge to have a look more closely at the New Glass House Retreat building still not sure what its all about? I had another chat with another cyclists and then took Dunnings Lane to St. Marys Lane and Pike Lane to reach home by 9.20 with just 14.30 miles on the clock.

 

Sunday 15th March 2020

Well it`s been a rough start to the year with......
January & February unable to cycle or walk at times! All started in December with a mild lower back pain, then in the early hours of Boxing Day morning I fell over indoors on my way to the bathroom. I just felt dizzy and went down, don`t know how long I was out for but woke up and went back to bed. The lower back pain became more painful so I phoned NHS 111 they called a Doctor out to me who called an Ambulance! Two nights in Basildon Hospital and I was told lower back pain could be due to your cycling accident in 2014, and you need a MRI scan. As for the dizziness nothing could be found for this after a number of tests. So I came out of Hospital with this......

....but refused the home help I was offered! The frame didn`t last long and I was soon out and about on a walking stick and eventually gave that up too. And on Sunday 15th March I finally took the old Raleigh downstairs and had a short but sweet ride around the local roads. Glad it was dry out but it was a bit windy so found it a bit hard in the headwind and carrying the bike back upstairs again was no problem.
Mileage just 8.50 miles, photo taken at St. Nicholas Church, which is one of the 6 Round Tower Churches in Essex.

 

Sunday 2nd June

Out by 6am on the Raleigh and with a destination of Blackshots Leisure Centre for the annual Thurrock Cycle Marathon, but I wasn`t cycling in this event just out to take some photo`s and have a chat with Club members.  The sun was a shinning and it was already warming up nicely as I sped through North Ockendon, Bulphan to Orsett and Baker Street Reaching the Leisure Centre at 7.30 with 13 miles on the clock.
The Club`s Gazebo was set up by 8am so it was just waiting for riders to come in and wait for their start time which was 09.30 so time for a chat and catch-up.

                                  And off they go!              

 The 7 mile riders mostly family group were back first, including fellow club rider Bob who somehow managed to get the number 81 which is also his age!

Vey soon the 21 miles riders were coming in but as always some just had to go around again so they did 42 miles before they could collect their medal from the Mayor of Thurrock. Also on hand was the Dr Bike team from the Decathlon Store in Lakeside shopping centre.

  O course the star of the day was once again Stan Wall who at 92 years old rode his E-Bike around the 21 miles route. Stan does so much for the Charity `Help the Hero`s ` and is well known around Thurrock area.

Getting on to lunchtime I decide to head for home taking my outward route back and seeing many more of the riders still making their way back to the finish or outside the Orsett pub! In Fen Lane I could have done with an E-Bike as the wind had got up and I was fighting a strong headwind and then I had that climb up to North Ockendon. Back indoor by 13.30 with another 13.05 miles so making it 26.05 for the day.

Apart from my Club the Gateway there was another local Club the Viking Avoidance, and I also saw some from Essex Road and Hornchurch CC.

Saturday 25th August

It was a wee bit chilly this morning as I set off at 06.30 onboard my `Claud Baby` with no idea where or how far I was going. So taking my normal route out through Upminster to South Weald where I found Wigley Bush Lane was closed to traffic. But that`s was alright as it goes up hill and I didn`t fancy that climb, but it did make the narrow Weald Park Way rather busy with traffic. Then I found another road closure this time in Crow Green Road, it was only a large hole in the middle of the road, looked like gas main repairs going on but I got passed it alright via the pavement. After many years of cycling through Peartree Green I finally found out why its called that! I had stopped to take a photo of the Doddinghurst Village Sign when a pear fell from a tree and hit me on the head!

A bit further on in Church Lane I came across a burst water main to splash through, then on through Blackmore and Norton Heath for a cuppa in the café. Then onto Willingale where a nice bit of sunshine greeted me but the wind was still a bit chilly.

After a photo of the Toll and the Village Pump and a look at Fred`s Bus Stop and the Churchyard I decide to turn for home as my neck, back and shoulder were beginning to ache. The main reason for this is my Claud is the only bike I now have that`s got drop handlebars. My other two bikes have now been change over to straight handlebars because of my neck and shoulder problems.
Anyway I headed back to Blackmore and then onto Mountnessing and made my way to Hutton and found another water main burst this time on the A129 just before Hutton Village. Then on along Hanging Hill Lane and I always slow down when I get to Hare Hall and remember Dot & Jack Sharp who once live here and also the Brentwood Club Hut.
Then along The Avenue to Little Warley and Bird Lane to the B186 and into St. Marys Lane, Pike & Pea Lanes and home by 11.45 with 45 miles on the clock.

        One of the Willingale churches this one is St.Christopher    

Sunday 1st July

A 6am start and on the Rory (for only the second time this year) and with no idea where I was going just that I needed to get out into my Essex Lanes. So through Upminster to those lumpy bits of South Weald and then onto Doddinghurst. To reach Norton Heath Café for a cuppa & toast, where I found this lovely old Ford Anglia parked up.

Then on through Willingale and with a short stop at the Bus Shelter, I then headed for Shellow Bowells and Roxwell, the village shop was open so an ice cream was called for!

Those lovely lanes of Hoe Street and Gravelly Lane led me to Cooksmill Green and once over the A414, I thought about a cuppa at the Bakehouse but decide instead to head for Blackmore for it. So on through Highwood to Blackmore and Megarry`s Teashop for that cuppa and a chat with the owner Judi her hubby Peter was unfortunately not there he was off on his motorcycle, as I did want to speak to him.
I found the next part of my route home a bit tough going not just because of the traffic but the heat! Anyway through Mountnessing and Hutton and up The Avenue for another cuppa in Thorndon Country Park. From here it was Magpie & Birds Lanes to the B186 into St Marys Lane and Pike & Pea Lanes to reach home by 13.30 with my longest mileage for the year so far of 52 miles.

                                          Saw this in South Weald and it made me smile    

Sunday 3rd June

A 7am start on a lovely sunny and warm morning saw me onboard the Raleigh and heading for Blackshots and the annual Thurrock Cycle Marathon. Got there just after 08.30 to find the Gateway CC members had already set up their Gazebo. I had no plans to ride this event instead I was to stay with another Gateway member David Fish to look after members stuff and to give out details of our club to anyone that was  interested.
                                                      Some riders still signing on

   The riders set off at 09.30 and had three route to take either the 7 miles or 21 miles and those that could went round twice for 42 miles.
                                                             And off they go!

  The 7 milers came back first and it was good to see some young children taking part in this ride. One youngest of 91 years old was Stan Wall now a veteran of this event and has raised thousands of pounds for charity over the years doing this ride. This year his wife told him he must not do the 21 miles as he hurt himself in a fall a few weeks ago. So Stan did the 7 miles instead but you could see he really wanted to go around again! Okay so he has a little help with a e-motor but he`s still a remarkable man.
                                                                    Stan Wall

                                                                   

With riders back the winner of a new bike from Decathlon (who also had a Dr. Bike stand)  was Karen Dobson of the Viking Avoidance CC, her entry number  was picked out my the Mayor of Thurrock.

                                 On the left the Thurrock Mayor with Karen and her new bike.

And so it was time for me to head for home reaching there about 3pm with a total mileage of 27 miles. Making this my longest ride this year!