Mostly John Thompson’s Audax ride

On Sunday, when Velo Club Baracchi riders usually gather for a club run, the cold and windy weather discouraged many.

Though other riders, including Liam Gentry, were out getting in the miles, Paul Dennington found no other takers at the usual meeting place and time.  He rode towards Halesworth and saw only one other cyclist on his route.

John Swanbury, visiting Cambridgeshire, rode with his son Phil and four other riders into the wind across the Fens and covered about 35 miles to the north of St Ives and Huntingdon, successfully beating the oncoming rain.

Riding in Cambridgeshire

On Saturday John Thompson rode the “Essex 3 R’s 108km (67.5 miles) audax organised by Audax Club Mid-Essex.

Thompson completed it in around 6 hours and said this was not fast, but that the ride could be described as “naughty but nice.” The HQ was the Wetherspoons in Witham, so he enjoyed a “full English” before starting.

The first control was an “info” at Abberton reservoir (24.5km), followed by the first full control at Latchingdon (52km).  He explained, “You have to buy something for a receipt, i.e. food and drink.”

The next full control was at Stock, a mere 23.5km further.  The main control there was a cafe but because when the little bunch Thompson was with arrived it was so full of cyclists they used the local store, again for more food and drink and a proof of purchase.

The next cafe control was at Danbury, just slightly over 16 km further on, at a total of 91.9km.  Thompson said, “I think it is summed up by the lady rider who said on arrival, ‘Have we got to buy another cake?’  Strictly speaking you didn’t have to there as they were happy to just stamp cards, but most of us succumbed.  The chocolate waffle was very nice!”

From there it was just another 10 miles back to Witham and said it was “a nice day in Essex despite the headwind bits being quite tough.”

On Sunday he rode to Potter Heigham and indirectly to Sea Palling to pick up the tailwind, covering 50 miles in all.

The VCB annual meeting is this Monday November 14 and the annual prize presentation follows on Saturday November 19, both at the Carlton PH.