• We have a tentative plan to do a train-assisted club run this Sunday (5th Feb). I'll lead a group that would be the equivalent of the B-group (see here for explanation) which should be following this route up to Cambridge: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/18831164


    **EDIT: ^ this is a new version of the route, if you downloaded it before 9:40pm on Friday, please delete that route as it went off road and get the new version instead**
    We would be leaving, as normal, from the town hall just after 9am and calling in at High Beach on the way up, but going there directly (not via Mott Street) and not lingering, so if you want to meet there instead of the town hall, you should get there by 9:30 (not the usually advertised 9:45). There is a fast direct train leaving Cambridge at 14:20 and getting to Kings Cross at 15:08, the cost is just under £17. I might work on the assumption that I'm going to get this specific train and book a ticket for myself in advance (but then again, I might not!).
    I expect that there will still be a lot of riders who don't have the time for this adventure and will be doing a more normal club run getting back at a more normal time - hopefully we'll get this sorted on Facebook over the next couple of days.
    Also, at least two people have talked about trying to ride up and back on the same day (which will be well over 100 miles).

  • Most people won't be going to Cambridge, so we should have a standard B and C group as well. Euan is planning to use this route (which mirrors the Cambridge route up through Matching Green before turning back): https://www.strava.com/routes/7543547

  • Hi all I'm up for riding back - probably a more direct route on the way home so should be 115 miles all in but powered by cake and coffee stop in Cambridge. I've done it before on my own but would love some company! Bring lights as we should be back around sunset. Weather looking pretty good now. For identification I'm the one with the banana cap.
    Roland

  • Hi Roland. I think Tim, Alex and Charlie are also planning to ride back so you won't be alone.

  • Great - looking forward to it.

  • who's around this sunday? I have a brand new club jersey to splatter some mud on....

  • Tomorrow's route (for the faster groups anyway): https://ridewithgps.com/routes/19194338


    Going up Mott Street, then second pick up at High Beach. Leaving there by 9:45, café stop at The Shed in Sawbridgeworth.

  • Several of us have entered a road race run by Chelmer CC which will take place on the first Sunday in April. We don't know yet how many of us have got in (possibly none of us!), but as I'm the only who has ridden it before we've decided to combine the club run with a recce of the course. I've been having trouble with ridewithgps making bizarre detours when I plan the routes, so I've planned this on strava instead. The basic ride, which does one full circuit (14-15 miles) of the road race course, is about 58 miles long to and from Walthamstow. I will be leading a B-group to do that course, there should also be a C group doing the same route. Barnaby is leading an A-group at a high pace with the intention of doing two laps of the road race course (so the total distance will be a bit over 70 miles). The route does pass through High Beach on the way out (and, actually, on the way back) so there could be a second pick up there, but this would be earlier than the usually advertised 9:45 - get there before 9:30 and try to let us know via Facebook if you're planning to join us there. I don't think there will be a café stop this week, though people could refuel at High Beach on the return leg if they're feeling empty. I think the B group will be home around 1pm (providing nothing goes wrong). Barnaby claims the A group will be back by 12:45pm, even though they're doing a longer distance - we'll see! Route here: https://www.strava.com/routes/7882246

  • It's Mother's Day tomorrow, so some regulars won't be out and several have said that they want to be back by about 12, so I've gone for a slightly shorter route than normal (about 48 miles to/from Walthamstow). Leaving the Town Hall just after 9am (as always), the route goes up to High Beach via the climb of Mott Street, so the faster groups should get there around the same time as the social group (who will take the more direct way to High Beach). Second pick up leaving by 9:45 (get there a bit earlier to be on the safe side if that's where you want to join). The route goes via Blackmore at about the halfway point, so those who want (and have time for) a café stop can take a break there. Route here: https://www.strava.com/routes/8017947. Leaving the Town Hall just after 9am (as always), the route goes up to High Beach via the climb of Mott Street, so the faster groups should get there around the same time as the social group (who will take the more direct way to High Beach). Second pick up leaving by 9:45 (get there a bit earlier to be on the safe side if that's where you want to join). The route goes via Blackmore at about the halfway point, so those who want (and have time for) a café stop can take a break there. Route here: https://www.strava.com/routes/8017947

    Also, club run FAQs are here: https://leavalleycc.tumblr.com/post/1585­61646193/lea-valley-cc-club-runs-faqs

  • Looks like the weather is going to be perfect this weekend. Euan has made a couple of routes for Sunday for the A/B/C groups. Both go up to High Beach via Chingford and the climb up Mott Street so I expect these groups will get to High Beach at around the same time as the Social Group (which heads there directly) for a second pick up and departure at 9:45am (but, as always, if you're planning to join one of the faster groups at High Beach, I'd recommend getting there earlier to be on the safe side).
    The longer route is about 67 miles and does a loop around Hanningfield Reservoir: https://www.strava.com/routes/8182184
    The shorter route is about 47 miles and has the same start and finish but misses the reservoir loop: https://www.strava.com/routes/8184981
    I don't the choice of long/short route reflects the expected pace, it's more that some people have to get back earlier for work / watching Paris-Roubaix.
    Any questions about the club runs? You should find your answer here: https://leavalleycc.tumblr.com/post/1585­61646193/lea-valley-cc-club-runs-faqs

  • Proposed route for A group out to Hertfordshire - 62 miles but can take a shortcut down Epping New Rd on the way home if you're knackered! https://ridewithgps.com/routes/12052197


    Calls via High Beech and then takes a short section of cycle path after the bottom of Mott St to get over the river Lea. Slightly built up for a few miles but soon clear into the rolling Hertfordshire countryside for a change!

  • Hanningfield Reservoir this Sunday, with a route that is similar (BUT NOT IDENTICAL) to previous forays in that direction: https://www.strava.com/routes/8791343

    Possible cafe stop https://www.eswater.co.uk/your-home/leis­ure/cafe-on-the-water.aspx

  • It's been a bit of a nightmare trying to get routes together this week as there are so many roadworks and resurfacing jobs taking place at the moment. Thanks to Roland for trying repeatedly to get something together for the B-group, but I think we're going to go with an edited version of a long route that David & Barnaby are using instead.
    This is the proposed B group route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/21787862


    That's about 55 miles to and from the town hall. It wasn't designed with a cafe stop in mind, but I believe there's a cafe at Hatfield Heath and/or it should be possible to find something in Ongar if people are looking for somewhere to stop.
    For those looking to go even further, this David & Barnaby's route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/21728596


    That is 71 miles to/from The Castle, so more like 75 to/from the Town Hall. These routes diverge around Hatfield Heath at about 22 miles.
    For anybody looking to plan something else at this late stage, we've been referring to these two websites to try to work out what's going on with the roads:
    http://www.essexhighways.org/Roads-and-P­avements/renewing-surfaces.aspx#map
    and
    http://www.essexhighways.org/Transport-a­nd-Roads/Interactive-Maps-and-Live-Trave­l-Information/live-traffic-map.aspx
    Various people have been asking about the second pick up this week. As I understand it, NOBODY will be going via High Beach this week (as the roads around there are a nightmare at the moment), but groups should be calling at The Castle. If we leave the Town Hall bang on 9:00 we would be at The Castle by 9:10. More realistically, we would probably be picking up from there around 9:20, but if you're planning to meet there it would be safer to be early and wait for a bit if necessary.
    I don't know if the C/Social group will be using the B-group route, but I will tell them to go via The Castle in case there are people there.

  • Still lots of road surfacing going on, Barnaby has chosen this route which should avoid the worst of it, not going via High Beach but could pick up from The Castle if anyone isn't going to the town hall: https://www.strava.com/routes/9108683

  • Several different plans for tomorrow. Alice is leading the women's group ride at a nice and easy pace, doing approximately 45 miles with a cafe stop at Blackmore. More details and route here: https://leavalleycc.microcosm.app/conver­sations/313401/

    I am going to do a gentler ride than normal (shaking off a cold), probably at C group pace (16mph+), following this route which is just over 50 miles. We will overlap with a sportive for a few miles between Stondon Massey and Willingale and then again from Moreton down to Abridge so the roads will be busier than usual. I'm planning to stop for a coffee (and perhaps Belgian waffle) at the pub in Moreton, which is about 32 miles into the ride.

    Both these groups will be meeting at the Town Hall at 9am as usual and both are calling at High Beach on the way out. I expect my group will be there around 9:30 and the women's ride perhaps 10 minutes later. I don't know if there will also a be a social group going as well - they would presumably also pick up around 9:40/9:45 from High Beach if they're out.

    That's leaves tomorrow's fastest group. Roland and several others from the normal A and B groups are aiming for a long (>80 miles) ride, but still hoping to be back around 1pm, so they are heading out earlier than usual. If you fancy joining them (and bear in mind this will be ridden at a 'tempo' pace, i.e. NOT gentle, more like 19mph) they will be meeting at the Town Hall at 8am and then heading east for a second rendezvous at Forest Farm Shop opposite Fairlop Waters Golf Course at 8:30am. Their route is also likely to overlap with the sportive a bit.

  • Fancy a Christmas Eve ride? Tim and Roland are planning a longish one (approx 75 miles) using this route that heads out round Hanningfield Reservoir, presumably at B-group pace: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/13726268

    I'm intending to do a shorter ride (approx 45 miles) that follows the same route for the first 17 miles, then branches off north through Stondon Massey and up through Ongar. Hopefully having a coffee stop at the pub in Moreton (26 miles) if they're open early enough. Not planning on hammering it - I reckon a festive 16mph would be fine. https://ridewithgps.com/routes/26630620

    There may be other groups doing other routes, but in case there aren't, please note that neither of the above routes are going via High Beach. We should be meeting as usual at the town hall on Forest Road at 9am and going past The Castle (Woodford) circa 9:10-9:15am (depending on how promptly we get going).

  • We've got a couple of routes for tomorrow. I'm planning to do 48 miles with a cafe stop in Blackmore following this one:
    https://www.strava.com/routes/8017947
    Various others want to go a bit further and will use this 60 mile route which is essentially the same, but branches off at Ongar to do an extra 12 mile section (but still returns the same way via Blackmore):
    https://www.strava.com/routes/11563718
    This is a mixture of A group, B group and C group people - we'll work out exactly who's going at what pace tomorrow (my inclination at this time of year is to ride slower than I normally would!).

    I know that Edward is also leading a social / introductory ride, presumably over a shorter route.

    The forecast is for 4C tomorrow morning, so cold, but hopefully not icy. If it is icy we'll need to change to a main roads route.

    Meeting at the town hall at 9am as usual. FAQs: https://leavalleycc.tumblr.com/post/1585­61646193/lea-valley-cc-club-runs-faqs

  • Roland and (currently) 5 others are planning to do a 100-miler tomorrow, heading out to the Blue Egg cafe (near Great Bardfield), having a coffee, and zooming back home again. The idea is to have a pace of 18-19mph, leaving as close to 9am as possible, and hopefully back again around 3:00-3:30pm. Because they've got a long way to go they WON'T be going via High Beach. There is no second pick up, but if it's awkward for you to get to the town hall you could wait en route at either The Castle (be there by 9:05) or somewhere on the Epping New Road. Here is the route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/26760853

    I'm going to try to follow them as far as Hatfield Broad Oak, though with my winter level of fitness and on my heavy winter bike, this may prove to be a short-lived attempt. I'm not doing 100 miles, but I've got a route that follows the above for the first 23 miles, then turns round to go home via Hatfield Heath (where there is a cafe or shops). I would expect to be aiming for 17mph overall, though given the circumstances, this might mean 18 on the way out and 16 on the way back. As I am copying their route for the outbound leg, I also won't be going via High Beach. I don't expect to be riding solo (but who knows?!) so should be leading some kind of ill-defined breakaway B/C group. My route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/26777835

    I suspect there will also be another C group who may well be calling through High Beach and a Social Group as well, but don't have details. If you're doing either of these, please comment below or on Facebook.

    Club Run FAQs: https://leavalleycc.tumblr.com/post/1585­61646193/lea-valley-cc-club-runs-faqs

    Edit: Karl says he'll take a C-group via High Beach, using this route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/26778042

    (which is different, but also stops at Hatfield Heath so there's a chance we would meet up)

  • It's a bit complicated this week, so read carefully! Our annual road race is coming up in 2 weeks' time and various newer members of the club are either racing in it for the first time or will be in the convoy or marshalling the event...SO...there will be a club run tomorrow (Sunday 17th June) which will head up to the road race circuit and do a loop of it so that everyone is familiar with it. Not everyone will be doing this, so keep reading if you don't want to go that far.

    We might have enough people for a separate B group (possibly led by James M) and C group (possibly led by Karl B) riding up to the road race circuit. This is the route:
    https://ridewithgps.com/routes/14368103

    We have used this twice before to recce the circuit for the 2016 and 2017 races (which both got cancelled, but that's another story). It goes up via High Beach, but not via Mott Street, so if you're joining these groups you need to be at High Beach by 9:30am. The B/C groups should reach Thaxted between 11:00 and 11:30 where I will join them (I'm coming back from injury and can't ride far yet, so will be driving up) and Radwinter by 11:20-12:00 to start one lap of the road race circuit. Once that loop is completed, it's off to Saffron Walden to visit the Bicicletta Velo Cafe: https://www.biciclettavelo.com/menu They serve coffee and cakes and also hot food, but normally stop serving the latter at 1pm. We are likely to arrive between 12:45 and 13:30, so possibly too late for hot food, but I have contacted them to ask if they can keep serving for a little bit longer.

    After the cafe there are two possibilities. Some will be getting the train home from the nearby 'Audley End' station (which is in a village called Wendens Ambo a couple of miles west of Saffron Walden). There are two trains an hour back to Tottenham Hale / Liverpool Street taking approx 45-60 mins. The ticket price is about £12 but we did manage to get group discounts in the past. Others are riding back again via a more direct route:

    https://ridewithgps.com/routes/27807781

    So that's about 64 miles if you get the train or 104 miles if you ride back again.

    Meanwhile, not everyone is up for such a long ride. Alex should be leading a B-ish group of riders who will shadow the above ride as far as Takeley and then branch off and start heading home again for a total ride of 65 miles:

    https://ridewithgps.com/routes/27804195

    Last, but not least, if none of these take your fancy there should be the usual Social ride led by John who will announce his route on the day. They will be going via High Beach as usual and having a second pick up there at 9:45 (i.e. later than the faster groups).

    ALL GROUPS STARTING FROM THE TOWN HALL ON FOREST ROAD AT 9:00AM AS USUAL

    If you are new to the club and intending to join us for the first time, have a read of the FAQs: http://leavalleycc.co.uk/club-rides/

    We welcome people to come and join us to see what the club is all about, but we do ask people to become members of the club after their third ride with us. See you tomorrow.

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The Rolling 'Where are we going on the club run this Sunday?' thread

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