Today was a simple seventy five miler from Brentwood to St Ives. After yesterdays experience of TOWIE I was not particularly looking forward to the Essex leg.
The first surprise of the day was a few miles out of Brentwood and I came across this fossilised lump of Mammoth Dung which comes vaguely in the bracket of fly tipping if you expand the time frame somewhat. Off camera I gave the dung a hug to see if it brought out the inner Mammoth in me as some of us share over 90% of DNA with these distant cousins. I have always wanted a religious like experience and all I can report today is that it did not happen for me. I was just a middle aged man by a field hugging a million year old lump of dung.
And then this very helpful duel message road sign came into view. One message for motorists about chippings and the other for cyclist who wear their Lycra commando style.
And finally some genuine beauty in Essex
It appears Essex is strong on Oaks as this was the first of a string of really majestic trees. The old guy running must have have lost his bike..
Morning tea stop and I am trying to tempt my Little Rhino with a few morsels. John Herbert who I cam on this trip with, thinks I am taking the man/bike bond thing a bit too far.
Before leaving Essex I thought of the saying when in Rome...... So on passing a hot tub show room I asked this very kind person from Spa Wars if he had a hot tub that would fit Little Rhino and me.
And he certainly did!
One final rear shot, of the polite kind, back into Essex as we entered Cambridgeshire with its distinctive flint churches and houses that look on the verge of collapse
Into Cambridge with punters punting
Unlike the picture of the day before with the power station in the background I am not sure I come out of this well and Little Rhino was not having any of it.
I leave you with a final couple of shots from St Ives of yet another example of the crumbling nature of British infrastructure.
So Essex surprised in a good way and Cambridgeshire delivered flat cycling and no surprises, just the bog standard icons you can see in any old world heritage centre.
Tomorrow holds 81 bum numbing miles to Castle Donnington, and more hills,
Pleased to hear that you're nicely resting in St Ives. There muvh discussion at the senate house at the university about a yellow object travelling at speed along the backs
ReplyDeleteWe've had a lovely time in Brockenhurst with Rosie while you've been galavanting with an under-aged bike. Rosie is concerned you're planning on leaving her for said young thing! And how is the bike actually working out? Keeping up with grown-up bikes ok? Keep up the good work!
ReplyDeleteMy Little Rhino is very important to me and sensitive areas of my anatomy currently which I think makes us close but nothing inappropriate!
DeleteMy Little Rhino is very important to me and sensitive areas of my anatomy currently which I think makes us close but nothing inappropriate!
DeleteNow Cambridgeshire is a lot nicer...
ReplyDelete