Doesn’t matter which way you spin it. Three hundred is a massive ride. It’s a massive ride in Summer and it’s a massive ride in winter. They wanted to do it in November, which is basically winter in the UK. Well, fuck it, I was promised chilli and beer at the end…..so I was in !
I think the count was 12 to start with. And I know that 8 of us finished it. I also know for sure that everyone deserves kudos for even thinking about it. After about two hours I knew I’d worn the wrong clothes. It was cold. After 5 hours I was certain that I’d need more clothes. My arms just hadn’t improved beyond painfully cold. Thankfully there was a planned lunch stop in a real nice cafe / bike shop, and after double eggs and double everything I bought an emergency Nalini baselayer and off we went. By the way, that took my baselayer quota to 3. All underneath a winter Gabba, a gilet, a snood, and a winter hat. OK, now all that was cold were my legs.
Now for the good bits: The serene fog and morning mist which hung in the air as we rolled over yellow, brown, burnt, toasty coloured leaves; The dipping sunset as we crested the approach to Maldon (of sea salt fame) beside the reservoir making us almost blind with its low intensity; the camaraderie within the group pulling us together; the most goddam scrumptious chilli and beer at the end, of course; Lunch; Sweet rice cakes from Jonny and savoury bacon and egg rice cakes from Ben; and finally Saul for agreeing to do laps of Stoke Newington after 296km so that our Garmins would read 3 at the beginning!
Thank you so much to Tom and Lesley, aka 6AM. Please can we do another one soon?
PS I’d really appreciate nobody mentioning how bleeding useless my front light was. Thanks. E x
Words by Ewan Crallan
Pics by 6AM
Greggs rules !
www.6amcycling.co.uk 