Dear all, the DD was the most surreal, sociable, exhilerating and fun ride
I’ve done in years. I can understand Garry’s SO’s reluctance to let him go
on it though.
It started with a convoluted ride through the alleyways of
Hackney, pretty soon was onto busy clubber-laden roads with a constant
stream of LED’s ahead. At Epping Forest we got a lot of taunting by car
drivers (I got hit by a mega water pistol) it then went fairly quiet, I lost
the party I was supposed to be with (in fact never saw them until half way)
and there were lots of altercations with completely pissed chavs in the
small towns and villages, beer cans and abuse thrown at us.
But then it got
very peaceful and candles in jam jars started to appear en route; every so
often there would be a spontaneous gathering of led lights as folk took a
rest. Eventually a turning took us up a candle lined lane to the food stop,
very crowded, welcome and cheap, thanks to the organisers.
I met the rest of
the forum and after an hour we set off just before it got light in a big
convoy, all lit up with all sorts of fairy lights. We had a full road race
sprint to the finish, I was 3rd. The beach was windy cold and desolate, so
we cracked open a few beers while a few loonies went swimming and packed up
the bikes to head home. Make a diary date for next year, Saturday nearest
the full moon at the end of July
Martin
