(Les writes:) Hello lowland people! I'm glad I didn't have one of those bikes yesterday (http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=62221) as I did my first Alpine climb (on my new Secteur). In all it was about 40km long with a total of about 500m of climb - but about 400m of that in the space of 5.5km leading up to the summit. Picture attached of bike propped up in front of lift station with Glacier du Tour in the high background.

Apologies for not writing these notes earlier - only 4 weeks late!!

A handful (me, Chris, Robin, David, and Kevin) of early birds got started about 06:30 on 2nd October - remember the hot weekend? - and found our way by Land Rover and trailer, courtesy of Liz, to Midsummer Common. At approx 07:40 we set of in cool sunshine towards Norwich by what turned out to be a very wibbly wobbly quiet route.

Another semi-eventful trip with our intrepid band making its winding windy way to Ely and back as part of Willingham Feast weekend. Overlanders Jez, Nigel and Paul, road riders Julian and Jude, Kev and Brigitte, Liz and Les, Ackbar and David. The three on MTBs who ventured overswamp to Aldreth had to give up due to the mud and a broken chain, making it to Ely in some 2.5 hours following a random puncture on the road section. All riders (bar Jez - swimming with Esme) managed to meet up for a drink and cheesy chips at the Cutter Inn, though, which made it well worthwhile.

The photo - taken by Nigel's phone
The route http://connect.garmin.com/activity/embed/112951393
taken from Nigel's Garmin
Nigel's Giant Boulder MTB - taken. See article below.
Route by Robin - fantastic with sunset views of the Cam.
Weather - balmy.
Cocum Indian Restaurant on Castle Hill - to be recommended.
We had a great time until the discovery.

Unfortunately, after a ride into Cambridge for a curry with the club last night I discovered the theft of my bike from the bike racks at Castle Court (outside the Shire Hall council offices).

The Bike is a Giant Boulder 2008 Gents Mountain Bike, Grey/Black in colour and fitted with Shimano clipless pedals. There’s a number of mounts fitted to the bike for bags, lights and GPS as well as a two bottle cages so it’s reasonably recognisable. (please "read more")

Sunday August 7, 2011 will go down in the anals as a fine day for speed, effort, beach, fish'n'chips, beer with a cider chaser and a saunter in the woodland sunlight (give you a headache if you mix 'em, but it's worth it). Great camaraderie .... Kev, Robin and Paul (right to left), not to mention Ross, David, Simon and friends, Wendy, Jo, Badger and - somewhere round and about - Noel and Missus on a new bike. What can I say? With the 20 mph wind behind us, we left the pack for dead - well, until the beach, fish'n'chips, beer, cider and saunter in the woodland sunlight we did!!

Sean writes:

Had a fantastic London to Cambridge ride, due to riding solo after my friend had to pull out, I decided to just go for it and finished in 3hrs 35mins. I have the bug now looking forward to riding as part of a group next time.

Thursday pub ride - one of our favourites just 10 miles away as the crow flies, or as the bike bumps in our particular case due to Robin not being there to guide us. Les, Liz (she of the hilarious head-first sideways down-lode topple), Nigel and Paul, with Fiona and David already there when we arrived (having cheated).
Classic river scenery, good beer and a bowl of chips to counteract debilitating calorie loss. Nigel's Garmin trail (also his photo adjacent): http://connect.garmin.com/activity/embed/102493849

On the way down to London for the Dunwich Dynamo ride, Paul and I met another rider (quite likely better prepared than we were!). We got talking, and he mentioned going on these monthly rides from London to a different coastal town each ride (and back to London by train) - Friday Night Rides to the Coast!

We both thought - What a great idea! Perhaps not this year - the group already has quite a full schedule of longer rides - but maybe next year?

The Dunwich ride went as well as we could have hoped. Les' forecast was spot on - deluge to clear before we leave, super sunny evening and dry weather all the way with a nice tail wind. Sunny morning along the East Anglian coast.