Yesterday was Dunwich Dynamo number 6 for me. I have always had a love/hate attitude to the Dynamo over the years. I enjoy the ride but the getting back can be a pain. In addition to this, was the obvious issue of whether my knee would cope with another 100 miles?
There were only two contenders from my Brompton fleet, my Orange Titanium (my lightnest) or my Brompton Electric (much heavier but the option of the motor). The decision was quite an easy one in the end. With the battery placed into the larger Brompton Electric bag, I had plenty of space left over for everything I needed. The extra weight didn't bother me as it rolls very well and the gearing works for hills and flats. Of course, at the push of a button I would have the motor to help!
You will not be surprised to hear that my ride partner was again Geoff. Of all the Brompton peeps out there, I have known Geoff the longest. I doubt whether I would attempt the Dynamo without him - whomever else would be in attendance.
We met outside Liverpool Street station just before 18:00 and after loading the route we headed off. The reason we set off early was simple. It would avoid the rush at the official/unofficial start time. It would avoid the hassles of the official/unofficial start at Hackney Fields. Thanks to Geoff, this start time would allow me to cycle at a measured pace and just enjoy the ride.
The first few miles getting out of London is rarely fun. Epping New Road - that felt as if it would never end - was horrid. The road surface, how busy the road was and how close some of the cars passed, all conspired to make it rather unpleasant. Once however we got off this road, things got a great deal better.
Less busy roads appeared and the sun gradually started to set. We cycled past chocolate box houses and little quaint villages where time seemed to have stood still, like old photographs capturing bygones years.
We stopped only a few times where the scenery compelled us to halt cycling to fully appreciate it - and to capture the moment in a photograph.
At about 25 miles in, we stopped at Fyfield where the scouts were on hand to replenish water bottles and wonderful food could be purchased for the weary traveller - or in this case not actually that weary Brompton user. We were joined by many other cyclists and a few of our fellow London Brompton crew, who like Geoff and I, were doing their own thing at their own pace.
Feeling suitably refreshed, we headed off again into the night where the sun was still trying to set.
The next few miles were like the last few miles - lovely - and in clouds in the distance I thought I saw the flashes of lightning. This kept happening and I wondered if rain would actually fall? The flashes kept happening but no rain fell. Strange.
Our next stop was the Fox Inn at Finchingfield. We didn't eat anything here but merely had a rest stop. There is a sharp ascent which you can possibly see in the photo below. For this I turned the power on. Ascending it was effortless and my knee thanked me. Once at the top the power was turned off again. For the entire ride up to the 100 mile point I actually used the power only twice for a total of probably less than a minute. Here at Finchingfield and once more at another ascent. As I type this, I do see the stupidity of not embracing the power more but I felt fine no longer using clipped in pedals and by taking things a great deal easier than I might have in the past.
The weather really does need a mention. It was pretty much perfect conditions. Warm but not too warm. A gentle breeze to our backs. I wore a polo shirt all night and only donned arm warmers and a lightweight jacket once setting off after an extended rest stop. Of all the Dynamo rides I have done, this was the best weather-wise.
Our final stop was at Gosbeck Village Hall. At this point we were only 27 miles from the the end at Dunwich beach. If we had of headed off quickly we would have arrived very early. Lots of the other London Brompton peeps joined us and we chewed the fat for a hour or so before heading off at one after the other.
The final push saw the sun on the horizon, the sound of the dawn chorus and that change of light as dawn progressed.
Once we reached the 100 mile mark, I turned the power on to setting one and left it on until I reached the beach. I am not sure that I needed it, as my Brompton Electric and those 12x gears, were rolling rather well. I enjoyed using it all the same. We even saw the always happy Sam and Jenny cycling in the opposite direction doing the Dunwich double (and over 200 miles in the process)!
We arrived at Dunwich Beach just after 07:00. My coach with the London Brompton peeps was arriving at 11:00 but poor Geoff was on the coach were you queue with your barcode to get a ticket, then queue with your ticket to get your bike on the lorry and then queue to get on the coach. This took ages and I sat on a bench looking out into the sea watching Geoff's bike and then the bags he would take on the coach while he did all the queuing.
Once Geoff was in the queue for his coach - that was due to leave at 10:00 we said our goodbyes. Again, I was very grateful for Geoff's company. He could have gone faster but it was great cycling with him for another Dynamo. For me the Dynamo isn't really about how fast you get there, it is more about the enjoyment of a night ride and the transition into day. There is also something about staring out into the sea - even for a fairly short amount of time - after starting out from London that is rather pleasant.
I retired to the beach and found Mark (King of the hill) and a few of the other London Brompton peeps, in our usual spot. A little after 11:00 we boarded our coach, placing our Brompton bikes (carefully packed in IKEA Dimpa bags) into the boot and made ourselves comfortable. We had two seats to ourselves and once the coach set off, I closed my eyes and got some sleep on and off until about 20 minutes before we arrived at Stratford.
Unpacking and saying farewells to people, I turned the power on and set my Wahoo for north London. The almost 9 miles were easy and the worst of north London's hills a breeze. Looking down at my Terry Thomas sticker, I considered again whether using the electric motor was cheating. The simple answer was...I didn't care!
The ride was just over 114 miles, not including the ride to the start and from the end at Stratford. I would go as far as to say that this was the most enjoyable Dunwich Dynamo so far. As I type this, sitting in my study at home, I don't really feel as if I cycled over 100 miles yesterday. My legs feel fine and my right knee is okay too. I am convinced that the Brompton Electric helped with this - for the time I used it.
Thanks to the many volunteers at the food stops, the people wishing us well along the way and to Paul of the London Brompton peeps who arranged the coach. Of course many thanks - again - to Geoff for his company. As for my Brompton Electric...I love this bike! Nothing more to say really. I am just having a great deal of fun with it!
Until next time, stay safe out there people!
