A Ride of Two Ports (C#51)

Sunday 23 October, 104 Miles

Click here for Route Flyby

I have a large scale map of East Anglia which I sometimes use to help plan my routes. I also mark it up to show the roads that I have ridden on. This helps to identify areas and roads that I haven’t ridden on. Not that I’m on a quest to ‘collect’ all of East Anglia’s roads. But then again ………. Looking at the map I realised that there was a corner of Suffolk that I have never visited, by bike or any other means. So as the weather forecast was promising I thought I would head out and investigate. The bit of land in question is the Shotley peninsula which sites between the Orwell and Stour estuaries with the ports of Felixstowe and Harwich on either side. I’d also been told that it was quiet an attractive part of the county.

So on a crisp, chilly morning with the prospect of some autumn sun I rolled the Impulso out of the garage and prepared for the le grand depart. I should mention that the Infinito is with Dr Mick getting a new headset and the Oltre is showing early signs of winter hibernation. So there was backchat to contend with.

Mendlesham Transmitter Mast

As I rode south east towards Ipswich I could see the Mendlesham Transmitter Mast looming large. This sits alongside the A140 near the village of Mendlesham. Well it’s not going to be anywhere else is it? That would be plain stupid! The mast is visible from quite some distance, especially at night when its red lights are on – I can see it from Stanton where I live, which is about 12 miles away as the crow flies. The mast was originally built for the ITV network but now supports a range of other services including DAB radio. When it was built in 1959 it was the tallest structure in Europe at 305 metres (1,000 ft.). It lost that distinction to another mast, ironically one of its own relay’s, in 1965. I’ve quoted these ‘facts’ from a website that seems to be dedicated to radio masts (yawn). So readers, before you start bombarding me with messages to say I’m wrong let me come out and admit t! My own research tells me that the Eiffel Tower, completed in 1889, is 324 metres (1,063 ft) tall and held the world record until the Chrysler Building in New York was completed in 1930. Anoraks out there will of course point out that with the addition of a radio mast in 1957 the Eiffel Tower leapfrogged the Chrysler Building by 5.2 metres (17 ft). But whatever. No one can disagree that the Mendlesham Mast and the Eiffel Tower are big; very big!

Anyway, on with the ride which next took me through Ipswich. I’ve been there many times by car and train but have never ridden through the town and today I was going to go right across it. Fortunately, the chosen route seemed to approach Ipswich by the back door, so to speak and before I could say “chainring” I was riding past the train station and rapidly approaching the quayside at the head of the Orwell Estuary. A very painless and traffic free experience.

Orwell Bridge near Ipswich

Now talking of big structures I soon arrived at the Orwell Bridge. This is an impressive feat of engineering. The Bridge was opened in 1982 and has a main of 190 metres which, at the time of its construction, was the longest pre-stressed concrete span in use. The total length is 1,287 metres, with a width of 24 metres and an air draft of 43 metres. Pilings were sunk 40 metres into the river bottom. So by any stretch of the imagination it is big. The design capacity of the bridge is over 70,00 vehicles per day and I have read that this was exceeded in 2015. When it’s closed, either due to high winds or accidents, many of Ipswich's roads are brought to a near-standstill.  And do you know what? Now I’ve ridden under it I quite fancy riding over it. I wonder if that’s possible – perhaps on Christmas Day? Mmmm.

Port of Felixstowe

Leaving the Orwell Bridge behind I passed the Suffolk Food Barn which my eldest daughter tells me has a good café. It was bit early in the ride for a stop (maybe if I do the ride in reverse sometime) but it looked fairly popular as the car park was nearly full at 11:00 on a Sunday morning. As I rode along the road I kept getting glimpses through the trees of the River Orwell which was chock full of boats of all types – dinghies, sailing yachts and cruisers. All too soon I arrived at Shotley and turned the corner to Shotley Gate with a view across the estuary to the Port of Felixstowe. Now this is a massive operation. Nick and Michael, who I sometimes ride with, work there. I’m not totally sure what they actually do (Nick’s and engineer and Michael’s a manager) but I do know that it involves cranes and boy, there are a lot of very big cranes there. And I’ve read somewhere that Felixstowe is the world’s biggest exporter of empty cardboard boxes – more than one million tonnes in 2013. Wow.

After gazing at Felixstowe, I retraced my steps or, more correctly my tyre tracks to the other end of Shotley Gate where I could see across the Stour Estuary to Harwich. This is the destination port for ferries sailing to the Hook of Holland. In addition to people, Harwich also receives tankers and other general cargo. The port also had a shot in the arm as the support base for several off shore wind farms whilst they were under construction.

From Shotley I headed back inland parallel to the Stour Estuary. Although not that isolated geographically I had a strong sense of riding in some quite remote and isolated countryside. The quite narrow lanes and gently undulating land made for quite a lonely feeling. That soon passed though as I emerged at Holbrook, which is noted for the Royal Hospital School I rode past the front of the school and made a mental note to return as the buildings were very striking and I’m guessing that there’s a huge amount of history that I could blog about. So, until the next time.

The final part of the ride took me through the edge of Dedham Vale which was looking magnificent as the hedgerows are starting to put on an impressive display of autumn colour. I do hope that the frosts and winds hold off awhile so I can enjoy my favourite season to the full. Heading towards Hadleigh I had a ‘Garmin moment’ when said device decided to stop providing me with turn by turn directions. When I eventually realised I discovered that I had strayed off my intended route. Infuriatingly, the Garmin was showing the correct route on the map screen and even more infuriatingly was telling me that I now had 223 miles to ride to my destination. And, the further I rode the greater the distance got. So I gave up using the Garmin for navigation and followed my own compass. And I have to tell you that (a) I didn’t get lost; (b) didn’t add any extra miles; and (c) had a cracking ride to the finish. So there!

Action Man Has Got His Commando Boots On (C#50)

Monday 17 October, 102 Miles

Click here for Route Flyby

With the prospect of completing the fiftieth ride in this century series, today was a bit like reaching the final part of a long thriller with only a few chapters left to read. So I decided to mark the occasion by riding one of my favourite local rides – to Orford Ness on the coast. This would be the seventh time this year that I’ve ridden there.

As the Infinito was still feeling a bit down in the dumps after last week’s failed attempt to sample a Bedfordshire Clanger I thought I would give it a ride out today to try and lift its spirits. This was going to require some tact if the other members of my Bianchi family weren’t going to feel hard done by. Fortunately, the Infinito sensed that something was in the air and waited until we were outside with the door closed before asking where we were heading. “Orford” was my reply to which the Infinito responded with “Donuts”. Oh dear, I think there may be tears before this day is done.

The Infinito is a splendid bike. My one predates the introduction of Bianchi’s CV (countervail) technology which was developed to reduce the tiring effects of riding on cobbles in the spring classics such as Paris-Roubaix. But even without the CV it is still an incredibly comfortable ride. With a carbon monocoque frame it is lighter than the Impulso and slightly more responsive. Its Campag Athena groupset, with an 11-speed cassette, means that the mid-range gear ratios are a bit closer together and so ideal for long distance riding. When I use it for sportives I give it some Campag Zonda wheels which add to its performance. We’ve been together now for nearly 14,000 miles so are quite comfortable in each other’s company.

We were quickly off and headed south east through Debenham and on to Woodbridge. The sun was shining and the roads were drying out so this was going to be a great day. One of the things I enjoy about riding the same routes throughout the year is the chance to see the countryside changing. The seasonal evolution of colours from spring, through summer and autumn into winter always adds interest. It often surprises me how different a view can look between the fresh, young green of spring and the orange and gold tinges of autumn. Riding in the countryside also means that I can see changes in the way the fields are farmed with crops being rotated: wheat and barley, rape, onions, sugar beet, potatoes and so forth, not forgetting livestock with East Anglia’s pig rearing industry.

Green gold near Woodbridge

Today just beyond Woodbridge I spotted a crop I hadn’t noticed before. There were a significant number of fields growing grass. Now, this wasn’t grass for grazing. I’m referring to green gold – grass for turf. There seemed to be any number of large fields growing the stuff. And when I say large fields, I mean at least a couple of hundred acres each. It was quite amazing to see grass being grown so uniformly and on such a large scale. I struggle to achieve anything near this with my small lawn. I’m guessing that a combination of soil and climate make the area suitable for turf production. I did wonder what the catalyst was for switching in to turf production. At one point I passed a machine harvesting the turf. Basically it consisted of a large tractor with a flat plate mounted out front which scraped along the ground lifting turf onto a roller mechanism. Unfortunately, it was too far away to get a photo.

Leaving the turf industry behind we headed nearer and nearer to Orford. I could feel the Infinito getting excited at the prospect of a Pump Street Bakery stop. Oh dear, I was going to have to come clean as the Pump Street Bakery is closed on Monday’s and Tuesday’s so no donuts today. I broke the news as gently as I could. Just in the nick of time I remembered that the Orford village shop, if it was open, stocked a fair supply of edible delicacies. Hopefully we could find some salvation there.

Just what a hungry Infinito needs - apple crumble tart

We were in luck. The shop was open and I was able to procure a rather fine Apple Crumble Tart. The Infinito can be quite choosy so I was not surprised to be asked why the tart was cold and where was the cream? There’s no pleasing some people! With warm sunshine we were able to sit outside and watch village life pass us by. Something I always enjoy doing and which has been the starting point for many interesting conversations. Local passers by nearly always want to chat with the resting cyclist.

Now I must tell you about a curious incident that took place today. While I was in the shop waiting to pay for our refreshments a voice behind me said “Action Man Has Got His Commando Boots On.”  Hmm, how strange. It was almost like some special code from a low-budget 1970’s spy movie. Then I began to wonder if this was a key to getting served. (It wasn’t.) I managed to catch Miss Moneypenny’s eye and then realised that there was another party involved in this affair. In very discreet and rather hushed tones I promised to return when I had broken the code. So whilst, we chowed down the tart I looked around and gradually all became clear. In an instant I realised who Action Man was and I also knew the correct response to the code line I had heard. So, feeling confident, I returned and uttered the fateful words: “At least Action Man hasn’t gone commando.” These were met by smiles all round and some knowing winks. At this juncture, let me just say that the acts of espionage here involve lust and desire amongst a couple of Orford’s citizens. And, Miss Moneypenny, if you are reading this, I can assure you that my lips are tightly sealed. When I next visit, as I surely will, I don’t want you to feel that I need to be disposed of! A nod’s as good as a wink here!!

Well after the skulduggery of Orford it was time to turn around and head home. I can report that both the Infinito and I enjoyed the last 40 miles and our heart rates remained within sensible parameters. Anyone got any cyanide?

Bob Dylan, Rolling Stones, Gardening and a Dark Horse in Breckland (C#49)

Saturday 15 October, 102 Miles

Click here for Route Flyby

One of the loves of my life is Bob Dylan. Ahem, I’d better rephrase that in case you get the wrong idea about my relationship with His Bobness. What I actually love is his music and especially his writing, his lyrics. But I do admire and respect the man and much of what he has achieved. So I was delighted to learn that while I was meandering around Bedfordshire on Thursday in search of those elusive Clangers, His Bobness had been awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. Needless to say, this honour has not been universally welcomed but then His Bobness has spent a lifetime pushing the boundaries musically. Great art, whether it is visual, written or performed, succeeds when it challenges accepted thinking and forces us to reconsider what we see, know and understand.

Now at this point I guess some of you might be wondering if I have lost the plot. You might even be asking “What did I eat, or take, for breakfast?” Well, I can assure you that as far as I’m concerned I’m still in full possession of all of my faculties. Or at least as much as I usually am. So bear with me readers, all will become clear presently. And the answer to the question – porridge and a Morning Glory. The latter’s a spinach based smoothie with some added avocado, strawberries, mango and some berries. Yummy!

Today I decided to try a variation on my route planning and decided to ride the Breckland route in Chris Sidwells book ’Best 100 Mile Bike Routes’. I thought it would be interesting to see how someone else had ridden my local roads. My bike of choice for the ride was my trusty Impulso which had its last outing just over a week ago when I did a century in Spain on the last day the Tour of the Pyrenees. The Impulso is probably best described as an entry level Bianchi. It was chosen for me by Mick Madgett and Aunt Lucia as a replacement for my much loved Via Nirone 7 frame which sadly had to go to the great Bianchi resting place in wherever.

The Impulso and I have been together for about 15 months and we’ve travelled just over 10,000 miles (the Nirone and I enjoyed a 30,000-mile relationship). So we are getting to know and understand each other quite well. With an aluminium frame, the Impulso is a dependable, reliable, and even a solid bike. But it is no slouch and if we’re in the mood sustained bursts at 20mph are not unknown! It runs with a Veloce groupset as I’ve always been a Campy man. I can’t reconcile riding an Italian heritage bike with anything other than Italian heritage components. The shifters, front and rear mechs are the originals from my Nirone and after 40,000 miles still do the job they are meant to. Well that’s my take on the relationship. You’ll have to ask the Impulso what she thinks about it. She does tell me that she enjoys our outings, especially the ones in mainland Europe. And she’s usually pretty honest with me.

The Great Hockham Stone

So off we went on what seemed to me, to be a slightly curious route. I’m guessing that Chris Sidwells wanted to showcase as much of the Breckland countryside as he could. After about 20 miles we arrived at the village of Great Hockham where we paused to look at the famous stone. It has become something of a tradition for the stone to be rolled and turned over on special occasions, beginning with Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee in 1887. Other occasions have included the Queen’s Silver Jubilee (1977), the 50th anniversary of V.E. day, at the Millennium, and for the Queen's Golden Jubilee (2002). In April 2008 it was turned to celebrate the saving from quarrying of the nearby Hockham Woods. It was last moved in 2012 for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. We do like a rolling stone!

From Great Hockham the route then crossed the Army battle area at Stanford before entering Thetford Forest. Now our usual route here is to ride through Santon Downham and into Brandon but today we turned south east at Santon Downham and headed towards Thetford before turning towards Elveden and then heading back towards Brandon – adding around 10 miles.

Daren (Nairo) Morgan 'gardening'

Leaving Brandon with the aid of a tailwind the Impulso and I picked up the pace as we had an appointment. As the route passed close to Daren (Nairo) Morgan’s house I had said we might pass by, wave hello and perhaps even enjoy a swift cuppa. Daren it seemed was grounded today and was supposed to be doing something in the garden. The intended brief stop turned into an extended Bianchi chat. Daren was clearly glad of any excuse to escape from the gardening and even offered me one more cup of coffee in an attempt to persuade me to linger. As we still had 40 miles to ride I passed on that and we were soon pressing on once again with the Impulso chuntering something about me being a bit of a malingerer. The cheek!

Passing to the north of Bury St Edmunds the clouds took on a nasty, threatening, dark shade of grey and we began to fear that we were about to get a soaking. We could even smell the oncoming rain in the air. This was one of the more exposed stretches of the route and I was worried that there was nowhere for us to shelter from the storm. But as luck would have it, the rain passed behind us and we stayed dry.

3 miles from home; 20 miles to go

Towards the end of our rides there are places we reach that say ‘nearly there’. One of these is a sign for the Dark Horse Restaurant which is about 3 miles from home. But today, in a rather simple twist of fate, the Garmin was claiming that we still had another 20 miles to go! The Dark Horse used to market itself with the slogan ‘Difficult to Find, Hard to Forget’. Hmm, read what you will into that. So we headed on into what looked on the map like an indentation on our conventional route. One bonus though was that for the next 5 miles we enjoyed a strengthening tailwind and were able to up the pace. In a slightly euphoric state the ImpuIso and I almost felt that we could ride a million miles.

But as is usually the case with wind, what goes around comes around, so with a 180° turn we then had to face a full on headwind for the last five miles home. By the time we arrived, my pulse rate had risen, my legs were twinging and my breathing was heavier. So much so that you could say I was blowing in the wind. The Impulso seemed completely untroubled by these efforts

This was certainly an enjoyable outing and it was quite interesting to ride on our home patch but in a rather different way. So what about the link with His Bobness, the Nobel Laureate? The more astute of you, and any Dylanologists (yes such people do exist) will have spotted that I’ve scattered the titles of some of his songs throughout my scribblings. How many did you spot? Like His Bobness, who has constantly pushed the boundaries over the last 60 years, I feel that riding offers many opportunities to break new ground on whatever terms you choose: distance, speed, gradient, route and location to suggest just a few. It’s what keeps me enthusiastic about riding – there’s always a new experience to be found and enjoyed. So until we meet on the road again - Passione Celeste!