The Canyon Ultimate is now dropped off at a local cycle mechanic to finish off the build like front and rear mech indexing and a complete check over to make sure whatever I've done is actually ok! I've spent too many hrs trawling Youtube and GCN putting it together and just want it done so I'll leave it to a 'professional'

parting words with him were "you'll enjoy riding this weekend" so I know the end is in sight whereas with me still faffing it'll go into weeks of frustration.
Which has meant I've been distracted for the last 4 weeks and not been out riding. One ride I've wanted to do again was the Dunwich Dynamo but in daylight, with a twist... Riding from home in Southend to the start venue in Hackney then heading up to Dunwich after.
Perfect weather conditions, mild at 15 degrees with a start time of 2am. Arrived in Hackney for 5am and headed north east out of London. Puncture at half 6 with the consolation of it happening at a Costa stop in a Shell petrol station, not running tubeless so the tube was patched and away we go.
Solo and self supported, arriving at Dunwich Beach just after 4pm.
Ride route
Finchingfield
Needham Market lake
First sign for Dunwich
Dunwich Beach
Then, on the Sunday morning I had an organised ride booked from a few weeks ago to do. So a ride there, number pinned to the shirt and away we go.
So the ride is on a place called Foulness Island, normally it's an official no go zone for the public as it's actually owned by the Ministry Of Defence. A lot of top secret work goes on there so when this annual charity event came up I really wanted to have a go just to see what it's like. The company I did my apprenticeship with some 30 years ago was the last time I worked on the island, the company had a contract on there to maintain and build.
Click the link for some info on it, it's quite interesting.
List entry 1411759. Grade Not applicable to this List entry. Scheduled Monument: Atomic Weapons Research Establishment Foulness Island, 1947 Explosives Storage Area. May include summary, reasons for designation and history.
historicengland.org.uk


