I Finally Conquered The Monster!

A bit of background to this ride. I've had this route sat on my desktop for close to a year but for one reason or another I've never got round to doing it, until now!

The route:

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&hl...,1.203003&z=10

Now you might understand why they call it the monster. I left my house at 10 AM and got back at 3PM with the only stops being for fuel.

The route itself I'd give it 8.5 out of 10. There are bits around Newmarket and Cambridge that can be a bit mundane. As it's out in the sticks some of the roads have mud tracks over them from farmers leaving fields but that soon clears although it can give a bit of a brown trouser moment.

The pros of the ride are that 75% of the roads are A-mazing. Out in the fens cars blocking your progress are a rarity but that might be more to do with the fact it's Easter. Some of the roads you can barely do 60mph on with the tight and twisty bends. With some of the twisty bits being so open it's easy enough to offside without to much risk.

Overall I will for sure be doing this again at some point in the future and I would recommend it to anyone that has a whole day to kill.

Glad you didn't waste your day Scott after we cancelled the Hunny run.

That would be good for the AR09 rideout.

As it is, I guess this can be a future EAR rideout. With you leading!

I fancy trying this tomorrow as have nothing worth taking my day up other than the bike! 2 hours of motorway to the start though, is it worth it?

Originally Posted by petevtwin650

Glad you didn't waste your day Scott after we cancelled the Hunny run.

That would be good for the AR09 rideout.

As it is, I guess this can be a future EAR rideout. With you leading!

I might think about attending if this was the AR09 route as it could be started and finished at Perry which is only 30 mins or so away from my house.

It's funny that you should say about using it as a future rideout as I was eyeing up fuel stations and what-not along the way. As much as I'd love to do the full route I don't think time wise it'd work out. For me on my own it took 5 hours, you then got to add for re-groups, longer fuel breaks, lunch stops. So your looking at 7 hours at least if not a little more.

Maybe an idea would be to start from New Market and end at Perry but starting from New Market would mean missing out on some of the good bits.

Then to add on top of all this there are some complex junctions which would be a nightmare to mark.

Maybe if there's support for this then I could do a proper recce?

Originally Posted by arcdef

I fancy trying this tomorrow as have nothing worth taking my day up other than the bike! 2 hours of motorway to the start though, is it worth it?

Personally I say yes. Granted there are a couple of boring parts but some of the roads are the best in East Anglia IMO. One thing I will say is take it easy if you do go.

yeah, im not one for ragging the bike around, ill see what i feel like in the morning!

Sounds like a long old run Seggons. I thought I saw you coming into to Fulbourn while I was out yesterday but it couldn't have been you, no idea otherwise though.

I went out with dad and Izi in the end and did this which was a good run. We stopped for a coffee and bacon roll at Barton Mills (lots of bikers there when the weathers good). The roads from there across to Bury and then down toward Stradishall are great, nice bends. On the other side of Cambridge I really enjoy the a603 too. We did that road every day in the car for a few months for work so really know it well.. It's fast and fun.

It was my third pleasure ride since May 11th when I crashed. Getting some enthusiasm back, some confidence and enjoying it again The first run wasn't great, I had Izi on the back and they were tight twisty roads that didn't inspire confidence. The second was good riding solo, and the third was even better, with Izi again.

Oh that is a nice road Scott, use to go that way when I worked at Colchester sometimes. Better day than we had, 600 mile round trip to Devon, 4 hours to get there, 8 hours to get back....and all for... a shower screen!!

I live right in the middle of it all (Over), nice roads.

Originally Posted by Sean_C

Sounds like a long old run Seggons. I thought I saw you coming into to Fulbourn while I was out yesterday but it couldn't have been you, no idea otherwise though.

Couldn't of been me, it sounds like that bike was on the road. If you check the hedges and ditches then you might spot me.

Originally Posted by Sean_C

I went out with dad and Izi in the end and did this which was a good run.

Interesting route, I'll give it a try sometime.

Originally Posted by Sean_C

It was my third pleasure ride since May 11th when I crashed. Getting some enthusiasm back, some confidence and enjoying it again The first run wasn't great, I had Izi on the back and they were tight twisty roads that didn't inspire confidence. The second was good riding solo, and the third was even better, with Izi again.

It's great to finally see some positive things about your biking career after being cursed with bad luck.

Originally Posted by Mike2165

....and all for... a shower screen!!

I can see why you need a shower screen.

Originally Posted by Haluk

I live right in the middle of it all (Over), nice roads.

You lucky begger, fancy a new lodger.

[Binky]

Looks like at little cracker Smeggy.

If this were organised i might have to make special plans to come down and try this 8.5 out of 10 route.