title	The BSCC Bike Ride 2019, Coggeshall, Essex - 11th May 2019
intro	It's the annual Brome Swan Cycle Club annual trip away, this time to Coggeshall, in between Colchester and Braintree in Essex. We're staying at the White Hart hotel in the town, which is a fantastic old building but where the service is a little on the slow side, so there are several trips out to nearby pubs as it's probably quicker than waiting for a pint in the hotel. The ride itself is around 31 miles, and once again Fred's doing it himself whilst Harry's on the towbar. It's hard going in places, and we actually miss out on lunch at the lunch pub because we're late. However, Isobel manages to sneak in a quick order of a few bowls of chips just before the kitchen closes, and Suey has kindly donated her cheese sandwhich, which the boys devour - even though it had had actual tomato in it, such was their hunger and desperation. The final seven mile leg after stocking up on carbohydrates and fats is much better for it, and it proves a nice coda to the ride. After a shower, it's time for the traditional big dinner, then on the following morning we have a short walk up to the river for a poke around, before heading home again.
imgp9853	Fred peers out of the hotel window
imgp9854	The Boy Phil inspects the kids' menu
imgp9855	Phil and Fred play cards
imgp9858	Fred teaches Gaz how to play Spit
imgp9860	The gang heads out to explore Coggeshall pubs
imgp9862	Looking back at our hotel and room
imgp9865	A Victorian clock tower with a wonky top
imgp9866	We walk past a really old-school sweet shop
imgp9867	Phil and Gaz peer into the sweet shop
imgp9868	Gaz, Marc and Paul
imgp9869	The cute Catholic church of St. Bernard of Clairvaux
imgp9871	Looking back to Coggeshall's East Street
imgp9872	An epic Wisteria, on the oddly-named Wistaria House
imgp9873	Some sort of derelict factory with paintings
imgp9876	Gaz peers over the church wall
imgp9878	We arrive at the Woolpack Inn on Church Street
imgp9880	Conversation in the Woolpack
imgp9883	Albert Place in Coggeshall
imgp9884	Our next destination: the Chapel Inn
imgp9887	We pass an interesting shop
imgp9889	At the White Hart we chat to Colin, Jill and Paul
imgp9890	Spam and John Willy are roaming around
imgp9892	Gaz decides on breakfast
imgp9893	Isobel and Harry
imgp9894	Paul considers more breakfast
imgp9895	The senior table arrives
imgp9896	We have the whole dining room to ourselves
imgp9898	The view from our bedroom
imgp9899	Harry and Fred
imgp9900	Our bedroom - Room 1 - is truly epic
imgp9902	We get ready for the actual bike ride
imgp9904	Alan and Jessica
imgp9905	Harry is prepared
imgp9906	Gaz stomps around
imgp9908	Harry looks up - he's ready to be attached
imgp9909	Alan has a technical issue with a flat tyre already
imgp9913	We hang around waiting to regroup
imgp9915	Matthew and Alan cycle up the road
imgp9916	Paul's on the phone
imgp9918	Between Greenstead Green and Earl's Colne
imgp9919	We make it to the first pub
imgp9921	Alan gets his coat
imgp9922	Marc has a laff
imgp9923	Gaz checks his phone
imgp9924	Jessica and Fred are playing cards
imgp9925	Harry's got a lemonade
imgp9928	A nice bottle-wall
imgp9931	Harry walks past the beer lorry
imgp9932	Sylvia chats to an Adnams Draymen she knew
imgp9936	The pretty village of Colne Engaine
imgp9937	Chappel and Wakes Colne railway station
imgp9939	Fred's reflected in a curious mirror
imgp9940	Fred pulls a face in the lunch pub
imgp9942	Marc points the way in the Three Horseshoes
imgp9944	The boys scoff down chips
imgp9947	Everyone's on their phone
imgp9950	Fred picks up the cards
imgp9953	Getting ready to leave
imgp9955	Fred comes out of the pub
imgp9957	The Three Horseshoes
imgp9960	Alan cycles by
imgp9961	Isobel and Fred on their bikes
imgp9964	A nice field of purple
imgp9965	Back at base, Fred points to Harry
imgp9968	The boys relax in the room for a bit
imgp9969	The Sagas have been out to a nearby pub
imgp9970	The gang at dinner
imgp9972	Marc inspects his starter
imgp9974	Isobel teaches the "owl" impression
imgp9979	The random corridors of the hotel
imgp9980	Harry, Fred, Jill and Alan get breakfast
imgp9982	Fred, Isobel and Harry leave the restaurant
imgp9983	In the car park, Fred and Harry do ninjas
imgp9984	We spot an old brewery on our walkabout
imgp9985	Down by the bridge over the River Blackwater
imgp9986	A bucolic scene on the River Blackwater
imgp9988	Some nice houses down by the river
imgp9990	Someone has sprayed "don't be afraid" on the wall
imgp9991	The boys mess around on an actual Grange Hill
imgp9994	Another wisteria house
imgp9995	The tragic sight of a burned-down pub
imgp9997	The pub has been almost completely razed to the ground
imgp0001	A sad sight of the Queen's Head, on the A120 in Surrex