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Hello all.
My name is Gary, and I am from Hornchurch, Essex.
A bit about me: I am 52, overweight, (around 3 stones to lose), had a heart attack 6 years ago, fine now, but giving up smoking caused me to gain weight, about which I constantly moan!!
Hate the gym, full of pretentious pratts, and costs a fortune (the one by me is £85 per month!!)
I have also become quite lazy in my old age!
But I made a decision to change all that.
So my lovely wife surprised me with a shiny new mountain bike !!
It's not a top of the range carbon fibre jobbie, but I appreciate it nonetheless.
It is a Barracuda Obtuse. It's a hardtail, with front suspension, and 24 gears.
Only been out on it a couple of times, and realise how unfit I am !!
However, I am determined to cycle regularly, and use it as part of my weight loss programme.
There are a few country parks around here, so although I will do some road riding, most of it will be light "off road" riding, until I progress that is.
Thorndon is only 4 miles from my home.

Would be nice to hear from anyone else from my area who may be on here,especially another newbie who may want to compare notes/rides/tips etc...
Eventually will want to join meet ups etc, but at the moment, apart from embarrasing myself, I think there is little point in making everyone else wait for the fat bloke at the back to catch up.

I also posted this on another forum, but I'm hoping this will be a bit more relevant as it's more "local".
Anyway, enough for now. Hope to chat soon...

Hi Gary, welcome to the forum.

I wouldn't worry too much about being embarrassed when meeting up with people from the forum. They are a decent bunch of people who will wait for everyone. No-one gets left behind. I've been out on rides with 15 - 20 other riders from here and it's usually at an easy pace and there's plenty of rest time. If you see a ride organized at Thorndon, give it a go, you won't regret it.

Rob

Hi fella, like your style!

We regularly ride from Bannatunes Gym over in Chafford. It's a bit of a stretch away from you but we also meet up with guys on the rout that come from Hornchurch and Upminster.

Any who... Keep an eye over on the ride calendar and look forward to meeting you soon on the trails

Hi
What time of day do you ride .
I am often out with the dog Rainham/Hornchurch my rides do shift work so depending which week the time I ride.
I am old fat and not in a hurry ( or the dog in this weather. )
As you get out more you will soon get the buzz lose weight and have fun whilst doing it.
Ride to Tesco Rainham then the marshes /river .

Plenty of variable trails.

Ride out to the Jews Cem. and Cely woods / Belhus park.

Other direction -Upminster / Cranham golf course ...
Warley for a bit more challenging ride still easier at a slow pace.
Davy Downs is fun as well not far away from Sainsbury Lakeside .

All pretty loacl.

Plenty more if you do all of them.

If no helmet should get one . Gloves abounus.

Hi Gary
your not on your own I'm 46 with one lung that works , lol iv put two stone on since a shoulder op
thats not gone write so I'm trying to lose it too .im over that way most days , im on a voodoo bizango huffing and puffing,

,

Well, thanks to all of you for the encouraging words, they are appreciated.
So for now I am trying to get used to riding again (It has been a long time since I rode) so I have taken to doing circuits around Pages woods which is just across the A127. it is around a 5 mile loop, and I am slowly gaining a bit of confidence on my bike.
Sounds a bit pathetic, I know, but it really has been decades since I rode last!
Pages woods has a nice (cinder?) track around it, and it has a bit of a climb up to the top of Shepherd's hill, and a nice corresponding downhill bit to get my breath back!!

As I work permanently on nights, I get all day to ride. Any afternoon I am about if any-one wants to meet up for a gentle pedal around here.
It would be nice to meet up.

Would love to go on a "beginner's ride" at Thorndon, I will keep my eyes peeled.

Hi mate! I live in Harold wood & regularly ride through Harold wood courts,pages wood,folkes lane woods up to thorndon!also quite afew of us ride Hornchurch country park a lot too!Where you live is great for making up afew loops!

Hi Simon.
I am looking for a route from my place to Thorndon without going on any roads, apart from crossing them.
I can get to the top of Shepherd's hill via Pages woods, so next I will cross the road there and see how far I can get !!
Am loving the new bike, and get excited now about going out on it.

Went out up to Warley to day went through Harold court woods,tylers common (which is ride at the minute lol),Jackson woods up to Warley! have a look on google maps or strava app!