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Sunday 28th May 2023
I got up early this morning to head over to the Loughton stretch of Epping Forest to look for some golden oldies. I was checking the route and suddenly a message flashed up informing me that it was Ride London today. I checked this out and I could see that my target area was going to be flooded with cyclists. No way did I want to get caught up in that so I had to do a rapid rethink.🤔
There were a couple of music related series of trads in and around Corringham, both about 4km in distance and I reckoned that I could do the lot in the time I had.🤔 I parked up at the start of the B series and soon found the 3/2 1B. Stormzy - Hide and Seek. I had no idea what the hint was all about but I made a positive start to the day at 0600.
The route was down pedestrianised lanes and all went well up to 4B. Cliff Richard - Living Doll. Well she had obviously got up and walked as nobody had found her yet.🥴 I followed the paths and crossed the railway track of the Thames Haven branch of the former London, Tilbury and Southend Railway. I had done some research on this line but it was the first time that I had set foot on it.
I carried on through the Stanford Wharf nature reserve before heading north up Wharf Road. I passed by the Snail Trail #1 Stanford Marshes trad, silly not too, and passed under the branch line before heading east through fields until I joined the series route again between 2B and 3B. I had completed the B sides and I had been making good time so I continued east, crossing Thames Gateway Drive to hook up with 5. Tom Odell - Magnetised.
As you've probably guessed, all the hints were in the titles. I followed the line of the road to the Gateway before turning north. I reached 9. Willie Nelson - Don't Fence Me In and remembered that it was Willie's 90th birthday the other day and I wished him belated birthday greetings. By the way, this title is a great song but try to have a listen to “The Red Headed Stranger." "You can't hang a man for killing a woman who's trying to steal his horse."🤣🤣
I crossed The Manorway and headed up Rookery Hill. I looked in at the ground of East Thurrock United FC and was amazed to find that this was also the ground of Basildon Town FC now. My association with them goes back to the late 50s when their first ground was maybe three hundred yards from where I'm writing this.
I continued on the route, collecting 14. Hozier - Take Me To Church at St Mary's, Corringham where there used to be a CM trad. I was trying to keep track of how many clever varieties of container that the CO had used setting up the two series.🤔 Walking up to the 3.5/2 17. Radiohead - Jigsaw Falling Into Place, my mind was wondering what was in store. It turned out to be one of these Japanese puzzle boxes which I eventually opened.😀
I carried on, crossing The Manorway again and worked my way down to 3. Rolling Stones - Jumping Jack Flash. This was such a clever hint that if I had found the cache, I'd have definitely awarded a fave point. The search area was guarded by savage nettles and brambles but I fought my way in to no avail. Three cachers failed to find the cache that day but the CO had a check and it's still there.🥴
I carried on, disappointed but got back to where I had started the A sides. I had been checking on the Living Doll to see if the CO had been out to check as promised but alas no so I headed back to the car to go home for brekkie.
27 Traditional
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