Saturday 22 August - The Off

The day has come to set off. I pedalled to Billingshurst to the get the 7:30 to Victoria and then made my way to Marble Arc :-). After and all day breakfast sandwich i set off at about 9:30. Down Park Lane to Buckingham Palace, Along the Mall and through Admiralty Arch and I then dropped down onto the Embankment and shot along to Tower Bridge. The roads weren't too bad but you have to watch those buses and every few minutes there are traffic lights.

Once over Tower Bridge it was through Bermondsey to Greenwich - not the nicest of areas (Jon I didn't need my stab vest!). Greenwich was nice and then along Shooter Hill Road (Jon - I didn't see any shooters - I now think that perhaps you were lying to me!).

At 11:40 I was out of SE London and on a bridge looking at the traffice belwo me on the M25 - time for celebratory chocolate with a Harley rider.

Now off into the Kent countryside much nicer riding and good speed in now time i was coming down a big hill looking at Aylesford and Maidstone and thinking of lunch. I had the image of a country pub but ended up at a Cafe in a park with ham, egg and cheesy chips (the cheese was absent) washed down by coke. it did the job. The satnav has been great too.

Setting off after lunch i was optimistic but soon things went a little wrong - i missed a turn and had to double back adding a 6 mile detour around Meopham and was soon quite near Bearsted. When I planned my route i had chose to use the Pilgrims Way. It goes along the south side of the North Downs and has amazing views, gentle ups and downs and little or no traffic. I then turned left on to a monster hill - going north! It went on for ever and i really felt the weight of my backpack. I was rewarded at the top with a sit down and thoughts that pilgrims must be masochist's. Another ride through tiny unused lanes and i only saw another cyclist for a while.

SATNAV disaster - these are supposed to be foolproof but some fool had put in a road that petered out in a forest! I had to adandone my plan - ask the locals for help (i won't do that again) and make my way to Charing and the A20. From Charing i was off route and got my head down to cycle the busy A20 to Ashford and on to Folkestone. The wind had picked up and was in my face. I had now done some 75 miles and was getting tired. My water was starting to get low and it was getting hotter. I was sure to find a garage soon and get more water. No such luck eventually i could see the Channel Tunnel terminal and that got me more motivated to pedal on to the hotel. I arrived hot tired and with sore feet (!!) at around five. Just over 7 hours of riding and 93 miles. They gave me a room on the top floor just to I could take the bike upstairs.

After a quick trip to Tesco to get lucozade I showered and climbed into bed exhausted before supper (steak and chips) and then an early night. Tomorrow it's France and I will be goign through the Tunnel around 9:00. Only 45 miles tomorrow.

News of Lucy (much more important) is that she is recovering and breathing unassissted. This is fantastic.

thank you for all the support calls, emails and text's. Keep them coming.

R