Then just a couple of weeks before the off, I started thinking about how to get to Dover for a 7:00am ferry:
Train – no connections at all
Car – Too easy
Bike – A-ha now there’s a plan.
Unfortunately, things didn’t quite go to plan – assumed average speed of 16mph – (on commuting bike with loaded panniers with clothes etc) and Dover approx 80 miles = 5 hours. Set alarm for 1:00am, but alarm clock still on “Icelandic time†i.e. 1 hour ahead, so didn’t go off til 2:00am.
Rushed to get out of house as quickly as possible. Grabbed the obligatory water bottle (RichV note), a few energy bars and left at 2:20am. Quel surprise – it was very dark, but with Smart headlights on, no problem (apart from 2 kilos of battery pack taking up 1 bottle cage).
Moving well, out to Sevenoaks and down to Maidstone on A20, across to Ashford, Folkestone and massive climb (Chris Colford – the one we did 3 times!!) into a headwind on a very heavy bike, then descent into Dover. 78 miles in 4:16 – 18.2mph average
– Andrew Green take note!!!! Arriving with 20 minutes to spare.
Breakfast laid on on the boat (private function!). Time to refuel. Strange how quickly all the croissants etc disappeared.
Over in France, rode with a group on the front all day
at times into a strong headwind, out to Beaubourg and down to St Omer, covering another 64 miles – or should that be 103km?
Great meal in a classy restaurant
and finally some sleep. Ibis St Omer – excellent place.
Breakfast in hotel – a constant supply of all things French!! Feel like I’m gaining weight rather than losing it.
They set off at 9:30am while I was still putting my shoes on
(as I had forgotten my bottle and had to go back and get it. Still, won’t be difficult to catch up – know the route. Set off with wind on my back at 28mph . After 10 minutes of this, think they must have taken a different route. (as it turned out, they went wrong leaving St Omer and were in fact behind me!), so rode by myself to the pre-arranged lunch stop.
Carried on via Desvres, then turned to Licques and encountered some substantial climbs and that relentless headwind. On to Ardres and to lunch stop at Ardruick, where I met the others. Another fantastic meal in restaurant Le Saint Blasé (Andrew Green take note http://www.lesaintblaise.com) 3 courses for 12€ plus a few beers of course!
With Mme Dimpre insisting we take our bikes round into her back garden.
Last leg to catch the ferry back from Calais via bumpy canal roads and round Marck airport (where the wind did blow!!) and a chilly wait for the ferry, after a satisfying 72 miles 116 km – first on, but last off. Oh and more food laid on
– plates of sandwiches etc etc
Ferry arrived 20 minutes late (but left on time), must have been that headwind, which will be mainly a cross wind on the way home. Depart (last off) and follow the “thin red line†– the cyclists route out of the port.
Head off home – 7:30pm up over the hill out of Dover, through Folkestone, back up to Ashford, – started getting dark at Charing so stop to put lights on, and gilet as getting a bit chilly, on to Maidstone, Sevenoaks and back home. Another 80 miles (the extra 2 being roadworks diversions that took me well off the desired course in both Ashford and Maidstone. They seem to work at night so as not to inconvenience the poor motorists!!!! Got in at 5 past midnight
If you took count, that was a total of 294 miles (I wasn’t even slightly tempted to do another 6 to make it 300 miles in 2 days – in any case it was really now Friday so it wouldn’t have counted.
Total mileage 294
Total riding time 19:33
Total average 15.1mph
PS. Riding to work this morning struggled to reach 10mph uphill,
but I guess you could call it a recovery ride. With some R&R should be OK for Sunday’s 50.
EDIT Toks - no creams on shorts, but used some Savlon cream to prevent infection.
