Blériot anniversary ride to Dover 25th July 2009

[Jurek]

Excellent ride courtesy of Adam!

Six of us at Cutty Sark Gardens, left shortly - like the  mint - after eight in warm sunshine.

Adam, PippaG, Handbag, Ianrauk, Topcat 1(from CC) and your humble correspondent.

Two hours and twenty minutes later, having shunned London's 'burbs through the industrial foreland of Kent,  we were tucking in to fine breakfast fare at Andy's Snacks in Rochester.
(Scene of some nocturnal nom-nom-nomming on the FNRttC to Vista Belle)
From whence we pressed on through the Medway towns, pausing only to look at some fairly heavy duty tracked vehicles at the Royal Engineer's Museum.

We inadvertently picked up a couple of cyclists in Rainham who were heading for Whitstable or thereabouts - but a difference in our relative pace meant that by Teynham we were once again
The Magnificent Six.

Our planned lunchstop in Neames Forstal had to be revised at the last minute - on account of venue being the focus of a wedding reception today.
No matter - we left (some of us singing cheesy choonz from the wedding disco  ) and fine sarnies and drinks were had a couple of miles down the road in Shalmsford Street where The George kept their kitchen open, for us,  a little later than they usually would.  

And so we continued across the rolling countryside through quaint villages like Bridge, Kingston and Barham enjoying the traffic-free lanes which took us through Womenswold and Shepherdswell.
Once we'd been through Coldred Adam guided us along a route which I think I'd struggle to ever remember, to the sea front in the port of Dover.

There being little evidence of any anniversary plane-on-plane action in the port,  we headed for the railway station.
Pre-train refreshments of the greasy spoon kind were had from a caravan parked in the garden of the pub opposite Dover Priory - and, I suspect, represented better value and instant gratification than the closed-for the-day-costa-mocha-latte-corporate-nonsense within the railway station.

Thanks Adam for a great ride.
Thanks everyone else for the company.

92 door to door miles for a very happy me.  

 

[Adam]

I a definite for this one. 

Oh no you weren't.  You got seduced by the charms of NSTN and the fact that Norfolk hasn't got any hills!!   

[Adam]

Well, yesterday was a Grand Day Out.  Perfect weather and perfect company.  Not much to add to what Jurek has said.  As mentioned last month, this route is basically most of the FNRttC Whitstable route, although after Faversham some (unavoidable) hills are tacked on.

Jurek ensured his hi-tech energy food couldn’t make a bid for freedom, and then we set off eastwards.  



After a little diversion to the very nice village area of Greenhithe, we arrived at Andy’s Snacks in Rochester, where the locals were bemused by the bikes (or was it something strapped to the handlebars………



Setting off again, up the hill to Chatham, the route took us past the Royal Engineers Museum, which we don’t get to see on the FNrttC route.



After that, we were soon off into the countryside, with a nice tailwind.  By 11.30 it was already noticeable that you had to keep moving beacause as soon as you stopped, the heat really hit you.  We stopped off at the Asda in Sittingbourne for snacks and drinks where the wit of the local chavs amused with such words of wisdom as “Yee har – get a car”.  However, this was uttered by someone driving a beat up old shape Vauxhall Cavalier which must be worth all of 15p!  

We by-passed Faversham, and arrived at the pub in Selling, where I soon regretted not telling Jurek to check they wouldn’t have a problem with us arriving, as they were hosting a wedding reception.



We think that’s the groom on the left.  Still, a quick drink was obtained.



And then we set off again.



Lots of oast house’s around.



After a nice stretch of downhill, we arrived at the George in Shalmsford Street, for another drink and some food.



After a while, we set off again.  This part of the route goes up along the Downs with some lovely rolling countryside.



There were still some uphills to negotiate unfortunately, but the promised last 4 miles were all downhill, as we rolled into Dover to arrive at the sea front.



Most of the plane action was a few miles away, back up some very steep hills, so we didn’t bother with that, although I was disappointed we didn’t see any flypasts, as I’d thought they were happening after 6pm.  

Still, overall a very nice day out in the sunshine, with 104 miles in total, door to door.  Thanks very much everyone. 

More pictures here

[Jurek]

More password protected  pictures here

[Adam]

Whoops.

[Pippa]

More password protected  pictures here

And I thought it was just me being a technophobe. Phew  

That really was a most excellent ride. Thank you Adam for organising and to all for the company - very amusing quips throughout the ride had me LMAO a LOT  

Although we didn't really see planes once at Dover we did spot a few en route so all was not lost. I was amazed at the lack of fish and chippy establishments along the seafront

Arrived back in Victoria and got on my bike and felt GOOD (surprising after the mileage and my "moment" about 5 miles from the end) so was flying along quite happily. But then I spotted the glass too late And then my tyre lever snapped, so I ended the last 3 miles of the ride in the back of a cab. Oh well. Something for me to sort out today. I *may* even clean my chain (don't all fall off your chairs at once folks).  

[αdαmsκι]

It sounds like an most excellent ride. I am very jealous that I couldn't come along and actually make it Dover, too! Nice photos, too.

And then my tyre lever snapped, so I ended the last 3 miles of the ride in the back of a cab. Oh well. Something for me to sort out today.

Soma tyre levers are what you want

[ianrauk]

Nothing much to add to the above reports and pictures except just to says cheers all, great ride and great company. Twas jolly good fun all round. 102 miles for the day.

[TimO]

It looks like you had a good ride, if a little light on the aircraft which were it's raison d'etre.

I think it's as well I didn't do the ride, even though the various lacerations that I acquired are healing nicely, the contusions to my torso and hand whilst fairly mild, haven't really improved much, so it would probably have been foolhardy of me to have joined.

Still, I'm sure they'll be another one around shortly, at worst just another century to wait for the 200th anniversary.

[Andrij]

I a definite for this one. 

Oh no you weren't.

Correct. 

You got seduced by the charms of NSTN

Incorrect      (That is not to be read as a negative reflection on NSTN!)

and the fact that Norfolk hasn't got any hills!!   

Incorrect 


Looks like you had a lovely ride.  Shame about the planes.