The Rural South is a great ride - it was my second Audax in 1998. It started off dry, then rain gradually enveloped the whole of the ride. Flints abound, I had many punctures, and ran out of tubes! I remember patching tubes under a rain cape on the side of the lanes (the patch didn't stick really well!).
I remember getting onto a groupeto, with Ian H and Jack Eason and eventually ruled into the finish at the hall. Trouble was, I had just missed the last train back to London. And the hall had to close. Someone suggested, 'just keep riding east, you'll arrive in London by daylight' - and that's what I had to do! I remember a kebab stand on the outskirts of Heathrow; then a puncture on Shaftesbury Ave in the West End (not fun) - - but I did eventually get home in Hackney (where i was living at the time) just before sunrise!
Still, I'll probably do this again, as later years were a truly great ride with generally very good weather!
Very much recommended!