Today was a Great Day in the history of
le baton. Today it did PBP.
I invited my good friend, photographer and chaperone Delthebike, who came along to take pictures, make sure I didn't cheat and to join me in an ale house. It was a misty day and not at all conducive to photography. Given that I am also in a lot of them, I think that Del found it quite a challenge to make the photographs attractive. However, I digress.
Just to prove we'd been there, there is an obligatory photograph of Prittlewell.
Next we tackled the nastiness which is Sutton Road. See how the local motorist carefully ignores the "No Overtaking" sign.
Le baton is in view at this point, just to show that it's on the ride. Note the lop-sideed Carradice and shorts. There will be evidence of beards later, but I didn't stretch to sandals. It is October after all.
I'm going really well at this point. That hill must be about 1 in 3 but my wheels are going so fast they are a blur.
It wasn't long before we arrived in Barling. Le baton takes pride of place on top of the road sign.
Despite being in the heart of rural France, we found a British flag. I put my hat on sideways and stuck my fist in my top to try to look Gallic.
It being France, there was evidence of a vineyard.
Since this was an audax, it was clearly necessary to fall asleep in the bus shelter. Note that I am keeping le baton safe at all times.
After we left the bus shelter Del noticed un très petit escargot on my jacket. We felt it wasn't big enough to eat so we let it escape.
Because Barling is such a sprawling metropolis we felt it was sensble to take another photograph.
We stopped at l'église de tous les saints for another photograph
and shortly met les canards.
It being France, there was un chateau
where we indulged in some urgent carbo-loading.
To prove that I had been there, I bought some flapjack in the Co-op in Wakering and made sure I had that all-important till receipt.
It being a long ride, it seemed appropriate to find another bus shelter and found this luxury brick-built affair, constructed into the wall of Great Wakering church.
Eventually, exhausted but triumphant, we complete our quest and, back in Prittlewell les Champs d'East Street, celebrated with a nice cup of tea and some flapjack.
A brevet card.