what a fantastic ride; as good as it gets
why has this evaded my radar so far?
due to taking the wrong junction off the M20 and going through Gillingham I was late starting; compounded by using the cafe at Lenham (1/2 a * in the El Supremo Audax control catering guide) so rode most of the first 2/3 alone; met nutty and Phixie sporadically and finished the ride with Anton (now of this parish ) other than that only saw Garry King at a couple of controls. Also wasted an inordinate amount of time watching a plane circling Headcorn aerodrome hoping to see some nutters jump out on parachutes - like Zoom jr is doing tomorrow in Germany with the Army cadets- to no avail. Enjoyed the Painters Forstal to Lenham section as it should be ridden; in daylight (without a frost as I have experienced on the last two smutch-o-perms)
After the Lenham Mistake I opted to look for some proper food in Rye and found a superb deli in the top of the town; a lovely veggie scotch egg and a cheese straw did the biz
Therafter got blown along Romney Marsh by a warm tailwind all the way to Hythe complete with views of giraffes up on the hillside (side effect of Dungeness apparently) ; had to pinch myself a couple of times.
the route was very benign apart from the Crowny bits around Hythe and Peene; componded by getting no AAAs for these today. But the promise of BEER in Guston got me up them all OK (and afterwards it was almost completely flat apart from the traditional last hill so 1 pint Doom bar and 1/2 extra cold Boddies had little detrimental effect). Saw a pretty big jet take off from Manston; I thought it had shut
The sea wall at Reculver was sublime and also empty once away from car-park bound peds; even saw a new Javelin train from here as well as the new offshore windfarm (is this the London Array or a lesser one?) and the
Maunsell Towers Sea Forts
I'll be back next year....