Oasts and Coasts 300Km

[alotronic]

Stayed the night at the Premier Inn at Gravesend (!) This ride was to make up for missing an Essex ride earlier due to ill-health, and a need to get a 300 in for that PBP dream. Thanks for letting in the late entry.

So I have barely even visited Kent let alone ridden around it, so all new for me and a very pleasant experience (apart from the obvious fatigue of course)

Spent the first part in the company of Mr Aussie who I met before on flatlands last year. How'd you go?

One of those Audax moments - being buzzed by a couple of loons on a scooter, one without helmet, at 6:20am. All very well them effing and blinding but I don't think they would have stood a chance against a 130 frisky cyclists at that point, so no worries there.

After all the hills and drizzle the sun came out and the lovely scoot around the coast began - very nice in the tailwind it was. Spent a bit of that chatting with Malcolm Darcy about steel bikes and writing - very learned company we were.

Had to stop in Dover to buy a new cache battery as old one died just as my Garmin ran out of juice. Quite worrying as I had carefully left the printed route sheet in that Premier Inn... Halfords to the rescue.

The bit from Deal around was really great, all new scenery, flat and sunny, all good. The turn into the headwind was a small wake up call, but I had survived the gale force winds a few weeks ago on the Start of Springtime from Stevenage and thought I would be ok..

Milkshake at Whitstable... Yum. Good control! But feeling a bit dead now. Knew I would make it but it wasn't going to be easy. Luckily formed a posse on the road with two guys - Mr Penge Cycles who I will see again on A+S 400 in a few weeks time I believe and another chap. Sorry, I always forget to ask names. The riding here was hard but even though we didn't chat much it was great to have the company - would have dropped off the pace severely without your company.

Quite entertaining that last bit on Pilgrims way, ducking and diving down dark unknown lanes into the unknown... Missed anything to do with that car crash thankfully.

The very last gentle climb into Meopham got to me and with a couple of k to go I just dropped off the back and crawled into the finish at 10:40. Then got on the 11:17 train to London, a crazy midnight ride through packed London to Liverpool St and from there to bed at about 1:30am, after copious cups of tea and slices of toast.

A very satisfying ride and a reminder how good it is to get off your usual patch.

Many thanks to the team for a great route with nicely spaced controls and a warm welcome at the finish.

[citoyen]

Feel slightly disappointed not to have finished, but after a long and stressful week at work, I was very close to not even starting, and I'm glad I made the effort. After a bit of a nap at home, I woke up at 9.30pm thinking, Hmmm, I've still got plenty of time in hand to do the last 70km... but ultimately decided against it. I'm not doing PBP now so at least I didn't need to finish for that reason.

This really is a great route. I know every section of it from one ride or another, and a lot of it is territory I've covered many times over, but there's something about the way it all comes together to make it more than the sum of its parts. Love the variety of terrain. As Hillbilly said, it's testing without being silly. I would have liked to be riding a lighter bike though. (Could do with shedding a few kilos off the rider too.)

Thanks Tom for organising yet another splendid ride and for laying on a tailwind across Romney Marsh for the second time this year - incredible! On top of that, the sunshine was a double bonus. Hope you got my message about packing.

By the way, I did bounce the café at Hythe - not because there were queues but because I'd got it into my head by then that I really wanted fish & chips. Of course, filling up with fish & chips before tackling that climb out of Folkestone may not have been the cleverest idea, but it was worth it.

[marzipan]

The coffee & cake at Macari's was sublime.

From here, things went downhill, just as I needed to go uphill again. Started feeling icky which slowed me down, but got to Hollingbourne before I needed my lights on.

Still feel queesy now, so think I picked up a bug along the way,

Interesting that you felt queesy after Macari's.  I really felt ready to be sick for quite a while between Seasalter and Hollingbourne...maybe not a bug but something in the food?

Just a thought.

[hellymedic]

Cycling uphill with a stomach full of food, especially anything fatty can make some people icksy.

[TigaSefi]

This will be my choice for April's RRTY attempt. Is there any option to sleep the night before in the hut with a sleeping bag/floor mat?

[alotronic]

There are two 'Prems' close to start. It's a good ride, well worth doing.

[TigaSefi]

There are two 'Prems' close to start. It's a good ride, well worth doing.

It's ok, I'll drive to the start... I am only actually 22 mins away hahah!

[Planet X Paul]

Just entered this.  It's the other end of the country from me but I wanted to ride somewhere different from my usual Cheshire audaxes.  It will also be the furthest I have ever ridden, having only done 200's previously.  A bit nervous about the extra distance but also excited.  Can't wait.

Accommodation all booked for the night before and after.  Hopefully I will get through in 18 hours.  Any tips from locals or others who have done it previously of good cafes on route ?

As it will be my only chance in April to keep my RRTY going, I'm praying that the 'Weather Gods' will be smiling to make it an enjoyable day out.

[TigaSefi]

Just entered this.  It's the other end of the country from me but I wanted to ride somewhere different from my usual Cheshire audaxes.  It will also be the furthest I have ever ridden, having only done 200's previously.  A bit nervous about the extra distance but also excited.  Can't wait.

Accommodation all booked for the night before and after.  Hopefully I will get through in 18 hours.  Any tips from locals or others who have done it previously of good cafes on route ?

As it will be my only chance in April to keep my RRTY going, I'm praying that the 'Weather Gods' will be smiling to make it an enjoyable day out.

People mentioned good places to eat in Folkestone. I remember this because if you did eat there, you had a massive 25% hill to get out of Folkestone afterwards! Not the greatest thing to do! Folkestone and Dover got some tricky ascents but as a Cheshire rider, you should be used to that.... Oh and mind the sea wall!  See you there.....

[citoyen]

Yes, I stopped at the posh fish & chips place in Folkestone harbour last year. Possibly not the cleverest idea with the climb to follow immediately but I had a hankering.

It's not the reason I didn't finish last time though - that's just general fecklessness. I should probably give this one another go and actually do the whole thing this time. Tom does know how to put together a very agreeable route - scenic, fairly challenging, but not too tough.

[TigaSefi]

Weatherbagel showing clouds and sun all day but fairly high winds that volte-face directions several times!! Exciting!

[Ivan]

I'm in. Looking to ECE it up to 400 with a tour of Central London cycling highlights afterwards: Quietway 1, Bar Italia, lap of Regent's Park, W-E Superhighway, Brick Lane Beigels and N-S Superhighway - thanks to the mandatory routing rule.

[Whitedown Man]

Plenty of trains home from Meopham in the wee small hours but nothing that would get me there for 6am. Does anyone with local knowledge know of a train station within, say, 20km that has an early Saturday morning service?

[citoyen]

I've ridden to Meopham from Rochester for an early start before, but that's coming from East Kent. I suspect that if you're coming from London, all the early trains stop at Meopham anyway. (I've also ridden all the way to Meopham from home on occasion, but that's another matter.)

Is there an early train to Sevenoaks from London? That's not too far from Meopham - although you would have to climb that bastard hill at Wrotham.

[Whitedown Man]

Thanks Citoyen for the pointers. Just checked the timetables, and first trains to Rochester and Sevenoaks both arrive after the first train to Meopham.  Will email the org to see if he's amenable to late starts.

[TigaSefi]

Are you aversed to getting a premier inn ? There one 8 miles from start

[Whitedown Man]

Are you aversed to getting a premier inn ? There one 8 miles from start

I'm spending so many nights away from home for work at the moment it feels unfair to my family to spend nights away for cycling too, especially with 600 season almost upon us when I shall be disappearing for entire weekends, eg Friday lunchtime to Monday lunchtime for BCM.

 I enjoy O&C because of the coastal setting (and the fish & chips) but family harmony comes first.

[SuperSam]

Plenty of trains home from Meopham in the wee small hours but nothing that would get me there for 6am. Does anyone with local knowledge know of a train station within, say, 20km that has an early Saturday morning service?

The first train from London Victoria arrives in Meopham at 06:03. Surely its ok to start 5 minutes late?

[TigaSefi]

http://weatherbagel.com/f/6cde3934-956c-4eff-872d-069e26f7bdfe

16mph headwinds ALL the way to Dover 

Tailwinds ALL the way back including the dreaded seawall section.

[citoyen]

Tailwinds ALL the way back including the dreaded seawall section.

Be thankful. I rode back along there with a headwind at the weekend, when I already had 100km in my legs. It was grim.

[jsabine]

Plenty of trains home from Meopham in the wee small hours but nothing that would get me there for 6am. Does anyone with local knowledge know of a train station within, say, 20km that has an early Saturday morning service?

The first train from London Victoria arrives in Meopham at 06:03. Surely its ok to start 5 minutes late?

I think Tom normally rides the event, so is keen to lock up the hall and get going. Drop him a line - he may be able to make arrangements for your brevet card, but bear in mind that there's a checkpoint only a few km in and the controller there will also want to move on.

[jsabine]

http://weatherbagel.com/f/6cde3934-956c-4eff-872d-069e26f7bdfe

16mph headwinds ALL the way to Dover 

Tailwinds ALL the way back including the dreaded seawall section.

Sounds a bit like the route check ride last year - I reckon we had 140km of headwinds, all across the marshes ...

Testing.

[TigaSefi]

http://weatherbagel.com/f/6cde3934-956c-4eff-872d-069e26f7bdfe

16mph headwinds ALL the way to Dover 

Tailwinds ALL the way back including the dreaded seawall section.

Sounds a bit like the route check ride last year - I reckon we had 140km of headwinds, all across the marshes ...

Testing.

Yes! Also I'll be wrapping up with silk gloves and base layers! Apparently arctic air is coming back so don't want to get caught out!

[Planet X Paul]

http://weatherbagel.com/f/6cde3934-956c-4eff-872d-069e26f7bdfe

16mph headwinds ALL the way to Dover 

Tailwinds ALL the way back including the dreaded seawall section.

Sounds a bit like the route check ride last year - I reckon we had 140km of headwinds, all across the marshes ...

Testing.

Yes! Also I'll be wrapping up with silk gloves and base layers! Apparently arctic air is coming back so don't want to get caught out!

The BBC forecast suggests that the wind will be from the NNE and later N with possibility of showers in the afternoon, and a max temperature of 9C.  Brrrr.  So that would mean the only part of the route with a tail wind will be the first section to Uckfield 

[Whitedown Man]

Plenty of trains home from Meopham in the wee small hours but nothing that would get me there for 6am. Does anyone with local knowledge know of a train station within, say, 20km that has an early Saturday morning service?

The first train from London Victoria arrives in Meopham at 06:03. Surely its ok to start 5 minutes late?

x

I think Tom normally rides the event, so is keen to lock up the hall and get going. Drop him a line - he may be able to make arrangements for your brevet card, but bear in mind that there's a checkpoint only a few km in and the controller there will also want to move on.

Grateful for all the suggestions but rode a 300km DIY today (currently working most weekends so getting days off during the week), so I think I shall knock the weekend ride on the head, save myself the stress of a train journey that will see me arrive late even if it's on time, especially with that control after just a few k, and delight / alarm [delete as applicable] my family by hanging around the house on Saturday. Will be back for O&C 2017.