'Keep On Moving.' or 'How I Learned To Love The Hills.'
Time for the tdr1nka take on the day..............
Awake at 5:45, trying to shake the early morning fug.
Rallied self and got dressed, left house and then hit every single red light between New Cross Gate & Clapham Common
.
7:20 Arrive at Windmill Pub and meet with Dj, Topcat, Radius & Arallsopp and we set off for Kingston. The morning was overcast, mild and the air just damp with a misty mizzle.
It was a swift run thru Wandsworth, Richmond Park(where we were 'owned' by a group of Lady cyclists) and out to Kingston, we pick up CoG at the bridge and we all head off towards Staines. The sun was now up and shining for the start of a beautiful day!
With perfect timing we arrived at Staines railway station, just as Aperitif called to check our ETA.
Everyones toilet was attended to(one way or another
), and Dj remembered to stock up with water.
Adding DaveyWalnuts, Redjedi & Aperitif to the ranks we then 'blaze' a trail to Fleet!
This was one of the hardest stretches of the ride for me as I was pushing past my regular distances and I started to feel it.
The hills didn't help much.
In what has fast become the spirit of a CC ride, everyone stuck together and were on hand to encourage and boost moral, Topcat mostly playing 'Tail End Charlie' to my deathly crawl up the hills.
Nearing Fleet, and finally out in the countryside, we meet Peter, MacBludgeon & Bollo riding to meet us at the bottom of what had been a lovely descent only to have to turn straight round and climb back up it again.
Peter had planned a gorgeous route mostly on winding country lanes with little or no other traffic, thatched houses in tiny villages, lambs in the field and old churches, all very quiet and pastoral.
With the pace having been set in order to get to Fleet, my legs found themselves again and the hills became less of a hinderance, even if my groans of consternation stayed alarmingly consistent throughout the ride.
Refueled at the pub we crack on, cycling about Hampshire, meandering, climbing and flying down hills.
At some point we bid farewell to Bollo and continued on our happy way until finally we arrived back in Fleet 'proper' and the end of the Hampshire ride itself. Here we said our thanks and goodbyes to Mac Bludgeon and Peter and the London gang saddled up again to head east and for home.
During the final stretch to Staines several first 100's were hit and photo oppertunities were taken. As I see you have seen already.
By now, very weary and with my right knee refusing to do any more work, I scrabbled the last 10 miles till we got to Staines. Here, outside the kebab shop we saw Topcat, Arallsopp, Aperitif & Redjedi off, to finish their round trips by road, while Radius, Dj, CoG, DaveyW & I stopped in the last of the day's sunshine, down by the river, for self congratulatory drinks and some chips.
From here we said farewell to Davey, and Dj, CoG, Radius and I board a Waterloo bound train full of noisy kids returning from a day at Thorpe Park
.
GoG departed at Twickenham, Radius & Dj at Clapham Junction and I got to Waterloo around 20:30 with only a 10 min ride home to complete the day's ride.
What can I say? Another great ride, a personal best and the excellent company of fellow CC'ers to make it all the more enjoyable and possible.
Today I am sore, but very much alive and awake.
I am still in shock as it appears I did more miles than Aperitif, then again he hardly broke a sweat all day!
Thanks again all!