That was fun. Two of us left HPC at 2.00am and successfully got every red traffic light between there and Hammersmith, before finding the flyover closed and having to take a diversion through the side streets - streets
@Eddie_C knew well, so no real delay. Uneventful progress to the 24-hour M&S at Bagshot for a quick pit stop. We were on the direct A30 route and after a while realised the M3 must be closed as there was certainly more traffic than we expected, but not bad. Basingstoke came and Eddie decided to jump the train as he was suffering from lack of match fitness due to a non-cycling injury (that'll teach you to go ice skating!). But not before an encounter with a handsome barn owl - the second in two weeks for me.
The final leg to Winchester was uneventful, zero traffic, although I got soaked in a cloud burst and the headwind picked up, but I was in McDonalds just after 7.00 - about an hour early - for breakfast.
@Bollo joined me, then
@StuAff and we picked up
@Trickedem,
@sagefly and his mate at the station before negotiating the motorway underpass first time and onto the lanes. It's a splendid route. Rolling, but nothing fierce, through the best Hampshire countryside. Past the watercress fields, the steam railway, the early warning system, and the money houses, we were pushed along by a nice tailwind, picking up breakfast in Borden, then on into the Surrey Hills. I was starting to tire - on reflection a Bagel and a bacon sandwich was probably not adequate fuel to get me over the hundred mile mark, although I have eaten all the pies so had plenty in reserve. A couple of navigation errors got us to Whitedown via a slightly different, but probably nicer way. And then we went up. The 18% came and went, probably surprising a couple of the group, and before we knew it we were in Dorking. I was over 140 miles at this point so decided the train was the better option. Paul and Tim headed on to Rykas, Box Hill and Croydon. I hope Croydon didn't disappoint
@Bollo .
Good riding with you all - see you out on the road! And yes, Paul, you need to get out with us some more.