Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
Not a ride to the coast. Not on Friday. Not at night.
As per the current rules we were limited to 6 for this ride, starting from Tonbridge. I chose to ride there, over the Downs and via Toy's Hill. That part of the ride was scotch mist mizzly weather so I was damp on arrival. The six of us set off and immediately I was pleased to learn a nicer way out of Tonbridge than my usual route.
A nice flat route followed via Golden Green, Yalding and Headcorn. Plenty of oast houses to admire. Lots of nice lanes. I know this area moderately well, so every now and then I'd have a flash of recognition "I know this road" and then it would be on to new (to me) lanes again. The rain started and got progressively harder until I decided that I'd better put my rain jacket on. We stopped. I put my jacket on and as if by magic the rain stopped.
Lunch was the Bell in Smarden ( https://www.bellsmarden.co.uk/ ) where we had a table outside booked. We didn't need the big umbrella over the table as it was now dry. It's a very nice pub with good food, and very generous portions. Followed by a return through equally pleasant lanes via Marden and Golden Green. I had promised to ride with Mark back to Sevenoaks via Hadlow, Plaxtol and Seal, as I know the way. But when the time came for the ride to split, and Ross pointed out that Tonbridge was only 2 miles away, the thought of the hill by Plaxtol church, and the temptation of an easy ride to Tonbridge was too much so I'm afraid I left Mark to his own navigational devices.
My first Fridays ride in over a year. Which, incidentally was my last non-solo ride. An excellent Saturday out.
As per the current rules we were limited to 6 for this ride, starting from Tonbridge. I chose to ride there, over the Downs and via Toy's Hill. That part of the ride was scotch mist mizzly weather so I was damp on arrival. The six of us set off and immediately I was pleased to learn a nicer way out of Tonbridge than my usual route.
A nice flat route followed via Golden Green, Yalding and Headcorn. Plenty of oast houses to admire. Lots of nice lanes. I know this area moderately well, so every now and then I'd have a flash of recognition "I know this road" and then it would be on to new (to me) lanes again. The rain started and got progressively harder until I decided that I'd better put my rain jacket on. We stopped. I put my jacket on and as if by magic the rain stopped.
Lunch was the Bell in Smarden ( https://www.bellsmarden.co.uk/ ) where we had a table outside booked. We didn't need the big umbrella over the table as it was now dry. It's a very nice pub with good food, and very generous portions. Followed by a return through equally pleasant lanes via Marden and Golden Green. I had promised to ride with Mark back to Sevenoaks via Hadlow, Plaxtol and Seal, as I know the way. But when the time came for the ride to split, and Ross pointed out that Tonbridge was only 2 miles away, the thought of the hill by Plaxtol church, and the temptation of an easy ride to Tonbridge was too much so I'm afraid I left Mark to his own navigational devices.
My first Fridays ride in over a year. Which, incidentally was my last non-solo ride. An excellent Saturday out.
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. I did two rides, one was 32 miles and 2600 feet of climbing, the other was 37 miles and over 3,000 feet of climbing. I remember doing a nasty climb called Hubbards hill.
