The really, really long night ride to the coast - 9th August

[martint235]

Lots of rehydration time :-). Will book a train around 2ish then

 

[PaulRide]

I'm afraid I won't be on this ride after all, as there's other stuff going on that weekend.

 

[rb58]

This thread has made me start to think about a 'Miles for breakfast' ride.
Really, probably needs a thread of it's own...
The general idea being to ride overnight to Ramsgate, have breakfast at Miles, and then either catch the train from Ramsgate or make our way around the coast with various rail-bail options round the north Kent coast say, as far as (inland) Faversham.
August bank Holiday Friday for starters.
There's a weekend's worth of recovery to be had there....
Any takers?

I would be up for the Miles For Breakfast one User10571, but not that weekend 'coz I be flying back from distant parts....

On the upside, the holiday plans do not clash with the really really long ride to the coast, so I'm in. Return leg plans will be decided on the day, but most likely involved riding back.

 

[robjh]

I've booked a train back from Dover at 13.45. There are some £12 advance tickets available still if you book from Dover to Coventry or Birmingham, going from Dover into St Pancras. This compares to £21.50 for an open ticket just to London.

 

[Flying Dodo]

I've booked a train back from Dover at 13.45. There are some £12 advance tickets available still if you book from Dover to Coventry or Birmingham, going from Dover into St Pancras. This compares to £21.50 for an open ticket just to London.

Top tip! Bizarrely, a normal ticket on HS1 back to St Pancras, with a railcard, is £24.60. More railway nonsense that you can get a £12 ticket including HS1, tube, and then a Virgin train to Coventry. No such cheap price for Milton Keynes. I wonder why they're discounting tickets so much, just for Coventry & Birmingham?

 

[topcat1]

i'm in, ticket booked (thanks Robjh)

anyone need a (free) ticket St Pancras to Cov 10 AUG 14.45

 

[Flying Dodo]

x2

anyone need a (free) ticket St Pancras to Cov 10 AUG 14.45

x 2

 

[StuAff]

Also sent myself to Coventry on the 1245 Thanks for the tip Rob.
Barking prices...it's cheaper for me to get one of those and a return to London than a return to Dover (though only by seven or eight quid). Could save £££ on the homeward leg by going via Brighton, but that's over an hour slower overall, and barely cheaper.

 

[robjh]

I worked out some time ago that Virgin do these promotional splurges on the London-Birmingham route, and you get travel into London thrown in for free from all over the south-east. It's always worth giving it a try, but this particular case is one of the best deals I've seen.

 

[rb58]

i'm in, ticket booked (thanks Robjh)

anyone need a (free) ticket St Pancras to Cov 10 AUG 14.45

I might head back on the train if I don't feel like cycling.

 

[Andrij]

And here I was thinking we'd just turn up at the station and sort out tickets on the spot. Guess I should make some sort of arrangements.

 

[Flying Dodo]

I've always had fond memories of the traditional FNRttC Whitstable route which involved the delights of Croom's Hill at Greenwich, Shooters Hill, the urban misery of Welling, and the cycle path over the A249 to drop down into Sittingbourne amongst others.

I did a recce ride this morning, and for old times sake, in Sittingbourne I went along Euro Link Way*. Old timers on the FNRttC may recall the "thud.....thud......thud" every 4 seconds or so, as your wheels crossed the edge of the concrete blocks used on the road. Well guess what - the local council have splashed out some cash on some tarmac!!!!
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Yes, there's now about 1, possibly 2 metres of smooth tarmac laid down, as well as some slightly bigger areas of very rough tarmac. So we won't be going that way. Some things aren't worth going over again.

There's some tweaks to the route, so I'll post a new gps route in the next few days.

And if anyone knows who the Sustrans Ranger is for NCN1, on the path as it crosses the A249 into Kemsley, give them a boot up the jacksie - on the entrance to the bridge was an enormous overhanging oak branch blocking off half the path, along with some very thick brambles. I bent them back out of the way, but clearly no-one has been cutting back the undergrowth there for at least a year.


* Bizarrely, on the Ordnance Survey web site, it's called "SS Way"!

 

[Flying Dodo]

The likely route we'll go along is shown here.

 

[Dogtrousers]

I'm still up for this btw. Not sorted my return ticket out yet. I've just been on a little tour so I'm fearsomely fit, and riding without luggage I will be flying along. Relatively speaking, that is.

 

[martint235]

I really want to do this ride, not least to show off my LEL top. However I have to say I'm currently very doubtful as my achilles is playing up from LEL. I can just about manage a commute but I think 70 odd miles may be too much for it. Will make a firm decision Thursday.