Yesterday was my attempt to break my record of 220 miles for the longest distance I have ridden. It was the Oasts & Coasts 300KM Audax in Kent.
It meant an early start at 4.30am as it was a 15 mile cycle to the start in Meopham. It was raining when I got up and after munching on brekkie it abated somewhat to fine drizzle by the time I had left. Meeting up with
@Trickedem &
@frank9755 the first part of the route was some Kent lanes I know all too very well, including backing up on myself from my route in to the start. It wasn't cold, far from it, but there was a heavy mist and sometimes drizzle to contend with. Zip up the windcheater, unzip the windcheater and repeat. By the time we had got to the Ashdown Forest the mist came down really heavy and the climb to the summit not helped by heavier rain which made for very interesting descent into Uckfield for the first control. By the time myself and Tim got to Battle at 70 miles in, the rain and mist had disappeared and whilst having brekkie we could see the sun coming out. Things were looking up
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From Battle we turned east and with the fantastic tailwind was pushed along the marshes at a fantastic rate of knots. We were averaging a 19/20mph average over a 30 mile stretch without even trying. Times like these don't come along often but when they do, you make the most of it. it's bloody fantastic and more then makes up for the not so nice weather on the first leg of the ride. It's what makes riding a bike so enjoyable.
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But there's always a sting in the tail and that sting is the climb of Capel Le Fur and up and around Dover Castle. Boy oh Boy they were tough, made even tougher by now having 120 miles in my legs.
Dover Castle - You can see by the flag at how windy it was up there.
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From Dover it was nice to give the legs a rest as we descended to sea level and followed the coast northwards. The seaside towns all passing buy in a blur. Walmer, Deal and Sandwich. Through Minster to Burchington turning west into the headwind cycling along the seawall all the way to Reculver. A horrid headwind making for tough going.
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On to Herne Bay where a control at Mackaris Ice Cream Parlour meant glorious milkshakes and sticky cake type things all round. And so to the last leg home. From Whitstable to Hollingbourne. A route I know only to well from doing it so many times on the SMRbtH. But this did mean traversing Seasalter and the Graveny Marshes. A road so hideously boring and dull. I think having had to ride it so often and usually with a soul destroying headwind. So it was a case of head down and just get to the junction for Faversham and from Faversham to Hollingbourne a really nice 15 miles of rolling Kent lanes making for some really nice cycling. By now it was getting dark and by the time we hit the Hollingbourne Info control it was full on darkness. Thank gawd for Tim's dynamo lighting which had more lumens then a WWII searchlight. A godsend in the country lanes with all the potential pothole hazards.
It didn't take long to get to the last info control, local knowledge being a wonderful thing meaning there was no hanging about. By this time raindrops started to fall and slowly got heavier. Of course with rain comes grit sticking to tyres, grit sticking to tyres meant one thing.. a puncture. 10 miles from the end...how very annoying. We were lucky to find a little shelter to be able to change the tube out of the rain. I couldn't find the cause of the puncture so had to hope that the tube held for the rest of the ride. And it did. We got back to the Meopham control at 10.15pm. 15 minutes later then I envisaged due to that damn puncture. Plenty of food was on offer and I tried my very best to eat every cheese roll that was placed on the table.
45 minutes later I was back out on the road to ride the 15 miles home. The rain had stopped and it was still quite mild. So didn't rush and just took it easy through the country lanes. Some for the 3rd time today. I got home just a little after 12 midnight. A long day indeed.
So.. 217 miles for the day. I wanted to top 220 as that was my previous longest ride record. But you know what? I had such a brilliant time that I really wasn't bothered about beating it. I just pootled home knowing I had just ridden one of the very best cycling routes I have ever done.
It's the Oasts and Coasts Audax. I will be signing up again next year and so should you.
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Is the 13,000 calories in the graphics the amount you took in eating the cheese rolls 
) it was exceptionally chilly (
) and I was seriously wishing I had worn anything in the way of gloves, which I had not!
Oh well, their loss. It was great to see and hear it calling and displaying. It has been a whilst since we last saw one that closely. We used to get them where we lived in Surrey and could watch them to our heart's content. Now we get quite excited when we see them. 
