We're leaving Dunkerque today and it’s an early start. We have to be up for a Police convoy to the port for 7.45am. Not sure why when the ferry isn’t until 10am but who am I to question. I can tell you it’s cold. Even colder when we get to the port and stand around for more than an hour before we can board!Finally on board and we have 2hrs downtime in the warm – last night sblog is done and posted, along with Chris’s.
It’s great to see England – I haven’t been there since Easter, and it’s a long time to not see friends and family. Even better to be back on UK soil and all the familiarity that brings. It’s also brings the end of the challenge a big step closer. All in all, a positive start to the day.
It’s a typically grey day, but warm when we start off. Dan, Steve, Nick and I ride as a group. We’re joined by Ian and Liz to start with. The ride is very Up and Down with many steep short (and not so short) climbs. So, frustratingly, it’s a very slow pace through the lanes of the Kent country side. Pretty, but frustratingly slow. We hit checkpoint 1 just as rain starts and set off again as it really kicks in at 2pm.
It’s really wet now, and we are all soaked, the roads are slick and busy in the towns. The four of us kicked on, spurred on by super Nick and his speed machine. He was in overdrive and he/we left villages and towns in our wake. Cars struggled to keep up with the pace he set. We certainly did!
We passed a good number of tired wet bedraggled lifecyclists who had been way in front of us. As I said, we were totally soaked through, but loving the afternoon ride. It was hard work – my lungs were bursting, my legs exploding, and my hamstrings auditioning for an orchestra they were so tight. That said it was great, with Nick showing no mercy and Dan, Chris and I trying to keep up. The pace meant we will be home sooner rather than later, which can’t be bad in this weather.
We’re off our bikes and have to wait for the vans to pick us, and our bikes, up to take us to the accommodation. We wait at least 30 minutes and are totally frozen by the time we got in the car. We were lucky and were in early enough to get in the first one. We warmed up and then got cold again when we arrived at the campsite. Everyone is shivering with cold, chilled to the bone by being out in the cold in their wet clothes. Not pretty.
We’re staying at a campsite, looking straight out of a Friday 13th movie – it would have been great it the weather had been better. Sadly it wasn’t. We’re in cabins, 10 per cabin. Because it’s hammering down with rain the grass has quickly turned to mud. It’s a fair walk to the showers (which are from the 60's). It’s cramped in the cabins and also very claustrophobic.
The mood in the camp is low. No one is looking forward to tomorrow, especially if it’s going to be raining again.
I’m also so tired by the time we are done eating that I don’t have the energy to write and post the blog. Who knows there maybe time tomorrow – several riders are saying they can't even take seriously the idea of riding tomorrow if the weather is as bad.
As I turn out the light I’m feeling tired, but the shower and food have warmed me through and I’m ready for what will be a long day in the saddle, but which will also mean we almost home and dry(!!) when it’s over. No time to quit now, especially because of the weather.
I know I’m now a day out of sync, but it’s a 4am wakeup call tomorrow so you will just have to wait to hear about just how bad today was because I can’t write a second day now, sorry.
Where do you get the energy from to write such a factual blog after having spent so many hours in the saddle. Only the few who rode LC before you guys can come close to really appreciating what you are enduring. Well done to all. J
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