Having arrived at Dieppe at around 8.00 in the evening after a 100+ mile ride, it was a quick shower, some food and then trying to get some sleep before the 3:00 check-in for the 5:00 ferry and in the middle of a thunder storm. The ferry itself was quiet and the journey uneventful - apart from the fog and driving rain!!
When we docked in Newhaven, we found the nearest carpark, got changed into some winter weather clothing and set off towards London. The Southern Downs is anything but when you are heading north - it should be the Northern Ups...... and then there was Reigate hill. My trusty Sat Nav kept me off the main drag and found a side road. Initially steep and got progressively steeper! That was it my legs had gone - running on empty. Time to go on autopilot and just get to Hemel. To top it off the wind had picked up and was straight into my face.
And then there was London. A Sat Nav set to bicycle in the middle of London, trying to keep you off major roads, and it took me all over the place.....It nearly ended in the Thames. And then it stopped working altogether. I did get a trip down Kings Road, National History museum, BBC etc. and ended up on the North Circular. I eventually had to use the compass and take whatever road I could. Eventually I found the Edgware Road (A5) and set off. During my tour of London, I also had a puncture and it wasn't in the nicest of areas. I've never changed one as quick. So eventually I got to the campsite at Hemel at 8.00pm having started at 10.00am. And the drama wasn't over. The camper had sprung a water leak that needed some repair before a shower etc.
Last song on IPOD today : Nickleback - How you remind me
Garmin Stats :
153.11 km / Stats 7 hour 31 min / Av 20.4 / Max - 53.68 kph
