A further instalment of the travels of the West Kent RAIN club
August 19, 2014Sunday began with a dry start at the meeting place, eight of the usual suspects set out for Tunbridge Wells Claverley Park on the Long ride whilst the others went on the Short ride. Those of who know the venue understand that this is a long ride, the leaders were Mick & Mack then came Phil suffering from a bad back , Multi kit Gary, Earl Grey Andrew,,Sky Lee, Lol & yours truly.
So the group set off at a steady pace and whilst I have no real idea of our route it took in some wonderful quiet country lanes and some nice climbs. At one stage I thought we were practising for the Wigmore Hill Climb but after 38 miles we got to the park.
Phil soon started tucking into what appeared to be a boulder but was in fact a huge jacket potato with two tins of tuna on it. Others were tucking in to the usual high protein food ie veggie burger, toasted cheese etc. during the meal the group were consulting their 3G phones&,google etc to see if we would get home before the rainstorm I took the traditional method and looked upwards No I thought! it then began to rain lightly.
Off we set with Lol in the lead,Phils jack pot had obviously gone to his legs and then the rain really came down in sheets, my clean bike was getting wet & dirty. We stopped off at the Snail to see the new owner & Lol popped in for a couple of pints whilst he looked at the menu. It looks like a decent place. Trouble was the muscles got colder & tighter.
As I had forgotten my rain jacket I set off for home & was joined by the others but i had to stop at the Lavender fields before Eynsford but that was because I had a slow puncture, I told them to carry on with out me.
Then the sun came out & steam was rising from the roads and so I finally arrived home at 1415 soaked to the skin bottom half but top half dry, the computer said 66.5 miles in total i was shattered but it had been a good day overall.
Big thanks to all the group.
Now to get that bike cleaned & slow puncture sorted.
Trevor .