Days 9 -20

Day 9

Left the comfort of a nice bed in a chalet in Laysdown on sea, said goodbye to uncle Mick and left about mid-day to try and reach the UK mainland again. From the bridge to the isle of Sheppy to Laysdown took about 4 hours riding and most of it up hill, the way back only took 2 hours but when I reached the mainland it started to rain so I pulled over under a tree to make a cuppa, at 4pm it was still raining so I set up my tarp as a tent to wild camp for the night, as soon as I’d erected the tarp I thought I should have put it up as a flying Vee. It rained all night but the tarp held up. Only made 18 km today.

Day 10

29 km cycled today, I’ve broken the 100 mile mark and it has only taken 10 days. Lots of horrible cycle gates on long distance cycle paths, that do not let long distance cyclists through with panniers, a lot of unloading and reloading of the bike. Wild camped again in a little bit of wooded area.

Had to remove all panniers

Had to remove all panniers

Only had to remove 1 front pannier

Day 11

28 km cycled today, total of 200 km. Discovered that I’d missed a couple of bolts on my service the other day but fixed the problem with a cable tie. Gave Pippa her morning exercise by clipping her leash to the handle bars and had her pull while I walked for the first couple of kilometres. I can only push the bike up hills at 5 km/hour but with Pippa pulling we can make 6 km/hour. In the evening I had blisters all up my arms, not sure if it is a reaction to stinging nettles etc or sunburn. Slept under the star’s in my bivi bag.

Toe clip repair with cable tie

Day 12

Made 44 km today, cycled through Margate, Ramsgate, Broadstairs and slept on the beach under the star’s again.

Day 13

37 km cycled today and made it to Martin Mills campsite, set my tarp up in the flying Vee style, and uncle Mick delivered my tent back to me, decided I was getting fitter plus a tent was better at campsites. My Pletscher kick stand broke today, bought a bottle of chilled rose wine, drunk half and my legs went all giddy.

Flying Vee tarp set up

Broken kick stand

Day 14

Rest day, put up my tent with my tarp as an awning, drank the rest of the wine and slept till the afternoon. Had a quick service of the bike, shower, washed clothes, and started using my bush buddy stove to save on meths.

Tent back with tarp as awning

Bush buddy wood burning stove

How do you tell your dog that this is a wood pile and not a toy selection

Day 15

Another rest day. The day was very very hot, so sat in the shade gave Pippa a small haircut and nail clipping then we shared a 1/2 litre tub of icecream.

Day 16

23 km travelled today, most of it pushing the bike, headwinds into Dover, and steep hills out of Dover, thick fog on the cliffs. And stayed at little Switzerland camp site, and learned that it is best to be not so close to the path as when anyone walked past Pippa growled, I did not get much sleep thanks to my guard dog.

Day 17

36 km today, total of 340 km and made the 200 mile mark. Nice and flat on Romney marshes but some headwinds, camped at Lydd.

Day 18

30 km cycled today, flat day into camber sands and rye, really tired so stopped by the mary Stamford lifeboat house at 2 pm and slept on the beach.

Day 19

Early start at 5 a.m. and taking over a hour to push my bike up fairlight hill, only about 1 km. Freewheeled down into Hastings, through to Norman’s bay campsite and set up camp at lunch time. Made 32 km today. Slept till tea time, ate, slept.

Day 20

Rest day

Woke up, ate breakfast, slept, woke up for lunch, then showered, washed clothes, and did some sewing to Pippas bed or my pillow, we have to fight over it.