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Two train journeys within the last few weeks, both of them on Southeastern trains.

1. Midweek ride back from Whitstable to London Victoria circa 4pm. No bike booking required but there were bike specific spaces on the mainly empty carriage. No extra cost, smooth as silk journey.
   
2. Midweek ride back from Canterbury to London Victoria on the 19:47 (even though I had pre-booked the 15:47). No bike booking required but no bike specific spaces on the train confirmed by the guard/ticket inspector I spoke to. I left the bike in the space by the doors leaning up against the non-driveside doors and all he asked was that I move the bike for the two stops where the platforms were on the opposite side (no-one got on at either stop).
   
   

For both of these I pre-booked the tickets a few days before and saved circa 50% on the cost if I had paid on the day (as evidenced by the riders I was with on the way back from Whitstable who ignored my suggestion to pre-book).

Beetroot sausage??!!

;-)

Unexpected sights in deepest Kent: the Bob Marley tribute Jamaican flag somewhere along the Pilgrims Way near Heaverham

A glorious sky and a nicely tended crop field along Pilgrims Way yesterday

I rode a gravel route to Canterbury yesterday.

I had planned to re-ride my latest version of the Brighton and back to Horsham route that I trialled in July but all my riding buddies were doing that work thing so I decided to give a new route a go as I prefer to test out new rides on my own.

The route I had found started at the amusingly named Titsey Hill which is 30 km from my front door so I used the first part of The Bartlett, another route I have already ridden twice this year to get to the aforementioned humorously named hill.

After a chilly start that saw me wearing my rain jacket for the first time since May it soon warmed up. The route is a mix of tarmac and gravel which I haven't checked the data on but felt like circa 50:50 which given the length of the ride was actually quite welcome.

It was a big day out not helped by a few puncture issues but ultimately a great ride. Quite a lot of climbing (1,860 m) particularly Bluebell hill and White hill which was a real kick in the teeth appearing 114 km into a 132 km ride.

Would ride again although certain parts of it would not be fun during a wet winter.

Thanks all, glad you enjoyed the video and even better that you were able to identify place names and trails and hopefully it brought back good memories.

As I mentioned in a previous post (and on the vid) overall I enjoyed the whole day it was just a bit unfortunate that all the misdirection, rerouting, bad map-reading, getting lost were in the first 25k which made it feel like a very slow start.

The 15k into Leicester along the canals and rivers was beautiful as were many other parts. I would classify many of the trails as re-purposed MTB trails in terms of the terrain and also the average speed that I was able to maintain and I wouldn't give the route a go in winter as I imagine the trails could get very messy.

The money the local authority gains from the sale is then ringfenced and can only be used to build new social housing

hahahaaaaa, good one.

and @keepit here's my review of the Leicestershire gravel route I rode last week.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBiyXXiIimE

Isnt that the overflow tank? (the smaller one, IANAPlumber)

Meet the new boss same as the old boss

NP I did wonder if that should have been aimed at me.

I simply Googled 'gravel routes near Leicester' and got quite a few responses. I fancied an all-dayer so chose this one at random.

As per my initial comments if I was a local I would probably tweak it to remove/re-route some parts but overall it delivered what I wanted.

A few extra pics to inspire.

Cheers bud. Must be a popular part of the world as an old MTB buddy commented on my Strava that I rode past the end of his mum's road in Woodhouse Eaves. As they say "It's a small world, until you lose your luggage".

I rode this route yesterday a.k.a. the National Forest route. Quite good overall but a few cheeky trails that were actually footpaths, about 20 styles that I had to shoulder the bike across, several ploughed fields, one field full of crops and plenty of nettles. I was also grateful that it's been dry recently as I wouldn't want to ride it during a wet spell.

Edit: forgot to add the route link
https://www.plotaroute.com/route/855730

I'm heading up to Leicester to see the in-laws next week and will of course try to get out on my bike as often as possible to avoid them. Anyone have any decent gravel routes I could try?

Rode this today, found it somewhere on t'internet but can't recall where. Quite an interesting loop, not much gravel, lots of back roads but some interesting stuff. Fortunately no #SFAB

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/48224054

Ooh nice, can you share?

Edit: Here's my route to Portsmouth

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/48191293

Just throwing this out there but a return to Ouistreham (Caen) and ferry to Portsmouth could be an interesting alternative?

Nope I don’t have a route to Caen but I do have London to Portsmouth.

An update/comp from Velo viewer which may be of interest

we’re on the lookout for your stories about the adventures you have whilst securing your precious squares. Simply tag us @veloviewer or email in with stories/images to veloviewer@gmail.com and the best tales of adventure will win a VeloViewer casquette

https://strava.app.link/jKhgfd71lMb

because politicians

Carbon monoxide rebreathing?

In that case my 20 years of cycle-commuting into central london mean that I should be world class.

My American cousins refer to Ford as ‘Found on road - dead’

Grasshopper disturbed as I pruned something in the garden

EDIT: or is it a Southern Oak Bush-cricket Meconema meridionale?

What are you trying to say? I'm crazy?
When I went to your schools
I went to your churches
I went to your institutional learning facilities
So how can you say I'm crazy?

no fortunately not

Haha, my previous house we bought from someone we ended up referring to as 'Ken the Bodger'