She Talks The Talk, Can She Ride The Ride!

Hello Blog lovers.

Its a glorious sunny day out today! Perfect for riding. Perfect for a photo packed, lunch filled ride. No lights needed on my cycle hat or on my bike! No need for raincoat either. Just warm layers, ones that I can tie around my waist for when I do get warmed up.

The Old Boy has dressed the same, not the same as me, just layers, you understand. "Now, do you remember what you said about this ride" he said to me. "What you said to me last night, about doing the whole ride non stop" Of course I denied ever saying that, and anything said while under the influence of alcohol is inadmissible as evidence! "Today is a pleasure ride" I told him, "A nice ride, with fitness thrown in by going up hills" I said to him in my defense.

This ride today is all about having a lovely morning and afternoon out. Take some pictures for the blog page for a change. In stead of just geeky stats, (which will be added at the end though).

We set off, and the temperature was fairly mild, frost was off the ground, but I was glad of my layers, I even had layers on my hands! Its not easy doing hills first off, without a warm up, but it has to be done. Up the A21 we went, but that really is the warm up for the next hill! Cudham North Lane!! Not a thing to do on cold legs. I did stop once going up here today, unlike the first time I tried it, I stopped at least twice! "1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3" All the way up the hill, well until I stopped of course. The counting does help. But as I said, this is a picture blog, so the first picture is of me (well they all are actually), after reaching the top of Cudham lane. The pub looked so inviting,

But it was still early, far too early for beer, not that I would have beer of course! Not while riding a bike on the roads! Don't I look all lovely in this pic, and this is only half way up the hill!

After moaning and groaning up the rest of the hill, we flew threw Knockholt village and had another photo opportunity, looking down towards the motorway where we will be crossing.

No Resting though, I couldn't tell you what time it was when we got to this place, all I knew was that I was totally creak crackered, and wondering how far our lunch. stop was from here. If you look carefully in the background you can probably see the motorway, and we will be crossing over a bridge that is to the right of the picture, but fortunately for me, its all down hill to there!

I believe this is the part where I got my max speed from, I may have to check geeky stats to be sure of that though. This next picture is from the bridge that crosses the motorway, and if you look carefully you can spot the place we took the last picture! And because we were going so fast, you can probably see us coming down the road!
Ok maybe not!

By this time I was getting hungry, and in need of refreshments, we had drinks bottles filled with squash, but a nice cuppa is what was required. We still have at least five miles to go before lunch, so back on our bikes and think lunch! So much better that '1, 2, 3'

We rode on through Chipstead, and passed yet another lovely pub, opposite a lovely lake. Another photo opportunity, to the amusement of three elderly people sitting on a bench. Well, we did look a pretty funny sight, as the Old Boy said, "Move over a bit, that's it, now smile" while we were both perched on our bikes! Here, take a look, what a lovely lake this is.



Soon though we got to Shoreham, and into a lovely pub for lunch, but only after a very hard decision. "You can ride down the hill to the pub, but then we have to ride back up again to complete the route, or you can just pop into the tea rooms next to the station" Oh my goodness! I looked down the road towards the pub, or just across the road, to the tea rooms. But the Old Boyd told me about the lovely little river that flows through here, and "Whats another hill among so many hills" he said!

I chose the harder route, well I have got a charity ride booked now! Off down the road towards the pub, and as we were going down, a cycle club merged with us! Me and the Old Boy felt like proper cyclists, and we both were getting 'lycra envy' as we saw how good they looked in their brightly coloured cycle gear!

Finally a stop for lunch, a lovely sandwich each, and a diet coke. But after I had my fizzy drink, what I really wanted was a cuppa! So I asked the girl for a nice cup of tea! It came in a tiny little teacup, with a saucer! One mouthful and it was gone! Oh well, just have to wait till I get home.



Two pictures here, but the dog looked just too cute not to add. These are from Shoreham village, on the little bridge. It's a lovely little village, this is the river Darenth. The dog just stood in the water looking up to me and the Old Boy, it wouldn't take its eyes off of us!

Not far to go home from here, and not too many hills. Well, that's not true, because I know there is a least two nasty hills to get up before I can even think of putting my feet up!

There is the one at Eynsford and then there is Poverest!. But lets have some more pics before that. Eynsford is a lovely place to be, with another little stream, ...... mmmm maybe I should re name today's blog to 'A Stream to Far,' or something like that, any way, pictures.




The first picture is on the road towards Eynsford, and the second.......... Well, what can I say, there is always one! But he did manage to get out of the fjord! After trying to entice a swan to go nearer to him.

The other picture is me near the fjord, I'm not sure if the Old Boy was waiting for me to fall in! But there is lots to see in eynsford, there is the roman villa, and eagle heights, and of course the via duct. Which leads me into the next set of pics.




So thats the end of this epic blog today, I can hear you all clapping, but don't forget, I will still write more blogs!!

The pictures of the horses were at Enysford as well, apparantely to other people tried to get the horses to come near to them but they wouldnt budge, I just stood there and called them and they came over. Its a gift I have!!!

Till next time bloggers., oh yes and geek stats.

And to answer the question at the top, No, I cant ride the ride, well not at his pace anyway!