This morning we woke up in Cambridge, alongside Professors, Lecturers and Mark Campey! Our usual fried breakfast was waiting for us, necessary fuel for long days in the saddle. Not sure what will happen when we get to France. Can’t see a croissant seeing us through an 80 mile ride, unless of course its filled with bacon, sausage and baked beans.

So today was back to wonderful countryside and some of the most beautiful villages imaginable. Thatched pubs, pretty coloured buildings and six Yorkshiremen on bikes. A magical mix. The rolling hills of south Cambridgeshire and North Essex are to be recommended. After yesterday the route was truly uplifting including the early hills, a big challenge in the heat. Leaving Cambridge behind we made good time over the first 20 miles despite the undulating terrain. As seems to happen a lot we broke up into two groups of three, but not the same team members each time.

We met at a village green with a cricket pitch and a thatched clubhouse. Idyllic. It was then just 14 miles to our lunch stop and probably the fastest cycling we have done along the Essex Downs ridge. Truly exhilarating and what cycling is all about.

The pub we chose for lunch had put a bouncy castle on, a kids DJ and a rubber pool. Despite all these attractions we flopped down and had the best lunch to date. The steak sandwiches were to die for. We probably outstayed our time and on getting back on the bikes felt the overeating!

So far the route had been excellent but on getting close to the Capital it was unavoidable that we hit busy roads and traffic. Up until now our routes have been quiet and traffic free. One monstrous hill up to Epping Forest took its toll, well done to the three who got up it and a great effort to the three who didn’t. Onward towards London and the inevitable congestion. To be honest we sailed through it although it was difficult to stay together as a group, especially with MC playing russian roulette with the traffic lights.

We finally ended up at the Woolwich Ferry all together, bus and six cyclists all got on the same trip across Old Father Thames. And then the route turned a little bit Clockwork Orange. We followed a bankside route along the river to Thamesmead and beyond where the film of that name was made. Its a very strange experience, cycling past waste recycling facilities, old Victorian Pumping Stations and modern housing developments. We weren’t really sure what to make of it.

Arriving at our evening accommodation, The Royal Victoria and Bull we were pleasantly surprised. This was the risky hotel, it looked okay but as Dartford isn’t exactly the centre of the metropolis we were a bit worried. We needn’t have been, a wonderful welcome, the bikes being stored in the beer cellar and a really amazing bar. Plus some good pub grub that was hearty and filling.

A great night which is going to be followed by a hard day. Wednesday lunchtime we are halfway through time wise and distance wise. But importantly its the day of the most climbing. Kent down to the coast is known to be tough, our route even more so. But bring it on, we are now seasoned multi stage cyclists (Some were before this trip!) and Paris is our goal!!!

Contributions today were wide and varied, not much laughter early on but as the day progressed things picked up. Rick did his usual best and was with us all the way but his route to the hotel car park looked like a surrealistic painting! Brad Facetiming Jo on his way through the London traffic after telling us all to be very careful of cars, buses and taxi’s! Dominic did his usual 100% and led from the front until Steve caught him back up on the downhills – no gin today so perhaps that was his problem! John leaving the pub at lunchtime early to find us a “nice Cafe” ended up as a Rick stop by the side of the road. Simon failing to clip into his pedals at nearly every set of traffic lights. Mark racing to the hotel to be first and beating Steve because he advised him to use the cycle lane in Dartford. But the best one was finding that Steve had ancestors in Kent! The list goes on!

And just to end. Mark sent this back because they didn’t give him enough Onion Rings. His starter 20 Onion Rings!