@mashton made me do it. Ashford International to Dungeness 16/06/18 disconnect, tune out, roll in back to analogue

Yeah, that guy is a twunt and no mistake.

Too quick on the interwebz, yo!

I did test ride on a 42x18 SS on 28c tyres and was able to cruise along around 16-18mph.
With some stops and checking things i went round in 4 hours.
Factor in it will be social pace, you don't want to geared lower as it will be very spinny, i am jumping to 42x16 as that's on the bike now.
We will stop to look at things, maybe fish someone out of a water filled ditch. See Sound mirrors, little rest and refuel, maybe sit on beach for fish and chips.
Then pootle along to Dungeness, i will prop up the pub bar or railway station Cafe as it sells beer while you all run wild and get vertigo and see how fast puke gets from top of lighthouse to peoples heads at bottom :)
Maybe another quick refuel in Lydd, then back to the marshes....... lovely pub in Ivychurch, we may have to stop there for a swift half.

It won't be a punishing thrash it out as fast as possible :)

Ashford International station.
High Speed service and Eurostar.

What do we get here.
Kiosk shop on platforms and toilets. Use loo's before leaving platforms as nothing handy outside.
There is a Costa Coffee bar in main entrance/ticket hall.

There is a pump and tool rack with the bike racks. Leave station, up road to lights, turn left, about 400m up the road, just pass the bowling alley is Spiral Cycles bike shop.

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If your mad, daring, or want to taste @HoKe new obsession with Bromptons....

You can rent one at station.

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No idea how this works or what gearing is on the Brommies....

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He was quicker after lunch. Or I might have overdone it on the chips. One or the other.

It was the alcohol free Heineken and ginger beer shandy...

Bump,,,,,was down that way on tuesday,

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Most unfortunately, I’m no longer going to be able to make this. I have taken my name off the list. But the list’s back...

1) 853Superfly
2) Mashton (coz he made me do it)
3) Backstop
4) Midi +1 on tandem
5) Tonyme
6) Skydancer
7) Cgg
8) ian(conker) will not be attending
9) Cagimaha
10) moorhen
11) bass_n_chips

The prospect of this ride is making me so bike horny...

Any idea when this will finish? I need to get back to town sharpish, as the missus is out to a Jay Z and Beyoncé gig in the evening.

I'm in . Travelling from sheppey so meet ya all at station half tenish. One question how many beer stops you think ?

12) soapbear

You call that a list?

Been a while. See you next wkd

been offline for a few days.....

Beer stops.
Well, might force a quick history lesson on you at Newchurch.
Pubs and beer in railway caff at dungeness or play with vertigo up the light house.
The Bell Inn at Ivychurch is quite a stunning backdrop and we have to go past it and nothing between there and Ashford.

All depends on if we have to fish a Lo-pro out of dyke (water filled ditch terminolgy) :)

will add some things tomorrow, ok it's 11.45pm saturday now but more like sunday evening before i get pissed watching Allo, Allo.
:)

@tonyme

where was that ? headcorn or lydd airport or one of the many private airstrips that litter this part of kent.......some people have very large gardens, so large you can park a Dakota on them.

I will mention Ze War next saturday, and doodlebugs :)

Will it be sunny :)
will there be beer......maybe more :) maybe fish n chips. at least 1 pub.
will anyone be sick off the top of a freaking light house.
will we get shouted at by armed police (possible, nuclear power station at dungeness)
will me and @mashton have a drag race and nearly drown in a dyke.
will we get snapped chains and punctures.
will we rescue each other to the safety of a pub (then fuck off and leave them :)

Who knows.
be there or be square.
Lets Make a Rendezvous and find out :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=timHoeEgKb8

Some updates.
If anyone is driving down.
part of J10 M20 onto Bad Munsteifel road the A2070 will be closed on the 16th to demolish a foot bridge.
J 10 will be open but traffic will be directed down Hythe road and into Ashford town centre so expect delays as Traffic will be sent to J 9 through town centre to join M20.

There is a nice large leisure centre car park by the Railway station, the station carpark is cheaper at weekends (£1 on sundays) and is fairly empty at weekends. Or just park up on the park farm estate (not rough your car will be safe here). Big tescos and costa on Park Farm.

I don't do tech....... back to analogue......

Enlarged a basic map of route and added some way markers.

I will print a load off and bring with me, but if you wanna save the piccy to your smartphone, here you go :)

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Not sure if this will show up clearly enough.
Will be on back of map.
Some notes and street names.

Felt like a teenager trying to cram in late homework.... :)

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Escape from Ashford.

Leave station, turn right to carpark follow cyclepath.
Ride alongside the Designer Outlet and enter ASDA's carpark, head to the cycle racks to the right of main store doorway.
Path off to the right, turn left then right, big white hoarding boards hiding view onto building site next door.
Follow cycle path across fields and exit onto A2070.
At roundabout take 2nd exit onto Sheepfold lane. Head into Park Farm estate.
Head to junction, turn left.
Left at first roundabout, then right onto Mead Way (small shop here) at next roundabout turn right and follow road around, through traffic calming and onto bridge over A2070. Traffic lights on bridge, turn right and escape Ashford, follow road, turn right to mark 2 and head to Bilsington.

This will be the way back from the end of Brisley lane at mark 14.

The A2070 is used for Time Trial Events with a 10 and 25 mile circuit using it. It is a fast main road, single carriage lanes but expect motorway speeds from vehicles.

I am adding these notes so people at a later date can ride this on their own.

Mark 10 on map is Ivychurch, pub here. turn left at pub and about a mile down the road back towards to Brenzett is a small aeronautical museum that covers the wartime history of the marsh. I will ride down to it one day and add photos to this thread.

:)

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You can do a variation if your prefer Charing x trains and go to Headcorn. A nicer place than Trashford and apart from one small hill, a nice ride to the coastal areas very close to your planned route.

St Pancras to Ashford has a bus from Ebbsfleet

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/service_disruptions/187357.aspx