Spoons To 'Spoons (A ThNRC Affair)

The idea of riding through the night from Potters Bar's Wetherspoon (our favourite) to Ramsgate's Wetherspoon (the biggest in the UK) has been floated around by @middleofnowhere during and after a few TNRC rides.

The route needs routing, but the key points would be

• have some drinks in Potters Bar until the Spoon's closing time (00:30 on Friday and Saturday)
  
• skirt around London along the M25
  
• cross the Thames at Dartford (the bridge-crossing shuttle is operational from 3am)
  
• work out a nice route from there to Ramsgate
  
• have some drinks at the Spoon in Ramsgate and pass out on the beach
  
  

That should add up to about 100+ miles.

The train return doesn't seem to be a major hurdle (direct services on a regular basis), although the most adventurous amongst us might be tempted to ride down to Dover and carry on across the channel to France.

So, apart from the route, which I intend to pour over during next week, what we need to agree on is a date. Given that the Dunwich Dynamo is happening on the 28/29th of July, somewhere late August could be nice, what do you think?

Edit: after careful considerations and debates, the date has been chosen to be the night from the 31st of August to the 1st of September. Departure from Potters Bar at half past midnight.

Edit2: here goes the definitive route:

Part 1
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/27889095

Part 2
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/28479403

Good work! Will insult my diary and reverse asap.

I'm in. I've got a good route from Dartford to Ramsgate along the coast-ish. Does have 50 m or so of off piste action but I can get through on 23c tyres and road cleats without issue. Will look up and post some time tomorrow or in the week.

Currently in trialogue for this

I guess you're talking about the DealWithIt route? I was thinking we could reuse this.

I'll be looking at the first half this week. Also need to email the crossing shuttle operator to confirm times and other details.

I don't know how much time we need to kill before the crossing, but this is from the crazy/great M25 route from like 7 years ago run by @pastry_bot and other forum OGs . Takes us to to the crossing point. Just a thought...

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/27889095

Very similar to the DealWithIt route but without as much off piste/hike a bike. Something very close to this:

https://www.komoot.com/tour/18836364

From Margate round to Ramsgate I'd use the DealWithIt route as it is all back on tarmac again.

Looking like a long night on the bike!

Well, it looks like we have our work cut out for us, doesn't it. Thanks!

That route definitely has some bridleway sections, so beware...

Suggested route from Dartford > Ramsgate is here: https://www.komoot.com/tour/36587783

It's a bit annoying about the 3am earliest Dartford crossing as if we leave Potters Bar at last orders (11pm?) we're likely to be sitting about for at least an hour. It would also be nice to get to Reculver castle to watch the sunrise which will be around 6am in late August, it's 55 miles or so from Dartford though so I think we'd struggle even if we were all across the river by 3.30am.

Thanks!

The Spoon at Potters Bar closes at 00:30 on Friday and Saturday so we should be alright.

No worries! Who knew Potters Bar was such a party town...

Right, so, I haven't taken the time to look at pastry_bot's route just yet - though it's definitely on my radar for this week. But in the meantime we should talk about dates.

Unfortunately I'm away on the bank holiday weekend (25/26/27th August) so I'm gonna be selfish and put forward the weekend before, 18/19th August. How do we feel about that?

I think I'm around for that weekend. Let me confirm tonight. With that section I took from the M25 route, I did do a few little tweaks as I saw some bridle path business which I think I've tidied up for night riding.

But someone double checking would be good! Thanks for the heads up @pastry_bot

The weekend of 1st/2nd September would also work for me.

Thanks for the route check! Let me know what to look at and I can do a 2nd round.

Both are good for me but think Aug is better. Who else?

18/19 Aug for me is good. August generally is better for me too
I'm doing the London orbital audax on the 11th Aug, so that's my only no-can-do

Either would be good for me, would probably favour August but not for any particular reason.

18/19 is the one August weekend I can't do but obvs, majority rules and if that's best for everyone else then go for it!

Ok starting out on the night of the 18th has momentum. @Scrabble @cagimaha @Rod_Munch @jaeyukdapbap @rhowe @KT_Bee @mashton who else have I missed? @benjam @balmain possible long-shots but have previous overnight form...

No can do from me. No time in August really suits as we're busy most weekends it being school summer holidays.

Always going to be difficult for me TBH as weekend credits are very precious!

Aug:
1)
2)

Sept:
1) scrabble
2)

Don't really mind but leaning towards Aug :
1) middleofnowhere
2)

Don't really mind but leaning towards Sept :
1)
2)

Really don't mind either way:
1)
2)

Really don't give a toss, where's Ramsgate anyway:
1)
2)

Aug:
1)
2)

Sept:
1) scrabble
2)

Don't really mind but leaning towards Aug :
1) middleofnowhere
2)YAL

Don't really mind but leaning towards Sept :
1)
2)

Really don't mind either way:
1)
2)

Really don't give a toss, where's Ramsgate anyway:
1)
2)

Aug:
1)
2)

Sept:
1) scrabble
2) jaeyukdapbap

Don't really mind but leaning towards Aug :
1) middleofnowhere
2) YAL
3) Ruserius

Don't really mind but leaning towards Sept :
1) cgg
2)

Really don't mind either way:
1)
2)

Really don't give a toss, where's Ramsgate anyway:
1)
2)