01 July: London to Calais

bike

The bike ready to go

Some details about the bike: it is a Genesis Equilibrium 20, a road bike for touring, slightly larger tyres (700×28), and frame eyelets for a rear rack. I have 2 panniers and a handle bag as well, all waterproof. To find my way, I use an old Garmin Edge 605 where I load the routes that I prepare on my PC. I use MTB shoes as they allow me to walk easily. Including luggage, the total weight this time is 21.3 kg (excluding water).

The initial odometer reading is 967 km.

odometer start

As usual, a wet start! I left at 6:15 and it started drizzling nearly immediately. The traffic was average. Apart from some nice views in central London the road is nothing special for the first 90 km. The rain intensified and it went on more or less constantly for a bit more than 3 hours.

20160701_094858Just outside Faversham my route leaves the main road and starts going up and down the Kent countryside.

20160701_124218

Unfortunately, all the rain meant some flooding and mud…

20160701_122138After a few climbs and steep descents in the Downs I reached Dover at 14:15 and I took the ferry to Calais, eating a well deserved lunch.

20160701_145730

The dinner in Calais was definitely better: galette bretonne and Breton cider:

20160701_202520

This is the trace for today: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1236676655