Bicycle-Touring 25th June 2021. Brighstone to Bognor Regis. 63 miles.
As predicted it did rain last night, but unpredicted I stayed dry! Not too sure if it was luck, a fluke or what it was! Of course, it may be down to the fact that I’ve put copious amounts of seam sealer on the tent! But hey, who cares as long as I stay dry!
It was still raining when I went to pack up and leave this morning. I did wait until about 8 o’clock, but by then my water had run out! So I couldn’t make any more coffee! Seeing as I’d get wet going to get more water, despite all the water around me! I thought I’d just as well pack up and leave.
After packing away, and loading the bike up, I put on my wet weather gear. And set off down the road to Newport, or rather up the road! Typically 3 miles down the road, the rain stopped!
Reaching Newport I met up with my old mate Malcolm. Who I met a few years ago on the Portsmouth to Saint-Malo ferry, and we’ve kept in contact ever since.
Believe it or not, we went to a pub for a spot of lunch. And all I had to drink was a cup of coffee, no beer! I don’t think that even Malcolm could believe what was happening!
After catching up with Malcolm, which was really nice, I set off towards Sandown along the Red Squirrel trail. Not that I was going to Sandown, I was just following that route because I knew it. I was going to deviate from it further down. Which I did and ended up going to St Helen’s and Seaview, on the east of the island.
After my detour and bimble around the island, I went to Ryde to catch the fastcat back to Portsmouth. What a pain that was! You couldn’t go on unless you’d pre-booked! The ticket office was closed because of Covid-19 restrictions! What a load of rubbish, I think a lot of companies are using the pandemic as an excuse to cut back on staff and save money! Of course, you can pre-book by downloading their app! So they then have your phone number and email address to sell on! I was Mr Grumpy after that!
The ride home from Portsmouth was non-eventful and pretty boring. I tend to go into automatic mode on that route because I’ve done it so many times now! But at least today there was a nice tailwind to blow me home.
Hi Garry! Good to see you. I was supposed to buy you lunch. You overners come over and lark with our waitresses. It beats me how you can erect a tent with sciatica or anything else for that matter.
They say we’re twenty years behind on the Island, but the camera can’t lie: I am vintage. he he.
Have you done the Juras? You can get a train to Grenoble.
You brought lunch last time, and the time before that, I seem to remember! You mean us from the North Island! We like to annoy the locals!
You certainly are vintage. I’ll give you that. And so is your bike!
I’ve definitely cycled across them once on my way home from Italy.