Martin Malins writes…
The first of El Supremo Dave Hudson’s legendary and ridiculously cheap Audax events; 104
entries today apparently. I started with the early bunch for a very benign 48k loop down to Pevensey along the levels frequented by the Southdowns Randonee.
Back at Heathfield Dave’s catering emporium was in full swing as most of the 100k and 160k riders were departing. I had a large sampling of his cuisine before the second leg. This was a blat down to The Wheel where we did Willingdon Lane of Mad Jack notoriety; actually a lot easier today.
Soon we were on a fast wind assisted B road to Rye and before long were pelting along to Lydd with a 50mph tailwind; highlight of the day, especially seeing Fairlight Beacon also of MJF fame from a very safe
distance. At Dungeness we had to ride into the same for a couple of k.
A trainload of light railway punters had just arrived so I got a stamp and forewent the glow-in-the-dark tea (thanks to the adjacent nukular power station) and caught up one of my Denmead ride mates for the very
leg to World of Water. WoW is a garden/aquatic centre with an attached genuine greasy spoon, where I had tea and a Big biscuit.
From there it was lumpy to say the least and the several furrows did little to tame the wind. Two more infos and then it was just the long drag (and occasional grunt) back up to Heathfield, where I arrived in under 10 hrs for the first time in quite a few years.
Nice ride; shame about the wind; looking forward to the 300 in 3 weeks.
