The Tour de Norfolk #TdN
Well we did it!
200 miles, 322km, a fairly decent ride by anyone's measurements?
Ivor Simon and I arrived in Cromer to be greeted by thick fog, nonetheless we set off and were on a pretty fast average pace for the first portion due to a favourable tailwind. The oft forecast rain, finally arrived at Winterton and stayed with us till our first cafe stop at Bungay - soaked through but spirits not quenched.
Earlier a slight detour in the Yarmouth area had gained us some mileage, but lost us time.
Bungay to Brandon was windy, as the former tailwind was now in our faces, but with the thoughts of lunch in our minds we pressed on. Upon our arrival in Brandon, we found Trisha, Ivor's wife had laid on a spread of sandwiches, cake, chocolate, drinks, gels, towels, blankets - the whole 9 yards! The rain long since gone, meant that it was time to shed layers and rearrange our dress!
Refuelled and knowing that the halfway point had been and gone we set off North, for the top left hand corner of Norfolk. The road between Southery and Wereham was being resurfaced so loose and interesting terrain plus heavy machinery were our adversaries for a few km's. Onwards we cycled, missing our preferred route, and ending up taking the main roads to King Lynn and Hunstanton - fairly fast sections interspersed with horrible rises in the road all with traffic thundering by!
Hunstanton, was to be our final pitstop and heralded the beginning of the home straight, a nicely timed mocha / capucchino's did the job and although it seemed a shame to leave what was a beautiful evening in Hnstanton, we knew there was a job to be done.
Needing 40 miles to hit the double century, quick calculations informed us we needed a detour to gain a couple of miles (those earlier gained miles, negated by our more direct route via Kings Lynn). So a right turn inland at Brancaster, and then back left round to Burnham Market we felt should do it. On we plodded towards Cromer - a coast road that rolls most of the way. Josh, my Nephew appeared along the road at Cley and a few other places along the way, shouting encouragement and taking the odd snap. With Cromer in sight we knew that we would be about 1/4 - 1/2 mile short of our target so waving at the welcome committee a ride down to the garage at the end of the promenade and back as in order to make the 200.
Much celebration, hugging and amazingly plans for an annual event followed before loading up cars and going our seperate ways home. Sausage and chips on the way home, made for an "ideal" recovery meal and so the longest day ended.
Shattered? - Yes but elated and proud of our collective achievement
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