Good Friday saw me getting up at 05.00 and on my way at 06.30.
Stopping at the garage for a receipt to prove what time I started the ride.
Glorious morning over the Greensand ridge through Woburn with deer scattering again (this time not due to squeaky brakes) for a quiet ride over towards Royston.
Arriving at the Tesco garage at 09.30. Sandwich, water and a receipt got and way again towards Cambridge with a slight tailwind up the A10.
Most cars passing with plenty of room, one decided to blast his horn and give the finger as he went past, I just waved and carried on. 200yds further on the barriers for the railway crossing were just dropping.
As I went past slowly he seemed to slide down his seat and I waved and smiled again.
Stopped off at D-Tek near Ely for a water refill and to chat to a couple of new recumbent owners who were just buying new bikes, all about the benefits.
Onwards and northwards through Ely and onto Wisbech were as I was leaving it started to rain.
The rain carried on all the way to Lincoln were I stopped for a McD's!! Only ever eat these when I'm cycling.
Lights on now as it was just starting to get dark, through the long straight roads of the fens and the hills starting to get a bit larger as I got nearer to Lincoln.
Another round of sandwiches, coffee, cakes and supplies for the night ride towards the Humber Bridge.
This section was hard as I was starting to get tired, the trouble with that was being damp when I stopped to try to sleep I got cold, and as I started again and warmed up I started to fall asleep again. This was how the night section was all night, weaving about in the road as I got more tired.
After the Beverley stop and a can of redbull and a coffee not having any effect I saw another bench where I laid down for about an hour.
At this point I was cold, damp and nearly out of time for the ride. I had seen there was a station nearby and I decided to ride to there to look at train times.
There was one along in 10 minutes, result.
I would never have cycled the section from Howden to York and onto Wetherby in the hour I had left for the time limit for a 400km (28hrs) so I got on it.
The last 20km from York to Wetherby was hard work and I arrived there just after 11.
I still managed to ride 403km without the last section.
The autoroute file I sent off for validation showed exactly 400km so with diversions I was a bit over distance.
In total I was on the road for 29hrs. Maybe if it had not rained and I was not carrying a bag of clothes I may have got there in time, who knows.
Knees ache a bit now, the other question is do I ride back home or not?
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