300km to the AGM

I've been trying to write this for a couple of days but it just seems to come out as, cycle stop eat cycle etc. A bit bland.

I had booked 2 nights off work (Thu-Fri) last week so that I was able to take a ride up to York mostly in daylight instead of doing an overnight ride like last year to Guildford.
In a straight line York is about 260kms away so I entered a route via Lincolnshire and the Humber bridge.

Alarm got me up at 02.00 for a quick breakfast and I was away after getting a receipt from the garage at 03.15.
The temperature was cold with a SW tailwind but I'd expect nothing less for a late Nov' ride, last years was in frosty conditions.
I headed Northwards towards Billing for the next garage control which was shut, the cashpoint was working though so I withdrew some money, had a quick snack and drink and was away again.
After getting lost on the Wellingborough ring road again I found the right road out and headed along the Nene valley towards Oundle ticking villages off as I went.
A sausage roll and pint of milk brought and away again following the gps around the town to get onto the A605 took me the long way.
It was then onto part of the LEL route through Wansford over the A1 north of Peterborough and up to Bourne on the A15.
The rush hour was in full swing now and the roads were starting to get busy. Another stop in a garage for a sandwich and coffee to try and warm up then back out towards Sleaford via some back lanes.

Found Sainsburys but was feeling a bit blotted and didn't feel like eating the food I'd brought so it was just a milkshake and stand about in the cold for 10 minutes which was making me shiver.
Had to get going again to warm up so it was a fast ride out of town and into the quiet 4 number A roads of the L-E-L route again through Lincolnshire and over to Wragby, I arrived there at 13.00 and was well in time so decided on a cafe stop and try to warm up.
Sausage, egg, chips, beans and a coffee ordered I found myself not hungry and only managed half of it, not like me at all as the people who know me will tell you.

The next bit up towards the Humber bridge and Beverley really seemed to drag and the uphill parts were grindingly slow, this part seemed to take an age. I got lost again in Barton trying to find the bike path to the bridge. I've crossed it 3 times so far and have taken a different route each time. This time I ended underneath it!
By the time I did cross it I found myself in the Hull rush hour, the traffic was nose to tail around the ring road but I just kept up with it and headed to the planned stop at Morrisons supermarket as I new it would be open.
Again I didn't stand around for too long so as soon as I had the usual audax food of a pasty and 2 Danish pastries I was away again at 18.00.

I'd ridden along the A1079 before to York so knew what to expect but the 30mile continuous up and down and cold temps were starting to get to me and I was just wishing it would hurry up and finish. With the welcome to the city of York sign passed I knew there wasn't far to go but it seemed like ages before the first signs of houses appeared. It was then a quick blast through town and the racecourse and a bit of fun trying to find the racecourse centre. I finished at 20.40

The bike was then put in the stables with the others and I was off to get changed and get a cider or 2 to rehydrate, knowing I had booked a train 3 months ago for the return journey :-)
Total distance was 317kms. 17.30hrs total time with the gps showing about 3.5hrs stopped.