RNLI Fundraising trip
Round the Coastline of Britain

Day 2 - 13th May 2005
Canterbury to Aldeburgh (263 miles)
Visited 10 RNLI Stations

We managed a failry good nights sleep in the YHA tent and got up early so we could crack on to Whitstable and beyond.

On the run to Sheerness we passed what must be the largest takeoff ramp that has ever been built. Eivel Kneivel could reach Sweden using the thing. I think it was part of a new road building project which was going to improve access to the docks at Sheerness, but it would be cool if they just tarmac it and otherwise leave it as it is.

When we reached the Sheerness docks, a security guard queried how we were going to tow any containers away, but after a bit of flannel they let us through to visit the RNLI station. This was the first time we realised how handy the flourescent bibs with RNLI Charity Ride on them would prove to be.

A free trip through the Dartford tunnel and we were soon heading into darkest Essex. At first the route was tortuous and rather urban, although we kept amused by the variations on the Essex lads attempts to soup up their cars. I think Chris saw a Citroen with 6 exhaust pipes.

When we reached Clapton we spotted the onshore RNLI station just down the promenade, as we rode down towards it one of the RNLI guys was gesticulating to us that no bikes were allowed and we should turn around. However, once we stopped and he realised what we were doing, we had a great chat and the after he found out that Frinton was the next stop, suggested that we ride up the promenade for the 6 miles to Frinton. Excellent. These bibs really work.

After Frinton, Chris gave me an artful demonstration on how to hustle an F650 through corners. Get somewhere near the entry point, max the throttle, lean like crazy and slingshot round like you want to enter a low earth orbit. Aaah to young again. :)

I think I will stick to my "look for the exit, then accelerate" method.

By rush hour we were just south of Ipswich and having looked at the tailback on the A14, decided to try our luck looping through Ipswich and out towards Fausto's pad where we were going to spend the night. Most probably a bad mistake, but we still made Fausto's where after a cup of tea, we leapt onto the bikes again for an evening blast up to Adleburgh RNLI. There were lovely forests all round Fausto's and he knew which were the best roads to take. By the time we came back the sun was going down and after a great supper, we settled down for the night. Chris was trying to write a diary, but was already a day behind.