Recce of Ric's Ride

Hi everyone !

Jeff Dobson * very kindly accompanied me yesterday on a Recce of Ric's Ride.


* Jeff will be doing the London to Brighton British Heart Foundation bike ride earlier on the same day,immediately before my little ride 


On a wonderfully warm and sunny Sunday we drove down to Hastings to begin at St Leonards Warrior Square station.

A very good start : there are two pubs within sight of the station !

We were soon driving round Warrior Square and pausing outside of No. 66, where I first lived !

Off along the Front and there was our first stopping point: the White Rock Hotel.

On 17th June will we ever remount our bikes ?
       Or will be spend the rest of the day in the Pub ?

Jeff & I were soon in Hastings Old Town, passing the Blue Dolphin ( "Best fish & chips in the world" : Probably) and turning left into Old London Road for the long, long climb up to the Fairlight Hills.
   
    Let's be honest, this is a hill for pushing your bike up quite a bit of the way !!!

On through Battery Hill, we were soon at Pett Level and driving along the Winchelsea sea wall & on into Rye.

Parking in the cricket ground car park & walking up Landgate brought back so many memories of childhood walks with my cousin Pat & my Aunt Ivy's chocolate cake ( "Best in the world": Definitely).

And then were outside The George.

The first pub I ever went to; aged 3 weeks !
     This Sunday 13 July it will be 60 years to the day since that first visit with Dad.

Jeff and I walked up West Street and through the Church gardens and the Gun Garden to the Ypres Castle pub.

As for the scallops... " Best in the world !".

After lunch it was off to Peasmarsh and Newenden and on through the Hursts: Sandhurst, Hawkhurst, Ticehurst & Wadhurst.

We briefly stopped at the Oak & Ivy. The plan is to stop there for re-fuelling on the bike ride

And finally it was  down Warwick Park in to the Pantiles at Tunbridge Wells.

Our final stop, the Duke of York.

The 50th pub we had  passed since starting in Warrior Square !!

----

This is going to be a hell of a challenge for me.
   Some 45 miles.
  Not to mention all the pubs !!!

I hope you will be able to come along to help me on my way.

As my old history teacher, Brigadier P F "Foxy" Wells, used to say:
   Boys, in this life you get an E for Effort.
   You only get an A for Achievement.

Onward, Ric

Donations to Rainbow Trust:

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/RidingWithRic