Post ride preparation, Viking Ride

I havent really done much preparation for the Viking Ride tomorrow, normally I'm re-searching route maps, elevation detail and planning pit stops about every 25 miles.

Getting to the official start of an organised ride, with bike and without excess-luggage is often more of a challenge than actually doing the ride, this will be an exceptionally easy ride for me tomorrow, with a late start time of 10am, and a start just 4.5 miles from home, most of which is down hill and if you ask me a quite a good pre-ride, warm up.

Starting at the Viking ship, and straight into the ship to summit (where if there are not too many people, and weather allows, I hope to beat a personal best, and improve my position from 213th on the leader board, or a much more respectable 9th if you only look at the women!)  We will have a steady climb up from the coast at Ramsgate, a few short but steep hills through Broadstairs, a climb up from Ramsgate, and  after that there is a long downhill section through Margate and Westbrook, and along to Minnis Bay, and an even longer costal flat path,  almost all the way to Whitstable.  The climb into Canterbury might need a it of preparation, it would be smart to plan a food stop somewhere before then - Maybe a few Oysters, which would make a change form the normal banana and jelly babies, or perhaps I'll just keep going.

Crab and Winkle route marker

The six mile Crab and Winkle way, which was an old railway line, has a bit of a hill, into Canterbury but not too bad and very easily do-able, and then the advantage of living at sea level, it's always downhill home!

Recently I have been plagued with punctures, seriously I need to by a new tyre, as my rear on has a nasty glass cut in it, and the tubes get damaged, not ridden since recently fixed again, so I'm just hoping it holds out and I'm not fixing flats at the side of the road.

It's not too late, you too can sign up for tomorrow's ride,  or you can compete agains me in on Strava, if you dare?