Canterbury Trails

Sunday - June 5
It's windy, very windy. No rain yet, but better break camp and pack first. That done, the wind has subsided a little and I make a quick fried egg sandwich. Yeah, another sandwich in Sandwich, who'd have thought? I pack up the kitchen gear, put the rain covers over all the bags (see pic above) and head out.

I have a map, but I am following a National Cycle Network bike route. These are well marked routes that generally follow back roads or bike paths throughout the country. I really don't need the map, but it is fun to follow along with each turn to plot my progress. One does have to stay alert though. I was coming down a hill and my gears were slipping. I was so focused on the gears that I almost missed a road at the bottom of the hill. I saw it, went past it, stopped and wondered, "Hmm, was that a turn?" Sure enough, it was.

Eighteen miles, two short "walking hills", and two and one half hours later, I arrive in Canterbury just as it starts to drizzle. I stop for some lunch, then head for the train station to meet Cookie, coming from Salisbury. He is not on the train, and I think he may be arriving at the other train station. I decide to head for the campground and get camp started.

The campground is up a steep hill, and I end up walking it, as I have before. When I arrive, I find that Cookie arrived an hour earlier than expected and has already set up his tent. It is raining harder now, and I set up in the rain, a wonderful experience.

We head back to town in the rain and find a pub to have dinner and check our internet accounts. I check in with my sister Sally by phone and she updates me on mother and what's happening at home.

Back up the hill in the rain to the campground. Get in the tent and finish setting up the sleeping pad and bag and it is lights out! It's only 8:30, but there is nothing else to do on Sunday night in Canterbury. The rain continues as I drift off.