Hello all. Today was a pretty great day. The riding was all in all nice and easy, a few hill climbs and some wind, but really nothing awful. We started our day with a very large and delicious breakfast of cereal, homemade bread, jams, butter, different spreads, and fruit smoothies. In this one breakfast we probably ate more fruit than the whole trip combined, which made it even better. After filling up on breakfast, we loaded up the bikes, said our goodbyes to our hosts and went into the village of Deal to find our path. On our way to the path it began to threaten rain and since we were near a bike shop we decided to take the bikes in to get their rear brakes worked on and wait the rain out. While the bikes were being worked on we went to cafe in the main town and had two Americanos the size of two small bowls of soup.
When we got the bikes back, the mechanic had done all he could and my rear brake worked again, but Ben's rear brake was only working at about 20% efficiency (which is far better than it was). We set out from deal and made good time to Canterbury. The riding was nice small rolling hills on hedge rowed roads through fields. We made it to Canterbury around 1:00 and went straight to the cathedral. Just outside the gates to the Cathedral we saw a man on a road bike with packs, and he started talking with us. Turns out he was just starting a bike tour and he we from San Francisco. We asked if he knew if we could bring the bikes into the cathedral grounds to which he responded "well the person I am married to (his words... "The person I am married to" that just struck me as such a weird way to phrase that, why not just say husband or wife...) knows the head guy here, so I dropped his name and was able to". After this we talked a bit more then went our separate ways, and I figured I would just go ask the people at the gate if we could take the bikes into the grounds. So I went to the ticket office and asked if it was possible to bring our bikes on to the grounds for a picture since we had just rode from Rome to Canterbury. When they heard this they told us it was no problem to take the bikes and that we did not have to pay for admissions, which was great. Once inside I went to the information desk and told them we were here on the bike trip and asked for someone to help with a picture, the lady offered to help us, then she got a priest to come and give us a blessing.
I thought it was really neat and kind the way they took care of us and offered to help us. After the picture and the blessing they let us store the bikes on the Cathedral grounds as we walked around the Cathedral and the town of Canterbury. The cathedral was magnificent, see some of the pictures below.
Lunch was some delicious pulled pork sandwiches and pulled pork Mac and cheese (unfortunately I was really hungry so I did not take any pictures, I just ate it). After we finished lunch and got ready we made our way out again to our overnight stop. The riding from Canterbury was very hilly, and thanks to a handful of wrong turns we made it to our overnight stop just on time, as oppose to the hour early it looked like we would arrive. After arriving at our stop we checked in, chatted, then headed to a pub for some dinner, where we ate curry. It was good, not delicious, but warm and good.
Anyway I think that is about everything I have for today. We Are riding to London tomorrow, or more appropriately we are riding near London then taking a train into London. We have been told by a handful of people that the bike path to London is no good and almost impassible at points, and that all the roads are death traps. Many people recommended we get close then take the train in, so that is what we are going to do. Anyway I am tired so I am going to go to bed. All the best and until next.
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