Riding Experiences
Notable cycling events ridden by Johnny Rocket over the last few decades.
Charity Rides
My enthusiasm for long distance cycling started with charity rides. Raising money for charity helped shape my motivation and ensured I actually turned up for the rides.
Initially I would get the organised transport back to London. As my endurance grew I rode back home from the events to really push myself.
London to Oxford
A charity ride from West London to central Oxford.
The first time on this ride I took the official transport back. The second time I rode back to London.
London to Cambridge
A charity ride from North London to central Cambridge.
On 28 July 2019 my friend and I rode to Cambridge and back in the same day. We had lunch at Doppleganger Burger, a lovely vegan restraint that let us put our bikes inside the shop as we muched on our burgers and curly fries.
Ride of the falling leaves
A very hilly and challenging ride up and down the Kent Alps. The route climbs 8 large hills including Woldingham switchback,
The ride started with one lap of the Herne Hill velodrome (an outside banked oval track) which often tripped people up by not going fast enough around the banked corners.
There is no gentle start to this ride as the route climbs to the top of Crystal Palace (via College Road, Fountain Drive), with a little rest as you speed down Anerley Hill (carefully) and head over to West Wickham.
Over Addington Road roundabout and starting the long ascent to the top of the North Kent Downs along Layham Road.
Heading over to Woldingham via a steep s-bend decent down Hallidoo Valley road which if timed well can give a nice run up to a short steep climb right after the decent. and then a lumpy road to the edge of Woldinghame. after which the routes split. The shorter route descends directly towards Westerham, whereas the longer route takes in a Kentish loop featuring Edenbridge and the less-than-playful Toys Hill. From Westerham (where you’ll find the feed station) the routes re-combine, and then tackle the steep slopes of Sundridge Hill before the (mostly) downhill run to home.
Kent Tour De France Sportive
The 2007 Tour de France featured a major stage through Kent on July 8, travelling from London to a finish in Canterbury. This historic event included a, now-historic, 117-mile sportive, held on July 1, 2007, allowing cyclists to ride the same route as professionals. Key towns included Dartford, Medway, Maidstone, and Ashford.
Key Details of the 2007 Tour de France in Kent:
- Stage Route: The 2007 Tour entered Kent via London, passing through Greenwich, Dartford, Medway, Maidstone, Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells, Tenterden, and Ashford before finishing in Canterbury.
- Sportive Details: British Cycling organized a cyclo-sportive one week prior to the main event, allowing roughly 5,000 riders to experience the 117-mile route.
- Historic Context: This was the second time the Tour passed through Kent, following the 1994, 127-mile stage from Dover to Brighton.
- Legacy: The event aimed to create a cycling legacy in Kent, often referred to as the "Year of the Cycle".
2007 Tour de France
The 2007 Tour de France famously featured a 203 km (126-mile) Stage 1 from London to Canterbury, marking the first time the race finished in that city. The route passed through Kentish towns like Tonbridge, Maidstone, and Ashford, with the stage won by Robbie McEwen.
Key Details of the 2007 London-Canterbury Stage:
- Route: Started in London (after a prologue), passed through Dartford, Gravesham, Medway, Maidstone, Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells, and Ashford, finishing in Canterbury.
- Distance: Approximately 203 km (126 miles).
- Terrain: Included three Category 4 climbs, with a notable one at Quarry Hill, Tonbridge.
- Sportive: A public "Kent Tour de France sportive" was held in 2007, allowing amateur cyclists to ride the same 117-mile route.
The 2007 stage was a major moment for British cycling, with Mark Cavendish making his Tour debut, as noted by Walk Tonbridge and YouTube.
Lands End to John O'Groats
September 2019 I completed a 9 day ride across Britain, from Lands End in the South West of England to John O'Groats in the North East of Scotland.
The "Ride Across Britain" was an organised event that provides tents each night, showers, massages and lots of delicious food each evening and at pit stops along the route each day.
Audax
Audax rides are organised in many countries across the world where riders attempt to complete long-distance cycling events. It reminds me of orienteering on a bicycle.
The shortest rides are 50 km long, although many rides are 100km to 600km long.
In the United Kingdom adopted the 'Randonneuring' style (allure libre) of Audax where participants are free to cycle at their own pace, stop and sleep wherever they wish and form groups randomly. The only constraints are to visit checkpoints on the route and stay within the event time limit.
Evidence of checkpoints are recorded on a brevet card. This can be a stamp when visiting a location, or information available at a specific place on the route (e.g. a road sign with the distance to a village from the current point).
Anyone can join a ride organised via the Audax.uk website. Rides charge a small fee (typically 5 GBP to 25 GBP) to cover admin costs. Participants should have either an Audax UK membership or a free account. Non-members may need to pay extra to cover insurance for the ride organisers. Riders should be 18 or over.
Kent Invicta Grimpeur 100
The Kent Invicta Grimpeur 100 is a popular early-season event organized by West Kent CTC.
The route traverses 6 climbs, up some of the largest and steepest hills in Kent. It is a circular 50km route, with the second half cycled in reverse.
As it is early in the season it is used to prepare for greater challenges later in the year.
- Location: Starts and finishes in Otford, Sevenoaks, Kent.
- Distance/Type: 100 km (Grimpeur/hilly).
- Timing: Usually held in March (e.g., March 17, 2024; March 9, 2025).
- Terrain: Known for packing in significant hills around the Sevenoaks area.
- Entry: Often features on-the-line entries and includes food/drink at the start and finish.
- Context: It is part of the Audax Altitude Award (AAA) series, designed for those who enjoy climbing.
This event is held in conjunction with the "Kent Invicta Hilly 50," which is the same route but only one way round.
I have done the 100km event several times. The last attempt was in 2020 but I was only able to manage the 50km route.
The Shark
Oasts and Coasts 300
I had planned to set off at 01:00 but it was just after 02:00 before I departed, so I was running behind in reaching the start and missed all the other riders. I tried to play catch up, hoping I would meet some people who stopped for a banana break.
Unfortunately I got a little confused at one roundabout and it took 20 minutes for me to figure out the right direction.
Once I got back on track I continued to try catch up to other riders. I forgot the chase as I rode along the sea wall from Herne Bay to Birchington-on-Sea, joining at Reculver Towers and Roman Fort. There was a beautiful view of the sea along the North Kent coast, although the surface of the sea wall was a little bumpy.
By the time I got to Hythe I was resigned to the fact I would not be able to catch up. I decided to head straight for home (London) but I didnt have a map (or a cycling computer) so straight probably wasnt that straight 🤣
Heading in a northerly direction and wishing for a train station, I eventually made it to Westerham after many hours and from there I had a better idea of where I needed to go to get home thanks to riding with the Dulwich Paragon club social ride.
At this point I was running very low on energy, but a stop at a couple of service stations and wolfing down several chocolate bars helped me get back home.
Overall I rode for around 17 hours and covered approximately 420 km.