Meldrews' Sunday

Yep. It was Meldrews' Sunday. Today we were back at the original Kent Centre meeting place on the A20 near Smeeth. The Blue and White Café.

Cal was there already and no other bikes when I arrived. I squeezed in on the hardstanding behind an Audi that needed two car lengths to park!

The café was packed with "normals" and just us two bikers. It seems from being a transport café for truckers and bikers it's attracting Joe Normal and family.

Anyway. I had the half breakfast which gets one of everything for the Full English. Very good and now included coffee or tea. 

The M20 past this section was closed southbound and so the A20 was very heavy. 

As we sat and ate and chatted ambulances and police cars went southwards with blue lights and sirens. With the M20 closed it meant this is the only route for them. Response times must have been through the roof!!

There seemed to be a lot of them close together. Had there been an incident? In the course of an hour maybe 8 or 9 ambulances went by. All with sirens and lights....

When we came to leave Cal took a left towards Ashford to go across the Marsh. I went right. Traffic was quite heavy and I got across the road when a truck flashed its lights. 

I got maybe 100 yards and the traffic was solid. The M20 is three lanes each way. The A20 is one!!

I took the first opportunity and headed right past Evegate and over the M20 to Aldington and past the animal park at Lympne. 

A nice ride usually but after a little rain the roads are covered by mud left by the farmers coming off their fields. They are supposed to clean up but never do.

In this area it's not uncommon to come across a tractor towing an unlit trailer well after dark! Who needs lights and a number plate!!

I got back home in time for it to start drizzling. I guess I only managed about 20 miles today!

I put Vera away and oiled the chain. It has plenty of time to soak into the o-rings before the next outing.