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The 2026 Ride: A Retrospective - The Road to Belgium
- Jay
- Jul 4
- 13 min read
Updated: Jul 6
Hello everyone!
This year's Ride4Life was anything but normal.
It wasn't a normal distance - Almost 300 miles is by far the most ambitious
distance attempted on a Ride4Life, the second closest being just over the 200 mile mark.
It wasn't a normal route - While there have been the odd exceptions when the ride has taken place entirely in a different country, this was the first time a Ride4Life started at The Lamb Tavern rather than ending there.
It wasn't normal geographically - Firstly, we've never traversed 4 different countries before, and had to deal with the challenges that came with that. But also it's the first ride where about 75% of it was completely flat. Sounds like a cyclists dream, right? Well no, but we'll come to that later!
It wasn't normal weather conditions - This was the big one. The longest day of the year also turned out to be one of the hottest, with a European heatwave pushing temperatures up to a consistent 30 degrees for most of the daylight hours.
It wasn't normal ride coverage - This year we tried something different with how we covered the ride. Firstly we slimmed down the website and made it more functional.
Then, rather than big blog posts about each section of the ride as it was happening, we went with on-scene updates and small interview snippets. This gave us more time to get the important things done on the van ready for the next stop, but it does also mean not as much information made it out from the event..
So that's where this blog post comes in, and I'll warn you now it's going to be a LONG one! I'll be talking largely about my experiences on the support van, however I have drafted in Max Burrows to give a riders perspective of each leg too, and you'll be able to identify his comments by this rather fetching baby blue colour.
Other information such as facts about places we visited or the charity etc will be in green, so if you want to know more about where we ended up, or why we are riding be sure to give those bits a read too!
Stage 1
The Lamb Tavern to Gravesend Cyclopark
22.1 Miles
It didn't take us long to realise the heat was going to be a problem.
As everyone prepared for the off, it became apparent that temperatures had soared and the air was very still in the middle of the capital. The hope was that as we got further out of the built up areas, the breeze would pick up and we might even see a bit of cloud cover... neither of those things seemed to happen.
The van didn't have air conditioning. A 2024 van... didn't have air conditioning. So it was windows down for practically the entire journey, and we knew if we were that warm even with the wind whipping around us as we travelled at 60, the guys on the bikes were going to be feeling it tenfold.
Live tracking also wasn't working at this point, so once we arrived at the Cyclopark we weren't actually sure where the riders were and how long before they would get to us.
The delay was considerable, but thankfully it wasn't due to any mishaps such as punctures or spills. It was entirely down to the difficulties of getting out of one of the busiest cities in the world.
I was very happy to start this year’s R4L at The Lamb. While Leadenhall Market always makes for a great finishing photo, those final miles coming into London aren’t usually any sort of fun.
As it turns out, it’s not being drained from the 100+ miles that precede the ride into London that make it thoroughly unenjoyable, it’s the stop/start nature of cycling through endless traffic lights.
Said traffic lights were, unfortunately, still very much present and unlike finishing at the Ride4Life’s spiritual home (where you know a crisp, cold pint is waiting), we had it at our backs while heading off into the unknown in terms of saddle time, and route.
Oh, and it was also baking hot!
Unlike the initial stages of the Ride4Llife Birmingham > London, and Ride4Llife Doncaster > London, we managed to arrive at the Cyclopark warm, still relatively fresh faced, with zero mechanical issues or punctures.
What was less of a success was the average speeds which we managed to muster - mainly because of the soaring temperatures and that seemingly every traffic light we came across had magically just turned Red - this isn't TOO much of a problem when starting and ending in the same country, but when you're very much aware there is a ferry to catch, it began to sink in just how much of a challenge this was actually going to be!
With water topped up and the odd snack consumed, the team hopped back on their bikes and cycled off toward the next stop.
Gravesend Cyclopark
The Cyclopark that we picked out as our first stopping point is actually a fantastic charity itself!
If you live locally and haven't been to check it out yet I'd really encourage you to do so!
Opening in 2012 and sprawling over 49 acres of land, they have multiple cycle tracks, fitness studios, a café and more.
Plus they give back to the community and offer free activities to those that need it most.
We headed around the corner to Morrisons with the intention of grabbing some supplies and fuelling up, only to remember it was a Sunday and it had closed some 25 minutes before we got there.
Thankfully while wandering around the petrol station mini-mart we noticed they had bags of ice, so we grabbed some of those and topped up the cooler.
We still had plenty of water... for now!
Stage 2
Gravesend Cyclopark to The Queens Head, Boughton-under-Blean
28.5 miles
This was the easiest leg from a support perspective. The van was well stocked, the drive was straight-forward and there was a decent parking space well out of the way where 12 cyclists could stand up their bikes while they resupplied and took on extra fluids.
Boughton-under-Blean's biggest claim to fame is that it was once mentioned in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. Unfortunately it was only in the prologue of one of the less celebrated tales, and the fact I've led with that should give you an idea of how little trivia I have to work with for Boughton.
Good news for long-time readers of Ride4Life coverage though, we're returning to a fan-favourite feature... Is it in the Doomsday book?
Well yes, it is... but not only that... in the 1086 book (I didn't realise it was a series! Doomsday BOOKS, would be more accurate) it was home to 62 households, placing it in the top 20% of all settlements recorded in the survey!
Exciting times!
It also had 45 acres of Woodland, 1 Fishery, 1 Salthouse and erm... there's no easy way to say this... 3 slaves. BUT! But, Google AI tells me that was remarkably low when compared to the number of households for the time... so good on them I guess.
Anyway, moving swiftly on...
We kept an eye on the tracking link, which had now started to work, and had a quick drink while we chatted to some patrons of the pub about the challenge.
The riders made it to us with only a slight delay, which is a credit to them given the blistering heat and hilly landscape they had to traverse.
We’d done over 50 miles by this point, and all riders were still very much looking and feeling strong.
Despite the hills doing their best to test our resolve and motivation, we all knew that the UK side of this year’s Ride4Life was the Mr. Hyde to France, Belgium and the Netherlands Dr. Jekyll when it came to dealing with elevation.
Although average speeds had improved from the first stage, we were still some way off what we needed to catch our intended ferry, so much so, that missing the subsequent one was also a very real possibility.
Not all doom and gloom though, as the sun started to set, and with it welcomed in some cooler temperatures…finally.
Water distributed, some more food and snacks eaten for energy and they were back on their bikes and heading to Dover to catch the ferry.
Stage 3
The Queens Head, Boughton-under-Blean to Dover Ferry Port
24.6 miles
The original plan was to catch the 8pm ferry, and we had a backup at 9pm.
We missed both, arriving into Dover about 30 minutes past last check in for the latter.
The next ferry was half past midnight, so rather than rushing directly to the port and seeing if they would let us board late, we made the call to stop about a mile out, regroup and grab something substantial to eat.
Although this added a 3 hour delay it came as somewhat as a blessing in disguise, as it meant the riders could get some much needed rest and some actual food (well... a Burger King and Nandos) as the night set in and temperatures mercifully dropped.
It may have seemed a blessing in disguise to those in the van, but missing two ferries and having a 3 hour wait on the outskirts of the port was definitely not in the script.
And while to the untrained eye having a prolonged time off the saddle may appear to be useful for recuperating, it also meant the time available for riding with far less traffic and with much cooler temperatures was cut short, as well as 5 hours effectively being added to our travel time.
We had time to think about all of that on the ferry, while doing our best contortionist impressions in trying to get any sort of rest / sleep.
With bags arranged for the ferry, we headed to our respective check in points and sweet talked our way into a ticket transfer without having to pay (we handed over a Samaritans pin badge to the port agent as a thank you) before boarding the boat to cross the channel.
Ferry 1
Dover to Calais
The second hiccup of the night came a few moments later when a 'miscommunication' between riders and support meant a couple of people ended up without their bags on the ferry (we thought they grabbed them, they thought we were grabbing them... as it transpires nobody grabbed them.)
The majority of the riders congregated in a seating area and attempted some novel ways of getting comfortable (unsurprisingly shoving two rock-hard chairs together to create a makeshift cot doesn't provide much comfort) but the relative silence was suddenly shattered by an almighty crash.
At first I thought someone had dropped a bag, or knocked something over, but I was lucky enough to glance up just in time to see Nick doing some sort of mid-air flip and quite literally decking it on the laminate floor.
To his credit, he popped back up like a prime Tyson Fury and continued his conversation with Max like nothing had even happened.
"What? Am I going downstairs? I'm not sure, do I need to go downstairs? Where's my bag, anyway?"
Our riders are made of tough stuff, and it's fortunate that they are as this wouldn't be the last time he ended up on the floor during the ride...
With the lights of Dover disappearing in the distance and the mood decidedly sombre given everything that had happened up to that point, everyone got hunkered down.
With the need to find food no longer an issue, a few did manage to get some shut eye, but I wasn't one of them.
Instead I popped my headphones on and chilled out, reflecting on the ride so far and why we were doing it; Samaritans.
A few years ago I found myself in a pretty rough spot. I've always been an anxious person, and as far back as I can remember I've worried about everything.
Stupid things too, like whether we'd get a car parking space at the supermarket, whether a shop would sell out of something I needed, what would happen if I only saw one magpie on the way to work and not two, the kind of stuff that you can't control and isn't ACTUALLY that big of a deal anyway... or is superstitious nonsense.
I'd learned to live with it, to control how much I let it affect my life, and to not let other people notice. In 2022 I started losing the ability to do those things. Bigger, more serious worries crept in and before long I wasn't acting like myself. I started shutting people out and creating excuses not to do things, struggling to concentrate and spiralling into a dark place.
Thankfully I had a good support network around me, and when I eventually opened up about it they helped me get the help I needed. Some of those people are even part of the team on this year's ride, and I owe them a great deal of thanks just for listening and being there.
But it wasn't a magic switch.
It took time to deal with and there were occasions when I still struggled. One such moment occurred on a warm, dark night in Scarborough, somewhere I have always considered my 'happy place', and had gone to try and get my head together.
Were it not for the Samaritans wristband I had on from the 2022 ride, and the random person who picked up the phone when I rang 116 123, as I stood looking down at the choppy waves of the North Sea, I may not have even been here to write this blog post today.
So that's why this ride felt even more important for me. Every charity we have raised money for has been fantastic, but this one hits home just a little closer.
That's what was running through my head as the ferry chugged its way through the seemingly endless darkness, something I felt like I had done at one time too.
But as I looked out at those choppy waves again, this time of the English channel, I felt safe in the knowledge that in both scenarios there was light at the other side.
In no time at all the ferry was pulling into port and everyone had started to pull themselves, and their gear, together.
Due to the aforementioned bag cock-up Mr. Exton had to perform an impromptu, and very rushed, striptease in the back of the van.
This was in order to get into some piece of cycling paraphernalia that I can't even pretend to know anything about, other than it required him to be completely naked before he could put it on.
Just moments after departing the boat, a mechanical halted the party.
It was close to 4am by this point and fixing things in the fuzzy glow of the street lamps isn't easy, especially when the Port Authorities are circling around the area like buzzards.
But thanks to some expert torch-work from Rob, and Nick's extensive bike knowledge, it wasn't long before everyone was back on their bikes and riding again.
Stage 4
Calais Ferry Port to Friterie, Ghyvelde
32.8 miles
Although the first stop in L'Hexagone wasn't for another 30 miles, we'd arranged to meet around 6 miles away from the port where it was quiet to make sure the riders had everything they needed.
We crept silently through quaint little French villages until we found the small dirt layby we'd picked out for the stop, and sat watching the first signs of the sun beginning to rise in the distance.
However, that moment of peace and reflection didn't last long, as a French police car crept slowly past. We crossed everything and prayed that it would carry on... but it didn't. Instead it reversed back and parked right alongside us.
The officer that got out was a mountain of a man. So tall in fact, that I had to look up at him even from my elevated seat in the van, and so broad he would have blocked out the sun had it already fully risen.
We hurriedly explained what we were doing and he asked to look in the back of the van, a request we were only too happy to comply with. He told us we shouldn't be parked there, but said he was happy we'd be moving on soon and left us to it... phew!
I did consider asking for a picture and/or giving him a Samaritans pin badge, but decided against both. A decision that was vindicated in my own mind seconds later when Gary informed me French police carry guns.
The team arrived, grabbed some more essentials and headed off into the night while we moved to our next stop... The Friterie outlet!
It was another pretty straight forward run for us, taking in some of the picturesque French countryside as the sun rose and lit up the morning sky.
Meanwhile on the bikes...
But when you add in the fact it was the middle of the night, that we were the last off, and that we had to have an official escort to the security gates, it suddenly felt like a scene from a movie.
Back to reality though with an impromptu meetup with the van. Bags that didn't make it into the van on the ferry were dropped off, there was a refuel for those that wanted/needed it, and some minor tinkering with one of the bikes (only made possible by some sterling torch bearing by Rob) before we were on our way through France.
Although tiredness had naturally started to kick in, it’s always nice to ride through the night/early morning knowing much of the population are tucked up in bed, especially when we knew all of the hills were literally behind us.
We made it to The Friterie in the support van in good time, and started to plan our day. This mainly consisted of looking for places nearby to stock up on water, ice and a few other essentials for the riders, knowing the day was going to start getting hotter very soon.
It was around this point we learned that shops on the continent don't seem to open with quite the same regularity as they do in England.
For some, Monday was a day of rest and they were closed. Others seemed to take a 'finger in the air' approach to when they'd actually bother to open their doors, and then some just made no sense at all.
A prime example of this was the '24 hour Lidl' Gary found that listed its opening hours as 8am to 8pm.
The Friterie itself didn't open until 11.30am so we had no chance of grabbing a burger and some authentic roadside French Fries even if we'd wanted to (spoiler... I wanted to.)
The riders made it to us at around 6.45am and topped off their bottles with the last of the water, before heading off to the next stop which would see us all cross into Belgium.
The Journey Continues...
Well, this has certainly become longer than I imagined it would, so for everyone's benefit I've decided to break it up into two (or possibly even three) posts.
Will the riders make it to Amsterdam?
Will we hit our £20,000 target?
Will Max get over his missed Kiev and chips?
You probably already know the answers, but for the intricate details and those all important random facts... you'll have to come back to the next one!
-Jay
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