08\04\17 - Shaftesbury CC Randonee 200km Audax

Started from The 'Uts at 08:00 in thick fog and made our way in an easterly direction to Greenstead Green.  This was not without its thrills & spills, the latter being a particularly good reminder of how hard the roads are when you hit them!  To add insult to injury I punctured about three miles later on supposedly puncture-proof tyres.  However this did give me an extra bit of time to sort the blood from the bruises and whatever other damage I'd done to myself and the bike.  Idiot! 
After all the early excitement the remaining 100 miles were fairly uneventful.  The fog cleared to expose a glorious day as we toured through Coggeshall, Gt Leighs & back to Henham (110kms).  Then off again on another loop via Hare St & Elmdon (162kms).  Then the final 45kms via Takeley & Much Hadham to the finish (215kms).
Teamed up at the start with a rider that I used to ride with, but not for three years.  It was good that we were still roughly the same speed and attitude as before, and that he was still great company.  One or two of the lanes were definitely a bit iffy and questionable but overall it was a great randonee over roads and lanes, some of which are well known to me and some not.  PW.