Battersea Breeze does the Isle of Wight [test only]

The plan is to get the 0622 train from Clapham Junction which will get us to Portsmouth Harbour at 0812. Let’s aim to meet at 0605 at the St. John’s Hill (top) entrance to Clapham Junction station. This will allow us enough time to get our bikes down to Platform (?) where our train will depart from. From Portsmouth we'll get the 0840 Wightlink catamaran http://www.wightlink.co.uk over to Ryde pier. The crossing takes about 22 minutes and a return ticket for the catamaran is £18.40 (I will check to see if they offer a group discount). There is no additional charge for bikes. I suggest we just purchase tickets when we arrive at Portsmouth as there should be ample time. In terms of the ride, it will be a 68 mile loop of the island. For those concerned about the length of the ride, there will be an 'exit strategy’. The plan is to have a 45 minute cafe stop at the half way point (about 35 miles in). You can use this time to decide if you'd like to continue with the entire loop, or head directly back to Ryde. For those with a Garmin, we email you two GPX files - the long and shorter route. We suggest loading them up before you leave home! Please thoroughly check your bike out the night before and pump up your tyres. Please also bring a spare inner tube in case of a puncture. You should also bring plenty of water and snacks to keep you going. The expected top temperature for Friday on the island is a perfect 21 degrees and partly cloudy. It also looks likes south westerly winds. With that in mind, we’ll most likely do the loop in an anti-clockwise direction in the hope that we have a tailwind back to Ryde! If for any reason something comes up and can’t make it, please text me on 07776055983 or Jacqui on 07908209813 We look forward to seeing you on Friday morning! Helen and Jacqui