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A fine summer's afternoon, and having left work early with a spring in my step, I returned to my little flat in Harpenden, loaded up my bike, cycled to the station, and boarded a deserted Thameslink train to Brighton well before the rush hour crowds showed any signs of appearing.
This time around there was to be no loitering in the capital's pubs beforehand, and as the Thameslink counted off the London stops one by one before speeding southwards into the Surrey countryside, I reflected that we now had a real mission on our hands. No longer was this a mere south coast jaunt to pass the time – we were now officially cycling the entire mainland coastline.