20 miles - excellent

90 in 6 days! What can I say.

I would show you some photos that I took on my phone but I can't find my bluetooth dongle. So apologies - they weren't that exciting anyway.

R and myself met in Westerham at 10. It was like a Sunday morning - nothing like a working day although I know of only a handful of people working these three days. We cycled up some very steep hills and after the last one which rose around 100m we were rewarded with a fantastic view of Bough Beech Reservoir where we stopped for a satsuma. I was knackered by this point but we did do 20 miles in two hours which is an improvement over the last three days.

We returned to Westerham 10 minutes over our parking time. A Traffic Warden turned up as we were loading our bikes but he was ok that even though we were over time we had bought a ticket and he clocked someone else instead who had parked without one. I have met less friendly Wardens in my time which I think is a compliment.

While I make this entry I am watching Fanny Craddock cooking for Christmas on BBC4. She's been dead for about 20 years I'd say but she seems a bit of a nazi really, a bit of an old fashioned Ramsay. I do remember her vaguely, mostly for the fact that her husband appeared on tv with her and she nagged him throughout the whole program.....not much has changed has it ;-)

R and I had our annual New Year conversation about
a) how much we hate work
b) how much we would like to give up work
c) how we say this every year
d) how we never do anything about it

Well maybe this is the year....!

Another 35 miles, 70 miles in total

Following on from my 35 miles on Christmas Eve I am pleased to announce A FURTHER 35 miles on Boxing Day! However I was pretty much zonked out afterwards and slept for a couple of hours in the afternoon (very sociable!). I completed the second batch in 3 hours and 15, a saving of 15 mins on the Christmas Eve effort. We played "Buzz" on PS2 in the evening, an excellent game I can heartily recommend.

I am still worried about how I will able to up 35 to 70 miles in one day, but I am convinced this will happen in good time. Cycling around the very rural Kent countryside is much more enjoyable than the semi rural roads I am used to just outside of SE London. Not that I fancy moving to the countryside, too much jam and Jerusalem! And everyone knows each other's business - not a good idea.

Off for an hour's easy cycling tomorrow with R. No work for another week. Fantastic.

35 miles!

35 miles around the Sandwich area over some empty roads and lovely countryside. I am impressed with the undulating touring and fancy coming back here soon. i am also going to do the same journey for Boxing Day.
I still need to double this amount of miles and treble this over three days. But i am feeling confident about the journey as well.

More training around this area instead of SE London is called for.
And i saw these two very sad tvs today at the edge of a field. However at least they were good company for eachother. I hope they will be recycled for the good of the planet.

Merry Christmas

Relief at last; sprouts

Finally the endless round of after work socialising has stopped and my body is thanking me for this already! Just two days till Christmas and I am already planning what I hope will be two good training sessions. Tomorrow and Christmas Day I intend to do 20 miles on each. This will allow for a larger Christmas Dinner and less feelings of guilt. Also I shall be cycling on different roads which will be a welcome change even though there will be no other attendees. R assures me that cycling tout seul is often quite pleasant as there is no need to keep op with anyone.

I was reading that the worse your sprouts taste the better they are for you in terms of anti carcinogenic properties etc. - so some comfort there then although I actually really like them on my Christmas dinner and cannot understand why the eldest (and youngest too - the revulsion of sprouts cuts across all age groups) dislikes them with an intensity unseen with any other food.

Right, now for the last minute purchases...

You can't milk a cow with your hands in your pants!!

My fondness for spam emails....this is from one extolling the virtues of some rubbish stock called Motion Pictures Group...read on Mcduff!!!!

........................................................................

What goes around comes around. Where there's a will, there's a relative !

Curiosity killed the cat. To kill two birds with one stone. Do unto others as you would have done to you.

Christian New Testament Pain is only weakness leaving the body. U.S. Marines proverb Power attracts the corruptible. -from Dune series, Frank Herbert

Let him who is without sin cast the first stone. -- Jesus Christ He who dies with the most toys is nevertheless still dead.

Meaning: Admit it when there is some good in an adversary. You can't milk a cow with your hands in your pants. All hat and no cattle.

You need to bait the hook to catch the fish. From William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar There's no arguing with the barrel of a gun. Rolling stone gathers no moss.

Like water off a duck's back. Alternative: Treat 'im rough, you get you muff.--Ali G Alternative: Red sky at night: sailor's' delight. Red sky in the morn: sailor's be warned.

Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will break my spirit. The law is a jealous mistress. Professor Ferdinand Fairfax Stone, Tulane Law School, early and mid 1960s.

Possible Interpretation: Do not rush into what you do not know. You can't grease a pig so many times that he can't be greased one more time. No pain, no gain.

Think before you speak. The more you Know, the more you know you don't Know Possible Interpretation: You cannot enjoy two mutually-exclusive benefits of the same situation. Misery loves company.

Variant: Ask and ye shall receive Example: When our car ran out of gas, we were up a creek without a paddle. Alternate: If something is worth doing, someone will have already done it.

It's never too late to mend. Smile, and the world smiles with you. Cry, and you cry alone.

He who lives by the sword shall die by the sword. It's no use crying over spilt milk. Possible Interpretation: Women do not like the nice guys.

No man is an island In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king. Pain is only weakness leaving the body. US. Marines proverb People who live in glass houses have to answer the door He that lives too fast, goes to his grave too soon.

Think before you speak. Alternate Version: the ironic thing about life is that you never get out alive. Who guards the guards? Variant: Ornithological specimen of corresponding plumage congregate gregariously

Love is blind. Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana.--Groucho Marx A penny saved is a penny earned Ben Franklin The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese. Knowledge is power.

Kill not the goose that laid the golden egg. Well begun is half done. Purely bluster and no substance. The teacher has not taught, until the student has learned. -Winnie Parkerson, Nacogdoches County, TX

Freezing Fog

The country has frozen over with a huge drop in temperatures, freezing fog and no flights out of Heathrow. What is it with this place that we get near to zero degrees and it all goes down the pan.

My liver is taking a pounding. Roll on post Christmas when the endless rounds of lunchtime and post-work drinks will stop. Suddenly the January detox is looking appealing. I am in a constant hangover. My eldest thinks it's all a sad sign of middle age. This is not doing my fitness campaign any good.

And it's affecting my blogging - my creative juices have not even started to flow so I will stop now, an early( ish ) evening awaits.

5 days to Christmas day. I am strangely excited - not felt like this for years and I know by Boxing Day I will be wishing the whole thing to be over!

My sidebar keeps disappearing

Apparently it's because I have a link that is too long but I can't see what it is...any ideas? My sidebar is right at the bottom of the blog, if you want to know...although it only happens on certain browsers...

Cloud Interlude

some lovely clouds on this new photo sharing website - and it's free apparently. Better than Flickr, no monthly upload limit and no fee if you wanna load more than 20 photos a month. Click on the link "Cloud Interlude" above...

And while we're on the subject of clouds...check out the
CAS.org

Mmm, I love clouds, I've been bought my own membership of the CAS too.

My First Sunday with no training

I was off visiting the parents for pre-Xmas present exchange this weekend so no chance to train yesterday, the first Sunday without training for many months. I shall have to double up my efforts next week. I fully intend to go cycling on Christmas eve and / or Christmas day next weekend which will break up the whole weekend of excessive eating and drinking and will mean I won't feel guilty this year about consuming my bodyweight in food and drink over four days.

I've had my first donation to my charity website! Only £950 to go!

youngest childs morning questions

"so what is Jesus's surname??"
Me "Well he hasn't got one"
"Yes he has, it's Christ"
"I'm not sure if that's quite right"
"Yes it is and he's got another one, Emanuel."
By this time I've given up, no way can I prove anything here. I blame the school nativity play - far simpler when it was non secular! Now its Jesus this and shepherd that ;~)

I am hungover

This is not good. I think my hangover started before I went to bed last night. And now I have struggled for 9 hours and it’s 4.30 and I’m only just feeling human again. There must be a correlation between getting older and how severe your hangover is.

 

The cause of my delicate state today is that I was out with former colleagues from a few years ago - N2 was there. He is definitely doing this ride as well and has already started his own just giving page. He is going to plug my just giving page too which is nice. We were trying to cajole other people into joining us. One of the ladies expressed a mild interest but I think she was just going through the motions. Still she may join us so watch this space.

 

N1 is now in Oz for three weeks and I’m not sure if he is going to be joining us. We shall find out in the New Year on his return.

 

I have to go. I need some strong tea. It must be strong – always. None of this “bag in for a minute and loads of milk” business.

 

My final rant is that they have introduced some sort of software which determines if you should be looking at certain websites. Hence, Beta Blogger and Gmail are now no longer allowed. Who decides all this stuff? I thought this sort of thing only happened to people in countries run by oppressive regimes?

 

Quick Update

27 miles on Sunday. It was freezing! So cold for the first half hour and the last half out of three hours. After two hours of lovely countryside riding Me and C stopped for two chocolate bars in one go outside the most horrific newsagents/confectioners/Off License in the world in a hell hole called Stone. I told him we were never going to cycle round there again and that part of NE Kent is quite lifeless and not very picturesque - we somehow found ourselves in this area and on the road to Bluewater which was very scary - all human life in their souped up numbers's bombing it at around 70 mph across four lanes of traffic to get to shopping heaven. I gave up trying to cross the lanes and walked my bike across the road instead. We need to plan a more rural route - this was like cycling down Regent street at 5pm.

N1 is off to Oz tomorrow for three weeks and I am off to the coast this weekend so it may be a while before we are all gathered together for a ride - probably the new year. However I have fitted a bike rack to the car and intend to be cycling around the coast on Christmas Eve! Supposedly. N2 has yet to join us but has signed up apparently.

I have my photos ready for the charity website - Dr Sex on legs apparently particularly in my Borats. I'll spare you the pleasure at the moment..

Other folks' blogs

I have two blogs I read avidly, one from Hong Kong and the other from a guy called Russell Davies, he of the Eggs Bacon Chips and Beans website. He seems to be able to blog about 10 times a day and has several sub blogs on typepad. In fact blogging seems to be his whole day's work - fantastic! I could do with some of that really. He even blogs about his job and makes it sound appealing which I am most envious of seeing as I cannot even bring myself to bore people about the drudgery of working for a city based custodian. Even now I'm falling asleep talking about it.

My Hong Kong correspondent effortlessly delivers regular updates of life on the island and all very fascinating it is too, despite appearing to work for a similar large financial global corporation as well. This is in no way written to avoid dropping down her list of blogs which appear on her blog ;-)

I need to get into some sort of creative role. I am too practical in my work and home roles. My belief is that each person is either creative or practical and that it is rare to see someone with both traits...I'd like a job in IT doing crazy or interesting bloggy things or even stuff with sites like Flickr, not one writing dull requirements documents for Banking systemzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Indecent Weather

Man, it's so windy here, although still warm. There has been reports of a tornado in NW London around Kensal Rise. Goodness, global warming has much to answer for but I don't think the weather is as dramatic as in other parts of the world.

I am hoping the weather will improve before Sunday's 35 mile extravaganza. I had enough of the wet weather last weekend and this wind will only make matters worse. Tonight is another night that would be good to have a nice warm plate of shepherds pie.

A few beers with friends last night up from the south coast. We started at The Anchor for a very agrreable pint of Guinness and then headed over the road to Waggamamas for a decent plate of tucker. I quite WM's but it's hardly authentic any more, there seems to be one on every corner in London, a bi like All Bar One (or All Bar Bland as they are known). Still they do serve a decent Japanese black beer.

The eldest has just come in from school and is telling me that at school he and his friends use Babelfish to translate English swear words into foreign languages - what has the British schooling system come to?!

Another Product to leave London town

First Guinness stops brewing here and moves it all to Dublin and then comes another blow - HP is to be made in Holland! ...unless it can be saved - help keep HP in London!

Actually I prefer ketchup myself, particularly on a bacon sandwich, and Lea And Perrins on cheese on toast. In fact I don't really like HP at all. but that's not the point is it?

I must retire now, writing about HP sauce at midnight is not a good sign.

Before I do I would just like to point out that the biggest doss in an office is offering to put up the Christmas decorations (usually in a tatty old cardboard box full of dusty old items bought from Tesco's 20 years ago including very fake looking tree). I would normally take part but just sat back and watched how several others staff members managed to stretch this chore out over a whole afternoon - the swines. Very political, you must always ensure that all desks are under at least two decs.

This was nearly my first post where I didn't mention cycling.

good night.

E-mail addresses

For everything connected with google and blogger and flickr it appears that you have to have one of "their" email addresses set up to do anything remotely connected with their services and sites. Time was when you could have one email address and set up a user id and then verify it from your one sacred email address. But not now, oh no. You must have loads of email addresses that you are never going to use or either use it to ping all the incoming mail to your lovely prized main email address.

Am I making much sense? Am I the only who longs for the days of just one email address (oh, and maybe your work email address although they are generally unsuitable to provide as an id) and hundreds of user ids?

It's all just more clutter. And all more centralisation which originally the internet was supposed to be a good antidote to. Not anymore, the big boys are taking over!

Anyway as this is a cycling blog I had better add an entry - so here goes. Briefly:
I am not going cycling till next Sunday.
But I have ordered my roof rack. Exciting.
And I do not believe I look like Borat in my shorts.
I have set up my charity giving Webpage for the NAS but the thing is I need a suitable picture of myself for it. Some wag suggested posting the Borat picture. Some people aren't funny.

Another Beastly Sunday, weather wise

On retiring on Staurday night it was horrificly windy and rainy. Sunday was worse with the rain even heavier.

I could have stayed in bed and called C to call the weekly ride off but NO - I got ready and headed over to his by 9am. N1 and N2 were not available this week. The rain still tipping down we waited until 10 drinking tea and eating the traditional marmite on toast when blue skies suddenly appeared around the NW Kent area.

Our journeys generally consist of ambling around the rural roads south west of Dartford (which are always busy), stopping at the tops of hills for a drink of water before progressing onwards. Yesterday this wa s true with the additional hurdle of negotiating the very flooded country lanes (still busy). Most drivers were quite kind but to all the tw*ts in vans, BMWs and 4 by 4's who revved up to pass us and then drove past us even faster so we got completely drenched, I hope you all rot in hell.

What is it with BMW drivers in the NW Kent area? Are they lacking in the trouser department (the male ones that is)? Do they have something to prove? I see no esteem to owning one of these wretched items - give me an Orange Camper Van any day!

Anyway we did 20 miles which was 15 less than we wanted but under the conditions I say we did pretty well. And all in two hours. I need some mudguards though, my Borats* were wet through and so were my feet. And I need a bike rack as well for the car, this project is costing me more than the GDP of a small country.

Finally I have decided to post more often to this blog as my very loyal Hong Kong correspondent is being ruthless and only plugging other blogs if they post regularly. Blimey there's only so much one can say about cycling so maybe I'll have to introduce other subjects...........



*so called because others believe that my cycling shorts resemble his green outfit - http://uk.media.movies.ign.com/media/833/833754/img_3661503.html - I don't agree myself but have gone along with this comparison

definite new entrant!

N2 will be joining us on the ride to Paris. He has signed so that makes 4.

THIS has been sent from my mobile. some sort of blackberry software. Geek central!
Sent using BlackBerry® from Orange

Wardrobe additions.....

Lovely new skullcap (makes me look a dawk), new long sleeve top and a nice new wind proof, waterproof and breathable zip up top. Also some new gloves a la KooKooachoo for lovers of seventies trivia everywhere
.

I needed all this today cos the weather in London town is shite. I cannot articulate this any better because it's the only way to describe it. It's the kind of weather where you really want to stay in and eat comfort food like Shepherds Pie and cabbage. Which is what I did yesterday although I made it with Quorn which some people say is the devils work but everyone ate it with no moaning.

We had a full attendance today. Set off from C's house at around 10.30am and did about 30 miles. N was there too - he has had some new brake blocks fitted for the amazingly cheap price of £7.50 by some geezer who has a yard somewhere round the back of Bickley station. Amazing - £7.50 - how can he make any money out of that? Perhaps he just does it for the love of cycling! I feel a bit guilty about having my new bike as I think the others are struggling a bit with some of the hills - but I think they may both choose to invest in new ones soon so my guilt will evaporate when they steam up these hills leaving me behind!

We may have a further mug, sorry volunteer who's going to go with us to Paris - the guy who got me into it in the first place after a few beers. I met him the other night, he was so surprised that I had accepted the challenge that he thought he ought to go for it as well! He's an "N" too so I will have to call him N2 or something. Anyway he's going to join us for these Sunday jaunts occasionally.

I was really finished off by the time I got back to C's today. It was very hard work today even though we didn't really up the mileage. Even now 8 hours after finishing I am aching. I seek no sympathy, I'm still going to do the real thing next May but for three days? Blimey I'm gonna need to stick in some serious training soon. Reckon I'll have to do some night riding after work which around the roads of South East London is always a pleasure, never a chore ;-)

Right that's it - I'm off to set up my charity giving website, all you lucky readers can soon follow the link!

God I ache so much...............

Sunday Jaunt

30 miles today around the expanse of the countryside in NW Kent and then a few miles around Greenwich. The latter due to me having no keys when I got back from the former and so having to trek down to the "village" to get hold of some.

The first 30 were good. The weather was sunny but a bit cold with an icy breeze which you would expect for the time of year. You had to be going for a few miles before warming up. A slightly different route today around Dartford and Longfield and Meopham. We stopped for the obligatory Mars Bar which prompted a discussion about the rarity of King Size Mars bars now and how you only see the Mars Bar Duo which is a bit of a disappointment in comparison. We think it may have something to do with the Food Industry and the government discouraging us from consuming king size snacks. It's wrong to eat Mars Bars really but you do feel you've earned one after 10 miles cycling.

Only C was present today - N was out of action due to his bike undergoing some serious surgery. I hope they fix his bike. We returned after 2 and a half hours for tea and toast with Marmite as is becoming the tradition on these Sundays. Although we are upping the miles and I hope to be up to 40 by Yuletide, we need to up our speed so that we don't take too long on the day.

Both N and C are talking about investing in a racer each now. I can understand this. I am not the fittest person but with my new bike I seem to find the hills and distance a bit easier than when I was using my mountain bike. Plus my new bike is lovely. My back hurts a bit though, I think I must be sitting a bit oddly on it (the bike, not my back)...I must get that corrected when I visit Condors for its free service in a couple of weeks.

Here is my bike wish list:

• Proper racing sunglasses (wraparound la-di-dah ones)
  
• A warm jacket
• A huge proper pump for my tyres
• A bike rack for my car
• Some decent lights

Blimey, this charity run is all expenses!

On a completely different note here is a picture as promised in the last entry of Slovenian Mushroom soup in a loaf of bread.

and here is a very childish shop name spotted in Slovenia. I laughed.

I need a back massage.

slovenian red hair

I don't think my co riders did any training this weekend but there again neither did I so I guess we're even.

My trip to Slovenia was all things Slovenian - they are big on mushrooms and the gathering of such items is a natioinal hobby. In addition a lot of the ladies have red hair dyed of course. It's everywhere. A bit like blond hair in Britain. I recommend Bled and it's lake. Fantastic views of the mountains. And the hotel was second to none - Tito's summer residence. And a day in Ljubjana - a nice game goulash and mushroom soup in a loaf of bread. Photo to follow!

Weekend off from cycling

I'm off to Slovenia for a weekend la-di-da. I may get some cycling in over there - you never know. But in case I don't I am leaving it to my two team mates to get training.

They won't - but it's a nice thought....

Back Sunday.

Yesterday's route

New bike pic!

Yesterday we started with a nice ride along the south side of the Thames (the best side of course, the north side is just too new with all those bland buildings in the docklands – far nicer to see the derelict factories of the south side, much more atmosphere) and then a run to Bromley after a quick lunch. N was there but C has a bad back and is suffering with all sorts of complaints so it seemed wise for him to rest easy and watch the Arsenal v West Ham game instead. After an 89^th minute goal by the hammers I don’t think he was best pleased.

Not an especially large amount of miles but some good hills were negotiated. There were some particularly steep ones in the area round Mottingham. Naturally the new bike negotiated these well and I am most pleased. N’s bike needs a service as his braking methods using his feet are worrying me slightly! Either that or a new bike is in order…I know just the shop for that…

I’m just waiting for the acknowledgement of my application form now, and when that is in place I shall be setting up the sponsorship page. Get your shillings ready!

My lovely new bike is here!

I was going to pick it up at lunchtime from Condor Cycles in Greys Inn Road but events overtook me at lunchtime and I decided to pick it up later. I got fitted for some shoes that clip into the pedals (a bit scary) and bought a tiny pump, some leggings, a little saddle bag (tiny thing which goes under the saddle for your spare inner tube, type leavers and of course mobile phone). And they gave me a nice shoulder bag to carry all my stuff home in. Excellent shop. Heartily recommended.

Lastly I had some lessons on how to clip in and out of the pedals, but I decided to keep my trainers on and headed home as riding in Central London traffic in the Friday night rush hour on a new bike with clip on shoes for the first time was not a good idea.

I thought I could get home along the Thames path but that was a bad idea and I eventually stuck to the main roads through Rotherhithe , Deptford and Greenwich. There are quite a few bus and cycle lanes so the eventual ride home wasn't too bad. I fell off once but not badly and this was away from the main road.

Coming up the hill near home was a breeze in comparison to the same climb on the mountain bike (it bloody well should be better for the price difference!)

I am going to put some photos up of the new beast but I can't find my lead for the digital camera. It always disappears. I must get a wireless digital camera and then this problem won't arise again.

Roll on Sunday, 25 miles! A breeze.

Some Progress!

Two bits of news....my bike which I have had built is now ready for me to pick up. Exciting! I will be collecting it on Friday and I will post a picture of it by the weekend. All very riveting for me if not anyone else.

And there has been some progress on the doctor front - he has finally agreed to sign the form which means I can now apply properly to do the ride - so there is definitely no going back.

The new bike has been hyped so much by R that it must perform better than my £140 mountain bike which I bought 6 years ago and has served me well. It's lighter for a start and has these weird pedals that you slot your shoes into.

So time to post my application tomorrow, I'll have to advise my two companions to do the same - no pulling out for them either...

18 and a half miles yesterday

another round trip around the Bexley area with C. N was not around. Lovely sunny day and far too warm for the time of year, more global warming I guess.

I don't ache today but I am a bit knackered. this was not due to the bike ride but because I stayed up watching a girls film called "In Her Shoes". That'll learn me.

How am I going to get up to 70 miles in one day, and then for three days in a row?

A little bit of mid week training

As I am in Devon I managed to fit in a bit of mid week training on the Tarka Trail and although there was not much mileage - (we did about three I would say and there was a lot of stopping and starting due to the number of young'uns who travelled with us - T was attached to my bike on a separate cycle, excellent idea) - it was good to get out and about.

The twins were the most impressive, at 4 years old they can balance and cover as good mileage as adults on faster bikes.

I recommend the Tarka Trail for a day's cycling - it is flat but covers some beautiful country side and passes some good cream tea emporiums. We didn't enjoy a cream tea as such but the Chocolate Fudge Cake at the Puffing Billy in Torrington has much to recomend it.

My trip to Devon is enjoyable but is tainted with a slight worry about work, namely that a lot of things have gone wrong and I am not there to help put them right, well at least the ones I can help with. I have not received any calls today and am not sure if this is a good or bad thing.

In the short term though I have more important things to worry about - I am having sausage (locally produced Devon ones of course), mash and onion gravy for tea and need to decide between the four flavours available so I will just have to think about all this work stuff later. Home tomorrow and then hopefully a cycle ride on Sunday - we really must do 20 miles this weekend else this 70 miles a day in May will be pie in the sky. And as for that bloody doctor and his form - don't get me started......

12 miles instead of 20

Yesterday's training session started off well. Both C and new boy N and myself set off a bit later than intended and followed the same route as the previous Sunday, intending to do two laps to bring us up to the 20 miles.

However it started to rain half way round. Alas a bit of a whimpish cop out followed (insitigated by me but I think the others were keen to get home too) and we cut the first circuit down to 12 miles and headed home to C's for tea and marmite toast. My lycra shorts did not keep the rain out and my sweatshirt did an even worse job. A trip to the cycle outfitters is required to ensure the rainwear situation is brought under control. The eventual ride is over three days and although it takes place in May you cannot guarantee dry weather even in these globally warming days.

I am going to phone the doctor about the form tomorrow. Still no sign. I'm calm though.

And then I am off to Devon for a couple of days, hopefully we may fit in some cycling there on one of the trails. And maybe a blog update too.

New bike

It's getting a bit quiet on the cycling front this week - I'm not going to mention the Doctor's form despite the fact it's still not signed. However I have ordered a lovely road racing bike from Condor cycles. They have a shop in Greys Inn Road - I allowed R to come with me who encourages people to spend as much as possible but I can't blame him for how much I eventually did spend. Apparently I will be able to do 70 miles a day for three days using this beast with no worries of saddle soreness or aching legs. I'll buy anything when I think the salesperson isn't lying but R thinks it's ok so it must be good as he stands for no nonsense. It won't be ready for three weeks (three weeks? what are they doing with it?)

I think the final list of riders joining me may not be finalised yet. C is a definite, N is a definite and maybe there is a new entrant, A who has expressed a preference. I think a charity website for all of us is the answer.

You can read about the charity for which we are doing the ride here

I just had a call from a chap from Amex (they always call on a Saturday morning) inviting me to pay £9.99 a month for some emergency and accident fund for disability and emergency cash payments should I end up in hospital. I said "No" and then he asked me "Why? Why don't you want it?" and I didn't have an answer. I felt sorry for him, the same old calls, the same knock backs and the same crib sheet. It's humilitating for these people, they don't really want ot be making these calls as much as I don't want to receive them. Perhaps we should come up with a truce to banish these rubbish calls forever.

20 miles tomorrow hopefully. Watch this space - I'll put some photos up if I remember :-)

doctors form

My doctor still hasn't signed my medical form. This worries me slightly and i am hoping that he will phone soon to say that all is ok.
He bloody better sign it or he's dead. Mind you if he was he wouldn't be able to sign it but you know what i mean.
In other news professor Musty has returned to work after a week off sick. There was an odour of stale fags and a smell of suit which had not been dried properly after being out in the rain a year ago. Just what you want to smell for a 9 hour Monday! Mmmm!

sunday lunch

sunday lunch
Originally uploaded by OrangeCamperVan.

Mm not only sunday in the office but mcrancids for sunday lunch! I'm so lucky!

Still at least this morning's ride around Wilmington with C was good. Bit of road training this week as opposed to the country roads training last week.

Now must eat dinner!

test

test
Originally uploaded by OrangeCamperVan.

Photo test blog.

Some clouds from the Big Chill...

More Big Chill Clouds Again
Originally uploaded by OrangeCamperVan.

...for your delectation

Bexley to Petts Wood

Apparently the next ride tomorrow....watch this space for update, 15 miles apparently.

sunday ride is on!

It's all go for Sunday ride. Whether it's around Leafy Surrey or slightly less Leafy Bexley there will be some training. I am annoyed about doctor's attitude but I guess he's gotta be careful in these sue-ya-ass-off-days. I know that medically he has to be careful.

Listening to 'The Key, The Secret' by Urban Cookie Collective. I'm so old skool sometimes i scare myself. Incidentally i was reading the other day that your ipod may not be as random as you think it is. Or it could be more random than you think it is. It's all psychological you see. I will post a link to the article when i'm not blogging by phone.

Quacks

He won't sign my form, the green medical one, he says theres some sort of legal clause in it and if he signs it and something happens to me I could sue. Blimey. What chutney.

 

He seemed most concerned about the 60 miles a day! Like I was some 90 year old duffer, i mean i know I'm unfit but with training I'm sure it will all be ok.

 

So I've got to wait till next week for him to sign it off before I can actually send my main form in. I hope there are still places on the race. I've never seen him look so concerned. Normally it's a presription and you're out the door in 1 minute!

 

I may go out for an evening ride tonight. Must buy some lights first from Evans Cycle Shop at London Bridge.

Little progress since Sunday

My aim is to carry out some cycling activity during the week as well at the weekends to build up my stamina gradually rather than cramming it all in one day at the weekend but the truth is that there is always so much else to do, like surfing the net, logging on to itunes, watching "Britain's Youngest Mums and Dads, 2006" (another ITV1 chestnut aired last night, it sounds like it should be an awards ceremony) and old re-runs of Cadfael, the 12th Century super-sleuth. Plus it's getting dark early.

 

And I still ache a bit from Sunday, which three days afterwards is a bit rubbish.

 

Further update tomorrow - I have a visit to the doctor who needs to sign my medical form if I am to take part and to whom I must donate £15 for the privilege unless I can convince him about the charity aspect of the ride.

 

 

 

Training session

Sunday's initial cycling session went better than I thought. My "trainer" and "partner in crime" who have more experince than myself in all things two wheeled were gentle with me and I was pleased with the completion of 12 miles in the hour. I turned down the offer of one more 4 mile circuit as I felt it would be the difference between a slight ache or complete agony the next morning.

 

You must understand my level of fitness is pretty low although I count myself in good health. I used to cycle during my youth (when I also used to weep in butchers shops too*) but although it's been a few years since then I feel that my legs are up for the job with a bit of training.

 

So now to keep up the momentum and do this every weekend and of course, the secret is to increase the amount of time spent on the road. But one step at a time....

 

 

Where it all began

At some point in a pub in the City of London a couple of weeks ago after a few pints I agreed to cycle from London to Paris in three days for charity. The idea seemed simple at the time, I mean, I used to cycle when a youth so what would be different now?

The next morning I awoke to realise the implications. In the cold sober light of day this wasn't going to be a walk in the park. I could have reneged but I didn't deciding to go through with the whole thing.

So this is it; two weeks later I have my welcome pack, I have several items of laughable but very practical cycling gear and one old mountain bike which actually looks new due to the little amount of use it has got over the last six years. Oh and I did my first day's training today and ache a bit.

More about the journey, my training, the charitee and the eventual improvement to my below average fitness will appear in this blog. Oh and the small matter of how you can add to my sponsorship funds....