Sunday, May 27, 2007

And so the rain comes down

It has been raining for around 24 hours here non stop. Rubbish. I'm off camping tomorrow - I should have stayed at work for the week testing but I really didn't care about going away. Even if I get soaked for 4 days it will be better than writing dull test scripts.

On my return I promise to blog my cycling trip in one long entry. Then I will finish this blog and open another.

All by next weekend...after my return of course.

Adieu.

Thursday, May 24, 2007

Job Done!

Three days of riding, a day in France and the Eurostar home.

All in all the ride was fantastic, a great experience and I would recommend it. My worrying was a bit excessive and the worst thing was the early starts (4am on the Saturday, 6am on the Sunday - chuck in some late nights as well).

I will relate some more stories soon but now I must get ready to cycle to work - not cos of some ridiculous urge to carry on the cycling bug but because there are no trains into town from SE London today...

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

t-2....

.....arrgh! such dreadful terminology to describe the 2nd day before an event.

Today I bought a bell, a real old fashioned one with a ting-a-ling-a-ling sound. Initially I got it for Clive but then I thought I'd keep it for myself instead as I liked the look of it. Sadly it doesn't fit my handlebars so it will have to go back tomorrow. Also I got some clever spray stuff which inflates a tyre with foam if you get a puncture - last Sunday I got two punctures and I only had one inner tube so had to call for a lift.

Some packing done tonight - there isn't too much to take but I tend to overpack so will have to be ruthless tomorrow.

Again, strangely calm...

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

3 days to go

and I am strangely calm. Is this what it feel likes pre-marathon run? Only time will tell.

I intend to stuff as much pasta down my throat over these three days to get the carbs up. I then hope to start eating as many bananas and nut bars as possible come Friday morning. I hope to have a few beers on Thursday lunch pre-nerves stuff, medicinal of course.

Work is far too busy - I had hoped to have a day off beforehand but no such luck - curse you meeting obssessed project persons!

Countdown to Paris really has begun!

Sunday, May 06, 2007

Not cycling related


P3302015
Originally uploaded by OrangeCamperVan.
Former East German pedestrian "go" sign - still in use in Berlin today. Check out that hat and the position of the arms and hands - superb!

Less than two weeks to go

The start of our ride is now in less than two weeks. In fact at this very moment in two days we should be making our way across the Channel from Newhaven on the 6am ferry to Dieppe. We will have to be up at 4.30 which seems a bit harsh as it will be unlikely that we will be to bed early the previous night. I'm not sure if the 4.30 start could hav been avoided but it's too late now. We will still have two full days cycling to go at this point but it will be managable. I'm chomping at the bit to do this ride now. The bike goes in for a service on Tuesday and my new outfit has been ordered and I think we can do no more preparation.

Me and C did a few hours yesterday, 34 miles on a slight hangover due to excess of Guinness on Friday night after work. I felt a bit rubbish after the ride for the rest of the day but it was self inflicted I guess. I will attempt a further ride tomorrow as we have a Bank Holiday to celebrate the worker's uprising or, to dance around the maypole if you wish to b a bit more cosy about it.

I have worked out how to send photos back to my Flickr website so check out special invites to view photos as they happen during the ride - exciting! We it is to me.