Marriage Of Figaro

My tribute to film scores has started and thanks to recently viewing a crappy Alfa Romeo advert I have downloaded a track from Mozart's "Marriage Of Figaro" (featured in said advert) , the one used in the Shawshank Redemption when he locks himself in the warden's office and plays music to the inmates while the evil staff look on and try to break into the room where he is playing the music.

I urge you to do the same.

Pre ride video

Home for a Friday evening in preparation for my weekend ride and the early start this will require. Bag is packed and loaded with as little as possible although the weight of it indicates I am carrying the equivalent of the contents of Imelda Marcos' shoe collection in the rucksack.

Loaded up with high energy snack bars and such like as well.

Early night required and all I have to do is get through the Borat DVD which was hired (not by myself) from the local Blockbuster (curse you global DVD conglomorate with your dull safe choice of films). I am worried I may find it funny even though I am trying to tell myself not to laugh at it and that I should follow the Observer's review of it and not entertain it at all. Oh well I am going to watch it with an open mind.

I'm free

The death of John Inman announced today brought a swathe of emails to my inbox this morning. I requested two minutes silence at 11 o' clock but this did not go down well. "Are You Being Served?" was rubbish but that doesn't stop it being part of my tv formative years and I probably split my sides laughing at it back in the 70s.

His demise covered on the 10 O Clock news where they implied that his character Mr Humphreys could have been gay! Ber-limey what a revelation! What next?

Anyway enough of this campery. This weekend is forecast to be good in the south (15 degrees and sunny on Sunday) so the two day round trip is looking good.

My racing colleagues and I have spent much time debating the few items that we need to pack and how best to pack them. So far we have decided on a toothbrush and a change of clothes for Saturday night and that's it. Everything else we can buy or will be provided by the hotel in Deal. The most cumbersome item is finding the lightest pair of shoes to take as I cannot wear my clip-in cycle shoes on Saturday night as they would look stoopid.

The only other requirement is directions. Which I must now go and sort out.

Random question of the day - Is there really any need to bring out a new version of itunes every two months on average? These downloads stuff up my laptop. Curse you, software snoopers.

Random thought - I have been attempting to grow a moustache for the last couple of days. I thought it looked ok but the youngest told me it looked rubbish. So off it came this morning.

A Few Good Men

Whilst filing this entry I am watching "A Few Good Men" which I find is still a good watch even after the 7th time of viewing. And it has Kevin Bacon in it who apparently can be linked to anyone else filmwise. Jack Nicholson is superbly threatening and all round you know it's gonna work out but it's still good.

Hotel is booked for the weekend. One night. I need to pack a bag with as little as possible as I have to carry it all on my bike for 120 miles. For the evening out I can't wear my cycling gear so I will have to pack just a pair of jeans and t-shirt and some clean crackers of course.

Roll on the weekend...

120 miles this weekend

I should be getting an early night in - not blogging at 11.30pm.

120 miles, 60 each way on Saturday and Sunday with an overnight stop in Deal on Saturday night.

A test for the real thing.

More details tomorrow.

Thong

Yesterday me and C (who had a stinking hangover) cycled through a place called Thong. I didn't get a photo. It amused us greatly and took our minds off the three times we were called female downstairs part profanities by the tosser drivers of NW Kent, mostly youngsters of course.

We also went through Cobham a lovely village close to Thong (how I still laugh as I type - I may need to get out more) which looked like it had a lovely boozer to visit come summer.

36 miles completed. and on a saturday....

this was because I had the youngest's 7th birthday party today - only 7 guests but a two hour experience nonetheless, mostly of shouting and hilarious gags about how the french say "oui oui" and that the french for dustbin is "poubelle" (anything with the sound poo in it is the funniest thing ever according to a room of year 2 types). Bit like a village called Thong...

Lance Armstrong suggests...

to always wash your bike if it gets muddy.

Also you must always degrease your chain on a regular basis.

All wise words.

However I've yet to get to the bit where he says cycling from London to Paris in 3 days is a piece of p*ss. I'm sure I'll get to it soon...