Support Your Little Bike Shop

I was a bit concerned the other day about the weight I will be carrying on the real ride. I thought maybe I will need to get used to a heavier load so I put a brick in each of the front panniers for my ride yesterday (Monday). I chuckled to myself in the back garden. I could hardly lift them never mind ride with them on a bike. I set off up towards Preston, slowly as you can imagine, and gradually got used to the weight and distribution. I reached the area where I should be meeting George next Monday hoping to find a little cafe or a park bench but there was nowhere suitable for a rendezvous. I came back the same way fairly comfortably and after the usual bath and recovery food and drinks I rang the lad and we sorted a meeting place out by phone and email. He has had his gears repaired and additional gears added and also chunkier tyres so I shouldn't need to bring ten spare tubes this time.

I took the Ridgeback to the LBS for a service this morning and went out on the older road bike. First, though, I went up through the park towards Haigh Hall with the dog galloping in front. The path was closed at about half way because of repairs being carried out to a bridge so we didn't do the full course. Barney wasn't too upset because he wasn't feeling as fit as he used to and we came home downhill with me clinging on to the brakes. I then set off on the standard Chorley route and came home just in time to pick up the "proper" bike. I stated in a post the other day that we must make use of our little bike shops and not let the bike "supermarkets" put these lads out of business. Michael from ML cycles has done a great job looking after my bikes over the years and the help and advice he gives is priceless. This occasion was no exception. He made slight adjustments to the gears and brakes, generally lubricated and tweaked a couple of things and the bike is smoother than ever now.

All set then for the big trial run on Monday. Just a couple of longish rides between now and then and a rest over the weekend.    

Quiet Weekend

Since I will be out of the country for a couple of months it's only fair to give my valued clients an alternative person to sort out their problems. I was just leaving, on the bike, to discuss arrangements with the second best at my job in Wigan, when my toe caught in the front mudguard as I turned the wheel and the mudguard ended up bent and twisted with the steel ties all over the place as well. I had no time to fix it so I went in the car. When I came home I had quite a bit to do, ie, Cheltenham, and I found that with a little manipulation, the mudguard had returned to its original shape which was a pleasant surprise. I managed to fix the mudguard in the kitchen while watching the Gold Cup amongst others. I used to have a bet but I don't know enough about the game these days so I don't bother. I pick a horse out and hope it loses, with amazing success.

I went out on Saturday morning and did 24 miles around Horwich. Now that is one mean uphill drag on the other side of Horwich and I realised I had never done it fully loaded. I managed it OK and called at the LBS (little bike shop), on the way back to see about a service and some spare parts before I go. I called at St Pats this morning to see the under 18s' resounding victory and checked out the road to Wembley this afternoon in front of the telly.

No excuses this week. The weather forecast is quite good so I really must go out every day (heard that one before?)

Four on the Trot

Feeling OK today and squeezed another 26 ish miles under the ever shrinking belt. I have actually only lost 3 or 4 lbs since I started training seriously around November. Apparently, it is best to start a bit overweight because a bit of fat is useful as an alternative fuel source. I don't see a major problem in that respect.

Looking forward to a few beers tonight and out again tomorrow, maybe a bit longer again this time. That will be five consecutive days. Building up nicely and not really feeling it.

Four Weeks

Less than four weeks to go now and I'm getting excited. Seriously, I can't wait to get out there on the road. I booked for the boat from Hull to Rotterdam yesterday. It is an overnight sailing and it is compulsory to have a cabin. It would make sense for me anyway because I expect to be quite tired. The normal price is £100 or so but this comes down a lot if you are prepared to share, which I am. So, I am sharing a cabin, probably with a lorry driver or two or three. If any of the destinations are Rumania, Bulgaria or even Turkey that will test my resolve. Can't see it somehow.

I did the usual 19.2 miles yesterday and drove to Ormskirk in the evening to watch the "Derby" with George and the other Evertonian friends over there. The less said about the result the better. I rode to my mum's today and she's not speaking to me either. So that's three fully laden outings this week and still in one piece. I hope to do longer rides tomorrow and Friday and rest over the weekend. Maybe do the same next week but a bit longer every day.

A Typical Day?

I've been visualising again. This time I've been wondering what a typical day on the road might entail. Normally at home there are three questions. The first question when I open my eyes is, what day is it? That's easy enough. Next, for me is what time is it? It's no good me looking at the clock because I couldn't see it properly anyway so I play this little game checking on the brightness through the curtains and the sounds from the street. I'm never really far out on this one. The last is, where am I, which is easy these days.

Things will be different in a few weeks time. Yes, indeed. I would go through the normal process we all go through when we wake up but I won't have a clue about any of those three questions. If I'm on a campsite I'll open the tent and, if it's raining, I'll probably turn over and go back to sleep. If it's fine I'll probably think about getting up. First though, will be breakfast in bed. I must get enough fuel inside me, and as early as possible, for the first part of the day's ride. Breakfast will consist of cereal, probably Weetabix (sponsorship available) for which the milk will have been purchased the previous night. I'll then nip to the toilet to "freshen up" and get dressed properly. I will then do the necessary stretches, sort out the route, pack the bags, dismantle the tent and load the bike. An hour should be sufficient for all of these activities so, if I eventually surface at around 8.00 that means I will be on the road for 9.00. It will be light between 6.00 and 7.00 so I will probably be up earlier. I suppose it depends what time I turn in. Not a great deal of revelry is anticipated so I could be tucked up at a reasonable time. But who knows? What's that they say? What happens in Swabisch-Gmund, stays in Swabisch-Gmund.

The plan then will be to ride for a couple of hours, maybe find a cafe or, if none can be found, I will have a short rest and a carbohydrate boost of some sort, possibly in the form of more "breakfast", this time from a drinks bottle. Another two hour session should take me to 1.30 ish which will be near enough lunchtime and I would definiteley need a proper meal by this time. A final two hour ride would then take me to 4.00 so, even allowing for delays, I should be at the campsite by 5.00 and "settled in" soon after. Hopefully, I'll be able to take a shower and change for dinner which will be a cooked meal, probably noodles or pasta. I will then have at least an hour or so of daylight to wash clothes, check on the next day's route and keep up with communications. If I'm in a town I'll probably have a walk and maybe find a bar with some sport on the telly. A couple of beers and back to bed, maybe with a takeaway inside me. Sounds simple and rather pleasant.

I went out and did a steady 20 miler today, fully loaded. I'll try to do the same every day this week.