The fateful day draws near!!!!!!

It’s here!!!! The fateful day is dawning!! Bloody Hell!!!

I found my initial enquiry pack out the other day and it was in August 2007 that I decided to embark on this adventure. I can’t believe it’s over a year. Anyway, it’s here! Yesterday was the first time that I have felt anything akin to fear. I’m apprehensive about it. I wouldn’t be human if I wasn’t. Em called me & asked how I felt. When I said sick, she said thank god for that!! She’s been ‘feeling the fear’ for a while now. We’ll be great though.

So, what’s been happening since I last wrote. Well, I’ve been, training, training and let me think, ah yes, more training!!! I don’t think there is anything else I can do to prepare for this. It’s been bloody hard work I’ll tell you! But I’ve no doubt that it’s all going to be worth it.

I’ve dedicated my ride to my dear friend Linda Steele, (L.P. as she is affectionately known by my family). She’s recovering from Breast Cancer and knocked me for six when she told me so. Grant has printed our Jersey’s for us reflecting who we are cycling for. I’m so chuffed with mine.

We’ve had our bikes serviced. ‘The Beast’ had a very thorough one as it’s an older bike that Em’s. It had new gear cables, brake blocks, gear set and small chain gear was thinking of putting a set of fluffy dice on the front to, but drew the line at that! Anyway, took it out for a road test on Friday and would you bloody believe it, the gears started slipping!! 5 days until the off and I get a problem! So I thought perhaps it was just settling down after being prodded & poked on Thurs so decided to give it another go on Saturday. BIG mistake!! HUGE!! It was the worst ride out that I’ve had so far! This was my last training ride. Meant to fill me with confidence before my epic journey and the sodding thing started slipping again!! But as I was to discover, that was the least of my worries. I was merrily cycling along this lovely country road between Byfield & Hellidon when I came upon a rather large tractor. I moved as far as I could to the side of the road, and he duly moved the other way, only not quite far enough and I ended up in a heap on the floor! Bless him though he did have the courtesy to stop & come to see if I was ok. Offered me a plaster for my bloody knee and when I explained why I was cycling he ran back to his cab and returned with a fiver!! Result!! So, I cleaned my knee up and pocketed the fiver, set on my way, what more could go wrong? A PUNCTURE!! Great! 10 minutes from home. The farmers have been cutting the hedges round here (or slashing them should I say!!) and I got a thorn in my tyre! I wondered if I pumped it up whether or not I could ‘limp’ home without having to change the tube, but thought better of it, so I duly changed it and finally managed to get home without any more mishaps!! Why oh why can’t my life be simple!!

So I’m now sitting at my desk, going over in my head what I have packed, what I shouldn’t have packed and what I’ve forgotten. I don’t have any lights on my bike!! Oh crap! And it’s dark at 7.00 am. I’m off to Argos …………………..