Time Flies By....

Well, its now only 74 days to go till I'm due to start this ride.

It’s a week since I last posted. I can't believe where all the time is going. It’s been another poor week in terms of miles for various reasons. I managed 30+ on Tuesday, 50+ on Wednesday, 30+ on Thursday and 17 on Friday and 12.5 today.

No riding again on the weekend. However, I have to confess that was my fault. I was encouraged to go for a ride by Jo, who wanted to join me, but the idea of a lie in bed with a pussy or two for company was my choice, followed by a trip up to Barnsley to see them play against Charlton. Must say thanks to John & Sue for letting us watch the game from their box. Sadly, it was only a flying visit to the game and I never got the chance to speak with my *erm *acquaintance Tr&lf@rd M*lls. [I must apologise to those readers who will be appalled at the use of such vulgarities on a blog that can be read by children].

The last few days have brought the reality of this ride closer to home. I am now the owner of a GPS device which I intend to programme with the route I intend to ride. That is if I can work out how to use it. Any younger readers fancy teaching me how to use it.? I used it as a glorified bike computer on Friday (not as a route planner). It told me as i cycled to work along the Embankment that I was at an altitude of -6 feet. I didn't feel that wet though. By the time I rode back along the same stretch of the Embankment on Friday night, it said I was 12ft above sea level! Now I can't recall London having any form of seismic activity on Friday causing the Embankment to raise, so I suspect the atmospheric pressure changed during the day.

Of perhaps more significance, I have just booked my train ticket to get to Penzance for the start of the ride. I decided to splash out and treat myself to a 1st class ticket. The extravagance of it eh? Well it was £3.50 difference between the cheapest 1st class fare and the cheapest 2nd class fare. Oh and I remembered to book a space for my bike on the train. That would be a disaster wouldn't it if I got to Paddington without a reservation and they refused to let me take my bike on the train! BTW John, does Jane know you agreed to put me up for the night? I'm sure she thought she had seen the last of me when you moved to Penzance. I'm convinced that's why you moved there.... At least i won't have to be up early that morning to get an early morning train or to drive miles to the station. I'm cycling into London and across to Paddington to start my trip as I mean to go on.

After reading Tom's dig at me for taking Jo to see Orient play on Valentine's Day, I thought I had better make amends to Jo by taking her away for a romantic weekend. Therefore, this weekend coming I am whisking the lady away to Exeter for a couple of days away. So, I booked the hotel, made all the travel arrangements etc. Imagine how shocked I was to then discover that Darlington are playing at Exeter on Saturday and that Exeter is one of the football grounds I have never visited and need to visit to re complete the 92 grounds. It is the most incredible coincidence and I'm sure Jo will see it that way. For those of you who don't know, on our 2nd date, Jo & I met at St James' Park in London, so what could be more romantic than going to St James' Park in Exeter at the weekend?