Route Sorted

At last, I think I have sorted out my route- well I've done a first draft of the route at any rate.


It goes something like this...

It Winds from Chicago to LA,
More than 2000 miles all the way,
Get Your kicks on Route 66,
Now you go through St Louis,
Joplin, Missouri,
And Oaklahoma City is mighty pretty,
You see Gallup, New Mexico,
Flagstaff, Arizona,
Don't forget Winona,
Kingman, Barstow, San Bernadino,
Won't you get hip on this timely trip,
When you make that California trip,
Get your kicks on Route 66

Ok, that's not quite the route I have planned to take - been there and done that before- but it did take me 9 years to complete that trip. This trip is hopefully going to take me less time to complete.

I'm heading from Lands End to Liskeard via Redruth and St Austell, then on via Tavistock, Dartmoor, Exeter, Wellington, Taunton and on towards Avonmouth, Aust, Monmouth, Hereford, Knighton, Shrewsbury and Whitchurch.

[Whitchurch, Warrington, Chorley, Preston and onto Lancaster (not the service station) and a night at my cousin's house-[Thanks Andy & Jan]. Thereafter, its Carnforth, but only a brief encounter with the place. Then Kendal, up over Shap, into Penrith, Carlisle and over the border to Longtown.

Next its Gretna, Dumfries and up the A76 to Mauchline. Then its navigate Glasgow, avoiding a kiss hopefully and heading up along the bonny banks of Loch Lomond to Crianlarich then to Fort William, Invergarry along Loch Ness (who will look a bigger mess- Nessie or me?), then its onto Bonar Bridge, Lairg and onto Dounreay (home of the Ready Brek advert?) finally, its along to Thurso and into John o Groats and a well deserved pint. At least this route avoids going via the Isle of Arran.

I'm tired just typing out the route.

I'm trying to get in as many miles as I can, but not getting in as many as I'd like. I've not done more than about 51 in a day this year, but have done lots of back to back 40-50 mile rides albeit half before work and half after work.

I'm not in the final stages of sorting out my kit and loading up the bike to see what it rides like with all my kit on it. I also need to get used to riding a geared bike again, having ridden over 1900 miles fixed so far this year. Its a different experience riding fixed and it takes some getting used to gears again.

Sadly, the only cycling I managed over Easter was 2 sessions in the gym on the exercise bike there - a total of 90 minutes. Its not enough, but there is a limit to how much cr*p TV you can watch in the gym without going stir crazy.

Right- that's enough for now as I need to be up early in the morning to get some miles in before work. This work is geting well in the way of my preparations for this ride!