He made it!

My dad made it to bergerac on saturday night so has completed the sponsered bike ride!
He is staying at my auntie sues in monsegur till tuesday (tomorrow) when he flies back home :)

txt recieved 11/9/09

"Camped at mirambeau, South of pons. The weather is very hot. Early night- early start tomorrow"

txt recieved 8/9/09

"Found a tent pitch with permission after trying to leave nantes for 1.5hours! Kept coming back onto the autoroute where bikes aren't allowed! I'm now camped south of nantes. Its very warm"

Arriving in france, text recieved at 21:09

"Ferry excellent journey: smooth sea! I am on french soil and the weather is mild. I have found a campsite as I asked on the ferry. Gave me directions 5mins on bike. Had a coffee from vending machine onsite.
I plan an early start tomorrow"

sent by text to me, allans daughter, yesterday at 20:11

I am pitched, showered, changed and fed in Weymouth. Ferry to St Malo is at 13:00 tomorrow. Ready for start of my rest day as I start cycling again on Monday on french roads. Great family friendly campsite.The owner gave me a free pitch, ' her contribution'. Making a cuppa now. Lost key to bike lock and odometer!
All is well

3 Switches Riddle Brain Teaser

3 Switches Riddle Brain Teaser

Heading for the ferry

Thursday started windy and taking the B road to Monmouth was tiring with lots of ups and downs- then a lovely ride following the Wye down to picnic at Tintern Abbey , where I had a(unplanned)lovely doze in the sun! Then onto Bristol. A highlight was crossing the M48 bridge and feeling the bridge shake with the lorries - and being able to stop and look over the Avon. Great evening at Sue's - Claudine Charlotte and Olivia round as I enjoyed a bowl of rice , lentils potatoes etc -very very tasty. Breifly caught up with James as well. Looking forward to seeing them all in a couple of weeks at our house. Bathed , Sue put on a clothes wash for me and we chatted til late. Managed to speak with Nick who gave some useful tips - enjoy the French 12 til 2 lunch break and look out for Les Routiers .
So today is Friday. Took my bike as concerned about the tyres - rightly so . Cycle shop ( Harvey's cycle exchange is just up from Sue's) put on new innertubes and tyres. I'm pleased that I did that as I now feel more confident going into France. I'leave Bristol today to Weymouth for the 13.00 ferry to St Malo on Sunday with view to camping overnight in St Malo.
This will probably be the last update I'll do directly. I've asked my daughter to do a brief update when I ring her. It's been good en route to hear from family and friends from time : Texts and occasional calls. Very encouraging. Thanks for that.
Just for Kathy so she can sleep at night. Answer to first riddle - the toilet seat was up . Answer to second to follow.

Reality bites - especially the bum !

Here I am day 2 ( wed) at Hereford as planned. I trained for dry sunny days , blue skies with a following wind - apart from Tues morning and the ride from Chester it's been a mixture of side to head winds, overcast skies and rain . Today I was soaked - thankfully the campsite had a dryer , so I've dried everything out. How come I'm updating my blog on the road. 'Cos Eddie - a good friend has been with me for two days , support car, taking photos, going ahead to sort out a campsite - has a laptop which we've tuned into the wifi facilty as the campsite. He goes back tonight so I travel down tomorrow to Sue's in Bristol on my own. It's been good to have Eddie and David with me for the first two days. Expect to update the blog at Sue's - after that I'll look to update the blog via my daughter every couple of days. Signing out for now . It's great fun .
Stayed at Cuckoo's Corner campsite , on A49 into Hereford. I arrived soaking wet and it still raining. The campsite owner was very obliging. It has all the facilities you could want - reading room, games room, wifi , washing and drying facilities. They even offered me a mug of hot tea in the morning. Simple site but run kindly - but note adults only and no rowdiness. Highly recommended.

Tuesday- and off we go!

This is a quick blog to say at least I've woken up to start the day, earlier than I planned- 6am. Bags packed, bike loaded, cycle shorts donned. Tummy stirring.I'm going to text my daughter who will update the blog so you - and she - knows I'm on track . So porridge and then off to church for 10.30 prayers and blessings before heading off on the A41.

Here's the planned schedule. As I'm camping there is some flexibility to allow for old aching limbs :

Sept 1 Tues Shrewsbury/ Sept 2 Wed Hereford / Sept 3 Thurs Bristol – staying at Angie’s sisters / Sept 4 Fri Dorchester / Sept 5 Sat Weymouth / Sept 6 Sun Condor Ferry 13.00 to St Malo / Sept 7 Mon South of Rennes /Sept 8 Tues Nantes /Sept 9 Wed South of La Roche s Yon
Sept 10 Thurs Niort / Sept 11 Fri Saintes /Sept 12 Sat Libourne /Sept 13 Sun Arrive Monsegur/
Sept 14 Mon Resting in Monsegur / Sept 15 Tues Liverpool JL Airport 11.20 am

A bientot !

Update to say made it to Shrewsbury first day. Fish and chip supper and to bed!

Hard work

Not the ride - keeping this blog up to date! What's happened since last Tuesday? Been to the gym, out on three rides. Sorted out my wife's bike which is the bike I'm riding to France. Booked the ferry. Planned the English route to Weymouth. Been encouraged by much and generous prayer . Had the pleasure of my daughters - and her friends- excellent GCSE results.

Thanks Kathy for reminding me to post the answer. Can't have you having sleepless nights! I'm smiling as I type this ..... The answer is : " The glass was empty" . Note it was a water glass not a glass of water!

Here's two more :

• A man came to visit at a convent while the superior mother was out of town. He left before she returned, and was careful to leave nothing behind. The nuns said nothing about his visit, so how did the superior mother figure out that a man had been there?
• There are three switches outside a closed room. There are three lamps inside the room. You can flip the switches as much as you want while the door is closed, but then you must enter just once and determine which switch is connected to which lamp. How can you do it?

Maybe you shouldn't have read them , as it may be two weeks before I can get to the blog as I'm off Tuesday!

Week to go !

Time seems to be whizzing past now. Since last thursday when I last updated my blog I've been out only once on my bike - 55K ride.The week end went - very enjoyably - with a visit Saturday to Chester races (where I left 20p up) with Jess John David Nikki Angie's mum and sister Wendy and Sunday taken with church and a family sunday dinner. On the way to the races I happened tp pass Gordales and bought a lightweight backpacking tent (1.5 k) in a slae- pleased with that. I'll take the Millets purchase back tomoorow.So after two rest days I went for a short ride on Angie's bike for the first time- gear change is very smooth and breaks fine. Monday I changed the seat post so I could sit higher. Ordered some mudguards and pannier mounts which I'll collect tomorrow. A conversation with Canon John Bowers - initially on the phone Sat and then continued Sunday after the 9am service -was helpful with advice on maps ( buy a good road map and rip out the relevant pages ), staying on good roads so you make good time, gift of a needed pair of cycle clips and the first to sponsor me at church. Still things to do but it is falling into place. Plan to do a long ride on friday on Angie's bike. There have been several occasions where prayers have been said for my pilgrimage (a significant word ) and these are sustaining.Pause to pose a riddle : A 6-foot tall Magician had a water glass and was holding the glass above his head. He let it drop to the carpet without spilling a single drop of water. How could he manage to drop the glass from a height of six feet and not spill a drop of water? Answer next time

Taking shape

Taking shape eh - the ride and plans, not me! I've decided to camp as it gives more flexibility with each day. As Millets had a tent sale on I've bought a backpacking tent ( 3.7kilos). Planning the route and realise now that I should plan to enjoy and not for speed. The best ferry crossing is Sunday the 6th so that gives me an extra day to get to Weymouth. I'm about to book the flight back from Bergerac for Tuesday the 15th Sept. 12 days to get there and two hours to get back ! But I'll see and hear and enjoy so much more on the outward journey. I've done 3 decent rides in the last four days : 80 K, 50 K and 62 K , the last into a headwind from New Brighton up to Hoylake. Even later coming down the deeside coast the wind has a way of catching you head on. Still more detailed planning to do on the route.

Sat late and thought to briefly update my blog. Since last Sunday I'be been to the gym three times and twice out on the bike. The last time ( Friday) I did 53 K in 2 hours 50 min s so I'm getting quicker. I need though to push through to something like 70 K .

Started plaaning the route in more detail now.

Where's the time gone!

Over a week since I last checked in. What with Mikey and Sarah's wedding in Long Creddon last Saturday - lovely day with family and friends - and then celebrating my mam's birthday (and mine) in Leicester with Jacqueline and Paul and everyone on the Sunday - then me not feeling well for the rest of the week going down with cold stuff . I wasn't on my bike nor at the gym. Still I started to feel better by Thursday this week and went Sat and Sun to the gym. And tomoorow I'm off on the bike.
I need to circulate the just giving link http://www.justgiving.com/destinationbergerac/ so that friends and family can start donating. Time for a smile : Mum is trying to teach her little boy how to zip up his jacket. " The secret ,"" she says , " is to make sure the zip fits into the other side before you try to pull it up ." " The little boy whispers: " Why does it have to be a secret?" I need to thank Graham for most of the jokes. Thanks Graham. They're from our church magazine.

Getting on

So the last two days I've done two rides - yesterday 53Km and today 54Km. I 'm pleased that I've done them on two consecutive days. But now I'm coming down with the cold that started with John and then Jess had - sore throat to start with . This week end I'm away at a wedding and I'm looking forward to that. Earlier Ispoke to my son about some essential diet information such as fluid intake on a ride and carbohydrates.

The weather has been unsettled - switching between the cold, rain and wind with some sunny spells seeking to tempt you out. It means I've not been out on the bike since Sunday. Yes I know on the actual ride I won't be able to be so fussy - but for now I'm choosing not to be soaked. I'm anticipating an Indian summer the first two weeks of Sept for the ride! But I have been to the gym every day except Wed. I'm going out later today as the BBC on line forecast has the heavy rain having passed over by mid morning -then cloudy , sunny spells etc! So for now some breakfast and off we go.
Remember this blog is charting my progress as I prepare for a 1200K fund raising bike ride for St John's Hospice on the Wirral . If you'd like to know more - and maybe donate - click on the following: http://www.justgiving.com/destinationbergerac/

Keeping up with the gym

It's Friday - and I've been to the gym 3 times this week - Tues, Wed and today. I'm enjoying the routines , especially on the spin bike . Drinking between each exercise which has helped.Tomorrow I'm doing an off/on road 50 K ride to build up some road mileage. Meanwhile pause for thought with a favourite from the church mag:
Fred and Bill are a little hard of hearing.They are walking together down the street.
"Windy isn't it " , says Bill.
" No, it's Thursday," says Fred.
"So am I ," says Bill, " Let's go for a drink."

Yesterday ( Sunday) I was so-so-so tired. I know I was dehydrated so drank water during the day and was hungry. It wasn't til early evening that I felt OK and had energy to do something. Clearly work to be done to build up my strength so I can ride 70K day after day. Next time I will drink on the ride and take some choc with me. Today I went to the gym and did my routine and feel fine apart from a twinge in my left knee which has since settled. Earlier I read an email from my friend John in Canada with some thoughts from the philosophical school of ambiguity :

• Can an atheist get insurance against acts of God?
• I went to a bookstore and asked the saleswoman where the self help section was. She answered: " If I told you that, it would defeat the purpose".
• How is it possible to have a civil war?

The visit to the Hospice to talk with Helen in the fund raising team was useful. She gave me some tips and contacts. While there I walked around the hospice grounds and went inside to sit in the chapel before then walking around the whole Clatterbridge site. I happened to meet and chat with one of the nurses who'd been with us. First time I'd been back since Angie died.
I left and then at 4pm I went to the gym with our daughter and did the routine - all went Ok except one exercise which hurt my knee so I eased off on that one. Listen to your body! For a change I weighed myself - 82K , perfect at 5' 11". So I've set myself a goal to grow 3 inches ! Later I went to see the newly released Harry Potter with my daughter - she'd already seen it once with her friend. I enjoyed it very much such that I can't wait now for the next film to see how the battle with Valdemore develops. I emailed CTC about advice for planning the route. You need to be a member. Anybody able to speak about the benefits of CTC membership? I 'll need to give some thought to the route as it would be nice to be off road or at least quiet roads. So far I'm thinking of Birkenhead to Bristol following the welsh border and then down to Weymouth for the ferry. Any thoughts anyone?
Today as I said I went for my first bike ride in ages. I'm pleased. I did 50K in 3 hours. Admitedly much of it on the flat along the Wirral Way but a couple of hills getting there and back from Birkenhead. I had a helpful conversation with my eldest son David advising me on the road work. He likened it to marothon preparation and suggested 3 elements - speed work , fartlek runs and then distance - building up to something like 80% of the planned full daily distance. Seems good advice to me. It's great on a bike. You can take in the views, people smile at you, even got talking to one guy as we rode from West Kirby to Hoylake on the path alongside the railway line. Tomorrow ? I'm at church - always a good start to the week - and will probably work out doing some housework or gardening. Pause for thought: I phoned the ramblers' club today. The guy just went on and on

First entry

This is my first post , to see of it's working! The blog is charting my progress as I prepare for a 1200K fund raising bike ride for St John's Hospice on the Wirral . If you'd like to know more - and maybe donate - click on the following: http://www.justgiving.com/destinationbergerac/
I'm off shortly to St John's (2pm this afternoon) to talk with Helen from their fundrasing team - for ideas from them and to let them know what I'm doing . It was only 10 days or so ago whern I finally started to take seriously the planning. Since when I've spoke with Colin , one of the fitness instructors at Total Fitness. He's given me a set of exercises :warm ups, cardio vascular , weights and core strength training with stretches . I need to go at least 3 times a week. I went last Monday and am going late this afternoon! Need to build up my mileage on the road as well so I'm off for a 20 mile ride tomorrow, the first longish ride in over a year. Pause for thought: " I phoned the local gym and asked if they could teach me to do the splits. He asked :" How flexible are you ?" I said :" I can't make Tuesdays or Thursdays." Further thought. A guy went into a pet shop to buy an goldfish. The assistant asked him: " Do you want an aquarium?" The guy answered: " I don't care what star sign it is."