Looks great from the photo's

Friday, 18 May 2012

Flying out to America to start the ride

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Ok, here i am at the airport all on my own.  No Ben :(  Really strange him not being here with a sad farewell before my flight.  I had a few problems with my bags and bike.  Firstly I had an extra bag, which I'm sure when I checked, I was allowed 2bags.  So I got charged for that.  Only a bit as the lady was nice and I worked my charm.  Secondly the bike.  I got that down to 90quid, cant find the pound sign on this computer!   Had to pay it as I had no choice.  There goes my budget, and that is just to get there.   Because of my connecting flight I would have got charged twice, but that's where she let me off the price.  Hopefully it will be fine.   When i get to Chicago i can just dump my bags on the connecting flight belt.  Back to the bike, the old fart who turned up put the fear of god into me by saying he wouldn't take it as it was not in a box!  Nice check-in lady rolled her eyes.  Basically what he was saying was that it was no good in a pollybag as the last bike he had, had the wheels all buckled!  Shit!  I could buy a box from the shop which was not open, thanks.  Had no choice but to risk it.  If I got to get new wheels, I will.  Again, nice lady said just claim on the insurance :)

Ok, so waiting for my gate, which has just come up, so lets head down.  Whats that song, “all on my own” :(

??:55 (at the gate waiting for take off – see time for that)
Well both the bike and me made it to Chicago in one piece.  A quick look over the book and it looks ok.  At Heathrow I was watching them load it.  The ground staff leaned it against the back of the trolleys, which drove of f letting it fall to the ground.  They were all having a good look at it, hopefully not doing anything bad to it.  I had a quick look here at the airport, and apart from the scratches on the gears where it fell, it looks ok.  One more trip in a plane to go – Richmond VA. 
Flying over the US, it’s bloody big!!  Even the flight from home to here is not as far as the bike ride!! How scary.  I guess like everyone says, just take one day at a time, and try not to think about the big picture too much.  Waiting to board connecting flight.  That was pretty easy.  Getting trough homeland security was, for me too, easy.  The bloody idiot in front who was there for a few hours it seemed, drove me nuts/  Collected my bags, dropped them off at the other check in quick and easy, and the bike too was given to another guy to look after.  Bloomin headache now though, ouch

16.43
Flight down to Richmond was ok, poxy little plane with an old has-been as a air stewardess.  Bike came off carousel first and it had been opened by the Transportation Security Department because of the bag, I guess, I’d attached to the bike.  Bike seems fine, not opened it yet though.
Don’t use Groome transportation either.  Been waiting at the airport for over an hour now, shattered and want feeding, watering and a shower.  Been up since god knows what time.  Apparently they had the wrong light number which is possible as BA sublet out to AA.  However, on the confirmation email it says what time I get in and what time the driver will be here waiting for me.  Grrrrrrr  When driver did arrive, he was nice and we had a good chat on the way to the hotel.
While waiting though, I’ve got to watch the other airport car pickup drivers.  Funny lot, all kinds of things going on.  Could easily write a story about them.  Flirting, crazy old drivers and weirdos I would not like to get in a car with.  Also other passengers who seem to be doing their Young Adult thing all dressed up like she is in the film.

At the hotel, unpacked, pizza here, off to bed

Thursday, 17 May 2012

"my disastrous attempt to cross the USA in the 80s"



- Posted from my iPhone

Location:Topical book

Tuesday, 15 May 2012

Packing

Ok, starting to pack up my gear.  The bike is all wrapped up in various levels of bubblewrap and plumbing insulation, with near enough a whole role of FRAGILE tape lol.  Hope it gets to Richmond in one piece!  I hope this is ok and the airport doesn't turn around and say NO, you can't do it like that.






Next, other bits and bobs before I do the clothes and electrics.  Am I taking too much sh*t?!  Too right I am.  Will I end up regretting it? more then likely.  Will some of it be shipped home? Yes!










Steve Redgrave

As Sir Steve Redgrave said in 1996 after winning his fourth crown, saying: "I hereby give permission to anybody who catches me in a boat again to shoot me." Well, if I ever have any stupid ideas like this again, you can do the same!!

He also said, although can't find the quote from the paper I read a few weeks back, that you may put your body through 10-15mins of hell and pain, but he would always be a 5times Olympic gold medal winner.  Something to think about

Saturday, 12 May 2012

Last test ride

Well, it's the Saturday before I leave, this time next week I will be in Williamsburg!  Took a ride down to Brighton again, 55miles, broke my own time record and did it in 3hr 37mins which I'm happy with.  Didn't feel too tired or worn out either.  Lovely and hot down there, so I sat on the beach for about half an hour.  No chips this time :(


Finished Cycle: 12 May 2012 14:21:14
Route: London To Brighton
Google Maps URL: http://maps.google.com/?q=http://share.abvio.com/c0c0/0b08/4b5c/1647/Cyclemeter-Cycle-20120512-1020.kml
Shortened Google Maps URL: http://j.mp/Kh9m4p
Import URL: http://share.abvio.com/c0c0/0b08/4b5c/1647/Cyclemeter-Cycle-20120512-1020.kml
Ride Time: 3:37:37
Stopped Time: 14:53
Distance: 55.03 miles
Average: 15.17 mph
Fastest Speed: 40.76 mph
Ahead of Median Ride: 5:56
Ascent: 1927 feet
Calories: 2875


Camera had to be bet up like this :(

Thursday, 10 May 2012

1 week to go!

Christ on a bike!  Can't believe its come around so soon.  This time next week I will be flying over to the U.S.  It doesn't seem that long ago that it was all pie in the sky, but here we are.  Dam me for being an Aries:

"The young ram is adventurous, ambitious, impulsive, enthusiastic and full of energy. The Arian is a pioneer both in thought and action, very open to new ideas and a lover of freedom. They welcome challenges and will not be diverted from their purpose except by their own impatience, which will surface if they don't get quick results."

http://www.astrology-online.com/aries.htm
http://www.findyourfate.com/astrology/aries.htm

There are lots of this kinda websites and they are all saying roughly the same things.  I wonder if the other riders in the group will be able to put up with me lol

Tuesday, 8 May 2012

Possible disastrous training

Well, it's only just over a week till I leave for the trip.  The weather here in the UK has been the worst on record, according to the weathermen.  This means I've not gone out at all in April on my bike, just training at the gym.  I think this is going to seriously put me at a disadvantage for the trip.  It will be interesting to see how I get on, and if it is possible to do this trip on little training.  I had wanted to get out every weekend for a couple of rides, but its just not happened.  Not good.

Weather has slightly improved this weekend and managed to get down to Richmond park for just under 30miles and 2hrs of riding.  Again, the weather let me down.  It was meant to be around 10c with no rain.  Got out and with the wind, and then the rain, my weather app said it "feels like 4c" which it did!  Feet froze and even though I felt I could have cycled for longer, I was forced to go back home for a hot bath.  Sunday, I watched Sin City and The apprentice for about 3hrs of cycling on the turbo trainer.  Weather today is dry, so cycled into work, just under 6miles in 21mins 56sec.

I've strapped up my knee last week and that seems to be helping, although there is a dull ache, and a bit of bruising too now.  Hopefully it will be ok for the trip, but I feel that I'm going to have continuous problems throughout the trip.  May have to become a pill-popper! 

I'm looking fwd to meeting the rest of the riders, it should be interesting!  Hopefully they will all be cool and not crazy!  Everything for the trip is sorted and ready now.  I can't imagine any last minute panics.  A bit of fine tuning is all that is required.  For this mornings training session, I watched The Flying Scotsman:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0472268/

So that was about 1hr 30mins on the bike.  Great great film, interested in finding out more about him now.