A Few Positives?

I tagged along with the Wigan Wheelers again today and managed just short of 50 miles at a decent pace (for me that is). It was almost ideal cycling weather, nice and warm with a slight breeze here and there. Before anyone asks the question, ideal cycling weather is - nice and warm with a howling gale behind (for me that is). I felt OK throughout and hopefully didn't hold them up too much.

After lunch, which was "sin free breakfast", seemingly everything bar sausages, I split from the main group and made my way back homeward through Newburgh where I called in on my "mentor" Robin who is not too well these days but battling on and smiling as usual. He made me two perfect cups of tea which I enjoyed along with the usual shedfull of chocolate biscuits and his own brand of encouragement, all of which were most welcome. The last leg was fairly eventful. I dragged myself over Parbold Hill without stopping but soon after I had a rear wheel puncture which is no surprise given the state of the roads in the vicinity. I fixed it OK which was quite a pleasant surprise, remembering the last puncture I had in the middle of Bulgaria where I used up all my supply of three spare tubes and ended up thumbing a lift. I've just checked and that occurred on 10th May last year. I wonder where Yuri, the "Mad Russian", is now.

I probably won't manage a ride tomorrow. I'm taking the BYW to the airport around mid-day and there is some dodgy weather forecast later in the day. I could get up early I suppose. Behave!

Decision day is getting closer. Looking more likely, I think.

Good Luck to Wigan Athletic tonight.

Here is today's ride. The time doesn't include for stops. I'm not that slow, honest.

http://my.viewranger.com/track/details/MzM2NDgx

Coming along nicely but....

I have managed a total of 124 miles or so this week which is a decent increase on past weeks but I think I need to step it up a bit in the next three weeks and lose a bit of weight and also start to carry a bit of weight, that is, with the bags on here and there. I now have a provisional departure date of 28th May but I am still not 100% certain to go. I have therefore set another date of 14th May for a definite decision so I am doing all the necessary preparations so that I will be ready whichever way the coin falls.

If I do go it will be a bit of a cop out because I will only be riding to Athens and then travelling by boat across the "Great Green" to Rhodes which is only an hour away from Fethiye by ferry. The whole trip should only take about three weeks. Not the same challenge as last year but a challenge all the same and promising to be quite spectacular in places.