To Pedalo or not??

So with less than a week till I trip the light fantastic to the far northern reaches of these Isles of ours, and a mere week till I prepare for departure on the main event of the Jogle, I am caught upon the horns of a dilemma.

Do I change my stance on the number of waterproof items required for the trip, and include waist length Waders ala JR Hartley and his fly fishing?

Do I merely shrug my shoulders endure the damp, probably develop mildew in places that I can't describe and go with the original plan, or,

Do I visit Pugneys again and ask if I can borrow one of their pedalos, and rejig my route (if necessary) to include a few genuine waterways rather than the simple flooded roads which if the weather continues will be the norm?

If I go and get a couple of earrings put in and have a few two many beers I'm sure I could muster a passable impression of the great Frederico Flintoff , so maybe Pedalo is the way to go.

I have today had my Jogle haircut and was furnished yesterday with additional shirtage for the ride from Capita Hartshead as part of their sponsorship. I believe, I will now, and only now, be able to look the part, rain or shine, night or day for this deepest of mid life crises.

Deadlines

Well with less than two weeks to Le Grand Depart and the start of my downhill madness, I have been brushing up on the lingo, and have learnt the following phrases:

"I'm not lost, I am merely following a slight route correction in order to visit a very interesting landmark which I had not thought to include upon my route in my planning haste."

"I was going to shave my legs but felt I may be a little too aerodynamic for all this downhill riding"

"Isn't the weather splendid for the time of year!"

I will let you work out your own versions of the actual meanings.

Other than that I am now down to a list of essential things to do before you jogle, such as mowing the lawn (if it stops raining long enough), cleaning the car(s), checking equipment including legs, arms and any other necessary items, and of course ensuring my team at work have as little to cover as possible during my absence.

Just hope I don't run out of time and miss my deadlines!

Byways

After an early morning start, on taxi duty from Manchester Airport, I managed late in the day to attach derriere to cycle and in what can only be described as the best of the weather, spent an hour and a half cycling the byways of the Pie Village and surrounding area.

I was chased along for a good quarter of a mile by swallows , newly fledged as they dived for the cloud of midges I attracted. Saw flooded fields , rivers bursting from their banks and cricket fields awash with laying water.

I also saw the field pictured which if you look very carefully you can see a few red flecks upon.

These were poppies amidst the wheat and seemed somewhat appropriate to see in the week when the end of the Falklands war 25 years ago was commemorated.

Unlike Flanders fields, or Iraq, or Afghanistan the road to Upper Cumberworth was thankfully at peace. Though it did make me think of those who are already there or are shortly to go to one of these troubled places and hope that they return in one piece to their families and communities as speedily as their duties allow.

Rain Dances

It appears abundantly clear that a great many of you have been assisting preparing me for my ride, with a rather large amount of rain dancing.

Hopefully you will all have got it out of your systems by the time I set off in a mere 23 and a bit days time and I will be able to proceed in a southerly direction with wall to wall sunshine and ne'er a cloud in the sky.

Sorry, away with the fairies again there for a minute, thinking I was riding southerly in somewhere renowned for good weather!

Anyway training continues apace, though in truth it is winding down a little now as I have very nearly reached my training target of just over 1,000 miles prior to departure. Not bad when you think most of my training has been snatched in one to two hour chunks in the early mornings, with a number of bigger rides interspersed along the way.

A few prerequisites are still to be obtained, like Kendal mint cake for energy enough to give me safe passage when I've left the rest of me 20 miles from the end of a stage. New Batteries for my lights (essential when cycling in the low cloud of an English Summer), and stamps to ensure relevant postcardidge can be dispatched en route and upon conclusion.

I was going to carry a couple of homing pigeons for dispatch of SOS's but thought I may get hungry on the way and defeat the object by partaking of a roast too early in the trip and in any case all the advice I have received is travel light, so have decided to leave them at home.

Mists, Midges and St Pauls

A strangely quiet weekend, without any training due to Caroline being away (remarkably leaving me in charge -and we all lived to tell the tale!). Though you could say Oliver has done some for me, riding quite magnificently, albeit avec stabilisers approx 3 miles round Pugneys lake at Wakefield. I meanwhile was trailing a distant last, pushing the rapidly growing trouble causer Archie after the shadow of his Big Brother whilst he sang some incoherent songs from his position in his pram.

It reminded me of a New Years eve many moons ago, when a group of us were to be found pushing another incoherent soul in a passing wheel barrow up what can only be called a steep hill, whilst festooned in traffic cones and other roadwork paraphernalia.

And everyone wonders were the ideas for Last of the Summer Wine come from!

I have though made up for it by dragging myself onto my bike and venturing out into the mist "early doors" yesterday and for a slightly longer ride this evening along with a rather too friendly bunch of midges.

Quite strange that I had enough energy given that at 9:45 this morning I was partaking of Coffee outside St Paul's cathedral in London having risen early to catch the train down there.

I have (only in the name of research you understand) also partaken of a rather sumptuous Cornish Pasty for luncheon just to ease the obligatory aches and pains incurred on a typically uncomfortable train journey.

Just can't wait for the train journey up to Thurso in a month and two days time! Anyone know if they sell Cornish pasties on First Scotrail?