Well Saturday was the Bike Ride (for charity) as some of you may know. Here is the bulk of my report to Capn Izzy with some modifications on the grounds of operational security. (Obviously).
Got up 4.30. Biked it to the town station. 5.00 train to London Liverpool street...slow - engineering works. Amazing the number of people about, mainly shift workers I presume. Quite a lot of yawning. And that was the train driver.
Consumed brekky of 2 bacon sandwiches on the train, which although I say it myself as I made them were pretty damn good, although my system wondered what I was doing eating in the middle of the night.
Biked it from Liverpool Street to Clapham Common - gee the traffic even at that time was bad. And smelly.
Arrived 6.30 the designated time to find...no one! Clapham Common is bigger that I thought and a even a largish group of bikers and support vehicles can hide if you dont know where they are. After 15 minutes pedalling around in a mild panic, managed to find them. (by the road near the car park - what an idiot i am).
Checked in given a number (6) a route plan and instructions what to do if someone gets a puncture, falls off or gives birth etc during the ride. It was in fact very well organdized, with several support vehicles and motorcyles which had checked out the route and the big ARROWS (more later).
So after the briefing and the press photos (!) off we jolly went into the jolly London traffic. But after 1/2 hour with traffic light stops (yes some of us did value our lives) its amazing how spread out even a bunch of 150 riders gets. I was somewhere in the middle...I thought but then there was no one around me. Then I saw riders ahead, and then not and then overtaken. Very confusing. Also I had this list of directions (eg. 4.5 miles turn R Acacia avenue West 1.2 miles Left by the Dog and Duck etc...you get the picture) This was in front of me on the front handlebar pannier of the bike but with sunglasses (non prescription) and London roads being modelled on the battle of the Somme, it was not easy to read. Also I was conscious of NOT falling off due to being clipped into the pedals...I think I've mentioned that before.
Anywho it wasnt really so bad but I was glad when we got out of the London district and into the "countryside". I use the quotes because cars still seem to be a common form of transport for these hill billy types, mainly large 4*4's, ideally 3 of them trying to pass 2 others coming the other way on a tiny road on a 1 in 7 bit of tarmac.
So we get out of London, and check into the first check point after 15 miles. I must confess at the start, looking at some of the bikes and the equipment, that some people were taking the whole thing alarmingly seriously! But I was pleased to find I wasn't the last at the checkpoint, and got an apple
(It was only 8.30 am but a large g&t would have been preferable).
So on we go, me overtaking some people (oh should have said we all had the same t shirts so easy to spot) and being passed by others. By this time had mastered the art of reading the directions, and as I was one of the few who were not just reliant on the signed arrows, I found myself as mini group leader. Then a faster group of 5 or 6 riders passed by and asked which way I said R then L...they didnt hang about and at the T junction immediately turned L (ignoring the R arrow) and disappeared down the road. Oh dear what to do? Chase after them...well no. Not my fault guv. Anyway at this point a very nice lady in a car who had been tailing us arrived and shot after them to get them back...ho ho ho I thought.
I found myself chatting to this lad on a bike which could do with a little TLC or if not some OIL, who quite literally had come along for the ride. That is he saw the group, fancied going to Brighton for the day, and joined in. Well no one minded really, he even got an apple at the checkpoints despite not checking in....nor indeed raising any sponsorship money!
So we got to Turners Hill near Crawley (instructions, follow any aircraft approaching Gatwick), and it was! A hill that is. Mr Sqeaker fell right back, and I was rather chuffed I got to the next checkpoint quite a bit ahead.
Then on through some lovely Sussex countryside until an ominous green wall appeared in the distance. Its funny because when you look at a road map you dont see these features...and if you're in a car you dont mind either. The green wall turned out to be the infamous Ditchling Beacon, forming part of the south downs, and there is NO WAY ROUND. . Well I got to the top but must admit to getting in a sweat. Waited for The Sqeaker at the top. Checkpoint man there tried to interest me in a banana, I said no thanks, as I had already eaten two. He looked a bit sad, said he had brought too many. I looked in the back of his estate car and it was FULL of bananas. This nearly caused the only mishap of the day through mirth.
So from the top it was all down hill...sort of...into busy busy Brighton. Where I tried following directions and got lost, a bit. Squeakerman said he was going off there so we said bye bye and he promised to check in next year and raise some cash for RMBI so hopefully thats a plus. Then due west for the last couple of miles towards Hove into a HOWLING GALE. Just what you dont want at the end. But got there, was greeted by President of RMBI, looking very smart (I wasn't by that stage) and given (in order) a medal...a can of larger...a burger...and a certificate (of lunacy).
So the BBQ went on for a few hours but I didnt. Because I found out I had to get meeself back! Which wasnt my understanding. Some lads who had all received specially endorsed certificates of lunacy said they were cycling back. I decided not to, (I didnt want to embarrass them). So after a quick paddle, it was a lovely day brilliant sun wind and windsurfers etc etc, I biked it to Brighton station and caught the train back to London Bridge. Then the most amazing thing happened. It was quite a quick train and it took over an hour, and I realised I'd just pedalled all that distance the other way!!
Then biked it to Liverpool St station, to home station and finally got home after 73 miles pedalling (57 to Brighton) at 7 pm.
Where Mrs S opened a bottle of Champagne. (no cheap Cava actually but it tasted as good).
On Sunday I didnt go out for my usual bike ride.
They have been very rambunctious lately...there are some Sundays that I dread it just a bit. But they are precious and when they hug me and come and sit on my lap on the story quilt...well - I am always glad I am there. 
Guess the faith thing is still there.... just .... well, time I guess is what I still need! 
