Progress

Posted by Stuart

Time to post just to keep the momentum going as we had towards our Grand Depart, which, gentlemen, is only 6 weeks away later this week.  We've all got things to sort.  In no particular order: Me - must get our routes sorted and written up.  To be fair, they are all figured out apart from the last day into Paris Centre, I just need to write them up for myself and my compadres.  Neil - keep the riding going in the face and pressure of a new job, and a couple of weeks holiday in August.  Dylan - get the bar tape sorted.  I think you've bought the new mitts.  Keep riding when you can.  Andy - trouble the scorers as far as sponsorship money is concerned, finalise carriage arrangements during the ride.

My conservative, pessimistic head is raising itself again - I'm a little concerned we haven't built enough contingency into the first day.  It's quite a challenging ride from London to Dover, what with busy roads, navigating out of London itself, the sheer distance and the fact that we'll all be riding laden for the first time.  It would only take a mechanical and/or a couple of punctures to put us under some real time pressure.  Think there may be an argument for bringing forward our departure to 7.30 am.  Views gents, if you're reading this?

I think it's probably going to be worth all of us speaking at least once before we go too, just to check progress.  We're all in different places geographically and organisationally, so we don't have any day-to-day opportunity to speak.  Watch your diaries for invitation(s).