Another day nearer

Not much to say today, but I want to share the excitement. I'm itching to get on the road. There are so many unknowns despite all the planning. I have route maps, route notes, hotels booked, have to remember to take everything. And don't forget I haven't even met the people I'm going to spend 12 days in close proximity with. What if we hate each other! I'm sure we'll bond whilst watching each other's lycra bound backsides bounce up and down in front of each other.

I started checking the long range weather forecast today. I don't know why. Its a British thing. I can't control the weather, but then its no different to plotting out the route so I can see the profiles each day (although day 12 looks gratifyingly easy, you can see it and the other 11 days here: http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-kingdom/kyle-of-tongue/1080390135 ), its not as if I can move a hill because it looks a bit tricky on the map. Its there to be conquered.

One thing I do want to do is thank Dave Thomas. Dave long ago entered Morris family lore as a gift to mankind sent by some celestial body to make all our lives easier. In attempting to bully him into sponsoring me, we got talking about charity wrist bands (because I was boasting about the Livestrong band personally given to me by Lance Armstrong, well actually personally given to Bryan Gumm who carried it across the Atlantic and gave it to me, but it was still in the bag, so it kinda counts - I thought I might scrape some DNA from the bag and merge it with my own to make a kind of hybrid Lance Armscraig but I might get Bryan's instead and become Craig Morgumm, not that that's a bad thing but you get my point), anyway, Dave volunteered to sell some FSID bands to raise money for me. So 100

bands were duly delivered from the back of an FSID cupboard where they were quietly resting and Dave has the challenge of selling them all to raise £100. I know he'll do it (well he's got to now, the whole world will read this blog and be waiting in expectation for me to proclaim his victory - or shame).

Enough dribble, I did spin today and a few weights. Its not the same as being out in the fresh air but its a good intense workout. I can't wait to pit myself against the British countryside. We pass through England, Wales and Scotland en route. I've just watched Robbie Coltrane (who I once had a drink with in a pub in Clerkenwell) in his travelogue of Britain, pass through Dumfries, where we'll be going. The scenery there is fantastic I've mountain biked a few times up there. I'll try and post pictures if I can get a decent wifi connection, here's one of Birdy from last time we did a MTB road trip. This is Kirroughtree, one of the 7 Stanes http://www.7stanes.gov.uk/.