Well it seems my chain was too long, nothing worse than a slack chain, so links have been removed and things seem better. It actually feels a little weird not having to box up the bike and head to an airport, I feel like I should be doing more, but it's all done really.
I've got myself some of those frog lights, small led's that give off a big 'here I am' message! Hopefully there will be no night riding but they are a must in grey and drizzle. Spoke to kevin tonight and it's all systems go his end as well. Got the train booked to Penzance for £8 each and things are looking good for take off!

The last two days here have been sunny...O...M...G...so I've taken advantage of it and been out on Celeste for a couple of training loops IRO of 45 miles each. I headed up to Pulborough from the coast and rode back up Bury hill and past Arundel castle. This is a loop I know well and has a mixture of fast A roads, small lanes, flats, hills, bigger hills and of course the ever present coastal winds around here. I loaded up my small rucksack (a lidl special with a nice new Hump high vis cover) and set off with the exact same gear I intend to ride the Le Jog with.
Each loop took me about 2hrs 30mins and an average speed IRO 16-7mph which isn't to terrible, although I do feel slow compared to some roadies I see out there....hmm...but I have a lot of 'excuses'...they are all half my age, weight, size...they all are fired up on energy drinks, they have more expensive lighter bikes and the fact that they are just fitter has nothing to do with it lol!
The new chain and cassette are slipping badly on the hills...not good..so it's back to the bike shop in the morning.
I learn't that road bike cables often cross under the down tube, new one on me, but there you go!

Well that was a mistake...checking the weather forcast today!

I am convincing myself that all this rubbish weather (coldest spring in 30 years here) will work it's way out before June.  The south of England seems to be getting the brunt of it right now. Frankly the weather in this part of the world is a big reason why I no longer want to be in this part of the world, but the sun WILL shine soon!

Celeste (my Bianchi bike) is in the bike shop getting serviced ready for the ride. So I'm riding around on Shinto (my tourer and the bike I rode across America on) to the shops in the rain and wind, a far cry from the Rocky mountains, the vastness of Montanna, the emptiness of Southern Wyoming, the heat of Kansas etc ! Shinto my friend, you deserve more, and your day will come again!

I was lucky enough to receive a very generous free hi vis hump rucksack cover from a rider on Cycle chat recently. There are nice generous people out there still and I thank you kind sir for being one of them.

This will be my first tour using a rucksack instead of panniers. I hope it won't affect my back too much. I've ridden a few 40 milers with it and its ok over that distance but who knows over longer rides with heavier loads, I suppose I will find out!

As sit here I can here people outside going about there business, the neighbour is in full swing as usual complaining about everything to everyone, the news has the usual endless bombardment of bad news with a decapitation on londons streets thrown in to lighten the tone, and I wonder what the hell is happening to the human race. People here just seem to revel in their misery, they seem never satisfied and eager to create problems and conflict where non exists. Why? All they need to do is relax, look at this world from another perspective, get outside more, maybe ride a bike? There is a whole world out there people and you are missing it!

Can you tell?...I'm itching to leave them all behind, get out of here and ride!!