tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71312314796323318142024-03-14T02:43:24.315+00:00Ain't No Mountain High EnoughMarvin, catch yourself on...
they are all too high!
Going very slowly up some stupidly long and steep tarmac from 19th August for 11 days.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7131231479632331814.post-9172323399700610772013-06-22T16:42:00.001+01:002013-08-15T20:22:02.981+01:00The Italian Job 2013...: The Italian Job via Auf Wiedersehen, Pet. What could possibly go wrong?Behold, folks...the latest stooopid challenge!<br />
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<a href="http://tij2013.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/the-italian-job-via-auf-wiedersehen-pet.html#links">The Italian Job 2013...: The Italian Job via Auf Wiedersehen, Pet. What could possibly go wrong?</a><br />
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It's worth checking in on...<br />
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Cheers,<br />
<br />
Simon.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7131231479632331814.post-52722695736608134672012-12-20T14:11:00.001+00:002013-06-15T16:21:08.890+01:00Let's Work Together!<u><strong>Thursday 20th December, 2012</strong></u><br />
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This is definitely the last word from me...<em>at least in this blog...</em>so consider that an early Christmas present, hah-hah!<br />
Speaking of which, I was reunited with my Felt last night in the fine surroundings of Gatwick's North Terminal, and let me tell you folks it has rarely looked finer. Well worth the 550 mile round trip- and let me also tell you that the M25 has rarely looked more alluring, especially at 2mph- to be able to take delivery of <em>my</em> early Christmas present!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"It's Christmas!!!"</td></tr>
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A big thank-you to Jim Alrain and his mate who packed the bike up so well and carted it with them: it arrived in the same condition as when I finished the Alpe d'Huez TT: remember <a href="http://rdmh2012.blogspot.co.uk/2012_08_22_archive.html" target="_blank">this?</a><br />
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Anyway, aside from that result I was sent a charming 'thank you' letter from the Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research charity. Not quite so much/anything at all from the North West Air Ambulance folk but I know that we raised £1600 for them, so bravo!<br />
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I want to share their heartfelt gratitude with you folk who actually put their hands in i.e. you chisellers, so well done and good on you!<br />
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Ok, so it is almost time to start another blog for another adventure...<a href="http://tij2013.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">The Italian Job 2013</a> !<br />
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Cheers,<br />
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Simon.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7131231479632331814.post-32564029843270857302012-09-01T23:37:00.002+01:002012-09-08T19:55:10.825+01:00Pride and Joy<strong><u>Friday 31st August: Day five of the Pyrenean beasting!</u></strong><br />
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Today brought the final climb of the nigh-on two week adventure. Andy took great delight in basically smashing the whatsits out of the Col de Chioula: he salvaged a bit of pride as I had had the better of this second week, which is something that no one in their right mind saw coming, hah-hah-hah!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Tractor disappears into the clag: he did wait for me so that we could reach the summit in the same time zone. Gracias amigo!</td></tr>
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I reckoned that my legs had already checked-out and were in Barcelona- I could barely climb out of bed let alone climb another bleedin' col!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The last one...done!</td></tr>
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Anyway we did it, shook hands, took photos and then descended back to our welcoming hotel in Ax-Les-Thermes where we set about packing away our bikes and all the other nonsense that we brought. <br />
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One item that wouldn't require packing was my ten-year old pair of cycling shoes: you can only wonder and guess at how fragrant they were- they still had some sand in them from last year's U.S.A. trip, hah-hah! <br />
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The next thing was to get the hire car back to Alamo in one piece: sounds easy, right? Well we decided to increase the fun-factor by going via my hotel on the Placa Catalunya just for a laugh...the trip back out to the airport included a very nervous navigation of La Rambla.<br />
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Anyway, with Andy's help we did drop the C4 off and then he checked his bags in, which meant we had only one more "job of work" to do: get stuck in to a couple of cold ones! Terminal 2 at Barcelona airport isn't the most bijou of locations but needs must and the price was right at under three Euros for an Estrella! <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cue the 'Laurel & Hardy' theme again!</td></tr>
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<u>So what have I discovered over the last two weeks?</u> <br />
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1) French customer service has cemented it's place at the bottom of the league table! "Non". <br />
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2) Even when you really feel like there is nothing left to give, you can surprise yourself and keep going. <br />
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3) French cu...oh, we've done that one. <br />
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4) I cannot count: there were 12 days cycling all told. D'oh! <br />
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<u>So what did I enjoy about the last two weeks</u>? <br />
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1) The most amazing scenery and roads of which no amount of my shoddy photos and videos can ever hope to do justice. "You really must go" if at all possible. Just jaw-dropping at times! <br />
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2) The company of some decent, funny and likeable folk, as well as being proper cyclists! <br />
An honourable mention goes to my room-mate Andy "The Tractor": anyone who can put up with me for a fortnight deserves a medal, and a free pass for six months psychiatric counselling. Cheers pal- you made a difficult task an awful lot easier. By the way, are you sure that we are all-square for the toll roads? <br />
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3) The support and encouragement from you blog readers and FB sorts: you'll never realise the lift that your daft comments gave me, so thank you. <br />
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4) Although they may not give deux figs about le customer, I was genuinely astounded by the unconditional support from the French. They would line their town and village streets (sorry, rues) when we breezed/wheezed through and clap and cheer us, or bang the sides of their car doors and shout "allez, allez" or "bon courage mon ami" as we struggled upwards. They always got an acknowledgement from me and if possible, hands off the bars and a reciprocated round of applause. I loved them for all that!<br />
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5) It's probably fair to say that the top-brass of the organisers may have disappointed me with his attitude to my bike going walkabout, but a very big thank-you is due to his team: they faced a logistical nightmare e.g. transporting our bags to different hotels, but far more important was the completely efficient and safe manner in which they handled the road traffic situation for us, as far as was possible. And thanks too for all the genuine enouragement: it really meant a lot...mind you, so did the secret stash of Mars Bars!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not sure if this was me struggling with reversed-brake levers or trying to decapitate the smudger!</td></tr>
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So here I sit on La Rambla watching the skimpily-dressed world sashay on by, nursing a large cold one. I have the same empty feeling that I had in Boston at the finale of the America trip: before you all get the world's smallest violin out for me, I should say that if you had to choose a place to be deflated then surely Barcelona has to be right up there, hah-hah-hah! <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toast.</td></tr>
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A massive thank you too to the people who sponsored me and donated to the two great charities: I just pray that none of us ever need them.<br />
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Right, it is time to put away "the suitcase of courage" for a little while...although it was the last thing on my mind when I awoke this morning, I just couldn't help myself, could I? <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Giving it some 'Nerys Hughes district nurse' at Barceloneta</td></tr>
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<a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/217014723" target="_blank">Rubbish final climb stats!</a> <br />
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<u><strong>**Update on Wednesday 5th September**</strong></u><br />
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Two bits of good news today...<br />
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1) Thanks to an insanely generous donation from m'boss, Young Katie, both fundraising targets have been reached. Good on you all!<br />
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2) I had a message from the Haute Route organisers to let me know that the French police have recovered my bike in the town of Bourg D'Oisans, which lies at the foot of L'Alpe d'Huez. Apparently it is in "ok" condition but we have to somehow ship it back to sunny Lancashire...still, that is a totally unexpected bonus!<br />
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Please check back on the blog as there are still more dodgy photos (some pro shots) to be uploaded. Fair warning and all that!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'Nuff said.</td></tr>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7131231479632331814.post-42608993404043659522012-08-30T22:32:00.000+01:002012-09-06T22:54:25.176+01:00Misty Mountain Hop<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<strong><u>Wednesday 29th August: Day three of the Pyrenean beasting!</u></strong></div>
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Today was a transit day from Argeles-Gazost to Ax-Les-Thermes with a stop-off to take care of a couple of minor bits of speed-bump business on the way. The only thing that travelling on French roads confirms is that their DJ's choice of music is even worse than mine...and I do mean awful! Cue 'Boney-M' for a bonus. <br />
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The first climb was the 14km Col de Peyresourde which was frankly unpleasant due to the hanging diesel fumes and the false flats which kill the legs.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Above the diesel fumes and away from the crowd...</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Solid camera work from The Cloggies. Schweet!</td></tr>
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Two 'wins' today on these horrible, long climbs- believe me, they don't give their views away cheaply. Superbagneres especially deserves a mention because of it's varying gradients, with the last 2 km ramping up to 12%...you will have heard the language back in the U.K. for sure.</div>
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We saw this Tour Legend sign above another bike shop- we didn't go in...<br />
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Continuing our recent refuelling-form , it was a case of (alright, only two) hot chocolates at both summits. And Solaros. Junk rules! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDu2ouRbcSisZegpx19y2hQkxPLOGrLUSGkUUg2EkA-icZzegqrK0YaR2rfo1qUQpBvJ7XCfTgOnhCAW4BYzr24He_VCcsUyuck_HSzXZcBeom_IQM3BLjeIHgFn_bhebWFyrrPaqldDc/s1600/P1000347.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" fea="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDu2ouRbcSisZegpx19y2hQkxPLOGrLUSGkUUg2EkA-icZzegqrK0YaR2rfo1qUQpBvJ7XCfTgOnhCAW4BYzr24He_VCcsUyuck_HSzXZcBeom_IQM3BLjeIHgFn_bhebWFyrrPaqldDc/s320/P1000347.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No product placement here.<br />
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<img height="77" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuRTESIDLeRFQFbZo9Lf1TR79ZSoWQtbC9ulAsRgyBuZz1Hf142oZTDN2d31VdfJlFOeKll2IOuyrmHkciQX5_AlSaSy9g7zbMsVuu8DQdFOEWniY5iR1GNWZm_s755VNeJprisMIoeEQ/s320/P1000342.JPG" style="filter: alpha(opacity=30); left: 424px; mozopacity: 0.3; opacity: 0.3; position: absolute; top: 550px; visibility: hidden;" width="96" /> Slowly my body is telling me that I have been taking liberties for the last 2 weeks (and beyond) but the conundrum is always the same: the more you do, the more tired you get but the stronger you get too. Still me arse is ragged, hah-hah! <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Milka moos nearby...</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Always love the French tree-lined streets an' that.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not my arse but yer actual Pyrenean speed-bumps.</td></tr>
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<a href="http://connect.garmin.com/dashboard?cid=363638" target="_blank">Day 3 stats...ouch!</a><br />
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<strong><u>Thursday 30th August: Day 4 of the Pyrenean beasting</u></strong> <br />
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This morning was met with low cloud and continual persistance: it was even worse when we looked out of the window... <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjka3mHypbAvN6ZVg3stKQOIEkzQQRzHDq1NoxGGbzKca_iZbgZwWm5mzQUtY2eD0IxeaSFBs7dBf4kWIuwwkfGaY8q28tEDAYtOcgXyhwYbTqwijcMipxo08LVVTJVH_NN8QlP41GX0mo/s1600/P1000358.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" fea="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjka3mHypbAvN6ZVg3stKQOIEkzQQRzHDq1NoxGGbzKca_iZbgZwWm5mzQUtY2eD0IxeaSFBs7dBf4kWIuwwkfGaY8q28tEDAYtOcgXyhwYbTqwijcMipxo08LVVTJVH_NN8QlP41GX0mo/s320/P1000358.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view from our reinforced balcony.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRN6qMlUIJ1doaxlg6_AAlNKOjRHdyq0vEawPiNTTUNTZ2DCvJtRnfyVB1csowHwYqX63tvb-7GMARKBtrU_Q7EAoewM_WJjahy01uOwl633BUxRHkqtNjVi707dvVJvmFYEoGngSRoDM/s1600/P1000361.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" fea="true" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRN6qMlUIJ1doaxlg6_AAlNKOjRHdyq0vEawPiNTTUNTZ2DCvJtRnfyVB1csowHwYqX63tvb-7GMARKBtrU_Q7EAoewM_WJjahy01uOwl633BUxRHkqtNjVi707dvVJvmFYEoGngSRoDM/s320/P1000361.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The start of the nasty, horrible Col de Plateau de Beille.</td></tr>
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The Umpires (i.e. me and Andy) made a further pitch inspection and declared play possible. Shame.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"...Godber...". Heartening to see a tribute to perhaps the finest British sit-com.</td></tr>
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I had to fight and fight and fight up to the summit of this mountain: it was a new experience for us because we climbed into cloud which didn't help breathing/wheezing or because of the clawing cold and damp. To be fair, we had been lucky with the weather until now. Until now...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just follow the road.</td></tr>
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We had a life-reviving hot chocolate at the summit and met a couple from Brum who were camping (!) despite the awful weather. Hardy, if a tad unbalanced. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bit of a tourist trap.</td></tr>
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The decent was made without arm-warmers (d'oooooooh) and in still-air temperatures of 9c which meant chattering teeth, frozen hands and a desire for a hot shower like you wouldn't believe. <br />
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Put bluntly, I never want to do that again. After a pizza and a beer and a glance outside the window it was obvious that further play was a non-starter...so just the one col for us today, although one that I would avoid in the future.<br />
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<a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/216804316" target="_blank">Day 4 Pyenean stats!</a><br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7131231479632331814.post-60339019969253497232012-08-28T23:00:00.001+01:002013-01-08T20:30:12.705+00:00Spanish Caravan<strong><u>Monday 27th August: Day one of the Pyrenean beasting!</u></strong><br />
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The first day of 'Operation: Pyrenean beasting' begins in a hell of a more civil fashion than the last operation, thankfully! Breakfast at 0745? Marvellous, isn't it?<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No more of this cardboard-dried fruit garbage either. Result!</td></tr>
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It was a surprisingly robust start from our hotel in Argeles-Gazost but I amazed myself by climbing relatively ok, and we reached the first target (Col du Soulor) without too many profanities uttered.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Corn? Maize? Mountain!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just for proof, you understand. Car parked just out of shot...</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amazing views on the way to the Col d'Aubisque. Don't look down!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Every view is bought and paid for!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Laurel & Hardy pushing a piano?</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">7000c wheels.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The only things adhering to the 25km/h speed limit are the motor and le sheep.</td></tr>
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We had a lunch break back in A-G and then set about giving The Hautacam a shoeing. Yeah, right! In temperatures of up to 38c. With ever-changing gradients of between 5% and 13%. I was giddy (read 'stupid') enough to showboat a little and got my arse duly kicked by the mountain: it was bloody awful to be fair, hah-hah! <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plenty pleased to see this banner.</td></tr>
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The cafe owner at the summit asked how long the climb had taken us: after he had stopped laughing in my sweat-drenched face, he said that the record was 42 minutes...and mimicked sticking a needle into his arm. Awwww, say it ain't so?<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pretty nice neck of the woods. Just a tad difficult to climb you understand!</td></tr>
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We flew back down to A-G: actually we took the bicycles (badum-kish!) and attended to 'admin' back at the hotel i.e. hand-washing a ton of clothes before we went to the cafe in the town square for a couple of pre-dinner snifters: perhaps my favourite part of the day, when I'm not gliding up mountains of course, ahem...<br />
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The hotel dinner was fine, as per, and The Tractor's Del-Boy Franglais ensured us an extra helping of pasta.<br />
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Never realised that the bloke excels as a dietician too, obviously. Bonnet de douche!<br />
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<a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/215759474" target="_blank">Day 1 Pryenean stats!</a><br />
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<strong><u>Tuesday 28th August: Day two of the Pyrenean beasting!</u></strong><br />
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There was a big old thunderstorm overnight but by the time we were loaded-up and on the road at 0900 it was regulation blue skies. Fantastic! <br />
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Our first climb was the 15km trek up to Luz Ardiden and it was one that I had sort of looked forward to (albeit with no little fear) because I remembered watching the Tour de France back in 2003 when Lance Armstrong had his handlebars snagged by a kid's bag-strap and come crashing down, only to absoulutely charge up the climb and emphatically win the stage.<br />
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Look at the extraordinary footage below...if you can see beyond the massaged words: <br />
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I watched in disbelief as he rode, or smashed his his way up and past his rivals towards the finish line in a furious charge. It was truly a great moment in sport and I remember the thrill in watching it all unfold. <br />
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2003 was also the first year that I went to see the finale of the TdF on the Champs Elysee- as Ray Wilkins would have it, "My word, my word...what a spectacle for the young man." Lance won of course, and I cheered accordingly and felt priviliged in seeing a true sporting champion at the top of this game. <br />
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What I still vividly remember is the crowd giving Lance respect and applause of course but this was dwarfed by the acclaim, well-wishing and love for his beaten rival, Jan Ullrich, who did seem to be a much more personable guy all round. The difference in the half-million strong crowd's reaction was like night and day.<br />
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What linked these two rivals? Well, Ullrich has admitted doping and now Lance has refused to defend doping charges brought by the U.S.A.D.A. with the result that he has been stripped of all of his seven TdeF titles. Join the dots yourselves. <br />
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A lot of people had suspected for a long time that Lance had used banned products or practices to maintain or gain an advantage over his rivals and now it seems the game is up. I only wish that he and his partner-in-crime, Johann Bruyneel, would come clean and say what they did. No harm in being an optimist, right? <br />
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So why have I wasted both your's and my time mentioning this? Well, because my climb up to Luz Ardiden mattered to me because in some ridiculously small way it somehow reclaimed a llittle piece of the sport. Believe me when I say I gave it everything: nobody passed me and even Andy was about a km behind by the summit. This probably sounds (or reads) a little childish perhaps but it meant something to me. Awww, say it ain't so, Lance? Right we'll move on before I disappear up my own tail-pipe...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Luz Ardiden dealt with. Let's go!</td></tr>
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And below shows the beginning of the run back down...joy!<br />
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After a short break we have at the Col du Tourmalet, which has a rep as bad as George Foreman had circa 1973. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiulkDx6RiLoSEwFPscQu9Xsi0qBdXZwtW8vNsoT5cayukoToq594p9yA2i3TQcF9lptLs5HlzQ_1PgYKSFu6d8VAKDMzIWiJVFA_ylRD4oKn5BJ1Ow3lXHOsUAuhmdZ8CjvWr4ssDEyJ0/s1600/P1000312.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" fea="true" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiulkDx6RiLoSEwFPscQu9Xsi0qBdXZwtW8vNsoT5cayukoToq594p9yA2i3TQcF9lptLs5HlzQ_1PgYKSFu6d8VAKDMzIWiJVFA_ylRD4oKn5BJ1Ow3lXHOsUAuhmdZ8CjvWr4ssDEyJ0/s320/P1000312.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alright, alright...we all know you've got previous.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It was like a Madonna concert (or so Mr. Eason tells me): a case of grind, grind and grind again for the first 10km until I felt alright/stupid enough to take the fight to the mountain: remarkably, the final score was a draw with me shading the second half! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs0kBX41KZ68mqZsWVVf7PzdTWO5KOl1j8OSw1xdfPAlx_zYy6Yei1dHPqH-Rdh4h6Ul9SDOxPr9QJrFHhroCJoEN7L0zhgzI6VYNWhzz1MmbzSDxz9xSNKonAWMeTqJKFnq9jnmGKTb4/s1600/P1000314.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" fea="true" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs0kBX41KZ68mqZsWVVf7PzdTWO5KOl1j8OSw1xdfPAlx_zYy6Yei1dHPqH-Rdh4h6Ul9SDOxPr9QJrFHhroCJoEN7L0zhgzI6VYNWhzz1MmbzSDxz9xSNKonAWMeTqJKFnq9jnmGKTb4/s320/P1000314.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A great cyclist: RIP Monsieur Fignon.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG-84jyKqOIbiCRttzdVUAY8NM9zdV-ITj9SGH5YlV1xeRxPP2GXcw5y8C7M2bYV8zmOUitROVeqwtyq5pI8pD-alL7n-GwdllUQu6uQ4q_Ur_l3LOICd2NgDjzXeTsBOnvoHM706aADY/s1600/P1000317.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" fea="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG-84jyKqOIbiCRttzdVUAY8NM9zdV-ITj9SGH5YlV1xeRxPP2GXcw5y8C7M2bYV8zmOUitROVeqwtyq5pI8pD-alL7n-GwdllUQu6uQ4q_Ur_l3LOICd2NgDjzXeTsBOnvoHM706aADY/s320/P1000317.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I was already praying.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtjbK4JdVf2e0JNiTodlzt2X0VPTC-QoS0Jyx5hq0BkVTX9E1fFEGlu-nJ48UrEy6u5gEHj93DDh6ZAzH2LXAJ-3oikn5mqrLi5_BpGyMVHn0gV_T_wq8mWkvVUWp-wws3Y0tUOFJywAo/s1600/P1000318.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" fea="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtjbK4JdVf2e0JNiTodlzt2X0VPTC-QoS0Jyx5hq0BkVTX9E1fFEGlu-nJ48UrEy6u5gEHj93DDh6ZAzH2LXAJ-3oikn5mqrLi5_BpGyMVHn0gV_T_wq8mWkvVUWp-wws3Y0tUOFJywAo/s320/P1000318.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tribute to my old mate, Jens.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5MPr2E9Cq0DwxnX1JjsvxSw-GsiQm3r-nz60WjDfeWfG09jjzPf4EYYSggwAP5SShZMFh_f0X5V5H2XArOePMcfKjqj0Pt2NlQgxsIy0yCFEi55qn4SjSHIzepYUlFJqxxj6H80dXx-M/s1600/P1000326.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" fea="true" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5MPr2E9Cq0DwxnX1JjsvxSw-GsiQm3r-nz60WjDfeWfG09jjzPf4EYYSggwAP5SShZMFh_f0X5V5H2XArOePMcfKjqj0Pt2NlQgxsIy0yCFEi55qn4SjSHIzepYUlFJqxxj6H80dXx-M/s320/P1000326.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alright, we'll call it a draw! Dunno who the wee scrote on the lhs is though.</td></tr>
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The Tractor arrived at the summit's cafe shortly after me and it was (whisper it) time for a hot chocolate. My idea, to be fair and one of my better ones. Photos and then a descent of jaw-dropping proportions: did we really climb all this nonsense? <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgvqWDAIT9qGYlOERHzK3CjEFWinw2Q5cJyAQx7oU13AZ9wXMFiRhxXWPUdYYNXciztTBAHpvaB9RxKW8mDq6l9HloXBPZaWEHVO2DwQiyF2c4G2sBguq5FDB7FGv4p60TLVL7n_Uo2U8/s1600/P1000328.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" fea="true" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgvqWDAIT9qGYlOERHzK3CjEFWinw2Q5cJyAQx7oU13AZ9wXMFiRhxXWPUdYYNXciztTBAHpvaB9RxKW8mDq6l9HloXBPZaWEHVO2DwQiyF2c4G2sBguq5FDB7FGv4p60TLVL7n_Uo2U8/s320/P1000328.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Check your brakes first.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigpn7J8Pt64G9e4As_MrNxaFmipzAk8twOEoiK8QGQvMwv2qD5_qnsinO-ob4hpRHYrxnbNYRTtzn-DxJvkVB0KTAfB8juvn6GV1ZrLTgOxNoDwcZFBT9dQPH8gj4jhnYLB67S30FGr_U/s1600/P1000330.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" fea="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigpn7J8Pt64G9e4As_MrNxaFmipzAk8twOEoiK8QGQvMwv2qD5_qnsinO-ob4hpRHYrxnbNYRTtzn-DxJvkVB0KTAfB8juvn6GV1ZrLTgOxNoDwcZFBT9dQPH8gj4jhnYLB67S30FGr_U/s320/P1000330.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yours for 520 Yo-Yos. Done!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMeGZRyBFLavtPwFNLKyl4geICZAvM5JS9O-qpBqZuFcFyBHYwTbd1JQ_MaJWrWOE-AAAYTyKdGVecP7mgZuaVbtVYXbulc0_th6CV0PUCayn9LGhkrHCOrSe_Igc1W_rz_nHhDq5Jq4c/s1600/P1000331.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" fea="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMeGZRyBFLavtPwFNLKyl4geICZAvM5JS9O-qpBqZuFcFyBHYwTbd1JQ_MaJWrWOE-AAAYTyKdGVecP7mgZuaVbtVYXbulc0_th6CV0PUCayn9LGhkrHCOrSe_Igc1W_rz_nHhDq5Jq4c/s320/P1000331.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Managed to talk Shawn down: I was afraid he might've been a wooly jumper.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPN1LnvIxuG0_71GPnNiRuTvMDUrRpd1jmC6MlqtpMXNrDJ7tvYztDMeo_1Vxf4KywDf0n8wdwT_pzx1jVl1qalORfwvT-_6vzxVtLJQrDMgvUIRlgOHjKBCzhiuce7dnb3hyphenhyphenYN_sTxVY/s1600/P1000333.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" fea="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPN1LnvIxuG0_71GPnNiRuTvMDUrRpd1jmC6MlqtpMXNrDJ7tvYztDMeo_1Vxf4KywDf0n8wdwT_pzx1jVl1qalORfwvT-_6vzxVtLJQrDMgvUIRlgOHjKBCzhiuce7dnb3hyphenhyphenYN_sTxVY/s320/P1000333.JPG" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"The House Of Pain" vs "The Suitcase Of Courage"</td></tr>
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With two big-name scalps dans le bag we were content (read shattered) to call it a day and head back to A-G. We go again tomorrow...bonjours!<br />
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<a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/216155121" target="_blank">Day 2 Pyrenean stats!</a> <br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/AibBR-Jwg4g?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7131231479632331814.post-81443925328634814192012-08-26T23:20:00.000+01:002012-09-21T19:43:38.010+01:00The Persuaders<strong><u>Saturday 25th August: day seven, Auron to Nice</u></strong><br />
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So the final day of 'Operation Alpine Beasting' begins like most others- with a horrifically early alarm. I will never be able to shovel down a ropey breakfast at 5.15 am, although I'm not alone in this regard. By this point I would happily serve 10 years for a 'Full Irish'.<br />
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In fact, the other day we were struggling along and tormenting/demoralising ourselves further by listing all the foods that we missed. For Heavens' Sake, we've only been away from Blighty for a week! Pathetic, isn't it?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXGjURUt5PsOiai2RO2XM4WUCEj_MpDZjHoe6nvrC2VVV4bqreQpyvera3sF4iUXoRENUJSLL4dKQEvS0B2xLCtRuGmJWXlKDsmk5tFJ7f9W7vQRIStNNxPEC-0tmUEiiR9mTHdnrMgu8/s1600/P1000210.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXGjURUt5PsOiai2RO2XM4WUCEj_MpDZjHoe6nvrC2VVV4bqreQpyvera3sF4iUXoRENUJSLL4dKQEvS0B2xLCtRuGmJWXlKDsmk5tFJ7f9W7vQRIStNNxPEC-0tmUEiiR9mTHdnrMgu8/s320/P1000210.JPG" width="320" yda="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A barely controlled descent...great for chatting to other riders though!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzHjSpq4Os5f-G9yM92-7zLjbwWtwuUedNySRTjJkqp0FlH5BjeCJPURI8N2bDETSlu9665-TmyKPhzvYNjDDI7r9E0zNBmCrPZxEYuj2_KtAXqahE_CWoNeapz2ceGwZCh6NsOgUuEZs/s1600/P1000217.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzHjSpq4Os5f-G9yM92-7zLjbwWtwuUedNySRTjJkqp0FlH5BjeCJPURI8N2bDETSlu9665-TmyKPhzvYNjDDI7r9E0zNBmCrPZxEYuj2_KtAXqahE_CWoNeapz2ceGwZCh6NsOgUuEZs/s320/P1000217.JPG" width="320" yda="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking back down as we wound our way up the first Col of the day.</td></tr>
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Anyway, we had a controlled section for the first 16 miles before the clocks started and the first climb began. As usual I glanced across and up at what lay ahead and caught a brief glimpse of our yellow jersey leader cycling up the mountain faster than I can cycle on the flat. As the golf-saying goes, 'They play a game with which I am not familiar'.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMIxmxqS633BGnsezmlrxwpLk5P8_VbiSkfHiSCmqFZ29QfLNQqkVojxsT0N3JauPQCZNyOee56RnaVSiChaOGH9O2jsfvNJMPzdI7LoE5JQvorjEl7DWbA3XopcouSSlBWj3m6jB25L8/s1600/stage7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hea="true" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMIxmxqS633BGnsezmlrxwpLk5P8_VbiSkfHiSCmqFZ29QfLNQqkVojxsT0N3JauPQCZNyOee56RnaVSiChaOGH9O2jsfvNJMPzdI7LoE5JQvorjEl7DWbA3XopcouSSlBWj3m6jB25L8/s320/stage7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRGo_EwGt3sqH4l_MHhRYkO0xSD87n5ylTemWn6gHBQby66fcsNfqxz9cZW3GRSzzz1F_NvuOO30mLFwT7YggFiOSAXbjTO5dOSvm0bW2sE4YOaftiyNolJVaTT-ur4XIhrCFqHe4ZbYY/s1600/map7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" hea="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRGo_EwGt3sqH4l_MHhRYkO0xSD87n5ylTemWn6gHBQby66fcsNfqxz9cZW3GRSzzz1F_NvuOO30mLFwT7YggFiOSAXbjTO5dOSvm0bW2sE4YOaftiyNolJVaTT-ur4XIhrCFqHe4ZbYY/s320/map7.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Day seven: never mind the map, show me the sea!</td></tr>
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By the way, the leading female cyclist is Team GB's Emma Pooley, so here is a photo of Ms. P. and her Olympic bum:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZCCtQ1v47LmGRg9EvPlq4RRUxxfHMQ4GU2HeDr4wlW-KIx8GMR1BxGLqVmzJAAsPyuKEeuTYu2GUFNHfiEqLSqLwxE4ZVizATV5ifwrWtOMMfAAPnkF8Db2AszQm96nZ8rzzqORBDndU/s1600/P1000236.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZCCtQ1v47LmGRg9EvPlq4RRUxxfHMQ4GU2HeDr4wlW-KIx8GMR1BxGLqVmzJAAsPyuKEeuTYu2GUFNHfiEqLSqLwxE4ZVizATV5ifwrWtOMMfAAPnkF8Db2AszQm96nZ8rzzqORBDndU/s320/P1000236.JPG" width="320" yda="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">E.P. really is tiny. And fast as.</td></tr>
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The challenge today was to cross the timing mat at the top of the Col du Vence (about 20km from Nice) by 14.25 at the latest otherwise you would be put in the broom wagon. I hadn't had that pleasure all week and as much as I wanted a rest, I really did not want to start now and was sweating big-style.<br />
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Anyway, off the top of the first climb was another beautiful descent but tragedy struck this time: a 40 year-old Swedish rider called Pontus Schultz collided with a wall on the wrong side of the road and careered into a ravine. Pontus did not survive. Everyone is desperately sorry for his family who came to the finish to see their man home. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH65qNxYpCmk1PT9iJjOkJEGB3oRFNWOvSah0vtnoVl6wAq_CEYriVkQpwICyd2IEIBjCwWqgXEbUWNH8wUib1FePTB4OTFifIruBbn5WVKPVI00ogCJHsfwnhHpYRMnJahBqrmFZRDUQ/s1600/P1000222.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH65qNxYpCmk1PT9iJjOkJEGB3oRFNWOvSah0vtnoVl6wAq_CEYriVkQpwICyd2IEIBjCwWqgXEbUWNH8wUib1FePTB4OTFifIruBbn5WVKPVI00ogCJHsfwnhHpYRMnJahBqrmFZRDUQ/s320/P1000222.JPG" width="234" yda="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A privilege to be cycling along these roads.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkkPr6ideOPMtty1CaLNXbu4-SOC1QrHuta8WGUVCmfbIB7SqPjhCOoQjFy3iM5qmYWUmE2qMqbmtDWXMhL5ZavpE2AMHfeiOuiBg5PMY8KX_Mgtn-PFYwIQGzv1oMMtwlI1MtV12Euig/s1600/P1000225.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkkPr6ideOPMtty1CaLNXbu4-SOC1QrHuta8WGUVCmfbIB7SqPjhCOoQjFy3iM5qmYWUmE2qMqbmtDWXMhL5ZavpE2AMHfeiOuiBg5PMY8KX_Mgtn-PFYwIQGzv1oMMtwlI1MtV12Euig/s320/P1000225.JPG" width="320" yda="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mini Millau.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The big hand is on the...never mind all that, just shift your 'arris, lardy!<br />
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Eventually we crested the last climb and saw the '5km to go' banner: cue a realisation that this stage was dans le bag, a big shout of sheer joy and the application of full beans to the finish line.<br />
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Over the course of the week I had never walked and missed two cut-offs: one on the legendary 'Tuesday In Hell' and also on Thursday by 15 minutes or so, but I didn't really care because,<br />
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b) see a) <br />
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Above shows the final timing mat atop the Col du Vence- straight after was a descent with unbelievable views of the Med and then a meet-up in Vence for handhakes, hugs, a beer and a surprisingly weighty finisher's medal. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHSVSfP60IGGL21SbaVk5NhC-vjfEkNFOh5wLoW-UwADrg1F_4ehg9SNTft8IuuGqzMLRwl_1xnPm69XQyRqJX1l9cYBMcQwf9O0pCxex86Ft1ZCMO84reeyMYS9zAYAOiLwxc8zMMt1c/s1600/P1010002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" hea="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHSVSfP60IGGL21SbaVk5NhC-vjfEkNFOh5wLoW-UwADrg1F_4ehg9SNTft8IuuGqzMLRwl_1xnPm69XQyRqJX1l9cYBMcQwf9O0pCxex86Ft1ZCMO84reeyMYS9zAYAOiLwxc8zMMt1c/s320/P1010002.JPG" width="119" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hefty medal for a hefty cyclist. Fair deal!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXjRKTArkgYKr9yI28Ngf3d-TI_EvtspQFFTOoKy7VOkfg9lJ3Zi12HwFZ1PACwE3a-TiHnkOaa1ceRa10lSDWnP450AoSfgBtiWd0Z0VkQqRIoUjrOX41Ep8BoG3aiQwU25Pcfd25REU/s1600/P1000234.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXjRKTArkgYKr9yI28Ngf3d-TI_EvtspQFFTOoKy7VOkfg9lJ3Zi12HwFZ1PACwE3a-TiHnkOaa1ceRa10lSDWnP450AoSfgBtiWd0Z0VkQqRIoUjrOX41Ep8BoG3aiQwU25Pcfd25REU/s320/P1000234.JPG" width="320" yda="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I am never getting up from this chair. Ever!</td></tr>
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We were then given a Gendarmerie (probably just made that word up) escort into Nice via the Promenade des Anglais and managed to hack-off scores of Euro-Trash motorists into the bargain. Fantastic! <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the run into Nice we have some of T.L.R., namely Andy Fla, David, Matt and The Tractor. Dunno who the interloper/wannbe on the far left is. We get a lot of that y'know.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We were staying at the polar opposite of this place regrettably. Although our hotel did have a kebab vendor outside. Open past 2am. Negresco schmesco!</td></tr>
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It was also gratifying to note that Team Lanterne Rouge were the first eejits into the Mediterranean brine too- it was warm and felt wonderful, hah-hah! <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How to empty a beach.</td></tr>
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Martin, Andy Fla and Matt had to disappear fairly soon unfortunately but the rest of us attended the Haute Route 2012 Closing Party which quite correctly observed a one minute's silence to honour Mr. Schultz. It really is difficult to reconcile just how fleeting all this can be. <br />
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We have all met (and in some cases, been) some great company on this ride so it was always going to be a downer saying au revoir etc..<br />
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Anyway, we struggled through a monstrous downpour which killed Andy's iPhone to an Irish pub in Vieux Nice where the unofficial after-show party continued way after we left at around 2am.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Complete. And. Utter. Disgrace. Excellent!</td></tr>
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One of T.L.R., Mark, had an airport taxi booked for 4.45am so he reckoned the best way to deal with that was to just keep going. He was our 'Man Of The Match' by a country mile: 24 carat comedy gold! <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Tractor, David, The Funniest Man In The Northern Hemisphere Last Night aka Mark, Some blinged-up lardy. Vieux Nice, 2am.</td></tr>
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A couple of days ago a rider noticed The Tractor's number plate (which says he is a T.L.R. member) and said 'thank you'. Andy asked what for and the stranger* said that he had been about to scrub his whole Haute Route entry until he read about our team and it's less than po-faced attitude: it was then he thought that 'yeah, this will be alright!'. Good to hear that, hah-hah-hah! (*see the comments section below!)<br />
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So that is part one of the 'Toughest 11 days On A Bike' done...we have just driven 500 miles from Nice to position ourselves in Argeles-Gazost, right amongst some 'Paramount Movies'-type mountains. The fun starts again tomorrow in the a.m.: until then, cheers!<br />
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<a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/214745931" target="_blank">Day 7 stats!</a> <br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7131231479632331814.post-54257732608649398512012-08-24T20:57:00.001+01:002012-09-10T22:18:34.476+01:00Shattered<u><strong>Thursday 23rd August: day five, L'Alpe d'Huez to Risoul</strong></u><br />
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So, first day with m'new bike. Apart from being a tad smaller the main and crucial difference is that the brake levers are fitted in the U.S. and Euro mode i.e. right hand operates rear brake. Bit of getting use to, especially when you consider the terrain we are dealing with here!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Day five's "jour de travail". Bonnet de douche, Rodney.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tight roads with dodgy surfaces for a change.</td></tr>
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The bike hire shop bloke from whom I bought the Ridley rang me when I was half-way up the first climb: he asked how things were going...has he sold me a cut'n'shut, or what? <br />
He did seem to be laughing quite a bit, to be fair. Just joking, Oliver...cheers!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They are quite into their skiing around here. Who knew?</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We've possibly stumbled onto the set of a 90's Tampax TV ad..."Wooooah, Bodyform..."</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yep, more valleys and hairpins. Terrific!<br />
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You want fresh drinking water? Fill your boots er, bottles! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkHqmR96y8CkPFhBwtLGNy22yWrOcRBpdzA5Txonv9-hpmoHa58vATMWJfMuvsMbycm0iy14Aub-PrJxWk3GYrXygHvWTQxl4BoIYBUHsYs5fNUH4_mqDJe37SocDrQ8W-Pn03gro1_f4/s1600/P1000187.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" hea="true" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkHqmR96y8CkPFhBwtLGNy22yWrOcRBpdzA5Txonv9-hpmoHa58vATMWJfMuvsMbycm0iy14Aub-PrJxWk3GYrXygHvWTQxl4BoIYBUHsYs5fNUH4_mqDJe37SocDrQ8W-Pn03gro1_f4/s320/P1000187.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That Napoleon fella got around a bit when he was on the lam.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There always one bell-end with his crappy box-on-wheels getting in the way.</td></tr>
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All slow but doable so on the last climb I took off my bandana as the sky had clouded over: rookie move. However I finished the stage within the cut-off time and even managed to do a 'Mobot' over the finish line.<br />
I was then collared by a Sunset & Vine TV crew to utter some precious words: media commitments are such a drag...It'll air sometime in 2050. Set your Sky+ now!<br />
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Anyway I now felt out-of-sorts: heat stroke most likely, the same thing that happened on day 2 of the America trip. Hungry but unable to eat or drink much, cold and tired. Lovely! <br />
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Team Lanterne Rouge did meet for dinner though and four of us including me, ordered 'Fondue Bourguignonne' or similar: you cook the meat yourself. My, how we laughed!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The look on David's face? Priceless.</td></tr>
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Martin had us in tears with tales of his dodgily-glued Chinese carbon rims: believe me, it was cry-worthy, but I bailed early and was glad of 6 hours sleep...we'll see what the next day brings.<br />
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<a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/214106149" target="_blank">Tired stats!</a><br />
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<strong><u>Friday 24th August: day six, Risoul 1850 to Auron</u></strong><br />
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Was thrilled to wake and find that I certainly didn't feel any worse than usual despite not eating or drinking anywhere near enough. So, on we roll...<br />
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At the start-line this morning with Andy just ahead on the left. They always play awful music ('Cotton-Eye Joe' anyone?) so it was a rare treat to hear a bit of 'Upside Down', hah-hah! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3OBcbjH85b2sAndRolM210fB5iwHc8fqFlOoytGQ11c2ImomvtUtQ7ArC_fNXAXsPMs7aaQayrTIP2nVindNaQc1pEl-yI8vRIOkHKl2dVRb9wdsouWYJi7m9RnHZOB_teNQTfnvr_s4/s1600/stage6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" hea="true" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3OBcbjH85b2sAndRolM210fB5iwHc8fqFlOoytGQ11c2ImomvtUtQ7ArC_fNXAXsPMs7aaQayrTIP2nVindNaQc1pEl-yI8vRIOkHKl2dVRb9wdsouWYJi7m9RnHZOB_teNQTfnvr_s4/s320/stage6.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Day six: I mean really, how hard can it be?</td></tr>
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Not too long and we are into the first climb: about half-way up a camera car conducted a mini-interview with me mainly because I was wearing my Rolling Stones jersey, I think.<br />
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By the top of the climb I could see a few were not enjoying this especially. I was only concerned about completing the stage, no matter how long it took...I just wanted to avoid the broom wagon.<br />
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The descent was straight forward although into a headwind: I decided to make it more interesting by allowing a wasp to fly down my f**king jersey. Cue panic but a relatively controlled stop. Luckily no sting...result! <br />
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The next climb was the unreal Cime de la Bonette which has Europe's highest paved road at 2803m. Les berks! It was interminable but eventually we did it: the last km ramped-up to 13%. Again some more folks abandoned on the way...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLGF0iumjJAb-kipryugG0fl95PyNpt0LCU36BHytJPlhgEax8JnvZq5wWCs9FSHz0Cg3kNVjeW0zcqCiIMzIXdtETFtsGBDMFAjrYqJeKYE9hecYCsUeJZq05iaBFqRCuDbBz09Gve-s/s1600/WP_000017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLGF0iumjJAb-kipryugG0fl95PyNpt0LCU36BHytJPlhgEax8JnvZq5wWCs9FSHz0Cg3kNVjeW0zcqCiIMzIXdtETFtsGBDMFAjrYqJeKYE9hecYCsUeJZq05iaBFqRCuDbBz09Gve-s/s320/WP_000017.jpg" width="320" yda="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You don't say.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spot who hasn't seen the last ramp up to 13%?</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sitting on top of the world...</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Only way out of here is down. Yes!</td></tr>
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An amazing descent followed- too fast for any video, hah-hah! Actually I was trying to catch a few other riders up the road and did that, just before our last climb to Auron, which was only 6km long. I finished 522nd out of 527 remaining riders...sweet! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglhTUTIY8lIHxOakS5qIoXjI2A2Di0SU59pYOOJ8uAXBQf5xgFdNukhFpLyqbZz7it2KNK8cpEnKY2tw1MRammchah34meSmGFShw_ErI4REPiPT1NbPU1cc6ae8CcT_MWMgbYVuqhyphenhyphen4c/s1600/P1000208.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglhTUTIY8lIHxOakS5qIoXjI2A2Di0SU59pYOOJ8uAXBQf5xgFdNukhFpLyqbZz7it2KNK8cpEnKY2tw1MRammchah34meSmGFShw_ErI4REPiPT1NbPU1cc6ae8CcT_MWMgbYVuqhyphenhyphen4c/s320/P1000208.JPG" width="320" yda="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Well awriiiight Auron!"</td></tr>
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<a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/214421273" target="_blank">Stupidly long climb stats!</a> <br />
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A 5 a.m. alarm tomorrow and onwards to Nice and The Med...cheers! <br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7131231479632331814.post-73877412643867636912012-08-22T22:09:00.000+01:002012-09-10T22:28:58.472+01:00Reasons To Be Cheerful (Pt.3)<strong><u>Tuesday 21st August: day three, Couchevel 1850 to L'Alpe d'Huez</u></strong><br />
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Right then, this a double-bill of BS to deal with seeing as how I was a tad too tired to write yesterday. So Tuesday's stage of 85 miles and 15000' of climbing was always going to be the worst of the lot. As it turned-out it was a 'Ronseal' stage and then some.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the way down from Courchevel 1850 to the start. Tractor in trail. The French do love their outsized velos.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Day three: a nightmare on some bad, bad climbs!</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv1IqaHKESrvnswRS_bSWHkz9ivDI83QoNud9ibxsi8W07GA8MJf05LQ185Bjvr_WiXjVQC4nn6_yXs23bJcjMlqLplAiDgON7tHUJxD8P6FcAR8krT7lh7pJG2tivQ21LxrFS2BwVE8Y/s1600/P1000110.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv1IqaHKESrvnswRS_bSWHkz9ivDI83QoNud9ibxsi8W07GA8MJf05LQ185Bjvr_WiXjVQC4nn6_yXs23bJcjMlqLplAiDgON7tHUJxD8P6FcAR8krT7lh7pJG2tivQ21LxrFS2BwVE8Y/s320/P1000110.JPG" width="320" yda="true" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bloke's bike is really made out of bamboo.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGcRQGofRkcL5_2H2LCW0_iN3xt_bqsA5oRFTKPIVn1fFpf4yEWr6oDsrYiRHHnJlSamIqomnbIiaFI00kTgQssv8qIeEvBTZL8NRGyGdMAMkwd5Qdr280e0i3jQqqL52bHU6XOvMPp74/s1600/P1000113.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGcRQGofRkcL5_2H2LCW0_iN3xt_bqsA5oRFTKPIVn1fFpf4yEWr6oDsrYiRHHnJlSamIqomnbIiaFI00kTgQssv8qIeEvBTZL8NRGyGdMAMkwd5Qdr280e0i3jQqqL52bHU6XOvMPp74/s320/P1000113.JPG" width="320" yda="true" /></a></div>
You just wouldn't tire of this view!<br />
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Unlike this one. Who nicked my pint?
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Just ridiculous.<br />
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Almost the Alpine version of 'The Last Post'. Apt. <br />
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If I look done in, it's because I am done in. Still more to go... </td></tr>
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I was absolutely toast by the second summit (pictured above) and really couldn't see how I was going to make it any further. Went and ploughed on down the descent anyway and onwards to the final interminable climb which merged eventually into the famous road up to L'Alpe d'Huez and our hotel.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Life imitates handle-bar tape. Or something.</td></tr>
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It was a horrible trudge, stopping every 5 minutes for a breather and I saw a few folk pack it in (around 50 did today). By this stage there is a lot of standing out of the saddle, mainly beacuse I have a baboon's arse!<br />
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Time rolled by and eventually I saw an official timer's car behind me with about 10 uphill miles left. I expected the tap on the shoulder and for them to say 'enough' albeit in a French accent and to be honest I half-hoped that they would, but to my utter amazement the guys said that I could do it and indeed had to carry on, as I'd be letting both them and myself down if I did the 'sensible thing' and quit in order to save myself for the coming days.<br />
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All this despite being way outside the cut-off time and giving themselves an extra hour out on the course shepherding me in. Kudos to them forever for that. <br />
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I was joined by the very last rider out on the course and we followed each other up the last 6 hairpins to d'Huez with a car behind and motorbike in front. When we entered the resort I was knocked-out by the people cheering and shouting for us and the din of cars and bikes blaring their horns. Not ashamed to say that I just about cried. Big girl! <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Courtesy of Tractor Productions. Cheers!</td></tr>
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Never had such a daft day in a long time, on or off a bike. Wow!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from our L'Alpe d'Huez hotel. Gonna sleep easy!</td></tr>
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<a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/213387771" target="_blank">Epic day stats!</a> <br />
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<u><strong>Wednesday 22nd August: day four, L'Alpe d'Huez Time Trial</strong></u><br />
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Today was a 16km time trial from Bourg D'Oisans up the 21 hairpin bends to L'Alpe d'Huez...the record is around 37 minutes. I was hoping for anything under 2 hours! It was a spectacle at the start-line alright, although Team Lanterne Rouge took it all in their stride...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Day four: piece of le cake, ahem...</td></tr>
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Circus or not, it was a pretty special event- how often do you get to pretend to be a real cyclist? No, don't answer... </div>
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And here I am about to launch rather unconvingly off the start-ramp...cheers Andy for filming. I think!<br />
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The weather was flawless again and I took things steady (slowly)...indeed I only passed one other cyclist and he wasn't even in our race, hah-hah! Thanks to F. Boyle for the gag below... <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The 'Dutch Chuch', turn six. Schweet!</td></tr>
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I felt alright until the end and I gave it a showboat-ish finish to bag a time of 1 hr and 33 mins, and then almost collapsed. I parked my bike with a ton of others and got some water and stretched and cheered other folk home. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The application of full-gas to the finish line. Possibly 8 or maybe 9 mph.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If I had've been staring at my bike instead of posing for finish-line photos then I might still have my Felt!</td></tr>
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Andy was thundering up the home straight and after he crossed the line he asked where my bike was so he could lean his against it...and that was when I realised it was gone. In the space of ten minutes. We searched all round and hoped that someone had taken the 'wrong' bike (unlikely) but again, no joy.<br />
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To cut a long and f**king annoying story slightly shorter, it ruined a decent 'rest' day not only for me but for Andy too, as he was a stand-up guy throughout. Cheers for that.<br />
With the help of Haute Raute staff I filed a report at the cop shop and then set about trying to find a replacement bike. A cycle hire shop was selling off some ex-rental machines so I eventually settled on one although it was a wee bit small but the price was about right at E520. Between a rock and a hard place etc... <br />
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The pleasing thing out of this nonsense was the offer of a loan bike from a couple of fellow riders (one of which was the bamboo bike pictured above): for various reasons they weren't a go-er but it was nice to see the offer of help and sympathy anyway. <br />
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So, as excuses go for not getting this blog out sooner, I hope you see that this is a pretty good one. Next stop Risoul: I hope my new-ish wheels get me there. Cheers!<br />
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<a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/213745075" target="_blank">Time trial stats!</a><br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7131231479632331814.post-31247254193634971652012-08-20T21:39:00.001+01:002012-09-10T20:11:34.407+01:00Ghost Town<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<strong><u>Monday 20th August: day two, Megeve to Courchevel 1850</u></strong><br />
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So we find ourselves on 'Team-kit Monday', hence the mildly embarrassing photo from the start this morning...</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spoiler: this photo contains only one proper cyclist. He's the one at the end. No, the other end. (L-R) Me, Mark, David, Andy, Andy Fla, Martin and Matt.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Team Lanterne Rouge suitably relaxed before the off/enduring the organisers' excruciating choice of music!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Day two's walk in the park...</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Regulation blue skies. Swiss law apparently. Like.</td></tr>
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Start of the first climb today, the Col de Saise. Ropey, but do-able. Fast, fast descent on the other side. The Tractor clocked 56.5 mph! Unreal...but totally believable even allowing for Garmin, hah-hah!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rare shot of me taking a turn at the front for as short as is possible. Fact.<br />
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The photo above was taken not far into the 13 mile climb up to Courchevel 1850 which is where we finished: it is a guy who is an amputee, both left arm and leg who is riding the same stuff that we are. A bit humbling, and then some.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hopefully toll free and perhaps ABBA's greatest work.</td></tr>
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Was slightly pleased to see this beauty, because it meant this...</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">500m to go until...</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marinate for six hours.</td></tr>
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That water was as cold as ice, but felt fantastic: a tough day again but nowhere near the shoeing that awaits tomorrow. 5.30am alarm...which is nice! <br />
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'Ghost Town'? Well, two reasons since you ask:</div>
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1) It's my blog and I love The Specials, and</div>
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2) Ever tried to find a restaurant that's open in off-season ski-resort?</div>
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That said, we did ok as it goes and had our first decent food. Result!</div>
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<a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/212859571" target="_blank">Stats of the day!</a></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7131231479632331814.post-78825450875053467262012-08-20T05:54:00.002+01:002012-09-10T22:05:34.111+01:00Heatwave!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<strong><u>Friday & Saturday 17th/18th August: Wesham to Geneva</u></strong><br />
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So, it's the start of another journey and another long day. No dramas getting to Geneva via an brief overnight stop at Andy and Tish's place in MK: Virgin Trains and EasyJet even manage to deliver our bikes intact- not something that we take for granted!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjXhfPwuvHZj_Az7_0Y_9Ssj4e0naSOz4qbq9l7q_v0jeYuld0xDfWXES084zKCn772WAMNDmcpTwaktt1tN7wUkY9NeCZ4LkK57r0BdRE1qjMci5wI6sgeH502mpTPBCgOHJU70B3dcA/s1600/WP_000010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" hea="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjXhfPwuvHZj_Az7_0Y_9Ssj4e0naSOz4qbq9l7q_v0jeYuld0xDfWXES084zKCn772WAMNDmcpTwaktt1tN7wUkY9NeCZ4LkK57r0BdRE1qjMci5wI6sgeH502mpTPBCgOHJU70B3dcA/s320/WP_000010.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The glitz and the glamour...Wesham railway station, where all epic journeys begin. Or something.</td></tr>
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You know that you've arrived somewhere a little more up-scale when the very first bit of advertising that you see is...<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjscIJscAalEbVgBHbJpGuXbEZ7ptvga3oolgaN0Viie75K119AiKUwHOGSja0AlkPXiOm3qjTEzkFC8P-_JEv7FId_bqIID79SaXx2YgwRZO1c2KGcLd1EBLRI4Fw1OQJf9XekKe3e5d4/s1600/WP_000011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="155" mda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjscIJscAalEbVgBHbJpGuXbEZ7ptvga3oolgaN0Viie75K119AiKUwHOGSja0AlkPXiOm3qjTEzkFC8P-_JEv7FId_bqIID79SaXx2YgwRZO1c2KGcLd1EBLRI4Fw1OQJf9XekKe3e5d4/s320/WP_000011.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can look but you better not touch.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvBvn3PLci9PGNEyvzyhikR7RmVtmyLKVfgIKExsgR9ZxcKWMLZA0Vb9ho4AGFxjh3uqIGopGt6_cCXgHOjhpgNBjx1Ta_GgW8q7wrBVA5g-XaDOxrE009BT-OpMyBTx_-eQxI7a6bSis/s1600/P1000002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="269" mda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvBvn3PLci9PGNEyvzyhikR7RmVtmyLKVfgIKExsgR9ZxcKWMLZA0Vb9ho4AGFxjh3uqIGopGt6_cCXgHOjhpgNBjx1Ta_GgW8q7wrBVA5g-XaDOxrE009BT-OpMyBTx_-eQxI7a6bSis/s320/P1000002.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We're grinning because we have no clue what we have signed-up for...</td></tr>
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Above shows two eejits who have just collected all their pre-race paraphernalia: check-out the personlised numbers...actually got a few favourable comments from the few folk that I did pass, hah-hah!<br />
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After schlepping our kit and bikes to our very handily placed hotel- at the bleedin' airport- we set about tracking down the Lord Nelson pub for food and er, a motivational talk. Alright, ale. It was quite warm, to be fair...<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIkyp-NsXPuUbMf_7M394UIXmJYTqAZKq55z5s0wo-OrLpqnHdQO3vZLAIdn55zQBk2l2wEfaPeccBzC1OL9LJ9RBlBO7hBx8UHKXLYhi6H6UIAJIC-fwqLkxSXm1HtYqe3RVRGG85zn8/s1600/P1000007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="260" mda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIkyp-NsXPuUbMf_7M394UIXmJYTqAZKq55z5s0wo-OrLpqnHdQO3vZLAIdn55zQBk2l2wEfaPeccBzC1OL9LJ9RBlBO7hBx8UHKXLYhi6H6UIAJIC-fwqLkxSXm1HtYqe3RVRGG85zn8/s320/P1000007.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Have a gander at what the Euro-sessioners on the centre table are destroying. Gotta be more than a yard? A metre?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhscdM-dVHVZKpotjhQEVdUgFEAtfnj9YJZrAedVifuNpViENpsVeYAEpB8SMAND6hjQMEDGIhHtDdE8nG1ksmEoRpCLzeb2x-Rv2lgp41_9UgC9Dl46sOTrTUyZoa-CF0xPNyG0RXMmOM/s1600/P1000013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="233" mda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhscdM-dVHVZKpotjhQEVdUgFEAtfnj9YJZrAedVifuNpViENpsVeYAEpB8SMAND6hjQMEDGIhHtDdE8nG1ksmEoRpCLzeb2x-Rv2lgp41_9UgC9Dl46sOTrTUyZoa-CF0xPNyG0RXMmOM/s320/P1000013.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Excitement lakeside! Perhaps Phil Collins' bbq had gotten out of hand?</td></tr>
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We attended the mandatory briefing and just about managed to stay awake: it was like Eurovision gone even more wrong than usual. Where's Tel Wogan when you need him?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjfmgUVWqm1FbzTlbH3klYquloXakGiV5e8TMONpy_UuN1L76x1mzaSPl0J3SpW0gr2cSPOWDYdHvfrZWqnxE1pHHTEbUC27V9J5JLv0v7lAgSDPPy7WJpVs_kFeAbfJurxyCLMW7l_sE/s1600/P1000016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" mda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjfmgUVWqm1FbzTlbH3klYquloXakGiV5e8TMONpy_UuN1L76x1mzaSPl0J3SpW0gr2cSPOWDYdHvfrZWqnxE1pHHTEbUC27V9J5JLv0v7lAgSDPPy7WJpVs_kFeAbfJurxyCLMW7l_sE/s320/P1000016.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Interminable. In both English and French.</td></tr>
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We also briefly met the rest of our team, and then headed back to our delightful Ibis and a 4.50am alarm call. Ouch!<br />
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<strong><u>Sunday 19th August: Day one, Geneva to Megeve</u></strong><br />
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We couldn't have asked for a more spectacular setting to begin all this folly: the sun was rising over the lake and managed to take our minds off what lay ahead, in between trips to the kharzi. Pre-match nerves affect everyone it seems!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC4AHSuXvP7QicJh0N9_1f_VhISl7kPxj29ysKwux7AzNQCWWyViqL2fHkyW2AaP0PAYo5dofYTdItaAWOzmz_xMxEFHjfvvXJG0ewZe9gpu3EhLLsQTseQGHi-NLG2sqlV-hogoq08_U/s1600/P1000024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" mda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC4AHSuXvP7QicJh0N9_1f_VhISl7kPxj29ysKwux7AzNQCWWyViqL2fHkyW2AaP0PAYo5dofYTdItaAWOzmz_xMxEFHjfvvXJG0ewZe9gpu3EhLLsQTseQGHi-NLG2sqlV-hogoq08_U/s320/P1000024.JPG" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With cycling partner-in-crime and bloke whose fault all this is. Still talking. Just!</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY-xVJnBWNq5aIBnZFih38dqEfoyJxnJHUefKgblVUb25UCmYMiW1b4cOgWvWwupokrelHrWj65KuzeV5lqdEJQkWx4K39BH3L1MXscuSBNolsSqJEZZcG0HPayrRtk0nqPE3V3BMPOhE/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hea="true" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY-xVJnBWNq5aIBnZFih38dqEfoyJxnJHUefKgblVUb25UCmYMiW1b4cOgWvWwupokrelHrWj65KuzeV5lqdEJQkWx4K39BH3L1MXscuSBNolsSqJEZZcG0HPayrRtk0nqPE3V3BMPOhE/s320/1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji2sZMYBcNzvtMLYsm_501-5yl__uhRrjy_wrgIF2izN6vh216Te-e-KqJlW_eAPTiKKY8H0mmPPYtuVtyRb14ZFyjH5Xb7bgYVU97ORJxSc_a42YThjlTh_iR_PeUWTO4y3-LBzSwYsQ/s1600/HR12_Map_Stage1_Web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" hea="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji2sZMYBcNzvtMLYsm_501-5yl__uhRrjy_wrgIF2izN6vh216Te-e-KqJlW_eAPTiKKY8H0mmPPYtuVtyRb14ZFyjH5Xb7bgYVU97ORJxSc_a42YThjlTh_iR_PeUWTO4y3-LBzSwYsQ/s320/HR12_Map_Stage1_Web.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Day one's "job of work"...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe6cE4KVX-ZyZVqQj3f725ZSHiN4Y7QDTmJWInXE6ZPYAcynlkAbFUWt_nfkxf-QaFDFYTr_hhE71mLjaqguaTYHLEvPxyW38agbHAMonBnYoGzfoN2FVVv7xvC55mfPF8PUGKBXFcNPo/s1600/P1000028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" mda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe6cE4KVX-ZyZVqQj3f725ZSHiN4Y7QDTmJWInXE6ZPYAcynlkAbFUWt_nfkxf-QaFDFYTr_hhE71mLjaqguaTYHLEvPxyW38agbHAMonBnYoGzfoN2FVVv7xvC55mfPF8PUGKBXFcNPo/s320/P1000028.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The shower departs Geneva. Nervous...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHZcKaEGJawSJas09c43kaBCr7D2w5Pj6B_r9Zljdm0FSp3hDWcLdwn14pQ23QjSWu5oG1qyW6vtcG71jaTfJk7QA0Rk9NKNEE_-jZrZM3cnwBNU5nCUd5iDXajtYZr-RcXrwVxTx5-8A/s1600/P1000034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" mda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHZcKaEGJawSJas09c43kaBCr7D2w5Pj6B_r9Zljdm0FSp3hDWcLdwn14pQ23QjSWu5oG1qyW6vtcG71jaTfJk7QA0Rk9NKNEE_-jZrZM3cnwBNU5nCUd5iDXajtYZr-RcXrwVxTx5-8A/s320/P1000034.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Feels a bit better once you get on with it. Although we appear to be heading towards those speed-bumps in the distance...</td></tr>
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For the first time ever, I heard cow-bells used for real: this is the acceptable version of windchimes. I was really doubting if I could make it up the first climb but when it began I realised that this was do-able, albeit at a slooooow pace. Whether or not I would be inside the time-limit was another question...<br />
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Above is from the first climb- the Col du Romme. I was chatting to the lady in the black gear up ahead. Unsurprisingly she sped-up...</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSeoL84V-w4kNS53FFNseEZQJl72x_si4mM3xBQxmBBjvH1LJpbc0SI3cJfWDGwwyeFYWJEttC3hsKO2kV0ldpLhEVC86hUuYVpXdOL_efXukPifN2aYOEVXbeQ6xZ0i7Jdo60QSZiE9g/s1600/P1000040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" mda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSeoL84V-w4kNS53FFNseEZQJl72x_si4mM3xBQxmBBjvH1LJpbc0SI3cJfWDGwwyeFYWJEttC3hsKO2kV0ldpLhEVC86hUuYVpXdOL_efXukPifN2aYOEVXbeQ6xZ0i7Jdo60QSZiE9g/s320/P1000040.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Certifiable behaviour although these guys went crazy-fast downhill apparently. Euro-loons ahoy!<br />
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The scenery was beyond fabulous: no camera is going to match that but here goes regardless: it was a flawless sky! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirx7TiSFq-cV31EWQmLMS6Q3Mb8QmHeJ9emiNu31yZBP7ra1E3QqMxmip4K8pct4KEfrCLuYIXdD8-7htZ4tMshNeTb9vKMr6UzPW3NXTbWRXvJi4m0B5SaQxXX0z3NOKO84OlPOJMskc/s1600/P1000045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" mda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirx7TiSFq-cV31EWQmLMS6Q3Mb8QmHeJ9emiNu31yZBP7ra1E3QqMxmip4K8pct4KEfrCLuYIXdD8-7htZ4tMshNeTb9vKMr6UzPW3NXTbWRXvJi4m0B5SaQxXX0z3NOKO84OlPOJMskc/s320/P1000045.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wow. No further message.</td></tr>
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I wasn't unhappy to see the finish-line and was amazed to learn that I had snuck inside the cut-off time by 45 minutes. Miracles can happen... <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7MrQxppu0iB7iAQqMp1KSnGUjW81sYYx4cZI7JIpo4GkG40xmKdrTnFvJMIIz7CuHn_-1pwYv4g9JZRQs8hTGRMuySsSsk-IeHWQcytaBBwuvuuTCmKgYe-urklWQeY9cx3mfmsBSNTs/s1600/P1000054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" mda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7MrQxppu0iB7iAQqMp1KSnGUjW81sYYx4cZI7JIpo4GkG40xmKdrTnFvJMIIz7CuHn_-1pwYv4g9JZRQs8hTGRMuySsSsk-IeHWQcytaBBwuvuuTCmKgYe-urklWQeY9cx3mfmsBSNTs/s320/P1000054.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view from one side...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI4vxXetGyUV7Em31YpUCOGMaTX31noNgAeteMeFCi3J9_7Ax3hfD-5y9OkR8DRftvDq-JU5V7_6Azhf4ldF0CZXiaq_tKBbGTPywv9iGw0CAUSyT7go1JYq9WRzUEMqFtodSVEcAwoMc/s1600/20x30-HRBF0060.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" hea="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI4vxXetGyUV7Em31YpUCOGMaTX31noNgAeteMeFCi3J9_7Ax3hfD-5y9OkR8DRftvDq-JU5V7_6Azhf4ldF0CZXiaq_tKBbGTPywv9iGw0CAUSyT7go1JYq9WRzUEMqFtodSVEcAwoMc/s320/20x30-HRBF0060.jpeg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...and from the other. So, not too tired to showboat a little, huh?</td></tr>
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Although I rarely say it, today was a special day on the bike. Glad I was there...thanks!</div>
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Here's to the run continuing.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trying to get the blood back to where it should be. Need water!<br />
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<a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/212367737" target="_blank">Hot stats...hot stats...</a></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7131231479632331814.post-44330976177859552172012-08-16T23:25:00.002+01:002012-08-17T12:02:34.926+01:00The Good, The Bad And The Far From UglyLoved being handed this envelope containing a donation from Matt, one of our bird control gurus at work today:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gonna be a lean, lean Christmas in the Matt household...good on you!<br />
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Didn't love checking on the forecast for the kick-off on Sunday morning:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sooooo...13% in 90f? For the love of...</td></tr>
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Called in at Halfords (yeah I know, I know...school-boy error) to ask if they had any spare foam frame-protectors before I pack up the Felt. Of course they hadn't, but they had just taken delivery of some blank looks and mumbling. Mind you, they did also have:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Do your own captions. Cue a 'Sid James laugh'/Harold Steptoe 'Oh Faaver, you diirty old man!'.<br />
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We're closing in on £2K for L.L.R. and almost at £1K for the Air Ambulance...thanks to you!</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7131231479632331814.post-72592339294122970732012-08-10T11:03:00.000+01:002012-08-13T17:58:42.608+01:00May the road rise with you...So we're into the final week left for training: of course the obvious thing to do is to cycle down to Manchester to see John Lydon's first love (outside of himself, obviously), namely his band PiL, play at the ironically named 'Ritz'.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's a beautiful sight...the light reflecting off those balding pates. I'm keeping very quiet...</td></tr>
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Aside from seeing a tight and committed band play, there was an exercise benefit in the 90-mile round trip. Although not as big a pay-off as I might previously have thought: my interest in other folks' training methods was piqued after reading a post in the Haute Route online forum and it seems that instead of riding longish and steady rides I should have spent more time attempting 'intervals'.<br />
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This is where you basically alternate short sessions of caning it with periods of slow recovery, the theory being that it brings the greatest benefit in the shortest time-frame. Well, that's my training plan for the remaining few days sorted at any rate. If all this sounds a little too much like me getting my excuses in before we start, well done you for rumbling me!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At last I've found something slower uphill than me. Hail, Centurion!</td></tr>
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Speaking of which, I thought that I should outline my targets for these 11 days. Well, we'll worry about the first 6 days to begin with, in ascending order of difficulty/unlikelihood:<br />
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1) To finish each day<br />
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2) To finish each day inside the cut-off time limit<br />
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3) To finish in 599th place or better<br />
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4) To either pull a wheelie and/or do Usain-style press-ups immediately after crossing the finish line...<em>any</em> finish line!<br />
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And of course it goes without saying that I'd better enjoy it all regardless, drink in the scenery'n'beer and generally have a laugh. Now <em>that </em>I can do...<br />
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How about this for an opening day shoeing...a maximum gradient of 13%? Wish I had done some intervals...<br />
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"Going up the Romme was a massive surprise I can't believe they have put that in as the very first climb on the HR, the approach is on a flat road but the only way to describe what you're looking at is a wall of tarmac approaching and it really does kick at 13% immediately. Crazy climb- the most relief you get is around 6% just over half way up then as per usual out here it just goes and kicks again and again before the top." </div>
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Oh dear...that was from some bloke who has just ridden the first climb we do next Sunday, the Col de Romme.</div>
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Courtesy of Steve 'schmatter' Moran, here is a clever link which leads you up that 'orrible first climb, the <a href="http://www.cyclingthealps.com/#col-de-romme-streetview-reverse" target="_blank">Col de Romme</a>. Don't think that I'll be getting up quite as quick though.<br />
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Although I hate banging on about it, here are the stats again:</div>
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<span style="color: maroon;"><strong>-</strong> <strong><span style="color: purple;">We climb 120,000 feet over the 11 days. That is more than the 2012 Tour de France will climb in 21 days!</span></strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: maroon;"><strong><span style="color: purple;">- In 11 days we cycle over 330 <em>uphill</em> miles at an average 8% gradient: that's the same distance as <em>London to Glasgow!</em></span></strong></span><br />
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<strong><span style="color: purple;">- To put some perspective on all this, Mount Everest stands at 29000 feet. On day 3 we climb 15000 feet. Eh, hang on...</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: purple;">For every £500 raised I will donate £100. Thank you!</span></strong></div>
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The sponsorship is coming along and I really am hand-wringingly grateful for every single donation: we're at £1700 for <a href="http://www.justgiving.com/rdmh" target="_blank">Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research</a> and £800 for the <a href="http://www.justgiving.com/totm" target="_blank">North West Air Ambulance</a>. I know that there is still more to come...<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7131231479632331814.post-60785083808979791422012-07-22T22:03:00.000+01:002012-08-11T08:55:19.163+01:00All Or Nothing<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
Today marks a few things: the end of the Tour de France with enormous British success, as well as four weeks until having hopefully finished the first day of my own version of Le Tour and it is also two years since our friend Linda Wright passed away because of cancer. Wrighty is gone but still remembered...<br />
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Bradley Wiggins was assured of victory today so it made some kind of sense to pay a tribute to him by checking out the mural of the man himself on the wall of one of his local pubs (makes him sound like a dipso) in his adopted town of Ecclestone in sunny Lancashire.</div>
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Oh no- the 'Visit Lancashire' tourist shots have begun!</div>
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On the way there I accidentally gate-crashed about 10 miles of an IronMan UK triathlon: definitely a Gump/Zelig moment, hah-hah! To be fair, they were riding on closed roads that led right past the pub that I was headed to, so...<br />
Mind you, I got some filthy looks from a few competitors as I passed them, complete with panniers and mudguards. Cue a Nelson Muntz style "Ha ha!".<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Those knee-length socks do look a bit warm. Ha-ha!</td></tr>
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At the pub I asked a photographer Johnny to take a cheesy photo for this blog and it turns out that he was covering the IronMan event for 'The Sun' redtop-rag. despite hailing from Liverpool. Go figure...</div>
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Wiggo! I salute you. With Coca-Cola. And a 'Sun' photographer from Liverpool. My top firmly kept on. Mercy!</div>
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In other news: I seem to be ahead of the game training-wise because I have got my 'tapering' (when proper athletes wind-down their efforts prior to the big event) out of the way early-doors. This was achieved by spending a couple of days at The Open and also visiting health-conscious Dublin to see two brilliant back-to-back Springsteen shows. </div>
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So, it is back to the bike, and on the bike I stay for the forseeable. Oh hang on, courtesy of m'learned colleague Ms. Hewitt I get to see Cav tear along The Mall next Saturday to hopefully win the bloke's road race for Team GB. As you may have seen earlier today the fellow is blessed with a respectable turn of pace, no?</div>
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One other item of nonsense that I should bring to your attention is that a certain Alain 'Le Professeur' Prost ex-F1 World Champion has also signed-up for the <a href="http://www.hauteroute.org/en/news/view/formula_one_legend_alain_prost_and_everest_climber_kenton_cool_take_on_the" target="_blank">Haute Route</a> which forms the first six days of my challenge. Apparently the 53 year old is not only blessed with a big hooter but is a cycling fanatic and is as fit as le fiddle. He would be...</div>
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Wonder if I should steer him into a hay bale and say that's from Senna? Probably not.</div>
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Seeing as how me and my new best mate Prosty will be cycling up some frankly stupidly long and steep bits of tarmac I reckoned it might be an idea to lower my gearing even further: I offer praise to the boffins at Shimano for making a 12T-30T cassette. Seriously chaps, you're getting a Christmas card this year. Shinto or not, it's the least I can do. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As clean as that cassette'n'chain will ever be. Agent 30/30 rides!</td></tr>
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One final word of thanks to people who haven't hesitated in sponsoring me again: cliche or not, it makes all this worth it and is a terrific motivation. <br />
What I didn't expect was backing from overseas folks: how about the U.S.A. and Ukraine? Just brilliant behaviour. Thank you Natalia, Marge and two alumni from last year's trip, namely Lee and Chris C.. Cheers!<br />
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Wiggo, you have taste. And enormous sideys.<br />
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Although I hate banging on about it, here are the stats again:</div>
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<span style="color: maroon;"><strong>-</strong> <strong><span style="color: purple;">We climb 120,000 feet over the 11 days. That is more than the 2012 Tour de France will climb in 21 days!</span></strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: maroon;"><strong><span style="color: purple;">- In 11 days we cycle over 330 <em>uphill</em> miles at an average 8% gradient: that's the same distance as <em>London to Glasgow!</em></span></strong></span><br />
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<strong><span style="color: purple;">- To put some perspective on all this, Mount Everest stands at 29000 feet. On day 3 we climb 15000 feet. Eh, hang on...</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: purple;">For every £500 raised I will donate £100. Thank you!</span></strong></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7131231479632331814.post-41571180116223558032012-07-03T21:24:00.001+01:002012-08-14T22:26:58.240+01:00The er, Magnificent Seven? Hell yeah!If you have suffered any of this blog so far, you might have picked up on the fact that the first six days of the adventure run from Geneva to Nice and take the form of a race, for want of a better word. Actually, that better word is 'nightmare', but more on that later.<br />
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The organisers want all the 500 entrants to form themselves into teams of between three and nine members (yeah, you got that bit right...) and to come up with a team name as well, so of course me and Andy decided to stick together and we invited other Haute Route entrants to join our newly-minted <a href="http://www.hauteroute.org/en/teams/riders/lanterne_rouge" target="_blank">'Team Lanterne Rouge'</a> with three guiding principles in mind:<br />
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1) trying hard<br />
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2) socialising a bit, and<br />
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3) not troubling the podium<br />
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Much to our surprise there are actually five other like-minded souls out there, so <a href="http://www.hauteroute.org/en/teams/riders/lanterne_rouge" target="_blank">Team Lanterne Rouge</a> a.k.a. The Magnificent Seven is a go: welcome aboard to AndyF, Martin, David, Mark and Matt! As far as I know we are 71.4% Carling, 14.28% Fosters and 14.28% Guinness.<br />
The only downside is that I've been volunteered to get the first round in Geneva, which ain't renowned for it's budget shopping...<br />
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In other news, last Sunday saw me wheeze around bits of North Yorkshire for a laugh in search of the slowest century since Chris Tavare retired.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Almost perfected the 'Richard Nixon victory hunch'. Was sweating almost as much too...</td></tr>
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Don't be fooled by the Pavlov reaction to the sight of a camera: it was f**king miserable out there, hah-hah-hah! Still glad I did it. The realisation that the serious stuff is only 40-odd days away has dawned so there will be more of the same this weekend and every other for the forseeable. About time...<br />
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Sponsorship is slow and difficult to come by but I've had a couple of donations from folk who have first-hand experience of the life-changing, no, life-saving work that <a href="http://www.justgiving.com/rdmh" target="_blank">Leukaemia And Lymphoma Research</a> are responsible for: this just reinforces what a fantastic cause they are. If you agree then click on the link, please.<br />
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<span style="color: maroon;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: maroon;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: purple;"><strong>For every £500 raised, I will cough-up £100: go on and cause me some financial heartache!</strong></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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Still, it's not <em>all</em> training (what do you mean 'all'? Any would be a start...) as I have managed to fit in a couple of shows into my packed training schedule, ahem. Top of the list would be an up-and-comer called Springsteen: do look out for him. I saw him a couple of weeks back at The Etihad on that Friday when it dumped crazy amounts of rain and was blowing a hooley just for good measure.<br />
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In the event our man delivers what was perhaps one of his top three U.K. shows: the band were just astounding at times. For no good reason I had a go at filming what turned out to be the last song in the 3hr 20 min show: it is worth a watch if only to see the flying trumpeter just about the one minute-mark. Gladly Curt didn't need the <a href="http://www.justgiving.com/totm" target="_blank">North West Air Ambulance</a> (ouch, that was subtle) but we can all help to keep them responding...<br />
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Although I hate banging on about it, here are the stats again:<br />
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<span style="color: maroon;"><strong>-</strong> <strong><span style="color: purple;">We climb 120,000 feet over the 11 days. That is more than the 2012 Tour de France will climb in 21 days!</span></strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: maroon;"><strong><span style="color: purple;">- In 11 days we cycle over 330 <em>uphill</em> miles at an average 8% gradient: that's the same distance as <em>London to Glasgow!</em></span></strong></span><br />
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<strong><span style="color: purple;">- To put some perspective on all this, Mount Everest stands at 29000 feet. On day 3 we climb 15000 feet. </span></strong><br />
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Right, that'll have to do for now...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7131231479632331814.post-28663915322876637272012-06-18T21:11:00.002+01:002012-07-02T15:20:13.261+01:00Over The HillExactly eight weeks until the off and I eventually get around to riding my second 100-miler of 2012...this time last year I had done over 40 of them. Think it would be safe to say that a bit of fear, if not actual panic has set in, hah-hah-hah!<br />
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Yesterday's century was the 'Spud Riley 100/ Polkadot Challenge': an event that I haven't ridden before but whoever planned the route deserves a pint and a pat on the back- it was fantastic for the most part...excepting the first wet'n'miserable 15 miles, but I dare say ordering up the weather is a tall order.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The route of the 'Spud Riley Memorial 100'</td></tr>
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I was (almost) keen to ride this event because it features just over 10000' of climbing over the century of miles, so it meets my rule of thumb: if you are gaining 1000' for every 10 miles you will know about it!<br />
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The other reason was that it is organised by a local cycling club on a non-profit basis so that 50% of your entrance fee goes to Christies Hospital in order to honour the memory of 'Spud' Riley, who gave a lot to cycling in the North West. <br />
This guy was also a craftsman in building and joinery he was given the job of recruiting and overseeing the labour for the construction of the Manchester Velodrome. Blimey! <br />
I'm sorry to say that Mr. Riley succumbed to Leukaemia, hence the memorial nature of this annual event which has so far raised close to £100000 for Christies.<br />
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Plus the event started (and finished) about 200 yards from BAE Woodford aka The Artist Formerly Known As The Centre of Excellence, ahem). Quite what that has to do with anything is anyone's guess, to be fair.<br />
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The other unfortunate coincidence charity-wise happened after about 35 miles or so. On exiting from a T junction a cyclist was struck by a motorbike which broke his bicycle in half and sent the guy 20 feet up and the biker also went skidding down the road.<br />
I rode past the scene about 10 minutes after it happened and it was pretty grim with all three emergency services attending. About 5 minutes later I looked across the valley to see the Air Ambulance finding a spot to land. No word on either party as yet, but the quick response of the helicopter and it's crew can only have helped.<br />
<span style="color: #990000;">**<a href="http://www.staffordshire.police.uk/news/latest_appeals/120618_ia_serious_collision_near/" target="_blank">Update here: both parties airlifted to different hospitals...serious condition</a>**</span><br />
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If you can spare a couple of quid <a href="http://www.justgiving.com/rdmh" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">to help fight leukaemia please click this link</span></a>, or to help the North West Air Ambulance to keep saving lives then <a href="http://www.justgiving.com/totm" target="_blank"><span style="color: #b45f06;">this is where you should look!</span></a><br />
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Although it pains me to type it, <em><span style="color: purple;">for every £500 raised I will put in £100...</span></em><br />
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Looks like Bailey can rest easy... <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">MR2 knob-head fumes<br />
whilst dinner is herded.<br />
I was glad of the 15 minute break.<br />
'Haw-haw!'</td></tr>
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<a href="http://edrollasonphotographygalleries.instaproofs.com/includes/zoomDialup.php?fav=0&col=0&id=163221377&style=original&parent=buy_print.php" target="_blank">A bit of timber to shift yet. Small copse, more like.</a> </div>
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'Over The Hill' - Edwyn Collins</div>
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<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7131231479632331814.post-61695773574550754732012-06-12T20:01:00.000+01:002012-07-12T22:39:52.405+01:00Sharp Dressed Man!Behold Team Lanterne Rouge's jersey what we designed like, ourselves. It is what this season's best-dressed cyclist is wearing, natch...<br />
Took 5 minutes an' all! Nah, thanks to Steve Moran (another Haute Route eejit: see <a href="http://www.pente14.com/pente14_design_ideas.html" target="_blank">Steve's company Pente 14</a>) for this.<br />
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So where did our Team Lanterne Rouge moniker come from?<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The name is a tongue-in-cheek reference to the red lanterns which were once hung from the rear of French trains. The Lanterne Rouge often struggles to finish the more challenging stages of the race, pushing himself up steep mountain climbs alone in order to stay within the elimination time for the stage. So it is reckoned that The Lanterne Rouge symbolizes perseverance in the face of adversity. Or something.</span><br />
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Anyway, this gives me flimsiest of excuses for posting this splendid cover version which I never tire of watching:<em> </em>now this drummer can play a bit...simply amazing!</div>
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Here are those sponsorship links again:<br />
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to help <a href="http://www.justgiving.com/rdmh" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research click here!</span></a><br />
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to keep the <a href="http://www.justgiving.com/totm" target="_blank">North West Air Ambulance flying please click here!</a><br />
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Good work.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7131231479632331814.post-57885684514010119242012-06-07T22:24:00.000+01:002012-08-11T08:59:28.662+01:00Well you got to start somewhere, haven't you?Hello, good evening and welcome to 2012's attempt at setting back the art of blogging by 10 years and hopefully raising some money for two supremely worthwhile charities into the bargain!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It <em>is</em> a diet...just not a good one.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Champion training regime...</td></tr>
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The plan is a simple one: to cycle <em><span style="color: red;">the eleven worst days of the Tour de France</span>.</em><br />
I didn't say it was easy, just simple.<br />
On Sunday 19th August, myself and 498 of my closest friends (and Andy Wickham, whose bright idea this was) will ride in the <a href="http://www.hauteroute.org/en/" target="_blank">2012 Haute Route</a> start cycling from Geneva and hopefully all end-up in beautiful downtown Nice on the following Saturday having a deserved beer or two, having covered 500 miles and climbed 70000'! Of course, that is only the first half done...</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The first six days mapped out for the washed-up!</td></tr>
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After a celebration of sorts in Nice, Andy and myself will drive 500 miles to somewhere near to The Atlantic Ocean in the Western Pyrenees and then spend the following five days tackling the famous Pyrenean climbs of the Tour de France, eventually finishing not too far from The Mediterranean Sea. This stage will involve more modest mileages and climbing: about 400 miles and 50000'...only. So that's alright then.<br />
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To be fair to A.W. (seen below pitching the idea to me last September), it sort of made sense, probably due to all that Becks but also because after last year's jaunt across the U.S.A. there was nowhere reasonably to go but...up. So this challenge does have a weird logic to it, although I doubt I'll be quite so sanguine about the venture come August 19th...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With my cycling partner-in-crime, Andy Wickham.<br />
"Why that's another fine mess you got me into..."</td></tr>
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Now to the serious stuff: the fundraising will follow the tested idea of supporting one national and one regional charity. The regional good cause is one that we supported three years ago but they are always desperate for any help- it is the <a href="http://nwaa.net/" target="_blank">North West Air Ambulance</a> and the link to follow to sponsor me and donate to them is <a href="http://www.justgiving.com/totm" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: yellow;">HERE!</span></a></div>
<span style="color: purple;"><strong>For every £500 raised, I will cough-up £100: go on and cause me some financial heartache!</strong></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These guys are life-savers for real. And need donations to keep doing it.</td></tr>
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The national charity is the <a href="http://leukaemialymphomaresearch.org.uk/" target="_blank">Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research</a> organisation and their purpose is to beat blood cancers. I cannot imagine two more chilling words than those, to be honest. Their mission sounds simple- I wish it was! <span style="color: maroon;"><span style="color: black;">Their life-saving research is focused on finding causes, improving diagnosis and treatments, and running ground-breaking clinical trials for all blood cancer patients.</span></span><br />
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If this moves you, then the link to sponsor me and donate to L.L.R. is <a href="http://www.justgiving.com/rdmh" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">THIS ONE!</span></a><br />
<span style="color: red;"></span><br />
<span style="color: purple;"><strong><span style="color: purple;">Once again, for every £500 raised, I will cough-up £100: go on and cause me some financial heartache!</span></strong></span><br />
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<strong><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The challenge for me is way, way worse than the 33 days behind bars of a year ago. Anyone who has followed the Tour de France or suffered a coach transfer to a ski resort will know just how bloody long and unrelenting these climbs are. Names like Alpe d'Huez, D'Aubisque, Tormalet, Hautacam, Luz-Ardiden are enough to raise a sweat without even leaving your seat!</span></strong></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With ex-England, Crystal Palace midfielder, Leukaemia survivor and tireless worker for L.L.R., Mr. Geoff Thomas</td></tr>
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<span style="color: maroon;"><span style="color: black;">If you want some numbers, here you go...<br /><br /> - <strong><span style="color: purple;">We climb 120,000 feet over the 11 days. That is more than the pussies in the 2012 Tour de France will climb in 21 days!</span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: maroon;"><span style="color: black;"><strong><span style="color: purple;"></span></strong><br />- <strong><span style="color: purple;">In 11 days we cycle over 330 uphill miles at an average 8% gradient: that's the same distance as London to Glasgow!</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: purple;"></span></strong><br />- <strong><span style="color: purple;">To put some perspective on all this, Mount Everest stands at 29000 feet, and a mile is 5280 feet. </span></strong><br /><span style="color: maroon;"><span style="color: black;">That's not the worst of it either: the Alpine 'jaunt' </span></span><span style="color: maroon;"><span style="color: black;">runs from Geneva and ends in Nice six days later <em>and is timed with a cut-off point for those beer'n'pie-loving tourists amongst us. </em>Em, is it me or is it warm in here?</span></span><br /><span style="color: black;"></span><br /><span style="color: maroon;"><span style="color: black;">Actually, it does get worse again: there will be an <em>online facility for you good people to track and scoff at my (lack of) progress </em>during those six awful days. Joking aside, my goal is just to complete the Haute Route: if I manage to finish 499th out of 500 then that is a bonus, if not an unlikely miracle!</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: maroon;"><span style="color: black;">After collapsing in Nice and being revived by an ice cold 1664 or similar, we then drive over 500 miles on the 'rest' day to begin the second bit of this beasting in the Western Pyrenees near The Atlantic, only to end almost at The Mediterranean five days later. Once again, 1664 or similar may well feature...</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: maroon;"><span style="color: black;">Basically what we are doing are shortened legs of <em>the worst </em>stages of Le Tour for eleven days. This is no picnic by anyone's standards so please, please see if you are able to make it all worthwhile with a donation: you can do it in person, by post, online or by text. </span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: black;"><span _mce_style="color: #800000;" style="color: maroon;"><span style="color: black;">Text, did I hear you say? </span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span _mce_style="color: #800000;" style="color: maroon;"><span style="color: black;">Why yes indeed Sir...</span></span></span><br /><span _mce_style="color: #800000;" style="color: maroon;"><span style="color: black;">Your text would look something like this: </span></span><br /><br /><span _mce_style="color: #800000;" style="color: maroon;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">- For the Air Ambulance text </span>TOTM99 £5</span> (or any amount that you can spare) and you send it to <span style="color: red;">70070</span>. </span></span><br /><span _mce_style="color: #800000;" style="color: maroon;"><span style="color: black;">- For L.L.R. text <span style="color: red;">RDMH99 £5</span> to <span style="color: red;">70070</span>.</span></span><br /><br /><span _mce_style="color: #800000;" style="color: maroon;"><span style="color: black;">The amount that you kindly donate then is either added to your phone bill or taken off your PAYG balance accordingly. There is no charge for the text and you don't pay VAT on your donation either, and the charity get 100% of your money so it really is win-win.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: maroon;"><span style="color: black;"><span _mce_style="color: #800000;" style="color: maroon;"><span _mce_style="color: #800000;" style="color: maroon;"> </span></span></span></span><span style="color: maroon;"><span style="color: black;">ps...don't forget to go for the GiftAid option too!</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: purple;"><strong>Once again, for every £500 raised, I will cough-up £100: go on and cause me some financial heartache!</strong></span></span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
I hope that is all crystal, then. All that remains for me to do in the next 50 days is lose 2 stone, get cycling fit and pester all you good people for your hard-earned...cheers!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM3X_FqLiBz1g7OW31nZTJ-9GtXBCGGsR6oHqEDXGhqx5N6q62M2z7brV2rBTw06IxrYGUzEFkcPOF9aOo1Ioc8nXcdJkzPoV6g_o7no0rVr1X0ACTXQ88w3LpP3cqHlxQx_woorLs81c/s1600/Wrong+Bike.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" fba="true" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM3X_FqLiBz1g7OW31nZTJ-9GtXBCGGsR6oHqEDXGhqx5N6q62M2z7brV2rBTw06IxrYGUzEFkcPOF9aOo1Ioc8nXcdJkzPoV6g_o7no0rVr1X0ACTXQ88w3LpP3cqHlxQx_woorLs81c/s320/Wrong+Bike.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I asked the bloke in Halfords for his lightest bike. Smart ass...</td></tr>
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Marvin & Tammi take it/me away!</div>
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