Purple Helmet for day 2

Well day one has gone very well indeed, everybody managed to get to
Poole in one piece and we have now had some well earned food (and
beer) at Bournemouth Rugby Club.

Day 2 Purple Helmet punishment goes to Mr Chris Miller.

Next stop, ferry to Cherbourg.

Long John Amourx

4 miles from Poole

We all limber up for the final push into Poole

Well done Mr Reevsey

That was a 20% hill!!

We make it up the steepest climb

.....so far!

East Stour and time for Lunch

Everybody is in fine fettle and we are half way through the first day.
Weather has been kind and Norman is moaning again.

Chris the Flyer

Well done Chris, thanks for organising the ride - 35 miles in and only
2 people still in Shepton Mallet!

20 miles in and all looking good!

I'll have a banana please and some water for Norman.

Here we go

We have lift off - good luck everybody!

Almost ready

The first purple helmet

Go Yan!

Todays the day!

1 day to go!

And Norman is finding the most comfortable position on the bike, bless. There is of course still time to sponsor the ride by clicking here, meanwhile we have a late bit of good news, well for me anyway. After taking the bike apart at the weekend, giving it a clean and putting it back together again I seem to have got rid of the annoying clicking/clonking noise everytime I pedal! I guess it's also good for the other riders as they won't need ear plugs.

Lets meet Norman

Ok, so most of you reading this blog may not have met Norman, the office cat at Cramer, and why would you? It's a long story, but essentially what started out as bet between 2 office colleagues has now turned Norman into the un-official mascot for the PROPS ride.

Norman started life as the BT Exchange cat on one of Stephen Harvey's past projects and now is happily spending his life around the Bath Cramer office (see above). He's pretty good and not too much trouble and during the training rides he's quite liked being on the bike, sitting mainly on the handle bars. As the ride has approached he's become a little more daring and recently spent 50miles gripping to my helmet!! Suffice to say this was quite a spectacle going up Bathwick hill and certainly provided amusement and rubber-necking to many passers by.

I think I'll try and talk him out of riding high for the majority of the journey but alas he may be allowed for the later parts when we approach Paris. Allez! Allez!

Oh, by the way, if you sponsor me, then you'll have to do double for Norman as well. ;-)

What's in the bag?

2 days to go and I'm starting to think about lists and stuff that will be useful on the trip, trust me I'm not usually this organised when I usually go away (except when I'm taking photos!) but I guess we normally just take the EasyJet. The ride organiser, Chris Miller has provided a list and of course all the great T-Shirts from PROPS will be packed along with the spare bits for the bike, tubes, chain, tire, spare SPDs and puncture repair kits. Not forgetting the most important item(s), padded shorts and cream. :-)

As this time of year is pretty darn busy for me the plan is to get all the packing complete tomorrow and then drop the bag round to Mr Reevesy and Dawn so that David and myself can make our way to Bristol on Thursday morning with just our bikes. I think we'll try to use public transport but I guess if all else fails we could cycle?! I guess another 15miles wouldn't hurt... Then again, maybe not.

3 days to go

Ok so yesterday was great, a nice and easy 50 miles but now with only 3 days left I'm starting to realise that we will be doing 6 times this in 4 days. So, instead of going out for another ride I decide to just wash my bike and eat. And eat. And eat. :-)

Smile please!

The man himself, Mr reevsey. Who invited the paparatzi?

The shadow

Norman didn't make this training ride owing to last minute prep with
his owner - we will get him on the blog next week!

Right then, where's that cold bath?

On the road again - Bradford on Avon

Who wants some fish and chips ?

Cream Teas in Lacock

Wasps a plenty but a well earned cuppa!

Start of the Sat training ride

Where's my bike?

Welcome

Welcome to my un-official blog of the PROPS Bristol to Paris Charity bike ride starting next Thursday, July 31st 2008. 

I intend to use this space to keep everybody up to date with all the news from the final week of training and of course the event it self. Given that this is all about raising money for a good cause I'll start with the Just Giving page where, if you so wish, you can sponsor me on the 320mile journey. 

I have been "involved" with the great work that PROPS do for special needs youngsters in Bristol for about 4 years. Dave Reeves is a teacher and the person who pretty much set up PROPS from scratch - he is the heart of the charity!

There are approx 35 riders including David Sanson (pictured) who works with me at the Bath office of Cramer and Norman the office cat (pictured). Yes, we have a mascot for the journey in the shape of a black & white cat named Norman - thanks to Stephen Harvey for allowing Norman to join us!

David and myself have been training for quite a while now, nothing too intense although David has admitted to going out for the occasional run as well. Anyhow, we are almost ready with the final training ride this weekend, a nice 100 miler from Bath to Sherston into Bradford-on-Avon and back home.