London to Brighton

Right, wish me luck. I'm just off now. Back in [aieee] 60 miles and about, ooh, ten hours...

Pledges of money (for the British Heart Foundation), beer, new knees, oxygen etc. to 07939 087884...

If I can get the Psion to do it, I shall moblog my progress intermittently.

Progress report 1

2 hours in. Passed a few stragglers so far, but then got
caught up in a traffic jam in the rain and missed a turning,
causing an involuntary detour to Coulsdon and back. Bugger.

Now, after the miserable climb of How Lane, I'm at the
official rest stop in Chipstead, and, with the half-hour detour,
the weather's cleared up and it's beautifully sunny.

Time for a Kitkat, a banana or two and some complimentary
OJ courtest of the local parish church, bless 'em.

PR2

The Dog & Duck

3 and a quarter hours - 25 miles in, at the Dog & Duck, official rest stop E.

Spoke too soon about the weather - it's turned really horrid on me. Since 10min after I set out last time, I've been in everything between cold drizzle to driving rain so heavy the drops hurt as they hit. Definitely time for a pint!

I'm well ahead of my time last year now, even with the detour, and I'm feeling fine, but my knees are starting to give me gyp, especially the right one, which is doing the clicky thing faster than a blogging goth having a relationship crisis. I'm a bit worried about this - there's a couple of big climbs yet to do, although I've done the first three fine. I've passed two points where I stopped to moan in pain and exhaustion last year already.

Maybe this King & Barnes Sussex Draught will help. It's only 3.5%, honest, officer. Couple of packets of crisps will buffer it.

PR3

The Crown, Turners Hill
Coming up on 5h in, about 35mi done

Well, the hill was easy, but my right knee's getting seriously painful now and I'm becoming very worried. It took the hill easily enough. Straightening it doesn't hurt, it's bending it under load. If it's not moving, no pain. Wonder if the running's damaged it? It's always given me more trouble than the left one, on the smashed-up leg. I suspect it sustained some damage in the Big Crash and with everything else that was wrong, they just never noticed - like my dislocated left shoulder.
Got allergy eyes too, but that's normal in summer. :'-/ Got pills & drops for that.

Ah well. Downhill to Ditchling now, one utter bastard climb, then downhill to the sea. I'm about two-thirds of the way there, but the worst is yet to come.
There's cyclists everywhere now. I've caught the end of the world's biggest peloton - or at least, its remnants. Most of them are sitting around drinking now. Seems like a good plan to me. One Harvey's Sussex Best, please!

PR4 - the end

For you, Englishman, the ride is over.

Hundred Acre Lane, Wivelsfield Green

Suddenly there was a loud bang, and that was it, finished.

Back tyre blowout, happily at a modest speed. But no more riding for me today - I have a puncture repair kit but no spare inner tube. Guess I'm not going any further today, then.
The saintly Andy Wood is somewhere relatively nearby, though, and is going to come to my rescue. I hope. At least the rain's stopped and the sun's come out.

Ah well. Maybe next year.