The Pessimism and Occasional Optimism of Juvenile Adulthood

I would like to start by writing that this is being typed on a Parisian street corner having now completed a rather eventful and exciting leg spinner of a day. (Note pictures of today and the whole journey will follow) We woke up in a rather large chateau with donkeys, a mad woman and horrible showers -not that any of them were to be enjoyed in great detail. However, I swiftly became aware that my legs weren't quite at their best. Every step felt ever so slightly heavier and it gave a rather impressive insight into how the pro riders do this for 3 weeks with only 2 rest days. The fact that Adam Hansen has completed 20 consecutive Grand Tours is just astonishing! Anyhow, we set off sadly later than planned but with staggered starts!! Though the credit I will claim for that idea is minimal. This would have been brilliant if senses of direction remained unaffected!  Nevertheless as we departed, the fog descended and much like in the Hounds of the Baskervilles,   we were going to ...

Today was the longest day, a full 124.6 125 km, and our first day cycling in the French Republic following a transition day on the ferry.  A choppy ride made the journey long, at times nauseating and shaky to say the least. However it was the 18th Birthday of one Team Froome member, Master Mister Jack Bennett. So happy birthday to him. Anyway... We began today in a hotel F1 (Formula " unn") , renowned for their distinct lack of quality and facilities, stripped bare of any luxuries- like McLaren Honda! We then headed to the docks at Dieppe and departed swiftly after, and one thing was instantly noticeable. The surface. I could wax lyrical about the smooth, divine Tarmac, weaving elegantly through the green and pleasant land that isn't Jerusalem.  In the allegedly United Kingdom, the terrain varied from pothole infested roads to gravel to large stones. On a road bike on road tyres, I was paranoid throughout. Yet in a nation which cares about the bicycle, having devoted cycl...

Today was a day of numbers. Between we the mighty 7, we used 8 bikes had two punctures and one more fall, this time courtesy of Rory Bennett, who went skidding across mud and created a sight to behold. The day sadly began too late for anyone wanting but Team Cavendish had the chance to regain their place in the peloton, and boy did try succeed as with only one puncture they finished strong, just like their their namesake. Beyond their, we headed to our start for the day, in a journey which nearly came to an abrupt end as the deer scarpered across the road, before swiftly leaping over a 5 foot hedge. Soon though, we reached the start and we swiftly departed . The main question I was debating the night before, was how long my legs would last before succumbing to yesterday's fatigue. The answer: inconclusive. Throughout the day, the pace was relatively constant and the main sources of difficulty lay in the hills. Naturally, the gulf between us as a group would inevitably increase as f...

In truly Intrepid fashion, things were never going to go fully smoothly. However by the end, our sandpaper had been used to great effect as all appeared to go well. At least on the surface... After following custom and leaving the rather grim surroundings of the scout campsite 1/2 an hour late. We headed for the tube. With our bikes. In Lycra. All the way to Westminster. To all the passengers whose seats we deprived them of with our saddles, handlebars and wheels, I apologise. Fortunately though, for all parties involved, we departed and crossed the eponymous bridge and passed the residence of Mr Bercow where we reached our start point: The London Eye. By this point, timing had ticked by at such a rate that its importance seemed forgotten - right until we looked at our watches and realised we were over 1 hour late and morning was preparing to bid farewell for another 12 hours. Such time constraints rather forced our staggered starting plan to be drastically scaled back to us setting of...

I'm writing this in a Land Rover heading down to London with several bicycles in the trailer. This is because tomorrow I will begin a bicycle ride from London to Paris. I'm doing this with my Explorer Scout Unit (aptly named Intrepid) so over the next few days I will be using this online platform along with the book of faces to update the world on our pedal strokes heading gently south. We begin tomorrow at 10am at the Eye of London Town.  Please stay tuned FACT of the IPOT: Over the next 5 days and 4 cycling days, we will cycle over 400 kilometres. My saddle cream is at the ready...