Eureka!

9.10am Sunday morning - Ahh, pint of tea and couple of slices of toast @ Eureka cyclists' cafe (near 2 Mills), half way thru 27.2 mile training cycle with Cookie

Only guys in there WITHOUT full cycle kit and those weird shoes.

Outside cafe - 45 hi-tec, ultra-modern road racing bikes, 1 1970's road touring bike - complete with mudguards, pannier rack and dynamo (mine) and 1 Tesco's Finest mountain bike - complete with very thick off-road tyres, ladies comfort saddle and a ding-a-ling-bell (hehheh, sorry Cookie)...

2nd training day

A certain theme to my cycle training plan appears to be developing - have just returned, on bike, from Thursday night last orders at the Irby Mill - an energy sapping 2.2 miles return journey!

Of note, amazing how fast one can cycle after a pint and half of Bombardier!%*?

Anyway, also completed an 11 mile trip this morning down to Meols, West Kirby and Caldy and I must admit that the recently purchased, specially for cyclists, 'padded' boxer shorts (£19.99) - on their 1st outing today - did NOT live up to expectations... Padded boxies??? Padded my arse! (no they didn't). No discernible difference to the 2-4-£1 Tesco Value boxer shorts - this is a psychological blow to preparations

Total training distance to date:- 17.2 miles

Hello, is there anybody there??

Hmm... Just trying to set up a blog?? Not sure whether this will work or not, but what the heck - will give it a go!

Semi-mad idea to cycle from Melbourne to Sydney following Ad's wedding - probably won't happen, but sounds fun

Thought I'd post a 'blog', just in case it does, so family and friends can follow progress... (lucky you!)

Have devised training plan...

...although have yet to implement

Am the proud owner though of new bicycle lights which I purchased last week - put them to the test on Friday with a late night inaugural training ride to last-orders at the Caldy Rugby Club beer festival (a mammoth 2 miles). Deceptively VERY bright, as I found out when staring straight at the LED lights at a distance of approx 20cm and then pressing the 'on' switch... (hey, we've all done it!)

Once sight restored, opted for energy-saving-flash-mode to cycle up the unlit Montgomery hill road... banging headache 2 minutes later and on verge of brain seizure due to stroboscopic effect... Headache resolved following 6 half-pints of Wigglewaggle(?)... only to return again upon awakening the following morning... blinking lights (quite literally)

Will keep blog posted with any new developments as and when...