Ok, thank you for staying tuned, big news...

Where to start? Has to be with an update on the fund raising.

In the last week we have had approximately £1,200 come into the memorial fund, which is now standing in the region of £6,700. So, only another £1,800 to get to the first of the screening days, and then £3,500 more for the next one. I am sure we can get there. Varndean and Sussex Downs also both have half term updates going out with links and news on the ride so we may get some more through that as well. If we do these two days, 200 students or other 14-35 year olds will be screened to check they are ok and any potential issues we hope that are found get treated.

Yesterday, great to meet up with Jon Palling and Nye Bidwell of Adeptis who are kind enough to donate some money for shirt sponsorship. Nye is looking at doing a Brighton to Dundee ride next year so I can lend him my electric motor that I have secreted on the bike for that. More plans working through with those guys to get some exposure for the ride, again, who knows what may come of that. Just a tweak on the shirt needed.

Other breaking news, company (as in another rider) secured for parts of day 4 and day 5. Ross, from Proper Cycling and Coffee in Hassocks (who have already done quite a lot to support me), will be meeting me somewhere in Gloucestershire or Somerset (or possibly even Essex, (in joke)(oh, here we go with the brackets overload again)), what could go wrong with that? Glenn will be driving our official team support car that day and the following day, tantalisingly holding cake just out of reach no doubt knowing Glenn. The guys will drop off when we get to Telford as they will have been fed with buns at that stage and that is a signal to turn south. Great to have the company though. Days 0, 1, 2, 4, 5 and 10 I will not be alone. Some would say with my way of thinking I never am....

Now, today's ride was fun. Thought I would do a longer one for a change as have not pushed over 60 for a while so ended up with a 72 miler. It was meant to just be Pickwell, Colwood and a bit of the Dyke, but when I got to the Dyke I thought what the hell, let's turn right. I can confirm that even with shoes, bike fits and less weight it is still a bit of a hill. I am not sure how much climbing I did today, Garmin said 4,400 feet, Strava 3,200 feet. I tend to believe Garmin, it felt like that for sure.

Picture today is in effect the reverse of the other days one as I went right up to the Dyke. Beautiful views. Sadly no hang glider people jumping about and more to the point, no ice cream van at the top. That was bad.

Also bad, my refuelling today. With the detour, didn't drop in for my usual pot of tea and cake so was actually running on a low tank by the end. Definitely not hydrated enough which meant the end was a touch more of a drag than it should have been. Even without reloading though, I felt confident there were more miles in the legs.

Shorter one tomorrow as then have to go out for lunch and beer, and play mah jong and drink more beer in the evening. It's a hard job, but I think I am up for it. Can't have too much beer though as on Uckfield FM Saturday breakfast 7-10 (105FM or in the interweb if you want to listen to a right load of old tosh).

Other small stuff that has happened I will save for slow news days as incredibly while I have been typing this blog today, another £110 has come in. £6,800ish now.

Superb.....