Bye bye marvellous support, hello new wonderful support

Day 4 sees the changing of the support guard. Bye bye Helen and Steve, hello Ruth, Jenni, Glenn and Ross. Copious notes passed from Helen and Steve to the new recruits based upon their experiences in dealing with the foibles of the talent. This was evidenced when all support team were together at the first meeting point and the talent rode past.

Many thanks to Helen and Steve for their superb over the last four days. And I will keep a look out for 6ft oink thingies.

Start of the day bidding farewell to Monica and Bill after a good night’s sleep and very grateful for their generous hospitality. Did the Uckfield interview from there and managed to pronounce Gordano incorrectly! It looks as if we may not yet be finished with the Ovel’s as possibility we’ll meet Richard and Becky tomorrow evening. Day started in mist but soon warmed up, so the waterproof was taken off just after Bristol. Rode past the meeting place as described above and continued the next leg with Ross.

Glenn demonstrated his naval navigation skills by waving us down on the corner of Tesco in Quedgaly (or however you spell it). Before getting there, Ross had to use the facilities of a hedge, only to find that he had inadvertently left the camera on his bike running, and the bike was pointing at him. He has destroyed the memory card.

Glenn then took over riding duties on the leg to Ledbury, which is a pretty little town. It will please and surprise members of the Sussex Bike Club to know that Ross also made it to the rendezvous successfully. By this time, he had been propositioned by a local traffic warden, so we ran away to another car park to eat and drink.

Final leg to Bishops Frome, Ross was back in the saddle and the day had a sting in the tail with a 27% hill called the col du Frome hill. Rode into Bishop’s Frome to be greeted by Glenn who had now been joined by Jenni and Ruth at the Chase Inn where we had din dins.

Glenn and Ross are staying down the road, where there appears to be a shortage of hot water. After having his legs licked by a dog, Glenn plunged into the cold shower and screamed moderately loudly, Ross is still smelly. Meanwhile back at the Chase Inn, Jenni was inspecting saddle sores. Routes and stopped have been checked for tomorrow, which is a long day. Tea and scones lined up in Telford and then complete the 89 miles to Alsager.

Finally, many thanks to Garry Lengthorn and his family for being todays sponsor. His head may be shiny but his heart is golden.

Hard to believe that four days are done, totalling over 300 miles, still 700 to do; but now totally immersed in the ride and can only think of THE ROAD.

When I surface I am constantly amazed with the level of support now being seen. Please keep sharing, liking, retweeting, instagramming, wazzing or whatever.

Love you all dudes.

Laters