Decision time is soon!

Hi,

When i first requested the time off work to do the Charity ride from Gibraltar to Yorkshire, I was basically told to ask again in June. Since then i've been doing a moderate amount of cycling. Doing the odd weekend of cycling, but have not really pushed as yet any major preperation for the event. Unfortunately if September is refused, my next window of opportunity will not be until May 2011. Which gives me plenty of time to prepare.

June is almost amongst us, so I am going to request the time from work once more. Unfortunately I do not know the answer. There is a lot going off here, and a lot of changes coming up, which is leading me to think its going to be a no :( Which means this whole project could be on hold until next year. In the meantime I will have to keep the motivation to do this and focus on it. If I do get a yes, it will be all systems go go go go in preparing, training etc with only 3 months until launch date.

Please everyone have their fingers crossed for me. I really really want to do this in September.

In the meantime I have been doing some weekend cycling. I have now scaled the rock of Gibraltar with no difficulty what so ever. I have climbed to the top of Sierra Bermeja again. (after doing the long way round up to Alagatocin first). So fitness wise. Im definately feeling readier and readier. Lets just hope I get the opportunity!

Going nowhere ??:(

UPDATE 16 March 2010

Im waiting for a decision from my employer as to whether a September launch date is possible. Unfortunately Ive got to wait until June to get this decision which may leave a tight schedule for organising the charities, sponsorships etc. But we'll make it!

I'd had over three weeks off the bike due to a UK Visit and moving house, and then the next weekend the rain wouldn't let off. So was another week before I got on the bike again!

I have literally been going nowhere!


But last weekend, the skies cleared and the sun was out, so did a nice re-introduction cycle, a 50km trip just get back into the swing of things. The biggest obsticle being a collapsed bridge totally blocking the only route up to Castellar which was prettty mad! The rain had washed it away! Still, that didnt stop me getting to the other side! Was really glad to be back on the bike!

More Riding

After doing the Sierra Bermeja mountain last Saturday. I decided to get straight back onto the bike the day after. Now If i'm to cycle from Gibraltar up to the UK. Then I need to cover some mileage in a day and do a full day ride rather than just an afternoon ride. So a nice 135km route - Ronda the Long Way round as I called it was devised. From Estepona to Casares to Gaucin to Ronda to San Pedro to Estepona. To say that was a marathon was an understatement. I blame the terrain though. It was mountain terrain. 135k on the flat should be a lot easier! The other problem was that it was bloody freezing up the top of those mountains! I didnt learn from the day before to wrap up warm, and I didnt take enough food either! 10 hours 20 minutes of cycling, and ended up having to cycle from San Pedro to Estepona down the busy A7/N340 road in the dark, which was a mad dash at the end! I did suffer the next couple of days after doing that. But woah what a ride it was. It did not put me off going further... to Yorkshire!

Today I decided to do an easier route and a change of scene from climbing mountains all the

time. I drove the bike to Los Barrios and went from there to Tarifa. Tarifa is the most southernly spot in europe. It is in essence, the

Edge of Europe with just a 35 minute ferry seperating two completely different cultures. It was actually so great cycling down into tarifa listening to French speaking, Arabic music Morrocon radio stations and looking over there to a different land. It was so clear today you could make out buildings and practically see cars driving over there. The photos didnt pick this out unfortunately. It just made me want to put the bike on the ferry and go there! So today was a nice 75km run which wasn't too mountainous. However in contrast to last week, I did find it rather hot at times. Even in February the temperature was 21c. Tarifa gave such a reward at the end with its white sandy beaches.

Im now off the bike for 3 weeks due to going to the UK (by plane!) and moving house down here which is going to occupy the next few weekends. Ive been randomly playing with the tracker at the side here updating my position every now and again. It seems to be working well! Twitter updates plus Flickr update giving a little slideshow are all working well and updateable anywhere via my mobile. So all good there!