#giro90

- TOP 3 CLIMBS: Hay Bluff (Brecon Beacons)   |   Dinas Mawddwy (Snowdonia)  |   Hope Bridge to Moine Ho (Highlands)

THE WELCOME HOME - BEST CAKE IN THE WORLD from the Warne family - 3 burgers, 14 sausages, chicken thighs and drums and Harriet-made salads everywhere: full family BBQ to welcome us home - 2 bottles of champagne and a few beers to celebrate in Brockley - 2 naughty nieces

- 2 full English breakfasts with a sailing Yorkshireman from Halifax and his wife whom he met through an Internet dating website specifically aimed at ‘seriously adventurous individuals’ - 24 miles of the most beautiful road for cycling in the world… probably - 1 worrying clicking noise emanating from bottom bracket of the Bianchi - Bike shop stop on Oban. Old man with a walking stick behind the counter. 3 questions, 3 answers: can you help with the bottom bracket: no. Do you have a spanner that would fit my brooks saddle: no. Any chance you have some chain cleaning fluid/ oil: no. Half way through the last question he was holding the door open for us to leave. Productive stop. To be fair, it was one of those classic bike shops that specialises in ‘fishing tackle’. Good. - Final energy filled Jelly Snake sweetie eaten (thanks Bartletts) - 2 rhubarb crumble and oat bakes by the seaside in Mull, whilst looking for otters - 0 otters seen - 2 eagles spotted flying overhead - 60mph storms predicted (and already hitting the windows full force) for midday tomorrow and a series of cancelled ferries making route planning a little bit tense… - 2 Tobermory whisky drams to ease the tension

- 12 whiskies from 4 different distilleries before 2pm (Laphroig, Bowmore, Caol Ila and Jura) - £0.50 toothbrush purchased from the Spa - 6 different theories discussed for how sustainable peat bog farming is in light of the global demand for Islay Whisky and how long it takes to ’re-form’ peat once it is ‘harvested’ - 2 magnums in the sun (actually cloudy drizzle) at Port Askaig because it’s not a holiday without an ice cream - 1 venison burger not from Mac & Wild - 8 dancing drunks, 1 Viking and an accordion player all drinking Jaegermeister Irn Bru’s in the local inn whilst ‘Rock & Reel’ were playing their set - 1 fat pirate who can feel a storm coming

- 5hrs sleep - 1 water bottle lost, found and then retrieved from the railway tracks - 99% of the day spend into a strong headwind. Offset by sun shining and beautiful flat (ish) costal road - 1 instance of being overtaken by a large woman on a 1992 Raleigh mountain bike with 100km of luggage on board - 1 near cancelled and then rearranged ferry to Islay. Saddington senior cutting some business deals en-route - 2 fish and chips rapidly gobbled down in the sun in Ballycastle port - 1.5 hours of very choppy sea crossing from Ireland to Scotland in a catamaran with an Irish sailor and a Lithuanian dive instructor - 2 bikes completely covered in shining salty sea spray - 1 Guinness to commemorate our missed night out in Dublin - 4 whisky drams in Port Ellen listing to a 4 piece folk band - 1 forgotten toothbrush and 1 lost jumper - 1 inflatable single bed

Saddington Senior just waked into Lidl (the only option) in Holyhead with 1 instruction and 2 options: get some booze; screw top wine + plastic cups OR cans of beer. Walks out with a cork bottle and said he asked if they sell plastic cups - and they don't. Nailed it. I went in and no, they don't sell bottle openers either.

DAY ONE 105km Porthcurno to Fowey - 1 change of tyre after 15km - 1 ferry - miles of hedges like fortresses - 1 crash into a lamppost - 4 off-road single track segments - 5 pints of Tribute - growing trust in the Garmin despite several outbursts at its self made decisions to 'recalculate route' at critical moments on the pre-calculated route - up-down. Up-down. Up.

Kit is coming together... next step... getting it into panniers...