2 Days To Go! Are We Ready?????????

It's hard to say if we are ready, would we ever be really ready?

Paul is having some serious issues with his bike. It seemed a good idea if we both put our bikes into a cycle shop to have them checked over before M-Day. Paul had damaged his brakes, I think it was about 6 months ago, and he thought that he might use these on the day! It was these new hydraulic disc brakes and the repair guy must have thought all his Christmas's had come at once. His gears were also jumping a bit, so much so that when he was powering up Cathedral Street, the chain slipped and his nose came in close proximity of the handle bars!

Diagnosis-

New rear brake
New rear gear cogs,
New front derailer,
New tyre

£95 and the gears still jump. The guy can't find out what is wrong and Paul has had it back to him 3 times and no joy.

Paul has also splashed out on new hiking shoes for the trek and has been breaking them in running back and forth to the repair shop. Eventually he has given up on this guy and taken his bike down to Billy Bilsland cycles where I got my bike and he is first class. Long and the short of it, he can't look at it until at least Thursday to be ready for Friday.... Cuttin' it a bit fine methinks. Fingers crossed!!!!!

Can't help feeling a bit smug though, I put my bike in for a check over into Bilslands and also asked him to change over from my road tyres to my off roads. Diagnosis was, bike perfect and best of all - no charge! Brilliant.

This is the recommended kit list that we should be taking with us, Paul's recommended list is at the bottom.

Daypack
* Waterproofs
* Water container and 2-3 litres of water
* Head torch or torch for night section
* Energy food
* Map
* Spare socks
* Zinc oxide tape
* Mobile phone
* Basic First Aid Kit
* Bicycle helmet

Main kit list (carried by support team)
* Spare boots or trainers – well broken in
* Spare clothes and waterproofs
* Sunhat, sun cream and sunglasses.
* Midge repellent and head net
* Cycle shorts (without padding for walking in)
* Vaseline – to prevent chaffing
* Basic first aid kit – blister repair kit, zinc oxide
tape and foot powder
* Energy drinks – Lucozade
* Energy food – nuts, fruit, chocolate, energy bars
* Spare batteries for torch
* Mobile phone
* Woolly hat and gloves
* 5 spare pairs socks – 1,000 mile or double lined
socks
* Towel
* Spare boot laces
* Blanket
* Food – for main checkpoints and in between
* Pack of Compeed

Paul's Kit List.

* Pair of gutties, sannies, plimsoles or whatever you call them
* Pair of shorts
* Pair of socks (that he got from Maggies)
* T-Shirt (that will be supplied by Maggies)
* A hoody (if it gets cold)
* A bin liner (if it gets wet)
* 2 litre bottle of Irn Bru ( he can refill this at checkpoints)
* 4 KitKats (Chunky of course
* A late addition, his new shoes.

The next post will probably be once it is all over...

Compeed here we come...