Recruitment drive!

Well, the end of another week and two more training sessions under my belt. Wednesday was wet (big surprise) so I faffed around for an hour or two until the sun came out...yes, of course I knew it would. Couldn't go out on the road bike as it was in the shop having some modifications. No, not an engine..tho that would be a big help. So I took the mountain bike out of the garage only to discover its chain had come off. Now, I know I should be able to just slip a chain on without thinking but I can't..yet. But judging from the ribbing I got later I think I will be expected to learn this simple task. In the meantime a man from the pub gave generously of his time for about 30 seconds and put it back on for me. It really is that easy? Shame on me. Anyway, I made it to West Grinstead and back in more mud but no other reportable incidents.
But speaking of reportable incidents...Recruitment Consultant John (new role to add to his ever expanding repetoire) had a bumper night at the Vortex during our visit last night. I might explain that the lovely hostelry actually has a traditional name. But due to our early experiences when we first moved into the area we fondly refer to it as the Vortex. Due to the fact that it is very easy to pop in for a 'quick half just to be sociable'. But such is the local hospitality it is virtually impossible to leave. Last night was a mini Vortex and during it John took full advantage of several people's Friday evening 'relaxed' frame of mind and recruited a couple of unsuspecting would be LEJOGers. Will wait a few days until reality sinks in before I give them a mention here. It's only fair...all agreements should have a 'cooling off period' and this is no different.
But I will mention two very special people who have committed to joining me...or maybe they should be committed?? Beth is really a founder member of the trip as she jumped in with great enthusiasm last October when I casually voiced the notion of cycling end-to-end. Despite being pretty much fully occupied running aforementioned Vortex she is determined to find the time needed not only to do this trip but to put in the hours training. We had a few cycles out last autumn...one which lasted 5 hours and involved more geo-caching than actual cycling (don't ask) and are starting our training together sometime soon. The other person I want to mention is Bognor Ironman. This is how he appears on my phone contact list because he used to live near there and he is, in fact, an IronMan triathlete. Now he has moved to near Rustington I did consider nicknaming him Rusty Ironman. But he is a sensitive soul and it would be churlish to upset him when he is going to be heavily leaned on by me for his long distance cycling experience during our trip. So I think he should be known as Trusty Ironman as he is yet another good egg, a great organiser and has the patience of Job. The latter character trait will be much needed I'll be bound. Anyway, I hear he has booked the time off work next September and look forward to him coming out cycling with myself and Beth rather than John and PHD! Their loss will definitely be our gain. Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah!
So today I took my newly modified road bike out. Forgot to ask John how long I was programmed to ride for so made an executive decision and did a previous ride only backwards. Well, of course not BACKWARDS, silly. I mean the other way round. Hoping to sneak up on Bourne Hill in Kerves Lane and catch it by surprise. Well it worked insofar as I didn't have to cycle up it. But I was so spooked that I kept the brakes on hard all the way down it! So my new short term ambition is to either cycle all the way up it without stopping/fallling off. Or to cycle all the way down without use of the brakes.
The bike is now fantastic. New handles. Not those silly curly ones that must be a chiropractors dream. Sort of straight ones with bull horn type handles sticking up. Am sure there is a technical term which some anorak (er, expert!) will supply in due course. And a new gear arrangement which includes words like 'cassettes' and 'easier for hills'. Which I am all for and thoroughly enjoyed today, I must say. A trip that took about 1hr 20 on the mountain bike whizzed by in 55 mins today. I think this bike and I will become firm friends.