Befuddled of West Sussex!

Hi there and welcome to confusedcyclist.com! I am aware of the fact that I am miles behind with my blogging. Not that anyone would care, except me! But I cannot remember all the rides. I just checked over at Beth's blog hoping for a reminder but I think she is as addled as I am at this stage! And with good reason...its been a hard week's cycling!!!  
So I think we went out last Saturday after 2 days rest. I only remember this because Agent Alex went off afterwards and umpired for about 24hrs in the rain, caught a chill and didn't make the next couple of long rides with the team. We cycled the hilly Cuckfield route and I got a puncture at some point. John kindly changed the tube for me (where would I be without him?) only to find the valve was faulty and had to change it again! That is one patient man... Anyway, it was a great ride and amazing how we can go out for 28miles or so nowadays and consider it a short ride! Oh, oh, I just remembered! John and I left the guys and went our own way back to Southwater via Kerves Lane. I got to redeem myself up Bourne Hill. That's the one I pushed my bike up months ago. This time I actually rode it. But it was a close thing! Then when we got to the top someone stopped John because they thought we'd dropped something. So John only cycled back down the hill again! We hadn't but hey, he needed the exercise...

John has been really busy booking accomodation for us all for the trip. We were going to leave it and call in on spec. But when John tried to get rooms for us in Penzance and found it so difficult then we thought it'd be best to pre-plan abit. So that has kept him out of mischief when he's not re-cycling hills of course.

Sunday was a recovery ride of an hour just to get the legs loosened. Then Monday it was full steam ahead for our first big ride of the back to backs. I met Beth down at the Bar and we tootled off to Storrington where John caught up with us and put a stop to any tootling. We got hoisted off at a pace and met up with Simon somewhere in Surrey called Ockley. We had a leisurely lunch at the Old Schoolhouse (very nice, fish restaurant). A bit too leisurely actually because I found it really difficult to get going again. The afternoon leg was slow and much hillier. However it ended up with a congratulatory thick shake at McDonalds and 64m under our belts. Beth, somehow, managed 67. I am still not sure how but hey, she doesn't get enough exercise so probably needed it!!! (Joking!).

And oh my goodness, we did it all again on Tuesday. But the other way around. So we got to do the hilly bit first. Beth and I set off on our own again with half an hours head start on John. He caught us and we had a lovely ride in the pouring rain for a while. My waterproof proved not to be, but at least I know now. Tired legs soon warmed up a bit. We had lunch in a different pub in Ockley but shakes at the same Mc D's! 64m again and, yes, the legs knew it!
We were on a bit of a high for the rest of the day and gave Alex a hard ish time in the pub that night for being precious and not coming out with us. Setting the tone for the actual ride I suspect. Taking prisoners will not be high on the team list I predict!

I want to write some more about a special place we are staying en route but it will have to wait til I have a bit more time.
I do hope anyone reading this is well and would remind you that time is running out to make a donation to my chosen charity!