The SolarCycle Diaries: 3 riders. 12,000 miles. 1 cause.

So – the wheels have been slowly creaking into action.

‘Horatio’ has been fine tuning a fool proof route (“So why is that bit dotted?” “Oh that’s just the bit I can’t find a road for.” “Should we worry about that at all?” “Nah – Something will turn up…”) 

I have just been to visit SolarAid as we hope the trip will raise some cash for their fantastic projects. (SolarAid was set up to fight the two most important threats facing the world today: global poverty and climate change. The charity trains rural communities in Africa to build and sell small solar devices, such as solar radios, solar lanterns or solar mobile phones.) 

And – of course – there was the mini cruise…

My friend Meena needed someone to help her take a car over to France and so I got the call. “Hey Suse, fancy a mini cruise?” “By ‘mini cruise’ do you technically mean 36 hours on the ferry?” “No. Kind of. Ok – Yes…” “Ah well – all good practise for next year I guess.”

MAN ALIVE!

The two ocean crossings are going to be a trial.

Despite the delights of the bingo, cabaret and DJ Pete it was not an experience to be repeated. (Am a little claustrophobic, can’t bear a lack of natural light and get slightly sea sick.) Hmmm. Should probably have thought the 13 day stints onboard through a bit more… Can you water ski behind a tanker?

Anyway – next steps are to finish updating the site, contact the British Council and organise visa’s. Jamie is over from France tmrw too so can get him on the case. 

Right – off to work on this whole bike couriering career. Though it’s a bit windy out. And rainy. And cold… 

Have a good one.

xx

Sorry. Went for lunch with Horatio and ended up at a bicycle maintenance course in Spalding.

As you do.

Anyhow, to finish off the ‘trial run’ story, let’s rewind to Fuencaliente:

We awoke on the last day of cycling through Spain with Cordoba within breathing distance. Just a 90km hop out of the hills and down the motorway…. the motorway. Hold on. You can’t cycle on motorways. Argh!

Ah well. Back to the scenic route. Only an extra 45km across another mountain range…

It was incredible though. Despite getting bitten by a horse fly (and subsequently flashing a town square of elderly gentlemen to check the damage) and two 10 mile vertical ascents*.

But – with the legs nearly shot, in the pitch black and careering down an undulating, rock strewn dirt track we turned a corner and to find XtremeGene wakeboarding. Amazing.

It was an incredible weekend too.  So thank you to Debbie, Sophie, Meens and all of the gorgeous young men that made it so. (Though I can confirm that when you have no strength in your arms and can’t feel your finger tips it is not the best time to learn a sport which requires you to cling to a fast moving motor boat.) 

All a world away now though and I have spent the last two weeks testing the patience of Alf and Teresa Webb on their bicycle maintenance course. (See: The Bike Inn site for details).

Incredibly, they have conquered my fear of touching anything on a bike ‘in case it all falls apart and never recovers’ and taught me how to build and true wheels, fix spokes and diagnose and sort out all sorts of potential issues. Thank you Alf and Teresa.

A huge thank you also to Derek and Shirley, my wonderful surrogate parents at Highbridge Guest House.

Anyway – now the planning begins in earnest. Horatio has been fine tuning the route and Jamie is over from France soon so it’s all go. (Will try again to get the lazy bug*ers to write something on here.)

For now though – off for a ride on the track bike I made last week.

I love saying that.

Oh yeah. Bring on the mechanics. And the getting unnecessarily covered in oil….

Have a good one.

Susie xx

*The downhills were phenomenal though. Jamie recorded one at 60kmph for about 9 minutes. Nice.