I’ve had a ScottUSA road bike that’s taken a load of pounding over the time I lived in London. I bought it from new in 2000, it’s good but I don’t trust it. I’ve recently replaced a wheel, there’s a small crack in the frame, so to make up for me blowing a bit on other kit, it’s currently on eBay. I just didn’t have confidence in it. So I needed a touring bike – did a bit of research and it seems to me that a touring bike is really just a road bike with panniers. There are a few that are renowned for the job, but the bargain I saw was a grand’s worth of a bike, which had had zero use as the guy I bought it off had recently come off his other bike twice in London so lost his confidence in cycling the city. One man´s loss is another man´s gain. £530 for a £1000 bike. Happy with that.

I came across what seems to be the site for cycle tourers: Crazy Guy On A  Bike, looking for a similar example as to what I was planning. There I found Julian who´d done a very similar route last summer. Couldn´t have been more helpful, we spoke on the phone for a few pointers and I even have his number in case I get into difficulties. Top guy. I love the kindness of strangers that the Internet can hold.

So Julian in turn told me about Warm Showers, the cyclist´s social network. You open your place up to other cyclists, and they´ll do the same for you. Works for me. Would be happy to have randoms come stay some day at my place, so signed up for that too.

Then once the majority of my kit was in place, I needed to give it a dry run, so on a Monday at the end of November I headed down to Brighton fully laden. 74 miles I think. Getting used to the weight of the bike, the pressure on your knees and relentless work on the quads was an eye opener. Have I bitten off more than I could chew? I revised my daily estimates and therefore timescales. 100 miles a day just wasn´t going to happen. I needed to knock some kgs off too, so out went the bladder (2 bottles should be fine) and out went the SLR and sundries. I wouldn´t have time to fanny about with that along the way anyway. So I reduced 25kg to about 20kg. But that 70 odd mile figure was still heavy going and to do that every day for up to 1300 miles: I have my work cut out.

Well, I’ve been a little weary of my current contract for some time, and have wanted to ‘do something different’ (as is Escape’s strap line) for some time. So there and then it clicked that what with the old man having recently moved out to Seville, and me having a bit of time out coming up, there was the perfect window of opportunity for me to do something: Cycle down to see him. Then even better, complete the ride by making it down to the Costa and hopping over to Maroc. Berkshire to Africa somehow sounding better than Wargrave to Seville.

So on the 11th of December after saying goodbye to the girls before they leave for South Africa for Xmas, I will get on my bike, and cycle. It should be about c.1,300 miles and I’ve warned my father that there’s every chance I might not make it in time for Boxmas. 1300/14=93 miles a day for 2 weeks solid. That’s not a small ask of myself. If I’m up to a week late, that could be 1300/21=62 miles a day. So as I go, I know that I need to be aiming for about a ton a day in order to then put miles in the bag.

I do however have this vision of finding myself stuck up a mountain in Spain on Christmas eve, dark, cold, lonely as a cloud, blizzard incoming, rear puncture being repaired, drivers covering me in slush, half my kit having been stolen or fallen off along the way. But that’s just not going to happen, is it.

One day on and I was quite proud of what I did. Two days on and for a second this morning I was thinking of signing up for next year. Weird innit.

Leaving Eastbourne at the off (bottom of the hill is the start/finish line)

South Downs, Channel in the background

Welcome sustenance. Thank you organisers

Seven Sisters Country Park

Cuckmere Valley

Some of those Seven Sisters. Hard bloody going.

5:13 is a poor, but then not surprising time, especially given that the organisers suggest you add 40 mins on to your regular time. But it’s another marathon down all the same. #6 for me. Next challenge please.

Update, 01.11.2012: Results are up, turns out I was in the top half of the field. 616/1299.

That’s me finishing/finished.

http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.spratt/286/mb.ashx

Message Board Post:

Looking for any information on Jas. Kidd Spratt b.1830 in NY, married to Patience Waters b.1835 in NY. Jas lived in NY and was a thread dealer. Patience was born in NY., her parents also born in NY but I have no names for the parents according the 1880 census. Patience has a sister named Margaret b.1830, married to Jas. Merritt b. 1824. Jas and Patience had 5 children. Annie, James, Breakley, George and Buwhem and I can follow the family line to the present, however, would like any info or suggestions to obtain information previous to the 1880 census if possible. Would also be happy to share my information.  I am trying to find out when our original Spratt immigrated to the US from England. spra123