All ready and raring to go!

No riding this week but I have been kept busy with last minute bits and pieces.

Packing was an interesting experience; it took all the strength of a local bike shop service engineer and a lengthy lever to get my pedals off. I had lubed them before I put them on but should have used grease, apparently Teflon based lube dries out and the metal had stuck.

Having sorted that problem it took me over two hours to take the bike apart, add all the padding and get it into the box. I then tried to pack as much of the spare parts, rack, bag and other bits into the case and when I finally closed the lid it was about 5KG overweight.

On Tuesday evening, Lois and I dropped the caravan back off at Nuneaton and as luck would have it Mel mentioned he had a Laptop rucksack I could try. Once back home I spent another couple of hours moving stuff from bag to box and box to rucksack trying to get everything in and all packages underweight, but I just couldn't achieve it.

Finally I came up with the idea of taking the tent as my carry on bag. This enabled me to create a large gap in my clothes holdall and move some stuff about, so that not only could I get it all in but both the bike box and the holdall were underweight, just. The laptop rucksack had plenty of space for books etc for the flight and the other bonus is the rucksack will be useful on rest days and for popping to shops etc during the trip.

The rest of the week has been spent watching the World Cup, not particularly inspiring, and getting ready for a family BBQ on Saturday night.

Saturday’s BBQ was good laugh, sports related fancy dress was mandatory and we played a few games and had a sing song. It was late night but all in all a good one. Sunday has been spent recovering.

The last few days before I leave will no doubt shoot past. Work is hopefully going to be fairly relaxed although there was a murder on our patch over the weekend so there will be a few bits and pieces to do no doubt.

So that’s it then! All is ready and now it’s just down to the small matter of 72 days and nearly 5000miles. I’m as ready as I’ll ever be and providing the local volcanoes behave themselves and the baggage handlers don’t smash or lose my bike, I should arrive In Vancouver on Thursday in one piece.

Thursday evening will be spent rebuilding the bike. On Friday I need to drop off the bike box for transit across Canada, and do a bit of shopping for pillows, deck chairs etc before I report to the University of British Columbia where I’ll meet the 40 people I will be spending the summer with.

With luck my next blog will be just before we set off next weekend.

Thanks to all those who have wished me well.

4 sleeps till take-off. Onwards and Upwards!!!