3 Days Until Trip - Day 156 of Training / Diet

Busy Handlebars

I''m into the final stages and everything is going okay and according to plan. 

Today I got my bike back after been serviced by Spokes Cycles and she's ready to go. She's had an extra bottle holder added to handlebars so that I can access my drink easier as the one on the down tube is hard to get at while moving and the bigger one (the 1.5 litre) is for storage only or can be accessed once stopped. 

It's not about the bike looking pretty , it's about practicality and this holder can be removed once finished trip.

Busy handlebars but plenty room for all. The reason for the two GPS is because I got a new one that has navigational capability - Garmin Edge Touring, which can guide me to camp-sites and if I want the route but I have the route typed and laminated and plan to use that instead but have the other as backup should I need it. The smaller one the Garmin 910xt is to show me the regular data I use while cycling. For those of you wondering about the handlebars, they're known as butterfly bars and the give you the option of different handlebar positions just like our regular drop bars. 

I've lined my panniers insides with heavy duty bin bags to make sure they're waterproof and dust free. Everything is ready for packing and all electronics are currently charging. People have being asking what I'm bringing and here's a quick list;

• tent
• sleeping bag
• mat for sleeping on
• burner and gas
• utensils
• bike repair stuff
• Electronics: camera, notepad, iPod, 2 GPS's, iPhone and chargers
• 3 Biscuit Club jerseys & shorts
• some casual clothing
• and whatever I can think of when packing :-)

Tomorrow I'll pack up bike and what's in is in and what's not, well it'll be tough luck.

And another couple of things people ask is what charity I'm doing it for and who's going with me and where going from and back from.

Not doing it for charity at all and it's not an organised event. I'm doing t on my own and camping most nights ( hotel 5 nights, Ferry 1 night, camping 10 nights). I'm cycling to Cork and getting ferry to Roscoff France and no not on trainer on ferry, I'll be sleeping. I'll be cycling down the coast of France to Bilbao in Spain, where I'll be flying back.....total if I cycle it all is around 1600k but as said before if needs be I'll hop on train if I'm not feeling one of the days. That's it, until the tour and if I get a chance to update during it I will, if not I'll fill ye in on my return.

Keep smiling :-)