My daughter's take on Death Valley

So, I've been all excited about doing lots of cycling training and focusing hard on getting to Death Valley. Of course my little daughter knows all about this, but it wasn't until a chance converastion the other day that I really thought about it from her prespective.

Imy was 6 last Saturday. She is intelligent, great fun but is also really caring. This is why it was no surprise to me some time ago that she put her pocket money in the collection tin for my bike ride. We had been talking about why I was raising money and talked a lot about how lucky she is compared to many people here and abroad. She really likes the idea of helping others. I was (am) very proud of her.

Recently, though, she has started to be come a bit anxious about my cycling. There are two reasons for this. Given that she's pretty good on a bike (and is now practising riding down the concrete steps outside her house) I have insisted that she wears a helmet. I always wear one. But in explaining why it is important, we talked about how one can fall off a bike, or how cars and cyclists can be unpredictable and how without a helmet you have more of a risk of injury. Brains here didn't really realise that she now worries everytime I go out on my bike that some disaster might befall me. I'll admit it, I have not been totally honest with her. I convince that everything's fine - I wear a helmet, have high visibility stuff and not to worry, but the fact is that nearly everytime I go out, it's more than a little dangerous.

I have lost count of the times I have nearly been sideswipped by a truck or car. Going through Hove is a nightmare as people come out of junctions, checking for cars, but utterly failing to see me coming. If it's slightly wet breaking is ...interesting... and at speed my back wheel does have a tendancy to fishtail. She knows none of this of course. Incidentally drivers, I've changed my driving style quite significantly and I'd love it if you would too!

But the other thing I just didn't think about is the name Death Valley. For me, it's a place. I know it's hot and potentially dangerous. Imy, though, thought I was going to a place where I would literally die... I guess I should have been a bit more thoughtful. Credit to Imy though, she's not told me I shouldn't go and has always said that it's good to raise money for people less fortunate. Having talked about what I'm actually doing and looked at pictures of the place, she's much more content. So I will miss her hugely, but at least I know she won't be wracked with torment whilst I'm away.

It's also been great to have her involved in my little project. If nothing else, it's meant that we now go out on our bikes together quite often, which I love.

That said, I have three funeral directors kindly sponsoring me. ...don't think I'm going to tell her that.

Rich

Fame at last....

...well I'm delighted to have made it into the Argus today, but it comes when my body is feeling decidedly odd. For the first time in my life I have been having twinges in my hamstrings. This comes off the back of having a few days away from the bike following a stomach upset. Anyway, I awoke this morning to tightness in both hamstrings and their feeling quite tender....

So, to all you budding Gregory Houses out there - is this just a need for stretching, something else, or me just knocking on a bit? If it's the latter, frankly, I'm feeling a bit gutted....!

On much brighter news, I had a lovely meeting with @Jas_Robertson of Sussed PR on Monday who has really generously offered to help me with raising my profile and giving me some fundraising ideas - so wtach this space. In the meantime, I have a new photoshoot booked for early next week and have a new facebook page which I hope will be a useful portal to upload blog entries and possibly video blogs whilst I'm in the US. But do any of you have suggestions as to what you'd like to see?

Let me know!

Finally, thanks, as always, to the Starr Trust team for their support.

Rich

FOUR WEEKS TO GO!

Not long to go now and I decided it was time to up my training.

Last weekend I made use of the hot weather (30 degrees C?) to get some proper miles in. I was pretty pleased with my route:

Henfield>Partridge Green>Ashington>up the A24, then across to Cowfold>Bolney>Ansty>Burgess Hill>Ditchling>Hassocks>

Hurstpierpoint >Henfield. 

It worked out at just over 46 miles, done in 3 hours with 3 litres of water/lucozade. I was most pleased with my hardwork in the heat and (because I reeeeally fancied an ice cream and I knew an ice cream van would be there) my non stop destruction of Ditching Beacon. It was lovely sitting on top of the Beacon, grabbing 10 minutes or so in the sunshine - check out the great view:

Some other great news too. For the last number of weeks I've been trying to do various things on my bike with the aid of my cycle computer. I have now clocked over 1,000 miles on the bike (which I can scarcely believe!) at an average speed of 16.4 miles per hour. Given that the majority of my trips involve me going over Devil's Dyke each time, I'm pretty pleased with that!

But, because I'm so vain, my favourite record is my all time top speed, which I demolished on Monday. My usual cycle route takes me from either Small Dole or Henfield, Over the Dyke into Hove (where I work). It's a relatively tough ride in as it's marginally uphill until the Dyke and then it goes monstrously steep. So by the time I get there, I'm not feeling as fresh as when I go over it on the journey home. 

On the way back, it's one large hill to the Dyke, then there's a down, an up, a down and an up then, again, it's slightly downhill. It takes around 45 minutes to get in and 40 to get back. But there's just one place where it's long enough and steep enough to get a really good speed on - that's on the homeward trip and the first 'down' from Devil's Dyke, past Waterhall. For top speeds I need: no other traffic (preferably) a tail wind or no wind and a dry road. Well, on Monday I had optimum conditions and I smashed my pervious top speed of 45.9mph by getting 48.5 mph. I know I can get to that magic 50 mph - I just need to pedal harder down the full stretch of the hill (and I also need to be brave/insane enough to do it). Will keep you posted.

For those that are interested, yes I know it's stupid, yes it is scary how my back wheel fishtails at that speed and yes I do know that if I come off it will hurt. Still, I've got to get that 50mph...!

I've also been busy with the more mundane stuff. However, I need your assistance - what on earth shall I wear when I'm over there (when I'm not cycling), what music should go on my ipod, what book shall I take and do you have any other suggestions on what should go into my bag? Seriously, it's time I got organised - so please can you help?!

As ever, thank you so much to all those who have supported and/or sponsored me so far - the fundrasing level is so great - I'm really pleased - thank you.

Rich