A little bit of background...

Ok, so I've been meaning to set this up for a while and this seems like a pretty good opportunity. For anyone who doesn't already know, I'm about to disappear off to spend three months cycling round the US.

Yes, I mean a pedal bike not a motor bike. Yes, I know this seems far far too energetic (particularly right now). And yes, I am actually serious.


I think most people who've seen a lot of me over the last year or so know that I haven't exactly been 100% settled at work, and obviously travelling becomes a bit more difficult as you get older and do sensible things like buy houses. Work have also been good enough to give me four months off, so this seemed like as good a time as any.


Anyway, I finished work on Friday and, as I don't fly for a couple of weeks, I thought I'd try a bit of a dry run. And that's how I get to be sat in a hotel near Thirlmere in the Lake District, where I have no mobile reception but wireless internet access, with lambs running round in the field opposite and kids yelling at each other on Supernanny USA on TV (sorry, day time TV is a bit of a novelty).

Yesterday was a pretty tough day, as I rode about 60 miles on a fairly indirect and very hilly route from Morecambe, up the coast and into the lake district. It's been completely worth it though, as this is an area I absolutely love. Of course having to ride up the hill, above, after six hours on the road wasn't particularly appreciated, but it was completely worth it for views like these.

Right, enough for today. I'm cycling off to Hawes in the Dales today, which should be a nice ride, although I'm camping tonight, so we'll see how that works out. After that it's south through the Dales to see some friends who've just moved to Ripponden near Halifax and then a gentle 20 miles back home on Thursday.

More posts to come I'm sure. Next time I might actually get round to explaining the plan for the US.


Andy