All publicity is good publicity

I woke up on Sunday morning feeling pretty good considering Saturday's mileage. Once I dragged myself out of bed I gave my bike a liberal soaking in GT-85 and gave it a quick test ride to find the creaking noise had gone.

I wolfed down a quick breakfast and headed out to Dundry hill and Chew Valley Lake. I must have still been hungry after Saturday because I was already eating my food rations not 15 miles from Bristol. By the time I'd climbed the huge Highfield Lane, leading from Compton Martin, I was hungry again and the dreaded bottom bracket creaking had come back.

I was only 25 miles into my ride but I knew I couldn't continue on a big ride with my bike making such a worrying grinding sound. Unfortunately I still had a 25 mile ride to get back home. I rode down through Cheddar Gorge (taking a video as I went), and then came home via Shipham Hill, Congresbury and another fearsome hill called Providence Lane in Long Ashton.

I rode a frustrating and slow 51 miles, knowing I could have ridden further and faster had my bike been in perfect working order. Still, I did manage to get a video of the first half of the ride, which I pieced together with Windows Movie Maker.

On Monday Bike UK managed to fit me in for a quick £10 bottom bracket strip down and re-grease which has hopefully solved the problem. I'll have to take it on a quick test ride tomorrow (Thursday) to find out for sure.

In other news, Bike UK donated a prize for a charity sweepstake this weekend (thanks Paul!). I'm still on the look out for other prizes. I'm hopeful that Howies might come through. We've got about 40 people coming round this weekend for a fund-raising BBQ. So for all the business-owners reading this, that's 40 people you could turn on to your products - all donations very welcome!

Also my story made the local paper. Well not exactly. The journalist I spoke to chose to focus on how I'll be turning to fast food and beer to get me through my ride. That's not strictly true folks. I'll be relying on high carb and protein foods - a beer in the evening might be a by-product of being on 'holiday' (if you can call a LE-JOG trip that). And for all those looking for those references to 'food porn' - on Saturday I ate a deliciously creamy chicken and artichoke pie and followed it with a whole Easter egg. Anway, I'm not complaining about the tone of the article - all publicity is good publicity I guess. I've already received a £10 donation on the back of it.

Finally, Helen and I went out to buy a new bike today. It's a Specialized Vienna which cost the princely sum of £300. It's not a bike suitable for Lands End to John O'Groats but it is a beauty nonetheless. We especially love the white tyres (a manufacturing mistake apparently)!