The ton!

Phew! 104 miles today (Saturday), which took 5hrs 44 minutes (that's an average speed of 18.2 mph). I rode from Bristol to Tewkesbury (via Gloucester), then turned to come back via Cheltenham and a hilly final 40 miles via Stroud and Wotton-Under-Edge.

I'm feeling pretty good right now. My throat's a bit sore but my legs feel fine.

I wish the same could be said for my bike. After 70 miles a terrible creaking sound started coming from the bottom bracket (the bit inside the frame that the pedal arms are connected to). I stopped to ask a mechanic for some WD-40 which didn't help whatsoever.

I rode the final miles very tentatively, worried that something was going to snap. I think I'll have to take it to a bike shop tomorrow morning if I'm going to do any riding at all.

Tewkesbury seemed like an attractive market town and I stopped for a doughnut and a banana. I got lost around Cheltenham (I hit the dreaded inner ring!) and I stopped for sandwiches and two cans of Rubicon in Stroud.

I ran out of water 5 miles from Bristol so had to go, cap in hand, to a pub and ask for some tap water. The weather was beautiful today, warm enough for two short sleeved t-shirts and a pair of shorts - and now I'm sporting a lovely t-shirt suntan.

So it's no surprise that today's song of the ride is T-Shirt Suntan by the Stereophonics (although I Told Her On Alderann by Neon Neon comes a close second).