Hey…….we are back!

Ok before I get over excited lets maybe start with a disclaimer…….please accept my apologies in advance for what may (or more likely may not!) happen in the coming paragraphs and indeed days and weeks. I am way out of practice and my “blog muscle memory” seems to have withered and died over the last 24 months (along with all my actual muscles as it turns out). Wow 24 months….has it really been that long since we arrived in Athens….jeez!

Lots to catch up on then. For those of you that already know why there are, somewhat confusingly, pages referencing a trip to Budapest in 2024 that then didn’t actually happen I will explain but keep it short and promise never to speak of it again! For those that dont, well a week before we were due to head off in May last year I was wiped out by some pedestrian on a Lime bike (ie: not a cyclist, just some idiot) in central London and have basically spent the last 12 months recovering……is that a short enough explanation? Thankfully I really have recovered and whilst I still don’t have all the movement in my shoulder a “non - Limed” person would have its still improving all the time and since my second round of surgery in February things have really come on leaps and bounds. I still have a lot of catching up to do fitness wise but I am back on the bike and in the gym (now and again!) and most importantly I am sleeping again. I will honestly never ever again underestimate the power and impact of decent sleep and the completely dis-combulating, ruinous, debilitating impact of when you are in pain and you are not getting anywhere like enough sleep night after night after night. Regular readers of the blog will know that a big part of the challenge for me when we head of on our adventures is the sleeping, or lack thereof, that comes of camping every night so you can imagine how crushing over 10 months of really, really poor sleep has been ……..safe to say it has been a long and occasionally very dark and difficult year!

Ok Nick….keep it light! Well the good news as I say is I am recovered, I am writing the blog (although the standard is admittedly somewhat questionable) and I am super excited that in just three short weeks we will again attempt to cycle from my front door in south west London all the way to Budapest (I know…utterly ridiculous right!).

As if there wasn’t already enough jeopardy involved (cycling to Budapest is on its own is clearly a very stupid idea!) the big question really I guess (at least for me) is am I actually ready for the physical and mental onslaught that will come with over 2 weeks of cycling, camping and worse, putting up with Marc. To put at least some of that to the test (always gonna fail the last bit!) Marc and I recently had a little “practice” trip. Nothing massive you understand although we did cycle all the way to Lyndhurst in the New Forest (just over 80 miles) and then on to Poole the following day where we took the ferry to Guernsey and spent a really great weekend with “Captain Max” , Marc’s son, my Godson (yes I am responsible for someone’s religious upbringing….what of it?) and his pilot buddies. I made it, obviously, and whilst there was no camping (that little joy is yet to be tested) its given me quite the confidence boost I needed.

By the way in an exciting (its all relative!) bit of news we have added a drone to the endless list of unnecessary crap we try and weigh our selves down with each time we take on one of these ludicrous challenges …..its early days and we clearly need some practice taking shots and, even more challenging, editing them om the fly but the potential for some fun stuff is there……maybe?

Ok I can see it now too ……there is clearly a lot more than just a little bit of practice needed but I am asking you just to stick with it please!

This has been short but sweet start to this years blog offering but I am beginning to feel like I might actually be capable of writing it again. Yes I know what a stupid thing to say but let me tell you it definitely is an out of body like state of mind that does not just happen all by its self and at the end of a 12 hour, 100 mile day I imagine its not high on anyone’s list of “fun” activities. At least I can now kind of dimly remember what its supposed to feel like so even if most of you stopped reading a long time ago I am happy……its my “process” don’t you know, its my “art” which in case you hadn’t already clocked is simply typing out all the inane drivel that is rolling through my mind….like this!

I did just want to wrap up by saying a little about our charity this year and how more than ever we really, really need your support please. I mentioned before that there was one person in particular who we were thinking about when we chose Samaritans and it is very much the case that we are still thinking about them now. It really would not be appropriate to say more here beyond the fact that whilst their critical event is thankfully in the past and they are improving all the time they are still struggling and still suffering on a daily basis and we want them to know that we care about them enormously and thinking about them with every pedal stroke….this is our way of expressing how we feel. There are many, many people out there struggling to cope or perhaps feeling overwhelmed, burnt out or in crisis and Samaritans has been there providing support for those who need it for over 70 years. They are there 24/7 to listen and provide support but that continued support of course costs money and we would LOVE to raise a huge amount of money for them so please, please do get donating!

Next blog will I guess on or around the 24 June (gulp!)….speak soon.