There are those admittedly rare times when only the genius of the DC5 will do. Allow me...
The Tottenham Sound? Tell that to AVB.
Headwind wasn't marked either. disgrace!
Away even later this a.m. partly through weariness (yeah, yeah you know how that feels by reading this blog, hah-hah!) and partly through knowing what lies ahead...115 miles into a charming headwind and temps *just* under 100f. Tremendous!
Aaaaaand we're down to 6 mph already. Only 112 miles to go.
Eh, why have they dressed that pylon?
Already in wine country. Check out that symmetry!
Not quite as many daft detours today although there were a few contendahs...still the time ticked away much faster than the miles did. With the heat and the drying wind I made sure that Esso, Agip and the like did good business flogging water etc....all conducted in fluent Oirish/German/Pointing. Not a problem...
How it is all too infrequently, hah-hah!
No idea. In the middle of a farming plain about 1800' up.
Is Sir Richard now running an empire abroad? Do I see one opening (excuse me) in Freckleton?
Sometimes looks like this, sometimes not. Great when it does, though!
Do your own Partridge/Morten Gamst-Pedersen-Harket stuff...
Turning this into a 'let's see who can stay out on the bike the longest' comp, unwittingly!
This was a slog: at about 5 pm with only 30 miles left I could easily have climbed-off...if that option had've been available...however, onwards always onwards...
Stop it.
There was just one final push and then some beautiful descending turns down into Eichstatt...wow!
Pity the poor sods behind, visibility reduced by plumes of brake dust...
Sight for sore legs...
The reward was probably the finest accomodation of the whole challenge: I spent the rest of the night eating, drinking and blogging in the hotel's busy bar. The world was all ok again!
On paper this was going to be the hardest stage and it didn't disappoint. The stats below are embarrassingly awful. Still almost pleased with them!
Not quite the truth of course but it felt pretty close to it by the close of today's play. Which is of course being filed a day late due to pony wi-fi. I wasn't that fussed to be honest because it meant getting to sleep an hour earlier...it's all about me, hah-hah!
It is becoming more difficult to get out and start at a reasonably early hour: the later start guarantees a late finish, naturally...right out of the blocks this morning and I was sent up 15% ramps. Language was choice...
Spot the cross on the RHS?
This is just perfect.
I have relied on online route-planners and am totally at their mercy: the recurring feature is to route me through some fairly dumb-ass places. Thing is, I can't complain too much as this was my er, preparation. Still, when you see some of the choices the software made...
Respect to Continental Tyres for taking all this.
Could there *be* anymore twists & turns?
Oh come on, this is someone's farm.
Oh yeah, this is standard for cycle-ways. Joy.
HAL, you taking the p*ss, or what?
Some of the detours were exceptional work and you could only laugh and accept the bonus yards...although temperatures were up to 33c by lunch...great for biergartens, but not so much for me!
Some of the detours were alright...
I will concede R.O.W. on this occasion...
"...Pet!"
Yeah, you may be melting but their towns are immaculate!
Ah, we meet again 5%. Just how I like my bier!
On the run in to Marktheidenfeld...yes!
It'll do I suppose...
There was a big smile when I wheeled round to the front of that night's nice hotel, in full view of quite a few locals enjoying dinner and and a drink. I joined them pretty soon. A daft day all round but when aren't they, hah-hah! Car-crash stats below...
