2009/06/05 - Final week in UK

Thur - Stoker's birthday. Attempting to WFH whilst last minute packing & going out for lunch. Weather is starting to look a bit damp for the start.

Wed - Into work in London. Much Ado About Nothing at Open Air Theatre in Regent's Park in evening with K&M.

Tues - Dropped of bike at BikeAdventures in Ascot, thanks to SatNav directions. WFH. Laid out gear to pack. Seems a lot, need to thin it out.

G&P came round for a garden tour and curry at Sathi. G, my blog stalker, complained that I should have the most recent entry first in the weekly posting to save her scrolling down, so in response to this user feedback I have re-order this entry and future ones. BTW, if you need light bulbs, you can't beat: http://www.lightbulbs-direct.com/

Mon - Into work in London. Ian at work configured a spare UK Blackberry for the trip and I switched it over for Instamapper tracking tracking on this site. Bought cut away saddle to hopefully relieve the numb bits I experienced yesterday. Final check and pack of bike into Prius, it hangs out the back but fits surprisingly well. If I removed the front wheel and didn't have a passenger it would fit in with the boot lid closed.

Sun - Up at 6:45 for breakfast before leaving at 8:00 to cycle to Great Missendon for the start of the Chiltern 100 Sportive Corto route (11.5 miles). Friendly atmosphere, super weather, 100s of bikes. We were the only tandem. Set off in first wave at 9:30 with Chris who soon went ahead. 27 miles to the food station past Brill, wolfed down cake, saugage rolls and isotonic drink, then headed back. 10 miles to go sign didn't mention Pink Lane hill, a huge long grind in bottom gear, some were walking. But we made it and then felt good to cycle in hard to finish (54 miles for event). Then 11.5 miles back to a pint in the Rose & Crown, home, shower, hot tub. 75 miles in total. Weather was fantastic, other cyclists were very interested in our tandem, if I had a pound for each time I was told "she's not cycling you know" I would be rich. We were faster than the half bikes going downhill, and kept up on the flat, but really slowed down up the hills. But the objective was achieved, the bike went well as did we, boosting our confidence for The Ride. Gorgeous route, great views across Vale of Alysbury, 2 miles though bridleway in Eythrope Park. Just a couple of awkward turns where traffic crossing meant we had to stop and restart.

Sat - Tandemed to Amersham (6 miles) and found Dees Cycles near the station. Lots of kit. Stoker bought longs, gloves, handlebar grips, bar ends, handlebar tape and me a specialised bike jersey. I bought 4 spare spokes. Went back via G&P's for coffee and to hear about them meeting the Queen at passing out at Cranwell the day before. Then zoomed up to Oxford for lunch with Jon and punting on river - it was busy with bumps and lovely weather. After tea came back and managed to stay awake to eat the dinner I missed the night before.

Fri - Arrived on time, managed to sleep curled across 3 seats. Stoker picked me up from T5. Cycled tandem to Ricky and checked out Halfords (BikeHut lasted less than a year) for kit, nothing. Fellow inmates of the Compound came round from drinks in the evening to check out our new "ground forced" garden, lots of merriment. Apparently I crashed out at 10 and was incoherent, jet lag I say.

30/05/09 Final week in Bahrain

Sun - 58k! Started very humid, but a nice light SW wind so I cycled through Hamad, up to Awali then Riffa Fort, back down to Zallaq and home. Felt good. Walked out at lunchtime 'phew what a scorcher' 42C.

Mon - 36k around AlJasra, a shorty after yesterday. Started to feel hot towards end. Spin/abs at Ritz in evening, followed by dropping into diving at Dilmun for drink/eats/"how to be a Dive manager" lecture.

Tues - 42k (Kazakhan/AlJasra). Late meeting at work so missed my last choir singalong before the concert-that-i-am-missing. Picked up LE2JOG embroided polo shirts in evening (only 4BD each)

and bought stoker another pair of trek ladies shorts.

Wed - 36k (Kazakhan/AlJasra but other way round). Adjusted cycle cateye computer so it reads the same distance as gramin, how nerdy is that? Spin/abs in evening. Trial pack of suitcase. Final download of .txc and .gpx courses of routes to garmin, included one for the Chiltern Sportive Corto ride (54miles) we are doing on Sunday with Chris (bro') , reset basemap to UK. All set to go!

...not quite. I thought I'd check I could load the routes on the Garmin. Arggh, loaded first 2, then every subsequent attempt loaded the first one again. Panic. Quick Google and check on frank.kinlan, and found out that you have to load the courses into main memory, not the SD card. Not logical Garmin - if you can see it on the menu, you should be able to load it.

Started to remember things I had forgotten to pack. Maybe I'll need a bigger suitcase.

Thur - 35k. Met Mike Guest outside Hamala Resort, so joined up with him and did fastest splits to date. Nice to have someone to chat to. Apparently there was a football match last night which I hadn't a clue about. I felt just like Moss on the I.T Crowd (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKHyqjHqQLU). Final pack (didn't need a bigger suitcase), then 30 mins row and 30 lengths - lovely to walk back from the pool in the heat, how will I cope in England? Eat up what was left in the fridge. 23:30 car to airport. Tomorrow England and see the new garden. And the stoker of course.

24/05/09 - 3 Weeks to go

Sun - Light NW wind and dust haze. 32k fast around AlJasra, a good way to wake up and start the day. Drove to Awali in evening and 20k cycle round, then supper with Atkinsons and friends.

Mon - Slight overcast, cooler and clearer. 32k AlJasra. Passed Sports Diver exam 94%.!

Tues - Bright and clear. 46k to Al Areen and back as a birthday treat. In evening long choir practice doing most of Puccini Mass to almost concert standard - its got some great catchy tunes. Shame I'm missing it next week. To bed late.....

Wed - ....so missed getting up to cycle. 30 mins row and 40 lengths swim instead. Spin/abs at Ritz in evening, it felt hard work.

Bahrain has arrived on Google Maps! From today the updated maps show all the roads and the proper coastline. The old ones had about 3 roads and showed me cycling in the sea most of the time.

Thur - 35k (down to Kazakhan, then Aljasra)*2

Fri - 72k. Up early, Riffa Fort (hills*2), felt flat on back outside Awali, pumped it up, immediately went down, so changed for new tube I had bought last week. It was a new tyre and I couldn't see any reason for the leak. Using the micro pump I pumped too hard sideways and snapped off the alloy valve stem. Bugger. Changed it again for an older, but new, tube with a nice solid steel valve stem. I am becoming an expert at changing tires with the VAR tyre levers, they are magic for tight beads (http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/product-VAR-VAR-Tyre-Lever-903.htm). But its not something to enjoy doing in the heat. Picked up Richard and we cycled down to AlJazyer beach to see the Tri-ers. Cheered on some of the Awali Wheelers and saw some old faces from Riyadh (the Gocians, Frank and Andrew Neal). Sort of sad I wasn't doing it, but that would have been silly. Back via F1 Costa for coffee, cake and chill down before getting back in 39C heat. Felt strong riding, legs are good. Just need to refuel and rehydrate regularly. Checked flat tube - stem was pulling away from tube so the tyre is holeless.

Updated blog with links to bikehike.co.uk and pictures of daily routes.

Sun - Diving. I was boatdriver and we went to the Caisson wreck about 25 miles out. Calm, clear and hot (40C+). Saw dolphins on way out. 2 dives, played with DSMB, distance lines to find fish traps. Lots of fish, inc barracuda, and cormarants that dived down 15m to swim with us! Managed not to damage the boat too much docking it. Quite exhausting so thats the exercise for the day.

17/05/09 The heat is on

Sun - Good 34k around AlJasra till traffic got nasty after 6:30.

Mon - 32k, BDF, Wafiq, Kazakan, then looping round AlJasra. Spin/Abs at Ritz in evening.

Tues - Strong N wind (24mph). 15km ride, 3km walk around AlJasra. Had puncture outside PM's palace, immediately a guard came over to check up on me and he stayed to "help". Replaced with spare, that was also immediately punctured. Thorn I reckon though I couldn't feel it inside the tyre. So a walk back home. Repaired both and replaced tyre with a spare as the steel beading on old one was wearing and really hard to get off/on.

Wed - Choir went on till late last night, so had a rest this morning and got up at 7am (high wind still). Spin/abs in evening.

Thur - woke up late, it was gusty so 50 lengths swim. G,S & M visiting from Riyadh so Trader Vics for meal and too much to drink.

Fri - but G and I managed to surface as planned last night for a ride. Riffa Fort, the rear tire bottomed out. Pumped up, then 2 k later, went flat again. Changed for spare. Tire is looking past due and the rubber breaking down. Really appreciated that a car, then a Harley stopped to checked we were OK. Were going to cycle round back of Awali to Golf Cafe but running out of time and wind getting up, so cut back in front of Awali to Golf to meet S&M for bacon and egg butties. 28k. Forced bikes into car to return. G&I went to Skate Shack for a new tire for me, and a bike computer for G. S&M bought a few horsey things. G&S got the usual "veal" from Alosra to take back to the Magic Kingdom. I fitted the new tire. Very nice to catch up with G&S. Diving tomorrow.

Sat - Not diving. Its blown up a gusty dust storm. So 30 mins row, 40 lengths swim before breakfast, and spin/abs in evening.

10/05/09 Stokerless

Sun- Public holiday. 15km Awali to drop off tandem, lift back from Seana. Stoker had 90 mins exercise class, I rowed 30mins.

Mon - 50 lengths swim. Dive lecture in evening.
Tues - Stoker flew back "home". Only 4ish weeks to go to the Ride. We are feeling we can do it. No exercise today.

New hypothosis on the runny noses, eyes and sneezing - it's date palm pollen allergy, which occurs at this time of the year. So it should stop in a few weeks when the heat is full on and pollenation is over. The anti-histamines seem to be working.

Wed - Early 26km down to Kazakhan and around AlJasra.

Thurs - 50 lengths swim.
Fri - Business Continuity exercise at work in the morning, so no cycling. 50 lengths swim.
Sat - Riffa Fort, Awali, Riffa Golf Cafe, Zallaq highway, Al Areen, Banyan Tree, F1 Costa and back. Wanted to do 100km, but just too pooped by heat, so 94km+38C+1 tea+1 coffee+1 bacon and egg butty+1 coffee+brownie+5ltrs of water+ 1 gatorade = 2kg weight loss! Still not fully recovered after a shower and another 2 ltrs of water. The human body is wonderful to cope with this heat abuse.