One year in the afterlife, love, delays, life goes on. British! So I find myself once again on my back looking at the summer through to frame of my small bedroom window. One year post my little encounter with an automobile and my leg is on the mend once and for all. That is if you don't count the cosmetic disparity from left to right. A brief stay in the North Mid, more general anaesthetic and some power tools have removed the metal work from the bone leaving me...

Friday 24th July 2009Day 6 ODO 553 - 642: 89km Danger mouse. Picturesque, tranquil grounds of Newstead Abby. Uphill in the rain. BANG! All the previous nights fuss and worry about staying in the forest is shattered once the sun rises. The forest is tranquil and calm. As the sun breaks the horizon it lifts the light mist that fills the trees. No one is awake. I am woken by a small field mouse scurrying in the leaves. I hear it first very close to my head and as...

Wednesday 22nd July 2009 Day 4 ODO 364 - 468: 104km Tender rump; Over one hundred kilometres. Long days. Nothing but food for thought; ten pounds a day. Such lovely helpful people; All towns have young punks. University town of Loughborough making me feel old. It felt good to be riding again. The day of rest did nothing more than help me sleep off my end of term exhaustion. My backside was still tender and sore on my unbroken in saddle but much better than I'm...

Thursday 23rd July 2009Day 5 ODO 468 - 553: 85km But Sherwood forest is haunted my lord; Wild camping. Lovely peaceful towns of Derby and Nottingham. Great weather; Rain forecasts for tomorrow. Whipped, lashed, spiked and stung on narrow trails. My motivation for writing in the evening is low. In fact my motivation for anything is low. Not because I am overly tired but because I have missed my siesta. Usually when I find a place to camp I have a bit of a snac...

Tuesday 21st JulyDay 3 ODO 364 - 364: 0km RAIN! Heavy rain. So I slept. Today I lived within a five metre radius, mostly beneath my tarp where is was dry. It rained solid and at times quite heavily near enough all day. I have been thankful for my over catered suppy of food and water, including yesterdays free roadside marrow. Did I mention the marrow? A quaint village on a quiet country lane sat sleepy and calm. On a small road side stand stood a basket of fr...