Woke at 6am in total darkness and to the pitter-patter of light rain. Breakfast at 7am with everyone at the Comfort Inn and the rain is getting ever heavier.
Nik Nak looks tired after his night in the stable. Andy goes into see them first and Skype's me in the van to tell me that Lyndon has reported that he was a bit 'sinuousy' last night.
Teddy and I go off alone at 9am and leave our support team of Nik Nak and the Phlegm meister in the hotel to chillax for a bit so we can get a few miles on the clock.
As soon as we head out the rain gets harder and heavier and the wind is a good stiff in your face job of about 15mph.
Teddy and I share the front position in 5 minute slots to give each other a break from the wind. The traffic is heavy and there is only a small shoulder to cycle on. A couple of big trucks pass us close by.After 10 or so tough miles Teddy declares that this is probably the toughest 10 of his life.
After 15 we turn left and more Eastly than the open southerly route we've been on. The rain has eased up a bit and we start to dry out a bit. The wind is still tough and there is no sign of F Troop and the RV!
They come alongside at the 18 mile mark and Woohoo who is hanging out of the passenger window with the camera in his shirt pocket still hasn't taken any photos of us (" it's a trip of a life time, I'll never do this again") shouts at us 'in his cheery Nessa from Gavin and Stacey voice "see you in St Mary's is it?"
"No" Andy shouts "2 miles" then it starts p*ssing down again...
They go on another 4 but we're glad to see them anyway and they have the kettle on. We do a short stint in the van and drink our tea but it's a slightly nervous affair as Woohoo is at the wheel and is gunning it. He refuses to read any street or road signs and expects the three of us to be his eyes and ears. "you need to tell me where to go I don't know the way!" he screams as the van lurches from one side of the highway to the other. I begin to wonder which is more dangerous, rolling with Woohoo or taking our chances on the highway on the bikes...
Our next leg is on to a place called Tawawa. We head off from Sidney and Williamsburg which seem quite rough. The talking mono eye brow is rattling off road numbers at us with yeah yeah yeahs thrown in between each one. We somehow go wrong but don't yet know it and end up heading south right into the wind, it's tough going.We see a junction up ahead and suddenly get a call from 'The Brow'. "we're in Tawawa" he declares but they haven't passed us. "we're on Miami-Shelby Road" I inform him. "we're in Tawawa" he repeats...
We try in vain several times to explain where we are, even giving him an exact address for the sat nav so he can give us direction but it's not happening, it's all a little complicated for the wee man. 'tell them to stay where they are and we'll find them' the big man says and we do about half an hour later and 12 miles later.
Andy ironically quirks that we are on the bikes looking after them and they have all the tecnology and maps in the van and we are the ones saying, 'You stay there, we'll find you'
We have some pasta at Kiser Lake and then on to Urabana.
From there the big man and I have just 35 miles left to do toady but I'm showing signs of fatigue while the he's going well.
We make quick 2 minute stops even 10 or so miles and during the last 10 Teddy confesses, "My arse is in bits" mine is also along with legs, wrists and back... I'm glad to see the van at the end of the day.
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