WE MADE IT!!!!!

Well wot a weekend of blood, sweat and Mankinis!

I couldn't believe the atmosphere on Friday evening the night before the event, a real buzz after all the training with the legs and the right hand (hand for drinking that is).
Surprisingly I managed to lock my pub up at 11.15 which was a miracle in itself and probably a first.
So, we all met up on Saturday morning at 6.30am at Reading station (Even Keith turned up on time relatively) wearing the green of Macmillan T-Shirts all looking rather dapper and getting lots of looks by Saturday morning train spotters, but it didn't last long as no sooner did we leave than it started to hiss down but it didn't dampen the atmosphere plus the terrain was really very gentle.
Our first checkpoint was at Thatcham Station where our support vehicle with Helen & Richard were waiting with water & Mars bars. Then to our luck whilst replenishing fluids a stunning Steam train passed us with that wonderful choo choo sound, the other sound was of Ed discussing his chain with our gadget man Simon who managed to fix it temporarily.
So off we went into the distance to follow the canal as the sun started to come through the clouds and destroy the appalling forecast made by the BBC saying it would rain all day. The field was starting to spread out in the second leg to little Bedwyn as the terrain started to deteriorate as were some of the riders legs getting heavier, but we all managed to meet up with the support vehicle again who had surprised us all with bacon rolls which were devoured as each guy turned up.
We were now 32 miles in and faces were now a little sweaty and the fear of the next 23 miles on grass and ruts really had me worrying over the back markers, but hey it was never a race but a Charity Fundraiser.
Right, I can't spend my whole day on a computer must go and see my beloved punters

Be back with the rest of the story later...............

Peter