Training News

Charity Update

Many thanks to those that have donated so far.

Planning

All three of us have obtained Tajikistan visas, and Keith is busy working on the Russian and Chinese visas: all the forms are completed awaiting a convenient date to go to the visa application offices for the respective countries.

For the Russian visa we will need to have a letter of invitation, a brief itinerary of our route and have our finger prints taken, for the Chinese visa very much the same. Keith has it all in hand.

All the routes (to Kraków, Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan [including Tajikistan & Kyrgyzstan] and China) have now been completed, just a matter of working out the accommodation at each place: cheap hotel, pension or camping etc.

Equipment

Keith also been very busy on the procurement side, purchasing a Cannondale Touring 2, including bags and paniers.

Linney is still looking for his touring bike and getting advice from the rest of the team.

Dave has suggested this – it’s the right colour, is a step-through for the wearing of skirts and has luggage space:

Dale has reverted to form and has hired Steve’s vintage Cannondale T700, which comes with a certain  pedigree having completed a tour of the USA and New Zealand and clocked up over 8000 miles.

Training

Training is going well. For the Tour of Flanders Sportive on the 6th April we have eleven riders taking part this year, so it should be a good weekend, with some of the guys taking part in their first sportive. We’ll be riding the 174km course: 110 miles or so.

The weekend rides are going well as they all seem to finish in a pub, but that’s par for the course.

Plans are afoot to undertake a long training ride with the touring bikes, possible a trip up to Lincoln “Dambusters Inn Scampton Beer festival” – watch this space.

Last week we all trained at WattBike (in association with Black Cat Cycle Coaching) at Canterbury Christ Church University. All, that is, except Linney (he has more important work to get on with, choosing the colour co-ordinated silk shirts for the ride).

We have attended these sessions for the last 12 weeks, gaining valuable insights into our physical capabilities or lack of them.