Lovely moon last night over the Norfolk /Cambridgeshire border. All slept well, with a little autumnal chill & dew in the air. Up with the larks and a spring in our steps with Stubbsy left over spicy chicken things and lashings of hot tea and coffee, Bingo been up since 5 stoking the stove just to make sure the lads are fed and watered.
On the the road quite early whizzing along the lanes with a cheeky good morning to all and sundry, heading towards Ely foremost to see if we could get Daves back wheel fixed and have a well earned rest. Another childhood memory, walking around the city and cathedral, must admit quite spectacular, not sure I appreciated so much in the day though.
We then headed for Newmarket seeing the race horses on the gallops and putting up with the quips that all the guys were the same height as me, put up for lots of banter, all in good spirits has we headed out of the town past the racehorse gallops and stables.
Back onto the country roads and rollings hills, up to a farm, the tractor driver gave us a wrly smile and a wave, he knew what lay ahead, a bridleway for the next few miles pretty tough going at places, finally rejoined the road after a bit of huffing and puffing.
The shout went up to stop at the next pub for light refreshments well that was easier said than done. Even worse was to follow the captain had a flat, the 1st of the tour not bad as at least 40% has been off road. We decided to limp to the next village and change the tube then, after around 6 miles and pumping the tyre up couple of times, we mended the inner tube outside a village shop, with a bottle of beer and sandwiches as always the work was done in the normal calm and collective manner the captain always maintains.
Finally back on the road, with a message to regroup at the 8 Bells, after talking with some locals they directed us to Sudbury and the 5 Bells, Bingo, Dave and Mark were already there another message we said we were 15mins away on the railway track, bit of a silence they did go down a track, that was clear when we arrived they were not there a few messages and confirmed we were furthest on the route, within 15mins all reunited,
Connor had booked rooms just outside Chelmsford, so with a bit of rerouting of we set for the final 20 odd miles, with big Dave leading us, all good as found the hotel together, few beers and meal all in all another eventful day on the bikes
Bike Rugby Japan 