Sunday, 4th July
16:00
MP - Choose Sainsbury's for petrol, tyre air and sustenance. Not as a sop to commercialism you understand, just that Hertfordshire's biggest shop is 500 yards from home. Pump Prius's tyres up to 45psi all round (from a typical 35psi, for lower rolling resistance, see).
16:20
MP - Shopping list at store: water, fruit juices, sarnies,
Bike magazine, plums, assorted pasties and pastries, biscuits, crisps. Standard long-journey fare, really.
18:00
MP - At home, remove spare wheel, jack, boot floor and rear head restraints. Reckon I've ditched 15kg. Like another supermarket says: every little helps.
18:04
MP - Attempt removal of rear wiper to reduce drag. More difficult than it looks. Give up before breaking it. Stow two five-litre fuel cans in boot.
Monday, 5th July
03:45
TB - Awoken by alarm on mobile - yes, it's really quarter to four on a Monday morning. A quick shower and a huge bowl of Weetabix.
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| Pasties, crisps and drinks - standard long haul fare |
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04:30
TB - Blast down M4 towards Matt's. Struck by how pleasant this normal hell-hole of tarmac is at stupid o'clock. Rising sun turns sky pink and trees poke through mist at side of motorway. Maybe I should drive into work this early every day... no, that's early-morning dementia.
04:30
MP - Shower. Hum 'Monday morning 5:15, and I'm still wondering where she's been.' Minor hit a couple of years ago. Monday morning 04:30, I'm wondering who sang it. Not the Longpigs. Or was it? No.
Already light. Usually play pool Sunday night, but not yesterday, so not feeling too bad. Maybe it's the excitement.
04:50
MP - As Bertie Wooster knows, the day doesn't really start until you've drunk tea.
05:00
TB - Pull up at Matt's house to find he's up already. Plans for quick kip in back of car scuppered.
MP - Tom arrives. Conversation reveals he only left home (Reading) half an hour ago. Chuffing heck, hope the M25's speed cameras are still rubbing sleep from their eyes at that hour.
05:06
MP - A few quick pictures taken, checklist checked ('money: check, phones: check, fluffy dice: check. Er, right then').
05:15
TB - Load up Prius with bags and all-important pasties. Head for M1 with Matt behind wheel. Odometer reads 1942 - just how much it's going to read at end of this is anyone's guess.
