What Jubilee?

Busy one today. First challenge was to get everything together on the kit list and pack it up. Hmm. What was a short kit list translates into very full bags, and I thought I had got it down! On reflection, I haven't done bad but this is the first tour I have done where I have had to take a sleeping bag and a survival bag. On that basis I think I've done quite well, but I shall have to try and whittle it down a bit before we go.

On hire from Eddie Stobart?

Second was to do a bit of adjusting on the bike and to fit the bar bag. I hate riding with the bar bag but it just gives that extra bit of space and is useful for the things needed to hand (mainly Mars bars, bananas and food generally!). Not to mention that it holds a map on top too. Of course nothing is ever simple so to fit the bar bag I had to take lights off and various other things. I also had to move the brakes and shifters too. In an effort to remove some weight I then took off the low riders (front pannier racks). The last job was to clean the drive train to get all the muck off and then relubricate it.

Having done all that the only job left is a full load road test so I set off in the direction of Otley. I thought the road had been coated with treacle and the bike was borrowed from Eddie Stobart. It took a good few miles to feel as if I had got going as I got used to being a gear down and a couple of mph slower than usual. At which point I had this horrible thought about going up the west side of the Chevin and once I had thought it I could not go home any other way. The climb up to the Royalty from Otley on the west side has some real steep bits and some long draggy bits. It takes time to get up it without bags on and longer carrying a full touring load. But, it was climbed no problem with the help of tractor gear. I did manage to get into the car park at the top of the Chevin but it was all cordoned off as they are lighting some beacons there tonight.

Next job is there is an annoying click that I haven't managed to trace. A process of elimination is taking me to the seat post...... A job for tomorrow.