Well, the ride went surprisingly well. 

Day 1: Leaving Coram in bright sunshine

Struggling through London at rush hour

Leanne cured my knee on day 2 and it was then better than it had been for months! 

The massage hurt like hell, but the results were worth it. 

Crossing the River Laon at the front of the peleton. 

The big climb up to Bonnieur... 

And the fantastic descent on the other side. 

I set my fastest time on a bike - 44 mph! 

Riding around the South of St Victoire into the rising sun. 

Giles Hanglin's lovely photo (taken on a bike travelling at 30mph!)

And properly tired at the end. 

Thank you to all my sponsors.

I'm stepping up a gear (pardon pun), as it's 3 weeks to go! Doing about 100m a week on the road and on a turbo.

I'm very thankful to Feilden + Mawson for agreeing to be my "Alloy sponsor". A massive £2000. I was out in the firm's new kit on Sunday for the Colchester Equaliser;

 It went well. 18th out of 367 riders. 60 miles in 3h20. The fixed stare is looking out for ice!

Thank you also to other sponsors; my sailing friend Clive, Ben Gummer friend and Ipswich MP, who showed us what constituency politics is all about by helping secure £1m for Red Rose Chain's studio (designed with Nick Jacob) and my mate Tim.

I am still some way off my target, so any help would be much appreciated.

I have been working out the actual miles i need to do and;

Stage 1: London–Folkestone 119.0km (73 miles) - we all do this.
Stage 2: Calais–Reims 320.9km (200 miles) - min 132 miles
Stage 3: Reims–Dijon 316.5km (200 miles) - min 132 miles
Stage 4: Dijon–Valence 314.4km (200 miles) - min 132 miles
Stage 5: Valence–Aix en Provence 234.5km (145 miles) - min 100 miles
Stage 6: Aix en Provence–Cannes 176.4km (109 miles) - min 72 miles

The minimum distance is 2/3 of the total which is the minimum each rider has to do to be a qualify as a finisher. 
oh dear! 

The training has been going well.

A highlight was a 100m ride with my brother and brother in law around South Suffolk. A very special day in all sorts of ways and got me thinking about Coram's great work with families.

My brother was just a little amused by setting out at 0 degC into snow as he lives in Sydney. He had a few layers on!

The ride was planned to take us past some good friends;

Matt, Rob and the crew at Lifecycle in Bildeston for example - the best cycle shop in the East who are making a pair of wheels for my long ride - H Plus Son Archetype rims with Aivee Hubs if you know about these things. Super cool, low bling to go with my titanium frame. I have worn out a hub since August 2014 having done more than 2,600 miles. 

And once again the best motivation for the effort has been;

Coram

I've had a few questions;

MIPIM is a property industry fair in Cannes on the French Riviera.

And more about Coram here Coram

Nutcracker Sportive

Ah the Sportive. Not supposed to be a race, but a 'timed event' - an opportunity to practice riding with others, test levels of fitness and gear in wet, cold, windy conditions.

The 50 mile Newmarket "Nutcracker" provided it all in buckets...

It all worked. Came 20th out of 270 with 40m head winds. Let's hope the northern plains of France are kinder and the wind blows from the North. I'm told its either that or the South in March. 

Eccles Cake and Adoption

My favourite ride from Ipswich is out to Orford and the best bakery in the East (or perhaps the UK), the Pump Street Bakery. Run by Joe, her husband Simon and father it is great destination and surrounded by wonderful roads.

Cycling gives one time to think... I explained to my young daughters that I was raising money for Coram (no one has been spared) and told them about their work with adoption. My girls needed time to understand how and why. It made me realise just how important this work is and how much we take for granted. The ordered lives we enjoy are a great privilege.

Here I am (looking a little concerned) in the sun out the front of the bakery enjoying the best coffee and Eccles cake you will get anywhere.

I have been riding between 50 and 100 miles a week and alternating intensive weeks and easy weeks. The body needs time to recover. I seem to be stuck on doing 17-18 miles a hour no matter whether I am in flat Suffolk or bumpy Surrey.