Round Britain Rally

Yep. Start of yet another obsession. All the fault of chatting to Rob at a CMA meeting. It's like geocaching on a bike. Well thats me sold then! So today he took me out for a short easy ride (!) after the CMA breakfast run. Normally the breakfast run is enough for me.

Planning the route was a pain in the arse. When I managed to find co-ordinates they were in three different formats. And they don't all work in google maps, or in the crap from crap land Tom Tom app. And then it was all pointless. Because I made a route and transferred it to the Tom Tom.. after 12 hours of updates. And then.... it tried to send me home all day. AARRGGGHHHHH. I started it up at the Tesco petrol station, rather than at home. And all day long it had a hissy fit.

Still, good to get the rookie error out of the way when it was possible (and far easier) to just follow someone else. Way prefer following anyway.. I go faster as i have to keep up, rather than being away with the fairies and pooling!

Also good to learn was that you don't absolutely have to have the bike and the landmark in the same shot. Sometimes its not possible to park bike safely AT the landmark. And thats ok. Just try, and then get proof you got as close as possible. That said I will still get more than one disallowed or marked down for getting something wrong with the 'flag' and the bike and the landmark.. most probably forgetting the flag and then realising when I get home.

Anyways. Not allowed to post photos. So today I went to..

Donington services to meet CMA
The Limes Cafe for breakfast.

35 - Nottinghamshire: The murder stone
11 - Derbyshire: Foolow Village Cross and bull ring
06 - Cheshire: The Shroppie Fly (which I learned is a crane, not just the name of the pub)
39 - Stafforshire: James Brindley Statue
25 - Leicestershire: Sky Ladder

Hopefully thats enough to get me a finishers certificate.. but I want to aim for 'Standard'. So more miles required.. this time just me and Gladis! Hmm....

Well done Gladis.. 221 miles. Think it equals our previous best.. the ride down to Swansea for last year's CMA fellowship weekend was about that. This time was so much nicer though... NO RAIN!!!!

Massive thanks to Rob for letting me be his Padawan. Really enjoyed it and its a great reason to get out and explore. And to properly ride Gladis. There is no way I'm joining the ranks of Iron Butt though.. I'm more of a Bony Ass.