Before I deal with today, let's just complete the tale of the tape from yesterday. Miles ridden - 109.5; saddle time - 8hrs 21mins 50 seconds (approximately); time on the road 11hrs. I also want to send out a big thank you to Amjad Butt and Shelley Walsh who gave of their time to provide well needed massage and physic in equal measures.

It was always going to be gamble as to who might or might not show up after a night in our own beds, but come 9am all were duly assembled for the prompt 9am start that left around 9.45! This was the day we had dreamt about, blue sky, sun, and no wind - perfect riding conditions with flat roads ahead (or downhill all the way as is the battle cry). All tore out of Bolton and then stopped at 10.15 with a major puncture/wrecked tyre for Mark B. Then it was a push on to Warrington where Mark's offices laid on bacon buttys, egg buttys, egg and bacon buttys, sausage buttys, egg bacon and sausage buttys.......we're a fussy lot us riding fraternity. And then down. the A49 - straight road, couldn't get lost, but the road was closed which of course meant more pandemonium and "stat nav" crisis. It was fortunate that Chris's Mum and Dad came out to meet us for lunch as they sussed out the lay of the land and the state he road closures and saved us a good 5 mile detour.

Lunch as usual was slightly late (3pm), picnic on the lawn for Chris (sponge cake, cucumber sandwiches, earl grey tea etc), pre packs and crisps for the rest of us, and ice packs all round. The cry of "5 more minutes" was shouted out and 20 minutes later we were "almost" ready to be on our way. Shrewsbury was calling - get though there and we home free. And now with me assisting as navigator 2, what could possibly go wrong! So today's picture is entitled "lost in Shrewsbury"' - well why not, we managed to get lost in Penrith yesterday and that's a town with only one street!

There were no further dramas to report as the peleton rode majestically through the beautiful scenery around Ludlow ton the end of another long day in the saddle. Fortunately the hostel was a lot less "hostile" than Inverness and though still a dormitory room the facilities were more 4* than none. An early morning start beckons (on the road at 7am is the plan) but the weather forecast seems a little "iffy". Can only take each fat as it comes, and we've still got Bristol to get lost in.

Stats for the day - Mileage completed 118.6; saddle time 8hrs 10mins; time on the road 11hrs; av speed 14.3mph. Punctures - 1, fall offs - 0, retirements - 0 Brandon