We’re nearly half way through the detailed route planning now and Mike has had a little wobble at the thought of the challenge ahead. Ironically I think it’s me who should be having the wobble given that my daily cycle ride is about 1.5 miles downhill to work. At least Mike powers back and forth to Bath almost every day (almost 30 miles round trip) – I think he’ll be leaving me behind on this trip! The wobble was brought on at the thought of the longest day cycling we’re doing on the whole trip – 133 miles from Miranda Gardens to Fort Bragg. It will certainly be challenging, but it should also be beautiful as most of this section will be through the giant redwood forests. It is worth noting that we have done 139 in a single day once cycling from Bristol to Potters Bar at the start of our Easter cycling trip to Hamburg, so we know that we can do that distance in a day. It’s a good job that Mike and I have a kind of balance whereby if he gets wound up about something, I’ll be calm and vice versa. Enough wobbles for one night I’m off to bed or I’ll be in no fit state for work tomorrow – plenty of wobbles there to deal with too!

Eek, less than twenty days now to the off. Slightly daunted by the amount of work and non-work things that need to be done before we go. Most importantly I need to start the process of ‘bonding’ with my new bike. Hope to go out for a ride this weekend and some time next week too. Next weekend we’ll be cycling back from Brighton so that will be a good long ride test – hope the weather is kind to us.

The other big challenge for this week is to try and break the 12 stone barrier – below 12 stone that is. I’ve been lingering at 12.1 for a few weeks now and would really like to get to 11 something before we set off. I think that earlier nights, more water and a decent meal plan are needed to help me achieve this goal. Our meal times have gone to pot with so much going on at work. I’m also pondering whether I should take up the offer to try out running with Mike – however, this may need to happen after dark as I’m very self conscious about displaying my gangly body to the general public while I’m out running! So watch out if you’re about after the sun has gone down – you never know what might be heading towards you!

Despite having had my new bike for nearly a fortnight, I have (rather depressingly) had no time to go out for a ride on it. I’ve barely had time to even touch it or even look at it lovingly. This should all change this weekend when the inaugural ride on the Van Nicholas Yukon will take place.

With less than three weeks to go, test riding is just one thing that’s needed … the other is more sleep. Working ridiculously long days and writing a dissertation is not good for the skin. My face looks like a join the dots puzzle. Next week I’m going to try starting ‘operation early night’ in an attempt to get more sleep – fingers crossed that will do the trick.

The temptation of picking my neighbour’s plums became too much today, so as soon as I arrived home it was out with the ladder. Next door have a very overgrown back garden, (in fact the whole house is pretty overgrown as well!). With the exception of some Buddlieia, the only other recognisable feature is the plum tree. Each year it manages to fight its way through the weeds and offer up its branches laden with fruit, hanging temptingly over our back garden wall and into Vicarage Road. Seems a shame to let them go to waste! Plums now picked, stewed and jammed.

With a dissertation to finish and a long cycle ride, I’m having to be quite organised with the preserving this year – especially as I have a prize-winning jam title to defend at the local Best of Bedminster Show. With that in mind I’ve upped the stakes with some additional secret ingredients – but I’m not revealing what they are yet. Let’s just say, I think the Women’s Institute judges will approve!

Today I’d intended to be visiting Coventry to see Dad, Janet and family – picking up my new bike on the way. The bike is ready, but unfortunately I’ve been engulfed in a lack-of-sleep/too-much-work wave or tiredness, so am not really up to the ride. The bike will have to wait and I will need to rearrange a date to see Dad and Janet – although unfortunately it probably won’t be before their holiday to France.

It’s a shame not to be riding today as the weather is lovely and sunny – the first time it’s been like this for ages. This week has been wet, wet, wet, I hope we don’t get too much wet weather along the west coast. August/September is meant to be the driest time of year along this route and it should get drier as we go south. I read an article on the BBC News website about the heatwave currently sitting over the central/east of the USA and Canada. There was a little bit at the end saying that on the west coast they were experiencing unseasonably cool weather. Someone from Seattle was quoted as saying they didn’t know it could be so cool at this time of year. I expect we’ll still find it pleasantly warm compared to a British summer though!

I admit, I have been known to make the odd ‘blooper’ with a misspelt word or incorrect punctuation. Thankfully I have a guardian spelling angel who has been known to kindly point out the error of my ways on my Facebook page – in full view to the social media world. My angel has now visited this blog, so watch out for corrections – I’m sure there will be a few!

Mike says: I’m on to it!

Of all the things that I could be preoccupied about on our trip it’s weight that is featuring pretty highly right now. We’ll be travelling light – by which I mean mega-light, only one small pannier each. This means packing very small and with the minimum of weight.

Last week with the help of the kitchen scales I weighed various items of clothing, passports, shoes, sunglasses etc and so far my luggage is weighing in at just under 3kg. Pretty good, but can I do better? Well I could loose a few grams off the waist (and I’m working on that), as for the luggage the weight reduction challenge continues.