It was Book Club this week we discussed Madame Bovary a real mix of opinions. We also drew up our programme for 2012-13 including a poetry evening with my brother Mike performing in the pub! My suggestion of the Song of Achilles might have to wait for next year.

Great day watching the Tour in Caerphilly on the mountain. Great crowd great views and I took some decent photos we were so close to the riders I could have touched them! Met Mike and Carla afterwards.

Enjoying watching BBC 4 at the moment with a programme dedicated to Fairport Convention. it takes me back to my formative years at Hitchin Folk Club where the resident group always finished with Meet on the Ledge. “Where does the time go” with the wonderful magical voice of Sandy Denny is in my top 5 of all time songs.

Tomorrow it is off to watch the mighty Hatters!

Hectic day in the Church household. Early doors this morning our new kitchen arrived; the work starts next week. Our garage is now full of the new units!

I later rode down to the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust to tell the story I wrote for them earlier in the year-I called it “Duck Soup” after the Marx Brothers film – they have given it a less sensitive name! It was a lovely day andperformedin beautiful sunshine. I made some subtle changes in the telling and it was good to get back in the groove.

Did a bit more proof reading of the Misty story yesterday. It is slow progress!

Afterwards in one of the hides I watched 5 Buzzards following a tractor cutting the hay; the birds were hoping to catch small animals escaping. The Buzzards kept swooping down and often argued with each other locking talons – great entertainment!

Tomorrow we are off to see Brad and Cav in the Tour of Britain in Wales; really looking forward to it. Did a decent pedal yesterday up Frocester Hill; continue to be pleased with my climbing.

Played cricket at North Nibley yesterday. What a wonderful setting with the Cotswolds making an impressive vista. Now comes the sad part of putting my kit away for the winter.

Hoping to watch the Tour of Britain on Friday in Wales a chance to cheer on Brad and Cav.

It is typical I’ve had two requests for bookings in February in the last two days and I won’t be around! We are going to New Zealand and will be away all that month. Clare has also persuaded me to stay for the start of the cricket in March which I felt I had to agree to. Very excited and we start planning where we want to go. Perhaps I should look for a gig out there!

I am currently writing up the cycle ride for the village newsletter.

Good news from my brother Mike-his book of poems should be published next year. Great stuff!!!

Back now in a routine after the ride and about to start updating the website-well some new pictures and some sections to be rewritten. Also going to do a flier for schools and a few posters for adult audiences. Will try to revisit my story Misty the Magician next week-I have gone over 7 chapters so far.

I did ride into Dursley yesterday and flew up Cam Pitch and that steep hill by Listers. I am going to do a ride tomorrow.

On a social front we have booked our Literature Festival tickets. We are going to see 3 story telling sessions and I am quite excited about seeing Alan Garner. Now booking gigs and theatre for the autumn.

Went to my first home game watching the mighty Hatters on Tuesday. Great atmosphere and a decent game 3-2. Hopefully this will be the year!

A good ride to Carmarthen through a forest, past Kidwelly Castle and at a decent pace with a few bumps. We said goodbye to our David at Carmarthen (morning coffee time)who was off to the Paralympics. He did a great job as a navigator and pacemaker into the wind. Today was dry and during the afternoon the temperature warmed up. Some serious climbs and some great downhills as we worked our way back to the coast. Drama struck near Pendine; Brian had another blow out just at the bottom of a downhill. Tyre was a goner so rescue was needed for him. We carried on with a couple of big climbs and great views ending up at a super campsite near Saundersfoot.

Friday Day 7 The End!

We quickly worked our way through Tenby and across to Pembroke enjoying good views of the castle. We went over the third large bridge of the trip (Avon viaduct and Severn Bridge the others). Fantastic cycle path that took round Haverfordwest towards Broadhaven at a good lick. Climbs keep coming one quote heard “Frocester is a pin prick compared to this!” Finally 400 miles completed we arrived at Treginnis farm, tired aching but chuffed with our efforts.

I always thought Day 5 would be our hardest day from a mental point of view and so it proved aided by the weather, getting back on the trail 15 miles away and a traumatic exploding tyre. We woke to heavy rain and somehow we managed breakfast in Cedric (our distinguished LTFC coloured camper) in shifts-what a star he has been this week.

With waterproofs and overshoes firmly on we set off into the valleys. The campsite was in an activity park with a long grinding drag to the tents. We hadn’t got out of the park when George’s tyre exploded-despite putting a new inner tube in, a second blow out followed 10 metres further on! It was obvious George needed to visit a bike shop. He set off with Clare while we embarked on a depressing rain drenched ride up and down, up and down, up,up and down the valleys (this was also on busy roads). We had yet another puncture to Brian’s front tyre-we managed to mend it in the rain by the side of the road. Two hours later we  reached Pontypridd for lunch ;cue farce, George was also in town armed with his back wheel while Clare sat  trapped in the van by the rest of George’s bike. Eventually after several calls we were reunited and made our way to the van in torrential rain and hail accompanied by thunderclaps-Clare was at least dry! After what seemed an eternity George put his bike together while we got wetter and colder and we set off again.

An almighty great steep hill soon warmed us up, several more decent size hills followed all to be climbed!  Think of those steep sided Welsh valleys and you will realise how hard it was. A very bedraggled, hungry and tired group of cyclists arrived at Bury Point to a hotel for hot baths (bliss) to demolish in record time their evening meal. Day 6 thank goodness was to be much better, although not incident free!

Back after 400 miles in the saddle. What a week. The weather threw everything at us hail, torrential rain, thunder and wind. The team also put up with exploding tyres and punctures but the chaps kept going! The ride up to Wick Court despite the rain had been incident free this changed on our way back down to the Severn Bridge on Day 4 .

Brian’s tyre exploded near Littleton-on-Severn and we had to get Clare to meet us with a spare tyre. Over the Bridge and Peter’s tyre was punctured-which was a straight forward change of inner tube. We arrived at the Newport Transporter Bridge to find it shut which was disappointing especially as we had to cycle round to other side but we were all looking forward to going across on it.  It got worse when George had a puncture the other side followed by us all getting lost in Newport looking for Route 4 the Celtic Trail. The trail when we did find it was a lovely ride by the canal but frustrating because we were slowed down by many gates.

Eventually reached our camp site late but were cheered by my brother Mike arriving with a poem we had written about our exploits -only asked him to do it 24 hours before. It was great and made us smile especially linked with the news of Lance Armstrong. I am hoping he sends us a copy.

(Will blog about Day 5 our lowest point tomorrow)

Well 3 days completed on our sponsored ride and tonight we have the luxury of sleeping in our own beds because we reached Wick Court today so far 168 miles covered in 2 and half days of cycling. Sat saw us start in deepest Devon in the rain in the early afternoon-thankfully it stopped and apart from one downpour on the highest climb it wasn’t too bad. The campsite about five miles from Exeter was like a paddy field-the ground squelching when you walked on it. The meal and beer in the Beer Engine was worth the effort!

Sunday it was dry! My David had chosen a great route through country lanes, wooded valleys with great views. It was a slog about 76 miles but Clare had met us with tea and cakes after 2 hours pedalling to keep us going. The last  part of the ride was through the Somerset Levels which was great. The campsite was dry! Tea and cake greeted us at the end thanks to our wonderful support team.

Today was typical Bank Holiday weather-unforgiving rain and torrential as we approached the last part. our Peter called in at the pub to say Hi. He was betting on the football yesterday and made £41 which he donated to our Just Giving Page -not sure I should be encouraging this but very touched. Fantastic cake and tea made by Heather at Wick Court finished off our very wet day! Tomorrow it is over the Severn Bridge into Wales! David is starting off wearing a Tiger Suit! We are now over half way towards our target of £3000. Next update will probably be Saturday night. Just need to rest the aches and pains now!

The Great ride starts on Saturday in deepest Devon-forecast doesn’t look great just hope the thunder storms have finished by the time we start. I am getting quite excited about it all-the logistics of moving camping kit,food etc I think is sorted. Today George, Brian and I stood outside Shire Hall with a bike on a turbo charger (think that is what they are called-a static bike that you can pedal) to promote our ride and collect donations. Not sure what we raised but hopefully it was a decent contribution-exhausted by our efforts and the pedal in and out of Gloucester. Thank you to those who have already donated if any of you haven’t yet our just giving page is www.justgiving.com/brian-dimmock

Last weekend Clare and I went away in Cedric to the midlands taking in Roman Wroxeter and Ironbridge. Really enjoyed both places. Social life continued out Tuesday with a couple of mates and last night saw my brother Mike and sister Liz in Cardiff and other family members for a meal in Cardiff,   lovely.

Still working on reading through my story about Misty the Magician (adding the odd paragraph in places to clarify events) won’t touch it now till after the ride. Hopefully next blog will be on Monday (we have that night at home as it is on the route) so should be able to give a progress report. My aim is to start trying to interest publishers from October onwards.

The st