Maidenhead to Reading yesterday and Reading to Pewsey today,

About 80 miles over the last two days. Yesterday we followed the Thames to Reading and then picked up route 4 on the Kennet and Avon canal. It was very tough as most of the Thames path is gravel or grass, gates every 2 mins (They clearly don't like cyclists cos we had to turn our bikes upside down to get them through !) and because it was the first hot sunday this year there were thousands of walkers! We had lunch in Henley which was lovely especially watching so many people 'messing about in boats' The canal route through Reading centre was strange......cyclists mixing with shoppers ? mmmm don't think we were very popular !  My old school chum Sharon came and had a beer with us and our ridiculously overpriced hotel in the evening and then this morning we set out for Pewsey having made ourselves porridge in our tea cups to avoid breakfast costs !!! We set off along the canal and had a horrible fright when a man ran after us and tried to grab the back of my bike. He didn't like the fact we didn't have bells and told us to walk. I just managed to get out of his way but my heart was thundering for a good 20 minutes. I thought he was going to knock me into the canal ! The second half off the day was HILLS. Plenty of them too, after all this is Wiltshire/Wessex.We are exhausted tonight but have found a quirky b and b with electric blankets would you believe and the softest beds imaginable. BLISS. Night Night

First and second day

Ella works in the building next to the double decker bus!

Dare we go where no cyclists are allowed ?

A hazy spring day with our new house in the background. Shame they had to build it so close to Heathrow !!

Lost again !

We've had a fantastic day. Gorgeous weather and some beautiful places...BUT we have only done 30 miles!!!! Eek. The Route 4 is so confusing from Weybridge to Reading and added to that we had to do a massive detour where they are building a spectators bridge for the Olympic canoe park.  We cycled through Staines and into Egham and then turned a corner to go over a bridge only to find we were in the centre of Staines again....an hour later ! We even managed to get lost in Great Windsor Park. (Why have neither of us been there before?) Looking down from the highest point in the park to Windsor Castle was just breathtaking even though planes from Heathrow were zooming over every minute. Bruce reminded us of the American tourist who asked ' why did they have to build Windsor Castle so close to Heathrow Airport?'
Getting lost just did not matter although we have only reached Maidenhead. Tomorrow we loop all the way round and back to Reading....anything to avoid accidentally getting onto the M4 !!
No beer today !

Off we go!

....Well we nearly started with a disaster. Got onto wrong platform at Norwich and realised we were too late to get our bikes onto the train.... it went without us.! All ended well though and no horrendously expensive extra ticket..Everyone felt rather sorry for us !
Boris J has done the most amazing job of cycle paths in London and we zig zagged our way from Liverpool St Station to Weybridge crossing the river 5 times ! We stopped to have lunch with Ella in the shadow of Big Ben and The H of P. It took us about 5 hours in the end to get from East to West and with our rather circuitous route (not getting lost once) we travelled about 50 miles along the Thames. Only one 'near miss' We were on one of these new Super cycle Highways in Chelsea and Sal slowed down for a taxi pulling out of a garage. He thought she was stopping and put his foot down. How Sal managed to swerve round him I 'll never know, but she did, with me SCREAMING at anyone who would listen as broken hips and squashed bikes flashed into my brain. Both our hearts thudded for quite a time after that !
There is so much to be proud of in London. It's bustling, clean, exciting, dramatic, fast and furious and beautiful. The river traffic changed at every bridge starting with HMS Belfast, ferries and working boats then the houseboats, then the rowers and then the cruisers. We passed through fabulous old markets, soaked up everything in Westminster, goggled at the houses in Chelsea. We crossed Richmond Park and cycled passed Hampton Court which is completely breathtaking. Today we saw bits of London we just didn't know existed. Off to Reading tomorrow and the kennet and Avon Canal Path.

Planning.

Two more sleeps! We are catching the train to London on Friday morning and aiming for Weybridge. Not too far cos I know what we are like and we will no doubt stop at a billion London Landmarks!. Boris J has sent us the most amazing map of cycle routes in London (absolutely free) and we now have to choose our route from Liverpool St Station to Putney bridge. There is so much choice. Do we go North of the Thames and go passed St Pauls, up Fleet St, round Trafalgar Square, passed Buck Palace and round Hyde Park Corner into Knightsbridge or do we go across the river at Tower Bridge and go passed the Golden Hinde and HMS Belfast, the London Eye, Tate Modern, The Globe and the Royal Festival Hall.
All exciting and there are other choices too. We will decide tomorrow!
Sal is already packed. I'm not. Are we likely to stay in our cycling gear all day ? Will we get away with going out in our nighties in England ? WE WILL NOT TAKE TOO MUCH LUGGAGE. Noooooo! Actually half our gear so far is spare inner tubes, pumps, puncture repair kits, lights etc. Oh we are so 'bikey'
Can't wait to get started.

The final count down !

The last day took us from Matera to Taranto where there welcoming party were waiting for us!!

Sal having a sedate last day's ride

Mary Ann was in more of a rush!

                                           

We were accompanied in to Taranto by our support vehicle



Jack sprayed us with champagne as we reached the apartment.

Even our bikes got some champagne



Our support crew minus Ella and Dan



We did it!

We left Matera this morning and for once found our way out of town quite easily. Bruce, Rob, Charlie, Dan and Jack all welcomed us into Taranto at several points on the way in and at one stage followed us  with hazard lights flashing and a big notice to say who we were and what we had done!  Champagne was waiting for us on our doorstep and we felt very special. We've cycled almost 3000 kms, had about 4 punctures between us, one boil, one 'ski knee' lots of laughs and our friendship remains in tact! Charlie has taken some great shots of the last couple of days which i will put on the blog tomorrow. We are both very sad its over and.....yes! we are wondering what to do next!!