Washington DC to Seattle

Bye everyone, I'm off to the States to cycle from Washington DC to Seattle. As you can imagine this trip is quite ambitious, so rather than clutter this one with the event I have created a separate blog to cover everything there. You will find it here

Isle of Wight Randonnee

With the weather forecast not looking too optimistic I packed a waterproof, map, sandwich, apple, chocolate bar and obligatory banana into the pannier and headed off to first check point on East Cowes.

On arrival I signed in and collected a check card (see above). This was my third IOW Randonnee and like the other two I just about managed to leave before midday. So it turned into a race as the day panned out.

Hills are a reoccurring theme on this 100Km route. The hills aren't high, 165m max, but you do spend the vast part of the day shifting gears and spinning. At least the views are worth the effort.

There were six checkpoints in total, all were great places to chat and have a rest from the saddle. At Bembridge and Yarmouth you could grab a bite to eat and cup of tea, and regain some of the energy lost along the way.

In the end it took me just under 6 hours and I never once had to use the old raincoat!

Portrait Complete!

Competitor Number 2 looks back at the road taken, Oil on Canvas, 80x60, 2008, Pauline Little.

Inspired by Giovanni Battista's II Cavaliere dal Piede Ferito, Pauline Little created a portrait of me in all my cycling glory and surrounded by the random items you stumble on whilst on tour; the bull made an appearance every so often whilst on the road to Almeria, the post (top left) belongs to a farmer in the Picos de Europas, and the monument above my left shoulder was one of many I came across on that same tour (Puerto de Palombera). The race number was from last years Jekyll & Hyde Duathlon and the medal worn was given on completion of the London Duathlon 2007.

Pauline Little is a London based Artist who specializes in creating paintings of athletes, she completed this portrait in four sessions (just over an hour each). For more details see her website.