Progress

Things are finally beginning to come together a bit more. The first main bit of news is that the bike will be ready for me to pick up next weekend (as in, not this weekend, next weekend). I finally cracked under the pressure of waiting and not hearing anything, gave the shop a call to check on progress and was told they had just received the frame and would be able to put the whole bike together for me on Saturday 14 May. So that's it's birthday then, I guess, if I was being all maternal about it. I'll have to think of a name too, I suppose.

Anyway. I've also been ticking off my equipment list and filling up my credit card some more. Not too much left to get, in fact, and then my monthly savings can start going towards 'saving for the trip' as opposed to 'spending for the trip'.

That shouldn't be too much of a problem as I plan to spend the majority of my spare time on the bike, and not out spending money in pubs. By 'on the bike' I mean cycling, by the way, not just sitting on it in the hallway. That wouldn't really help much at all.

The Bank Holiday weekend at the end of May will hopefully be my first real test ride - Swanage and back over three days. I will also be carrying all of my brother's camping equipment on my bike as he doesn't have room on his ultra-lightweight road bike. Which will be fun. It's not like I don't need the practice, though.