Well where do I start with this one… should I start at the point where I realized it was going to be one the of hardest, most draining and wet days I think I’ve ever spent on a bike or with the fun and games we had with the massive great whole in the roof of the RV which also appears to not like the rain..???

Ok lets just go from the beginning.. last night whilst driving 40 miles out of our way to get move propane and find an RV park for the night it started to rain, obviously this was a bit of a problem because as I said a couple of days ago Jonny attempted to turn to RV in to a convertible with use of a hotel canopy, anyway we managed to stop any rain from coming through the roof with one or two minor adjustments from the inside but whilst driving back to where I had stopped riding, there was once again an almighty crunch and the car following very quickly moved from behind and came passed us, we again looked in the rear camera and mirrors to see nothing bouncing along the road. Upon stopping we found the AC unit had moved from a horizontal to a vertical position (NOT GOOD)

After a short while we did in deed manage to fix it back down and carry on back to my start point for the day..

It was already raining by the time I was ready to start so clad in yet again the warmest kit I had along with me, a couple of carrier bags to keep my feet dry and a very very bright yellow 2012 olympic riding jacket thanks to adidas, I know I’m name dropping but theres a reason… its the best riding jacket I have ever worn.. yes I’m meant to say that but 20 years of on and off bike riding I have never worn a water proof jacket that actually does what it says on the tin. This jacket is the dogs bits!!!! FACT!!!

I’d be lying if I said that I enjoyed today, to start with it was damp the roads were horrid the cars didn’t have a care in the world, it just wasn’t a nice morning but thankfully as I got to Lake Conroe I saw the best sign I’ve seen since leaving the coast “Starbucks!!!” this had to be done, apart from Mellow Johnny’s the coffee has been pretty drab. So we ventured in for a bit of internet, Facebook and Twitter fun before moving on again. Whilst on Facebook a friend from Louisiana, Lanny was chatting to me (I kind of met Lanny by default, he was one of the first people on the scene of the crash last time, top bloke, lovely family can’t wait to see him) he mentioned it looked like a wet day so there wasn’t really an point waiting for it to pass.

As we left the roads weren’t a great deal better and as I started to get out of the traffic on to slightly quieter roads the heavens opened and I do mean opened, thank god for my jacket and flashing rear lights, I’ve ridden in rain something like this before but its been hot, I could feel it running straight down my legs into my shoes, I could clench my fist and water would just poor out, it was like riding through a puddle mile after mile.

The idea of breaking the day down like I mention the other day doesn’t work on days like this because you stop get cold and really don’t want to get going so every time I saw Jonny he would just get waved on with a gesture of 10, 15 or 20 miles, I’d tell my self the same kind of thing though, just another 10miles. Then as I get close I’d maybe grab another snickers (ill tell you all about that another day) and move on. I was covered in sand and mud and so was my bike, it was not a pretty day but then putting your self out your comfort zone isn’t meant to be pretty is it!!.

Again I would think about why I’m doing this. If your doing something for charity or want to help someone, what they are dealing with isn’t pretty, they don’t have the luxury of trying or even wanting to look good they just have to get on with it. This why I’ve always said that it doesn’t matter what you are doing to try and help other people as long as you are getting out of your comfort zone, running, walking, riding, swimming, reading (well out my comfort zone), 24 hour starve, what ever it might be.

Although it didn’t get any better through the day, if anything it got a hell of a lot worse, the road got wetter, muddier, the spray of the lorries (trucks) got worse and I certainly didn’t get any dryer but I think I could probably say I had one of the most satisfying days on a bike I have had in very long time, I really had to push through every thought, emotion and excuse to stop that I had but I did it, I did the miles and kept a good average speed as well, I wasn’t happy, I didn’t want to do it and I wanted to stop but in the end I came through and I’m so glad that I did. I always tell myself that no matter how bad it gets I’ve been through worse and people all over are going through worse every day and every night and if I can help one person from pushing through today then it was worth it because when I get in the van, get a shower have some food and good (ish) nights sleep I can do it all again tomorrow if I want to but the people I’m doing it for will HAVE to do it all again tomorrow want or not!!!

Anyway back to the van problem.. waters coming through the roof and we cant stop it, Jonny has now decided thats its funny, I have to admit so have I really. I think we may have sorted it, we took a trip around the local Walmart as we do in each and every town that stop in, bought some bits including duck tap and I think we may just have sorted the roof.

Night all, defo be in Louisiana tomorrow so if I do happen to go a bit quite on you please don’t worry I just might need to find the zone for this bit, remember when I get across Louisiana and I’ve got further than i did last time..

sweet dreams..

P.S Jonny say’s the AC units was also my fault because I didn’t see it, either. Just remember who’s driving the RV & who’d driving the bike..

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