Emotions emotions.........

The last week before the off! What a strange, strange time it is. 

You get the "countdown buzz." The excitement. The realisation that another crazy but at the same time wonderful adventure is only days away. You get the dawning of reality: It is nearly here. What will it be like? Will we make it? Will it rain all the time? Can we cope? Will our bikes hold up? Have we taken on too much this time?

You get the adrenalin rush from the frenetic last minute activities: buying the equipment you haven't got; rushing to get the bike serviced; marvelling at Lisa's twitter and Facebook activities generating 30,000 followers in just about a week; listening to a great pod cast on us being broadcast on local radio; admiring people in Ireland generating posters for Ally to celebrate the event - even setting up a "www.honkifyouthinkimsexy.com website !!; setting up and managing things not done before by plotting the route down to street level on the tracker system so people can follow us. And to top it all the amazing realisation that this blog has now been read by over 2,700 separate IP addresses and is looked at over 100 times every day. Quite amazing really. 

You also get a feeling of immense pride as the team smashes through the fundraising target with well over £12,000 raised as I write. You kind of get a "self-reminder" as to why we do these things as you realise how far and wide these challenges reach: amongst literally a myriad of efforts by the team, below, for example, is the adoption of the challenge by a local school in Portugal who are having a "non uniform" day to raise money for our cause. It cannot fail to remind you of exactly why we do these weird "little" challenges! You get a sense of inspiration and motivation from it too.

But then you also get the doubts. You get administration doubts. Have we forgotten to organise something? Are all the flights booked? Are the hotel rooms reserved? You get physical doubts. Are we fit enough? Will my own knees (that are still very much swollen....) hold up? Have we done enough training? Will we be able to hold a peloton together? Will George be able to resist speeding off like an exocet missile! And you get a few selfish doubts: recognising the sacrifices the family makes to allow you to do these things.

But overall, you get a complete sense of immense satisfaction: regardless as to outcome. The overpowering and intoxicating cocktail of nerves, excitement, adrenalin and pride easily brush the more negative doubts to one side leaving a real sense of anticipation.

Bring on Sunday! Can't wait.