82 miles in seven hours and 36 minutes

Andy cycled from his house in Caterham, Surrey, to Brighton, East Sussex, and back in seven hours and 36 minutes. He covered a total of 82 miles. We spoke on the phone last night and, understandably, he was tired, but at least he did it. Looking out on the garden yesterday morning it took a while for me to notice the fine rain. It hadn't registered in the bird bath and I'd imagine that only by going outside would I have felt the rain on my head.

Andy's Kona Blast on the promenade at Brighton. The famous pier can be

seen in the background.

As Andy rightfully said, had it been him and I going on a normal ride, we'd have aborted it. So it was touch and go whether Andy was going to get out there and head for Brighton, but he took the plunge and did it. Ironically, I drove to the South Coast yesterday (to Felpham, West Sussex) and the weather certainly picked up the further south I drove. I'd been to the same place on Saturday and again, the weather was brilliant; something my dad used to call 'the Sussex Factor'. He believed that the South Downs had something to do with it, ie, that if it was pouring down, say, North of Amberley, then you could virtually guarantee good weather to the south – something like that.

I would have loved to join Andy on his ride to Brighton, but it was not to be (family commitments and so on) but we're on for a ride next Saturday and are highly likely to head for Flowers Farm and the teashop in Godstone.

I haven't been out all weekend. On Saturday, while I'd bought the leeches (to fix my rear wheel puncture) I spent the day on the south coast, returning late. I fixed the bike on Sunday morning and then went off to the disaster that was the Diamond Jubilee River Pageant. Then on Monday, well, it was raining and, as Andy said, we would have aborted it. Now, on Tuesday morning, it's lovely out there, but it's also nearly 9 o'clock in the morning as I write this; I wasn't up with lark so I haven't gone and with Andy not going, where's the incentive?

Well done to Andy, though, for brushing aside the weather and going for it. See photo above, taken by Andy yesterday when he reached the coast. I hope, Andy, that you had a swim in the sea before returning?