The training begins...

 

Flora begins training for our largely flat and very hot journey by riding uphill for the best part of an hour in the pissing rain! Thanks to pace-makers Ali Jack and Sam Putnam...

Brooks England

Three bum cushioning leather beauties all the way from Brum. This saddle design hasn't changed for 100 years and we didn't take much persuading from Keep Pedalling in Manchester to commit! The boys went for the narrower 'racier' version (in Brown for Harvey, obviously) and our female contingent has the slightly petiter ladies version...

My flatmate Jim is a bit of a leather specialist, so I will consult him on the various balms and ointments the instructions suggest applying, but essentially the more you ride them, the comfier they get! They reckon it takes around 500km to form a perfect ass grove, then it will last you a lifetime...

Flora's Falcon

Place your orders...

The route briefly passes from a far corner of Hungary into Croatia, and a small wine making region centered around a town called Osijek.... Does anyone have 3 of these?

Flora's Bicycle

We have plans for Flora's bike. As you can see, she's started training on an nice blue Eddy Merckx, sporting a variety of funky shorts! She's going to have to embrace the Lycra at some point but is currently taking her bicycle choice (sort of) seriously - she wants an English steed!

There's a ideal 531 Reynolds steel Falcon frame hung up in the garage which was gratuit courtesy of Arragons cycles with her name on it... will post a picture soon!

Luke's bike - A pink French (obviously!) steel Mercier

I picked up this 1970's dream machine for 20 euros earlier this year! She was missing a few essential parts, but, as you can see from the obligatory 'lent against tree surrounded by foliage' photo below, is on the way to being ready for the ride.

 

Harvey's Birthday

Harvey will turn 23, on the 23rd day of our trip! It's also the day we think we'll ride through this gorge known as the 'Iron Gates', where the river runs from Romania into Serbia...