Ee Bye Gum!

The Tour starts tomorrow.  The forecast sounds a bit dodgy but we are tough Northern lads who used to come from Lancashire.  To prove our manhood we will be cycling in string vests, baggy shorts and clogs.....well that maybe going a bit too far.  I think we will probably be wearing a 'wind cheater' or something similar to keep the chill off - do you think we are daft!

One thing I haven't mentioned is that my son John is coming on tour for the first time. I may have to behave myself and set a good example....I think he knows me by now.  I will negotiate with him that I will look after him in the cycling and he can look after me in the drinking!  You will understand what I mean when you see him.

THE ROUTE

The tour has not been subject to the thorough planning process that we did on previous years.  It's more of a fluid route that could be dictated by pubs that we used to drink in when we were under age!!  I have a fairly fixed idea of our second day's route, when we will circumnavigate Pendle Hill but the other days could be anything depending on where we fancy and what the weather is like.

There will be some key locations we will want to cycle past.  Particularly the houses we used to live in, the schools we went to, special pubs and anywhere we consider to hold significant memories.  One place we will definitely cycle past is the house where we were all born in Cliviger, near Burnley (to be accurate I think David was born at the hospital whilst we lived there).  I wonder what would happen if we knocked on the door and introduced ourselves to the present owners?  It would be 1968 when we moved from there to Simonstone, near Padiham.  The house at Cliviger was sold to Frank Casper who was a Burnley football player of the time.  We were well chuffed to see him and he wrote his autograph on my hand......I haven't washed it since.  I don't think he lives there any more.

Bags are packed and ready for tomorrow's start.