Titles for upcoming posts or just answers to the important questions in life?

1. Garmin, is it the worst £400 ever spent?

2. The Cotswolds, are they quite hilly?

3. Do you get a bit of a sore arse after cycling 70 miles?

4. Have you donated to my justgiving page yet?

5. Can I do this all again tomorrow, and the day after, for 12 days?

The answer to Question 1.

Well, today we relied on Steve's Garmin instead of a map. The short answer is that we had a bit of a nightmare. Now for the long answer. We turned left out of the B&B, 50 yards later Steve shouts, "We're off route." We turned around, and cycled back, just past the B&B he shouts, "I think we should have turned left...." we turned around and turned down the road indicated. Shortly after, Steve shouts, "We're off route again!" Both Alan & I were muttering expletives already! "Don't worry," says Steve, "we'll get back on route a bit further on..." We were basically off route for the majority of the day, occasionally turning onto the route, with Steve shouting, "We're back on, just passed a way point." Bloody way point my arse! The best bit was heading down a country road at some speed to hear Steve shout from behind, "We should have turned right there..." I looked behind and saw Steve & Alan by a closed gate to what looked suspiciously like some rich buggers driveway. Hey presto & the gate opened so off trotted Steve and Alan up the driveway. I had to follow but knew I shouldn't have...... Steve had already regaled story of him heading down a small road in Lime park, Lancashire and after following the bloody Garmin finding a small bridge barred by sturdy gates at each end covered in barbed wire. It was obvious no-one had been over the bridge for a hundred years. This didn't deter Steve though, with the help of a couple of ramblers Steve managed to climb around the gates & barbed wire, getting them to hand his bike around the posts!! Anyway, back to the rich persons driveway.... we kept on, it was a long drive, "It must be a public right of way, the gate opened." shouted Steve.... past a few cows, lots of sheep & lambs, all very pretty.... passed a very nice tennis court, passed a few barns and right into the rich persons courtyard! Oh dear, now back past all those pretty things & back onto the bloody road we were on! That wasn't the last detour either, there must have been another five or six at least. A few went like this, busy road, we're not supposed to be on busy roads, quick, turn right (across the traffic, articulated lorries etc....) down a little country lane, up another hill, turn left & back onto the same busy road 300 yards further on..... Spitting blood I was, forget the bloody Garmin, do yourself a favour, get a map - foolproof! at least it might be, tomorrow we are using the map, I'll let you know how we got on!!

Stats for the day - 70.61 miles @ an average of 13.4 mph, top speed 37.4mph, 5 hours cycling and twenty three wrong turns - happy days! Off to the pub soon, blog with you later!