Right then. The tyres have been pumped up, the chain oiled and the moustache waxed. I'm as ready to ride the Crackpot as I'll ever be.
I'll start the ride at 8pm this Friday from that spiritual starting place for so many a Wessex ride, the 24 hour BP garage on Longfleet Road.
I'm sticking to the most recent route sheet with the intention of 'doing it proper' - despite the change of date / season etc. ...
Because I'm riding it in the winter, sleeping in a box in a Wells alleyway is out - despite the obvious lure of such accommodation. Instead I have a place to stop and sleep for the second night in Somerton.
The problem I have now is the third night. I don't where I'll be on the road, so booking anything is tricky. I imagine I could be anywhere between Dorchester and Membury Services. The Days Inn at Membury Services is an option, but will they be able to check me in in the small hours ? I've read a review that stated that there was no-one there to check the reviewer in. That's no good. I could stink up the Burger King for a few hours, but I doubt it'll be restful enough at that point. There's a Premier Inn at Dorchester too, but that might be too early after the stop in Somerton. Anyone have any (helpful) thoughts on this ? A new Travelodge in Codford would be great, but sadly there isn't such a thing.