This Will Be Our Year

Well another day over and another day nearer to my trip to the USA.

I am getting closer to my sponsorship target. Only $202.50 needed to reach the minimum amount I need to raise. I do have a couple of promises of sponsorship which will hopefully take me about $100 nearer. So if you are reading this, then how about making a donation to ensure I get to my target. Sadly at least a couple of people who promised sponsorship have failed to deliver. It would have been better if people didn't make promises they wont keep.

I've been off work today owing to my knee playing up. Its fine when I cycle but it is painful to walk on. I am going to have to try to rest it as much as possible between now and the ride. How can it be that my kneee is ok to cycle but not to walk? Think i will try to get some more physio in before I go to the USA.

Talking of the ride, its only 18 days till I fly to the USA and its 25 days till the ride starts. I have made most of the arrangements for the USA, apart from the car hire and meeting the Ohio Cyclists to drive to the ride start in New Jersey. I also need to start pulling together all the paperwork and details of the hotels, etc I will be using.

Well, last night I went down to Reading to see Newcastle almost guarantee the League Championship title with a 2-1 away win. Sadly Newcastle need 1 point from last 3 games to guarantee the title so the celebrations were somewhat muted. Still it was good to see one or two old faces, even if one of them was only in the pub AFTER the game as he got stuck on the M25 and missed the game. Newcastle don't play again until Monday when they are at Plymouth. Hopefully they will be Champions before then. Here's hoping Middlesbrough can get a point at West Brom on Saturday.

What else is happening in my life? Well, I am meeting up with an old school friend next week. Not seen him for 6 or so years, so will be good to share a few beers with John for it is he.

More mundane matters - recycling of household waste. Whilst I support the idea of recycling and try to do as much as I can, my local council operate a seemingly strange system. They will not recycle cardboard or similar items. They refused my recycling bin 2 weeks ago saying it contained the wrong items but collected the same recycling bin last week. Apparently somehow it now had the right items in it despite me not touching the bin in the intervening week.