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move the bikes through thick wet muddy clay that stopped the bikes dead.
By 8pm the tears had started, every time i looked down at my garmin the
kilometres never seemed to have moved. It was sole destroying. At 9pm i
reached my hotel for the night, and i was physically done in, shacking, dizzy,
feeling nauseous… it was defo in the top 3 of the hardest days i have ever
had on a bike!

Day 3…
A new day and a new lease of life. The countryside eased a little, still rolling
hills but more gradual and forgiving, the weather was overcast but dry. The
bike was in a hell of a state and making some very awful noises so in Sienna
a jet wash and a can of WD40 was in order to get me back on the road. After
Sienna our route followed the famous L’Eroica and weaved its way through
the Chianti wine region. I passed through some stunning mediaeval walled
towns and villages, all on top of steep hills of course (this is Tuscany after
all). Come 4pm i was heading towards a monster black electrical storm, put
all my kit on including the bin bag but it was no use i was drenched through
in just a couple of minutes. Bum rash from wet shorts 3 days in a row is
really not pleasant i might add! But i rode okay and made my hotel ahead of
schedule and other than a mouth full of ulcers and acid spots that made
eating my dinner super uncomfortable, I was feeling good.

Day 4…
It was always going to be a biggy to make the finish, so the alarm went at
3am and i was on the bike by half past. The day started with a very big climb
that took me all the way till dawn to get up it, but dawn made descending
the other side much safer and quicker. Today there was wall to wall sunshine
and the landscape changed yet again to farmland as i headed towards the
coast. It was the first time i cycled for hours and hours and didn’t see any
other riders, it was a little worrying as i kept panicking that i had plotted
the wrong route or something. As it happened I just don’t think anyone else
fancied a 3am start! When i hit the coast the route took us round and up
and over this stunning rocky island. I new the finish was only a few hours away
so I was in my grove and climbing like a women possessed. After the island,
on a long strip that joins the island to the mainland the route passed through

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