Paul's decided to "torture his arse" by cycling from Newcastle to Rome. This is the start of his journey.
I’m slightly over 14 stone, feebly knocking on the door of 60, and have committed to cycling around 1,400 miles from my home near Newcastle to Rome. In Italy.
This has been months in the planning - possibly years if the truth be told - and yet I have skilfully managed to avoid any kind of physical commitment to training for the trip.
I remember vowing to transform my physique after New Year’s Eve - but it’s almost May and I’ve yet to really get cracking with that one…
It’s not my first long cycle trip. My best friend Dave and I have criss-crossed Europe several times, but with his common sense approach to life it’s never really involved prolonged physical hardship - unless you count daily hangovers, garage food, and occasionally being chased by dogs.
So why am I doing it?
I don’t know yet - but I’m hopeful that the answer will reveal itself somewhere along the route. After 19 days of torturing my arse for no better reason, I sincerely hope so.
Up to this point I have told friends that I’m following the route Hadrian took to Britain (in reverse) which is plausible, but not actually true. He almost certainly didn’t get a DFDS Ferry from Amsterdam - enjoying the buffet in Explorer’s Kitchen en route - and if Wallsend was anything like it is today, he probably would have stocked up on vapes, turned round and gone home.
So, as we set sail for the continent, I am full of trepidation - and in a few minutes, hopefully lager too. Let’s see what the journey has in store.
Tomorrow is an 80 miler, so I expect hardship in abundance.
Cycling through Wallsend on the way to the DFDS Ferry.
Time to put the bike away for the trip across the North Sea.
Home for the next 17 hours.
