Titanium bike and the very small box it fits in. Ideal for loading on the private jet

Well that ignorant fool who pushed ahead of you in the queue - he won't be doing that again in a hurry.

Hhhmmm, on balance, if you're poping out for some groceries, we'd really rather you didn't bring your Colt 45 widow maker along with you. Oh, and you can't smoke either - but we do take Visa.

Photo of JFK campaign poster

Are you doing this for charity?

Raising money was not the motivation for this ride, I'm doing it for purely selfish reasons. However if you'd like to donate to a very worthwhile cause I can recommend the Save The Tasmanian Devil Appeal. What I love about these creatures is that their only evolutionary advantage, the only reason they've survived for thousands of years is that they eat ANYTHING. They're not particularly clever and they're quite aggressive (towards each other) but they're also kinda cute and certainly unique. They're about the size of a small dog with a distinctive bark or grunt. They're now threatened with extinction due to an appalling facial tumour disease. In many parts of Tasmania they've already been virtually wiped out. They're only hope is that isolated colonies, including some abroad, can be maintained until the disease has run it's course or a cure can be found. Problems associated with the environment can seem so overwhelming and intractable, but here's a specific cause which money might just solve. There's no equivalent to 'Just Giving' in Tasmania, however I've linked directly to the appeal website from my main blog page and all donations would be much appreciated.

Do you shave your legs?

No. I'm unlikely to be standing on any winner's podiums any time soon and I don't want to get mistaken for a proper cyclist. Also it apparently gets itchy if you do it for the first time.

Why to cyclists shave their legs?

Firstly, it's nothing to do with aerodynamics. There's a couple of theories, one is that it makes the job of the masseurs easier. Massaging hairy legs can't be pleasant and it's also apparently uncomfortable with some of the sticky oils. Also if you have a crash it's easier to clean the wound if it's clean shaven. According to a team masseuse I spoke to, a big reason is that it looks better when you're standing on the winner's podium. According to Matt Seaton, the main reason riders have their legs waxed is that it makes you look like a proper cyclist and everyone else does it.