On our way!

And we're off! So, when this arduous journey began across the sweat laden peaks of the bike saddle, through the salt dried dunes of the chaffed chest, in to the jelly fish ridden wetsuit clad swim of the open water, I made the dubious decision to use my privileges that the airlines have befitted me with and travel on standby to Nice.

Having now augmented my travel plans a number of times, due to high seat demand on various routes, I now sit at gate E9 in Minneapolis Will Chamberlin World Airport, awaiting the news as to whether our first leg of three will be successful. This one is the hardest of the day, with the promise of a kind reservation agent in Sweden that the next two would be fine. However, this is standby travel we are talking about!

The bike was checked with success (and without charge!), thanks to my friend the gate agent (Chris, you are a life saver!). Now, the sincere hope is that we shall see it again in Newark, in order that me may walk across, in the unwelcoming humidity of Jersey, from Terminal A to Terminal B and have equal success with SAS. Odds are low, but I hear they are very nice :))))

In theory, 22 hours from now, we shall be in a hotel in Nice, Cote d'zur, WITH MY BIKE, and relaxing, taking in the Mediterranean Sea (it's a Sea, not an Ocean - said on a stern French Accent ;))

Good luck to us all!