PCW Day 0 - Travel Day

From Harrow to Burton-on-Trent, 21st August 2018

Initially the plan was to travel up early on the 22nd to either Derby or Burton and make a half day dent into the journey. Derby was the favourite as this was a straight through connection.

I'd been training with 16kg of water, secured in my day to day panniers.
I had no idea how huge and wobbly the real deal would be!

However there were no trains to Derby due to works. There were no bike spaces available on any other train that day to Burton, so with the kind help of Mandy at Virgin Trains, we secured a 9:00 PM train for the evening before, the 21st, to Burton via Birmingham New Street.

Still trying to get used to cycling shorts...

All this was booked with uncommon foresight some weeks in advance meaning were able snap these up for a mere £10 each. Bike reservation was free.

 

I hurriedly booked a room at the Travellodge across the road from Burton station.

On our journey out of New Street we were entertained by a fellow traveller who insisted on showing us graphic images of his recent cycling injuries. See below.

Image replaced by one of a less graphic nature
From 'The Kitten Care Handbook'

As we arrived so late the only source of nourishment (using the widest possible definition) was that veritable oasis of indigestion 'Flames', the local burger & chicken bar.

Not even the earlier 'graphic images' were a deterrent and we washed the taste away with a bottle from the hotel bar.

Fully sated we drifted off to sleep, impatient to start our adventure!

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