Vodafone just sent me a text saying Welcome to Albania. I hope that’s just because we’re passing through their coastal waters. It’s midnight Greek time and we going across the Adriatic to Ancona. The moon is nearly full and it creates wave forms on the dark sea. We arrive in Italy tomorrow afternoon.

Cyclists love hills. Long ones with a steady gradient; hills which promise to end at the next corner and then tantalise by revealing still more climb. Four really good climbs today. We (the Spartan 12) are getting going now. We sped up one at 20mph; and then comes the best bit, the swooping descents with firm bends. There were however some more goats today and in one case there was a savage mountain sheep dog that was on guard. He tried to take a lump out of Mark’s leg but he was outpaced. We are now in Igoumenitsa waiting for the ferry to Italy. Some of have been for a swim.

Oleanders in shades of white and pink. Cicadas singing in every blade of grass. Sea deep azure below the cliffs. Temperature heating up and up. Long hills up and long hills down.

We’ve had a later start today, with bacon and eggs at the Preveza City Hotel (recommended as we only have 60 miles today. A shorter hop to Igoumenitsa where we catch the ferry for a 16 hour ferry journey to Italy. The sun is shining. House martins swoop to skies.

The cycle has featured in the local media over the weekend. Coverage on the Meridian news on Saturday night http://www.itv.com/news/meridian/2012-06-30/cycle-challenge-for-cathedral-canon/

and listen in to an interview that Ed Condry did with Radio Kent this morning http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p00tvb8j/The_Sunday_Programme_01_07_2012/ start at 50 minutes into the programme.

The cyclists have arrived in Preveza after a very tough 112 mile ride from Patra. We left at 6.00am and made good progress. Shortly after leaving Patra we crossed the magnificent new bridge, being so early we were the only people on it. Climbing the hills in 43c of heat really was an effort but with the assistance of the fabulous support crew of Roger & Sue providing much needed water and food we made it. We are all pretty exhausted.

We arrived at the road tunnel just outside Preveza at 5.00 pm and we allowed to cycle through it. Somehow I can’t see them allowing 12 cyclists to ride through the Dartford tunnel or over the bridge for that matter. Preveza is a really nice place with a great pleasure port and lots of restaurants.

My Garmin tells me we averaged just over 14 mph and the average temperature was 32.2 and peaked at 43.9.

A late start tomorrow (7.30am) as we only have 60 miles to Igoumenitsa  to catch the ferry to Ancona which doesn’t depart until 10.00pm.

Meanwhile in Italy

Readers probably know that Robin and Barbara Cooper are leading the advanced party and left the UK on 23 June to cycle the 1,500 miles in three weeks. They’ll be meeting the full group in Lucerne. They are now enjoying Italy and here’s the update from their weekend.

Saturday 30 June

We’ve made it from Faenza to Carpi in Italy via Bologna and the beautiful wine growing areas of Lambrusco wines. Immaculate fields, bringing in the wheat, picking fruit all rather lovely. Fantastic Italian architecture as you can see in the main square of Carpi. We’re staying in Via Karl Marx so waiting for the revolution to start any moment now.  We’ve clocked up 485 miles and still no punctures though one sore bot. Off to Crema tomorrow then navigating around Milan which should be fun! Went past a thermometer in the shade at 4pm showing 40 degrees so still no cooler. We realised last night something was wrong at dinner – we consumed 4 litres of water and two glasses of wine. Surely some mistake. It should be the other way round. We were very impressed with the 40 tonne lorry hurtling along about 50mph with a racing cyclist in his slip stream 2 feet behind going the same speed. Fully risk assessed we were sure. Also the motorbike doing a high speed wheelie the whole length of the road as far as the eye could see. �

1 July

After 90 miles today we’ve arrived in Crema east of Milan. Tomorrow Lake Como the ancestral home of Perry. Crazy hot again- over 40 most of the day. Lots of vineyards, sweetcorn, figs and wheat. But, as we now know. almost nothing open on a Sunday so very easy to run out of water which we did towards the end. Tonight is the football match but unlike England where many cars would have flags on – not one. An obvious opportunity for someone. I may even contact Alan Sugar about it. Today’s tune Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep and a bit of Whitney With the Greatest Love of All.  Most useless items on trip – arm and leg warmers. 580 miles cycled including detours and trying to find hotels. R and Bxx

11.30 and we’re about five miles from our destination for the day. We’ve batted along at 15mph or so. We’ve had more happy hoots and cheery waves than you would get in ten years of cycling elsewhere. The mountains shaded away into the distance. We’re now sitting by the lapping Adriatic eating bread and cheese. Inroads have been made into Gefion’s fruitcake.

5.30am. Eating breakfast in the Kronio Hotel (highly recommended – really friendly). Paul has his deck shoes and socks on. Everyone else similarly relaxed. Cliff looks leonine and fit. 75 miles today as a warm up. We end at Patras south of the new suspension bridge.

Our supplies having failed to arrive in Italy I’ve had to parachute Barbara into a hair salon for treatment.

 Crazy, crazy hot today – over 100 in the shade which is sadly not something we’re riding in. And its getting hotter! The water bottles get so hot after an hour it is impossible to drink the water. Some lovely Italian towns on the way but you seriously ask yourself was someone having a bit of a laugh. One twinned with that medieval delight called Watford and the other with the unrivalled charm of that gem of historic Britain, yes, that will be Peterborough. On to Carpi near Bologna tomorrow – just clocked up ( with wrong turns) 400 miles. Lots of very smart Italian cyclists on very nice bikes with matching apparel, lots of nice cars and we seem to have ended up in a barn on a vineyard. My sort of place. Still no punctures! Today’s tune -Madonna Like a Prayer I’ll Take You There.

 R and Bx

Arrived at Olympia around 2.30pm its hot, very hot 38c. We have unloaded the bikes changed into our kit and cycled the mile down the road to the old Olympic Stadium. Sadly it was shut but we did get this picture over the fence!

Breakfast booked for 5.30am for a 6.00am depart tomorrow, a gentle 75 miles to Patra.

OMG what are we doing???

The team poses in the sun in front of the old Olympic Stadium