Prose Pro Quid USA

All pumped up

And not just psychologically. 

On Saturday, we went for a quick 22 mile spin, and as usual I had extra weight in the form of water in my panniers.  Plus I'd pigged out on an almond croissant that morning, so was well loaded and larded up.   We were cycling along the coast near Portobello, and I was congratulating myself on having pumped Ewa's tires up nicely that morning (quiet there, at the back), when there was an enormous bang.  Ewa's first  thought was that I'd been killed in a drive-by, but mercifully it was just the sound of my overloaded inner tube exploding. 

On Sunday we did the last sizeable ride before we go - 67 miles out to Biggar and back.   We had lunch at the Elphinstone Hotel, and eavesdropped on some Americans (darn, if only I'd had my stickers) discussing the toilets:

"They're a bit old and need of refurbishment, but they don't smell."
"Like us."

We hastened to reassure them that any unpleasant smells were coming from us.

Random North American?

Are you American or Canadian?  Has some slightly weird English guy given you one of these stickers?  Read on, then click here...

Logo one of several kindly provided by Noémi.   I picked this one because it doesn't make quite as much fun of my hair.

US English version

Hey y'all!  It would be gnarly to the max if you could post a comment here!  This dude Ken Ferguson is, like, totally buggin', cos each time one of ya'll does that, he gotta pay £10 (about $20) to charity!  Scoot on down to the  Comments link and click like all get out.  Tubular!  Later dudes and dudettes...

UK English version

For information only - Ken doesn't have to fork out for Her Majesty's most dutiful and loyal subjects.  Or you lot.

Terribly sorry to trouble you, but would you mind adding a comment here?  This Ken Ferguson chappie, don't you know, bit addled if you ask me, perhaps a bit too long in the sunshine, might benefit from one of those charming cap affairs you seem to wear over there.  Long story short, he's offered ten of his finest spondulicks each time you do.   A trifle inconvenient, I'll grant you, but if you could bear with me, worthy cause and all that, then I'd be dashed grateful.  Just move your jolly old mouse over the Comments link, and click like billyo.  Thanks awfully.

Charities

I'm supporting two charities: SightSavers, and Brake. If you're an American or Canadian leaving a comment, you don't need to donate - just click here to leave a comment.

If you fancy donating, click on SightSavers, or Brake, but please also mail me so that I can keep track.  I've been matching your donations upto a total of £1000; so far including that, I've raised £3120.

Is it because I is saggy?

Looks like Lousiana has got wind of my cycling outfit.  I should really wash it more often, then.

Is that Stirling or am I...mistaken?

We're back from our mid-season break.  Previously, on Prose Pro Quid:

We've been to Melrose, where we stayed at a rambling and charming B&B, with an equally rambling and charming proprietress, prone to saying "You're a lot like Hugh Grant, aren't you?" in the hope that reference to the baked-bean-throwing stammering charmer would distract us from the lack of hot water.  Oh, and a witch-doctor on the lawn.  Well, more of a witch-vet, actually.   

And a couple of weekends ago we headed off towards Stirling, but got side-tracked to Linlithgow, to pay homage to one of the best puns known to man (thanks to Peter Brown for the Scottish accent).

But today, with Ewa all saddled up (not in some disturbing horse sort of way - just a new saddle), we had another crack at it, using meringues as rather fragile stepping stones to help us on our way to Ewa's furthest and fastest ride, at 80 miles and an average 12 mph. 

Being quite the gentleman - more Cary than Hugh, I hope - I'm going to be carrying Ewa's luggage in the US, so to prepare for this I had three panniers full of water.  Our surprising lack of clothes may cause a bit of stir in small-town America, but hey, we'll be able to have a shower whenever we like.