I think I'm about to be diagnosed with cancer, and I'm fairly scared.

some people have more serious things to think about than a twisted ankle

for example my hoover is blocked by half an ikea pencil – you don't hear me moaning about that, do you?

strap ice packs to it and get to a physio, no point in trying to be some kind of hero

getting into bed, rotated and it popped

half pike with a full twist off the wardrobe – in a batman outfit ?

We've all been there, but FFS, you're supposed to be in training 🙄

Just wanted to say – good luck with the trip, and fighting the good fight. Puts the rubbish I am trying to get through into perspective really – and has spurred me onto sorting out my own mess as, frankly, it is small beer compared to your life mate.

I don't think I am on your route alas, being not far from Barrow in Furness, but if I am then I am sure I can offer crash space, food, showers and all that 😉

HOLD THE PRESSES!

It appears for the first time in about a year that Petesgaff is actually human (OK, part human, part cow)

May I be the first to say MTFU? 😉

Petesgaff – YGM

#Bump#

So, what's happening? 😐

Being a natural born idiot, I find one can never be 100% fit or organised for any big event. I usually remember the important thing I forgot about 10 mins in.
You will be fine and you will start either with a bad foot or without a bad foot.

You could use it to your advantage and cash in on another injury. That should be at least another €5 or €10 from everyone 🙂

Hello folks.

I'm in a fairly bad place at the moment. Health-wise, things are fine, so don't panic, but I have a horrible feeling that the black dog might be around the corner, which is very unusual for me. Let me explain…

I work in a number of schools, who have been great about my illness, except the one I am based in. This is a high achieving Academy in S.London, and they've been nothing short of awful in how they've treated me. I've been chastised for not keeping up with my work, ordered of site for needing to wear flip-flops due to my chemo (H & S issue apparently), had no formal re-introduction back to work, no adaptations, no manager meetings, etc. I'm fairly robust and can usually take a kicking, but fighting incurable f*cking cancer is taking all I have at the moment and I'm not sure I have any more left in the tank.

Before all of you start screaming about my rights, don't panic – Mrs petesgaff is a solicitor, and a fairly shrewd one at that. We have both the NASUWT and their solicitors firm on the case, and I have no doubt with all the evidence we have that someone will get hammered; unfortunately I think it will be the wrong guy. My line manager (who told me in a private chat that there would come a point when I'd be on my own because 'he'd have to look out for number one) is being used by the SLT as the conduit for information – what he's too ignorant to realise is that they're using him as a buffer if it all goes bad for them as a result of proceedings.

Me? I don't give a shit about this fella (He's weak, and sold me out to get a place in the lower echelons of the of the SLT; I'll deal with him in time) – I want the policy makers; those that think that its okay to ignore and bully folk; presuming to do it with impunity. Not throughout my illness have I been contacted by anyone in the SLT via phone or email to ask how I am. Not once. Pricks.

And this bone-strengthening treatment hurts. It's getting on my tits. My ligament hurts, I'm not cycling enough, and I'm pissed off.

But thanks to those of you that have donated. You are stars. I'll do an update later on how the JOGLE thing is going after I've killed some kittens.

http://www.justgiving.com/TheBullheartJOGLE2010

By the way, my new blog:

http://petesgaff.wordpress.com

And I just snapped my seat-post too.

If you were the father and teenager combo cycling around Bewl Water roughly two hours ago, please accept my most sincere apologies. Neither of you are F$%&*^£ C*@£s, and the bike wasn't aimed at you. I know 25ft is a long way to throw a bike, and I'm sorry if you got wet when it landed in the reservoir beside you.

(sigh….)

Lol, I have done that before. In fact a few weeks ago when I snapped a pedal axle and I thought I was on my own in the wild Rocky Mountains I gave my bike a good earful. The young decent-looking couple that appeared round a bend in an adjacent trail were a bit surprised.

Genuinely Loled at that. 😆

Regarding the previous DLTBGYD!

ygm

ygm back

Bloody hell you are human 😉 dude you are allowed to get pissed off every now and then. Dont let the small sh1t get you down.

Go get 'em Floyd.

petesgaff ygm fae me too.

Hey mate, you need to pull your finger out and give us all abit more info on your LEJOG route so we can come and give you the £'s in person ! 😉

Life is shit sometimes isn't it. No one really knows any pain until they have actually felt it. Bastards. Keep fighting buddy x

Tell me what size seat post and an address and a new one will be on it's way.

Please pick cheap, i am out of work at the end of the month. I know that is a puny excuse but having met you, I know you are a top bloke and will understand. Free BBB tickets still stand.

BBB – I love you. Like I love my dog, my bikes, my wife. You (and solamander too) are incredibly generous.

But no. Thank you though.

Because if difficulties are made easy to circumnavigate I'll fail. If I'm handed opportunities without working for them, when it comes to the real adversity, I'll fail. I can't afford to be complacent. My fat arse broke the post – therefore my fat arse will find a new one. It has to be that way.

Yesterday was important for me. If the post hadn't broken, I wouldn't have had to cycle back 7 miles standing up on my bad ankle, and therefore wouldn't have tested myself. It was a Bullheart moment, and something very much needed right now. I smiled all the way back, which I haven't done for a while.

And we will be at BBB. I promise.

I've got a couple knocking about in the spares box. I understand what you said to BBB but if one of them fits I'd rather see it used than not. You can always send it back once your arse has made other arrangements. What size would you need?

Likewaise, there are a fair number of nice-but-tatty seatposts in the garage. Let me know what size you need and I'll bung one in the post.

From a publicity angle it would be quite novel doing the end to end without a seat post…… 😯

..and at least you wouldn't get a sore arse 🙂

For a bit of work, you can locate a replacement clamp bolt for the RaceFace post I have. I snapped the other one (firing the saddle into my knackers).

Of course, this may mean you don't trust it… 😀

Mail in profile.

I've got a few Inc a new 30.9 thomson so if you want it I'll happily post you it or buy you a new one because you my friend are a fckn inspiration to me. So there. Let me know if you want it but it may take 5 days 🙂

Okay, I give up.

26.8. Can't find one anywhere. If you have one, and you'll allow me to pay for it, I'd be very grateful.

Anyone doing the L2B on Sunday?

Talking about 'kicking a man/bull when he's down.

That chap from your school, has he ever heard of the word compassion?

Pete, have just mailed you re seatpost – send me one back and we'll get this sorted for you.

For anyone who doubted, he's THAT stubborn. I dunno, you try to chuck a seatpost at someone ………….(wanders off into the distance, grumbling away)

If you were the father and teenager combo cycling around Bewl Water roughly two hours ago, please accept my most sincere apologies. Neither of you are F$%&*^£ C*@£s, and the bike wasn't aimed at you. I know 25ft is a long way to throw a bike, and I'm sorry if you got wet when it landed in the reservoir beside you

PMSL, well done mate! MAde my day.

As for the knob in management at work, well, in education & healthcare it seems to be a prerequisite to be a knob! If you're lucky his job will go to the wall anyway.

For anyone who doubted, he's THAT stubborn. I dunno, you try to chuck a seatpost at someone ………….

😉

nickf – a total gent. As are the rest of you that have offered to buy or give me a post. No monetary exchange, no post. Bullheart stylee.

And don't worry about the guy at school.

I carry a brick for a long, long time…

IME…in order to become a member of the SLT you have to sell your soul to the devil. They are a bag of shite!!
Shit floats to the top, everyone gets promoted past their level of competence etc. etc…
Just remember you are one of the good guys!! 😀
FCx

ygm

if I've sent it too the right place

If you still need a post, email me and I will send you one free.

is this sorted yet ?

If not, I have the perfect solution: A post so shite that you'd be working hard to just accept it without calling me a ****.

It's about 30yr old, 26.5 or so including rust (so would need a coke can shim), is only about 7 inches long and has the really old style clamps on a through bolt. Payment not required – a simple photo of it attached to your bike would have me laughing my arse off for days.

Let me know if you'd "like" it 😉

Have you got a the route yet? Have I missed it?

I can't offer you lodging space (1-bed flat already shared with 4 bikes) but fully intending to join you for a bit. With cheer and cake.

Hello Mrs Petesgaff here, I'm on JOGLE duty…Have been tallying up some of your amazing and generous offers of accommodation and some of you (un)lucky(?) ones have mail…

Diane, you mentioned a while back you are Innerleithen way, wanted to drop you a line but no email in profile (I may be being thick and missed it). Would you possibly be able to get in touch with Mark?

I think we are slowly filling in the gaps with places to stop over. I'm getting quite excited about the big ride. But then of course I'm not riding it!

As ever, thank you folks, Meg