Forgive me bloggers for I have sinned, it's been three months since my last blog....

My how time flies.

Things have happened but unfortunately things haven't happened.

I tried to get some publicity and get riders to email me routes but I didn't get a single one, I now know why the magazines offer free prizes for routes to try and entice people to write in. Because of this I've had to try and develop a route myself, Memory Map have offered me a discount price of £85 which isn't bad but I'm not sure if I can afford it, I'll see how the fund raising goes.

I'm going to start the fund raising next week I've almost got the route finished, I was going to use memory map to try and calculate the route properly, I managged to get someone witha copy to measure the routes for me but they can't can't give me map copies because of copyright issues.

I'll post the route next week and let everyone get a glimpse of how it works. I won't be able to use and OS mapping so I'll have to post hand sketches or traces of the routes but it'll be good enough for now.

I've tried to get some sponsorship but it isn't easy. He's the results so far:

• Let's start with Nike and give them a bloody good slagging. They haven't even had the decency to say sod off, matbe if I truned up in a swaet shop they might talk to me, miserable little sods. No more sales from me.
• Adidas at least sent me there default 'budgets are all spent' reply.
• Scott bikes are still looking into it and I have to thank them for not giving up on me.
• Rab clothing, poor things, a tiny company that get hit by everyone doing an extreme charity event, when I spoke to them their marketing bloke had spent an hour writing sorry letters, never mind, still great clothing and local to boot.
• Swizzles sweets, those that make the love hearts, they are based in New Mills and are going to get back to me, watch this space.
• Focal design, branding and design company based in New Mills, currently under review, again, watch this space.
• Chain Reaction Cycles, another one I'm waiting on but when you consider that they are sponsoring the multi day event across Scotland in May (at the same time as my ride, dam them , dam them, dam them all) so they are probably pushed out on this so far.

So, what's my next steps?

This week it's accommodation, finalising the route (two ends of the route are at seven staines sites so I'm going so if I can ride through at least one of them), and creating the sponsorship forms then from next Wednesday it's round the pubs, offices and factorys posting the sponsorship forms, advertsing the web site.

When I first started this I thoguht others could come and ride but I'm struggling to find circular routes so I guess I can only invite other riders to a couple of sections, there are two definites and another one of the two near the seven staines might be possible, we'll just have to see. Although riders could come and do a full day with me and ride back to their cars or picked up the next day, we'll have to see.

Once I've figured this bit out I'll try and get on telly and do a bit of Local Hero stuff....sort of.

I've found a few things out during the creation of this route. When I started I advertised it as a 'national route to compete with the pennine way' and then this week I find out that someone has alreay started, check this out at http://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/penninebridleway/ and the loop in honour of Mary Towneley who apperently started the whole thing off.

Now, nobody has told me this so far so I'm guessing not many people know about it so here's my effort at publicising it.

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