Less than a week to go - shopping, catering, and ferries.

So here I sit on Sunday evening, wondering if I've done enough training, and whether I've remembered everything. The answer to the former is definitely "No". The answer to the latter is "Yes" until I realise that I've forgotten something. That's sort of how it works, isn't it? A bit like the old chestnut of "Why do I always find my car keys in the last place I look?"

Anyway, I digress. It appears that Wiggle (that's an online cycling retailer for those of you not in the know) have done very well out of team BLT over the last couple of weeks. According to Joe, Matt has "Bought Wiggle", the amount of money he's been spending recently. Goodness knows what he's bought. I've splashed out on:

• 3 new cycling shirts
• 2 new pairs of cycling shorts
• 40 sachets of energy drink
• 30 energy gels

We also had a discussion on post-ride nutrition, and I've now cleared Tescos out of their "Pot Pastas" for a carbohydrate fix when we arrive at our destination. Slightly embarrassing turning up at the checkout with 18 of the things as well as 20 chocolate squares bars -I was tempted to make some comment to the effect that I do eat healthily, really.

In fact, numbers certainly seem to add up. Taking the formula of "a couple of energy bars in the morning, a couple in the afternoon" has led to the Burnie car probably being rather heavily loaded as it headed West on Friday morning with all our cycling kit, bikes and holiday gear for the Burnies. Not quite as bad as when on the 1989 Whitbread Round The World Race, when we were approached by the Uruguayan Mars Bar importer, offering free bars for the leg to Perth. When we calculated our requirements, he blanched and pointed out that the fleet's order was greater than his annual import. But I digress again.

Matt has been going over the routes, mainly to make sure we know where we're going at the end of each day. Fairly crucial, as it would be a tad annoying to have cycled 117 miles and then spend ages trying to find the accommodation for the night. He's also managed to shave off a few miles, which is good.

Part of the route adjustment involves the revelation that two of the ferries he'd planned in Scotland won't be running. In fact, one of them last ran in 1963, while the other is in Southampton having a refit. As a lot of us know, Matt happens to work in Southampton, indeed for a boat refitting company (Southampton Yacht Services). One lunchtime last week, he wandered over to the yard where the ferry is being refitted. There was the boat, with a posse of workmen busily... eating sandwiches and drinking tea (well, it was lunchtime). The conversation went something like this.

"Is this the Cromarty Ferry?"

"Yup"

"Erm, is it likely to be finished in time for 10th September, 'cos I was rather hoping to make use of it."

"Nope. It was meant to be ready three weeks ago, and we're running late."

Mat returns home to replan route...