Tuesday, 3rd July

Gainsborough to Holbeach (Lincs) 75 miles
Today we got back on track despite the weather and we are only 50 miles north of Cambridge and ready to enter the south of England tomorrow.
We struggled to get out of the hotel in Gainsborough this morning when we realised our bikes were locked in and the owners had gone out! Fortunately, i managed to break them free. As someone said in Lincoln later that day, most people round here come from Gainsborough, they never go back - perhaps this was a plot to keep us there?
Once we had escaped and reached Lincoln we enjoyed a fantastic ride along the no 1 cycle route which ran for over 10 miles alongside a river and canal and it was like being on holiday. Then the rain came again - i must come back in the summer.
Despite the gloomy weather and headwind, we cracked on and put in a 75 miler to get back on schedule and look to be n Gravesend on Thursday night via the Tilbury ferry and cycle into Brighton early on Friday evening to complete the challenge.
Tonight we are staying the night in Holbeach, where they celebrate the passing of the olympic torch tomorrow morning.