More ups and downs .... and a few words about kit

Got to the bottom of my mysterious 'puncture' yesterday, when I got up to find my other tyre was down too ... seems some jolly prankster thinks it's a real hoot to let them down! My early start from Strasbourg was delayed whilst I got them pumped up. Anyway, I finally got going - the sun came out and I covered the first 40km by lunch-time. Then came the next 35km along the now customary 'unspoilt' off-road section, just as the clouds rolled in and it started to rain ... then thunder ... then I got a genuine puncture. It meant taking all my panniers off to mend it. A wet half hour later I was thankfully back on the road ... for at least another kilometer before the next genuine puncture! While I mended this one I put poly bags over my feet to stop my shoes from getting waterlogged. Still looking stylish with my two ASDA bags I finally arrived at a little village with a campsite and a pub. It was a toss up which came first but you can guess. A couple of beers later the rain stopped and I got the tent up.
Next day I went into a town with a bike shop and bought a couple new spare inner tubes, a kevlar reinforced 'puncture-proof' outer and my new pride and joy ... a pair of waterproof over shoes cos by now my ASDA bags wetre worn through! Suitably attired I set off on the short 35km to Freiburg. It was short ... but all uphill - I'm now higher than quite a few of the Wainwrights in the Lakes. Looking at the hills beyond I've decided to chicken out on the next 30km up to Donauschingen and take the 3/4 hour train ride instead!

Now regarding Kit. Obviously fist is the bike. Its doing really well, still nice 'n smooth gear changes, and considering I've done 1500 heavily laden kilometers, the tyres have stood up remarkably well. Next ...the tent. Again, I'm really happy with it ... solid and nice and waterproof (and I'm a lot faster getting it pitched now there's been a few rainy days to 'encourage' haste!).
As far as other things I've brought, Jeffs Thermarest has been a lifesaver and Doz has been inspirational in the 'little' suggestions such as the roll of gardening poly-bags, the little handlebar pannier she bought me, the tiny bungee cord and loads of other thranklements. Above all though ... in the middle of the night, in the pouring rain, after a few scoops, my greatest acquisition has to be my collapsable plastic 'p***'-bucket.