The most common concern from friends and family to whom I spoke before the trip (I can’t believe I’m actually ON the trip!) was…what about your buns?  For some it was just a statement of the obvious, that it’s a lot of time sitting on the saddle, and it’s probably going to hurt!   For many others ,it was the voice of experience.  They had suffered chafing in the crotch, sore buns from a lousy saddle, or discomfort because their buns weren’t hardened by hours in the saddle.

I’m glad to report that my buns are doing well.  Better than I thought, actually. I alternate between sitting and standing, but sit for 80 % of the day.  No chafing. My butt seems to be seasoned. As do my hands and shoulders and feet.  I’m thrilled to say that I’m feeling no irritation from the hours of pedaling over the past 10 days.

Thank you to my Brooks saddle, the riding gloves that were a gift from Oskar Hepworth, my Pearl Isumi shoes and my properly adjusted bike.